Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's get into it, because there really is so much
happening around the place this morning. And joining me in
the studio right now is the Chief Minister, Natasha Files.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good morning to your Chief Minister.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Now we know that it was an incredibly sad situation
yesterday afternoon. One person's died and another has suffered serious
injuries after a large tree branch fell in Darwin's Botanic Gardens.
So a twenty eight year old woman was declared deceased
at the scene. A thirty three year old man suffered
serious injuries and was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital. Do
(00:34):
you have any detail around what's happened here.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Oh, Katie. An absolute tragedy and when I heard the news,
I just felt sick to my stomach and my heart
goes out to that young woman's family and her friends
and to the others involved. And the first responder is
the people that came to the assistants. Just an awful incident,
a beautiful place, the Botanic gardens, and people just go
there to relax and you just don't think anything like
(00:56):
that can happen, You.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Really don't, and it is so well made. It shocked
me because there's also been sort of school holiday events
held there throughout the last couple of weeks, and I
can think of many occasions where I've been there underneath
the tree myself with my family. Do we know if
it was an African mahogany tree or is there much
that we know at this point?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
And Katie, you know our thoughts and our we're thinking
of those involved and hoping that the person in hospital
is able to recover well. But in terms of our
tree management, our park staff will be absolutely devastated. They've
taken almost pride in our parks right across the territory.
I understand it is not an African mahogany tree, Katie.
The Botanical Gardens they have a tree audit program and
(01:39):
understand it's up to date, but they'll be doing an
extraordinary audit of trees in response immediately so that we
can ascertain, you know, anything that could identify further trees
that may be problematic, as well as ensuring those staff
and those that assisted, Katie, I think that the cafe
staff assisted are provided with the support they're needed to.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
So at this point in time, is it believe that
it is like a freak accident.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
It seems that on face value, Katie, but police obviously
under conducting an investigation. I understand it can be subject
to the coroner's officer. There may be a coronial into
this matter. So you know, our park staff take great
pride in maintaining our parks and as I said, they
do have a tree audit program. It is up to date,
but they will now take an extraordinary audit to ensure
(02:29):
is there any factors that can identify further problems.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
And we'll do our best to keep our listeners up
to date with that situation throughout this morning. Now, Chief Minister,
you've just come from a press conference with Master Builders
in Tea who have commissioned economic advisory for ASYL Allen
to analyze the impacts of defense infrastructure investment in the
Northern Territory. This research has reportedly shown that the industry
(02:53):
can create an additional seven six hundred local jobs in
the territory between now and twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
How does the government make this come to fruition?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
So, Katie, this is a really exciting report. This is
done by ASL Allen. This is an independent report. Master
Builders have facilitated this and a big congratulations to them.
It's around what do we need in the territory to
manage this capacity that's coming forward so we can benefit
the most, So territory businesses, territory jobs can benefit.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
How will we ensure that locals are going to get
these contracts.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
So this is a significant report because it gives us
an understanding of what the jobs, what types of jobs
are needed, and when they're needed. This report goes through
until twenty twenty seven because that's when the defense data
was provided to but it's anticipated it'll be up to
a decade. So it allows us to focus our training,
for example, in those types of jobs that we can
prepare the workforce. It allows us to ensure that we've
(03:48):
got adequate housing. We've managed big projects before, Katie, we
are able to surge up, but this will help us
have that pipeline and that consistency.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, I was going to ask, I mean, where are
we going to actually need to bring in workers to
fill these jobs and where are they going to live.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
So clearly, Katie, it'll be a combination of growing our
own and people moving to the territory that we hope
stay on and be territori ins post impacts. If we'd
had projects ready to go, we would have perhaps seen
many people stay here in terms of living. We've obviously
got land release programs across the Northern Territory in both
Darwin and Catherine, particularly for defense, but we've also got
(04:23):
infield programs. So this I think the most important thing
from this independent report, Katie. And this is not government,
this is not us spooking what we want to say.
This is independent, market tested and it's signals to the market.
It's signals to those investors. We've got a number of
projects within DHAL and CBD, for example, for accommodation, and
those developers need to get finance to get those projects happening.
(04:45):
This signals that there is a really exciting economic Truman.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
We're talking though here about seven six hundred jobs between
now and twenty twenty seven. We're never going to be
able to get those buildings up and running all those
houses built in that time, are we.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
So, Katie, the challenge is there for us. We know
now that we've got that independent, verified pipeline of work
coming and so that's really important for our industry, our
housing industry, so that they can get those projects off
the ground.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Are we going to wind up in a situation though,
like we were when impects really hit the ground, where
locals are paying astronomical rents and astronomical prices for their
homes because we've got a workforce that comes in for
a couple of years and then they're out.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
So Katie, impex was huge for our economy. But I'm
determined that we won't make the same mistakes that we
made in the point you just made around locals missing out,
but also that consistency. So this shows that there is
a steady pipeline of defense investments, significant investment. We can
grow the Northern Territory's gross state product by five percent
(05:49):
if we can sustain high levels of local involvement. So
that's why as a government, with industry and with our
education providers, housing providers, we can all work together with
this independent.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I mean, we have seen over the weekend some terrible
scenes unprecedented surprise attack by Islamist group Hamas, which launched
a multi pronged assault of rocket barrages and gangs of
gunmen who basically invaded border towns in Israel. There is
no doubt that there is more uncertainty in the world
(06:21):
right now I guess the question is because we talk
a lot about defense from a real financial perspective and
the financial impacts in a positive way. But I mean,
what exactly does this work mean in terms of Australia's
national security as we look at what is a very
uncertain world at this point.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
So, Katie, I think for your listeners, the Defense Strategic
Review highlights the importance of the North Northern Australia and
so the investment that needs to be made in the North,
and that's from an Australian defense perspective. In terms of
our allies, what we are mostly attractive to them about
is the ability for them to train, so they're able
to train land and see together. There's huge training rangers
(07:00):
that are much bigger than they are able to access
in their own countries. The ability for the different services
to train in together. So that's the uniqueness that the
Northern territory. So the investment is in preparing capability and
we hope we don't ever see combat, but also about
those strategic training locations for both Australian Defense and our allies.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
All Right, I do want.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
To move along because there's a lot to discuss this morning,
and John Howard and Tony Abbott have declared the Northern
Territory is a failed state because of its inability to
provide basic services to remote communities, including education, and they
believe that a voice to Parliament will not improve practical
outcomes for Indigenous people in central Australia. That's what was
reported in the Australian newspaper on the weekend. Now, the
(07:45):
former Liberal prime ministers who implemented the Coalitions two thousand
and seven intervention into the Northern Territory, which included as
we know, grog bands and placing military personnel in some
remote communities, said that little had changed for Indigenous Australia
in the fifteen years since the Coalition government's action, I mean,
Chief Minister. These are scathing remarks from two former Coalition
(08:08):
prime ministers. John Howard said the intervention was a recognition
that the Northern Territory government had completely failed in its responsibilities,
and he reckons it doesn't appear as if a lot
has changed over the fifteen years that have gone by.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What is your response to that?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
So, Katie, the timing, Why is this suddenly an issue
because there is a national referendum this weekend?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
It's also because everything's really blown up at the moment
in terms of crime and everything that's gone on in.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Alis So, Katie, we are being used as a political
football and the Northern Territory is sick and tired of it.
For the East Coast when it suits them to care
about her issues and talk about our issues, and when
it doesn't suit them, they're not interested. You know. We
see time and time again that Canberra when we go
to them with solutions around what we need to properly fund.
The Northern Territory has got a large geographical area, high
(09:00):
indigenous population thirty percent Indigenous Territorians in our population. When
we go to them with solutions, they're not interested. But
when the timing suits them, we get used as a
political football and I'm sick and tired of it.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
I mean. John Howard, though, told The Australian that he
thinks what emerged from the events this year in the
Northern Territory was a further indictment of the inability, the
failure of the Northern Territory government to provide basic services
and look as a territory. And I do think it's
a bit rich for two former prime ministers who had
(09:32):
a stake when it comes to helping manage things in
the Northern Territory for quite some time, to use the
Northern Territory to push their barrow when it comes to
the voice. But then on the other hand, a lot
of people are really very concerned about the state of
the Northern Territory right now. They do feel that crime's
out of control, and they're concerned about overcrowding at the
hospital continued code yellows and various other serious concerns. With education,
(09:57):
I mean, is your government failing.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
We've got a billion dollar education budget, a two billion
dollar health budget, a billion dollars for community and safety.
We are, as I just was saying, an area of
large geographical challenges. We also receive the lowest GST, so
we don't have first time.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Around though because I thought we got a boost for
our per capita.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
We've got a small boost. But the way the GST
formulation is, it doesn't actually recognize the challenge of service.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Deliveries of dollars coming into the Northern Territory, billions of dollars,
and we are I mean, we do seem as though
we're failing in some areas right now.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
So Katie to overcome our challenges. We need to see
a steady investment and I welcome recently in Central Australia
we've seen a change in the funding model to an
enrollment based model for Central Australian schools and this is
off the back of that Central Australian Regional deal. But Katie,
this is when we highlight the challenges we have in
the territory. We know what it's needed to overcome these,
(10:55):
but we need to see that consistent investment into the territory,
just on.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That education side of things again. According to The Australian newspaper,
the Central Land Council's ninety elected delegates, who represent twenty
four thousand Indigenous people from dozens of remote regional communities,
they decided on Thursday, as I understand it, at a
camp meeting near Ularu, to ask the Commonwealth Government to
force your government to deal with your bloated bureaucracy and
(11:20):
start funding schools properly.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
So, Katie, we have an incredibly hard working education department
and we put every resource we can out on the
ground educating kids.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Is the bureaucracy bloated though, Katie.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I don't think it is, and we need to make
sure that we have as many resources in schools. We didn't.
Order of the funding model that was released late last
year into education in the Northern Territory, we've got an
effective enrollment funding model formulation. We know that we need
to go to an enrollment based model. So essentially, at
the moment, schools are funded on the amount of children
(11:54):
that show up. Where if you've got a school that
lots of kids show up each and every day, they're
getting a consistent education. If you fund schools based on enrollment,
you've then got the resources to get those kids who
aren't necessarily going to school engaging with education regularly into
the classrooms. But for Central Australia that's been agreed to
and there is forty million dollars of additional funding coming
into Centralian school so what the Land Council's called for
(12:16):
has actually been achieved.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
So what you're saying is that you feel as though
the way that you are funding those schools, particularly in
Central Australia, across the board in remote communities in the
territory right now, you feel as though you're working towards
getting this right correct.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
So that report that was released in December that talks
about going to an enrollment based funding model. That is
what we're working towards.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
What in the meantime because you know, I guess right now,
we seem to have so many social issues and we've
got to you know, we've got yourself as the Chief
Minister and the government saying that what we require is
generational change.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
But then you've got kids not at school.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
So Katie, I always say we need the generational change
and that will take time, but we need the immediate
responses and education is a great exams. We need each
kid every day to go to school.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
What are you doing immediately to make sure they are?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
So?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
In Central Australia, that change in that funding model is
something that we've done immediately to get extra resources into
our classrooms to get those kids to school.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
So you reckon, you're going to start to see those
kids at school like from today tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So Katie, we've seen and I don't have the figures
in front of me, and I'm sure the Education Minister
would be happy to chat with you, but we have
seen a slight increase in attendance at schools. Now that's
better than going backwards, and it is a starting point.
But getting kids to school so they're engaged in the
school system is a really key point for me. I
think it's so important.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
One of the things that gets raised here like very
regularly is even if you go to Casuarina or if
you go to one of the shopping centers today, you're
going to see kids walking around that are not at school. Now.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I don't mean kids that are in this today's before
today you'll see, punny.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
What you mean from tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
You know, Like, I'm not talking about kids who've got
their school uniforms on and they're ready to go. I'm
talking about kids that are not going to school.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Like, how are we in a.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Situation where we're not sort of going, all right, we've
got to try to engage these kids. How do we
not have somebody out there at the shopping center trying
to engage them and get them to school.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
So when we talk about the Department of Education and
the bureaucracy, there's exactly people there that are focused on
those families that are completely disengaged, making sure kids are
enrolled and kids are going We've been doing some work
with public housing, so people that are in public housing
tendencies that perhaps have visitors saying to those families, you
need to send your kids to school. You need to
go home to community and go to school, or if
(14:31):
you're staying in town for a reason, then you need
to get your kids engaged in schools because we do
have support programs there. We've got schools for kids that
are disengaged, so there's quite a number of resources. Because
to me, education is the key to overcoming. Going back
to the point you raised at the start, the generational challenging, Yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
We're like, this is the thing you guys have been
in for seven years now and it doesn't seem to
have gotten better.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
It seems to have gotten worse.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Well, your point to that attendance figure, and it's a
slight increase, but at least how much I realized. I
haven't got the figures in front of me. I apologize,
but it's stabilized because we've seen for a number of
years a decrease in kids attending school.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Okay, I do.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Want to move along because last week two women were
raped in our CBD in broad daylight. There was a
worker who lost an eye in an unprovoked attack in
Malac and two people are dead and another in a
critical condition in hospital after two separate shootings last Tuesday night,
all very different kinds of incidents, but all of them
(15:30):
really highlighting that the issue of crime in the Northern
Territory right now is beyond crisis point. You said in
a media report last week, you know that you're open
to ideas of how to do things differently.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Has the government run out of ideas here?
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Oh, Katie, we are invested right across and I point
to that billion dollars into community safety. That's right across
the spectrum, from supporting our police on the front line
to ensuring that we have programs available to people so
that they can overcome their lenges. But Katie, some of
those all of those incidents were absolutely appalling and apparent,
and police are investigating and we hope that justice is
(16:08):
served to those victims.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Can you understand, though, why the communities reached a point where,
you know, like when we talk about this issue, the
government sees all the right things and says, you know,
we've we've got these different programs, we're doing this, we're
doing that, but nothing seems to be making a difference.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
So, Katie, we've got more police than on the beat
than ever before. More consequences for crime or investment.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
So what do you attribute the further increase in crime
and more brazen, horrible attacks.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
To, Katie? And I need to make sure that I
don't interfere with commentary that might impact just asking.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
What would you what do you attribute it to?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
If what you're saying is that we've got more police
than ever before, we've got more funding than ever before,
what do you attribute the terrible crime that we're seeing
on these streets too?
Speaker 3 (16:51):
So, Katie, we know that domestic and family violence is alive.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
That's those two those two sexual assaults were the two
victims were not known to the offend.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
But Katie, you were talking about five different incidents there
two of those word domestic. Sorry, I understand one of
them was domestic and family violence. But what I'm saying
is that we have a range of factors that lead
to those crimes taking place, and that's where we need
to understand. Of course, police are investigating these matters and
any advice they provide to us will act on, but
we can't.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
We cannot attribute every active crime to domestic fold.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I'm not trying to by any means, but what I'm
saying is that there's lots of resources, more than ever before,
and is there more work to do? Yes, So what
is that work? So, Katie, it's understanding the factors that
lead to these crimes and then putting those measures in
place what they might be, and.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
We immediately to keep people on the streets safe. You know,
because as a woman, I feel pretty concerned that something
like that's happened in our CBD in daylight hours. You know,
you think to yourself, am I safe walking through Austin Lane?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Katie, I think it's something that many Territorians think about
when they, you know, step out of their car or
step out of their homes. And so it's around all
of those different resources. So we interact with city council,
with private security. We have CCTV cameras that more police
means they're doing more regular patrols. So there's a number
of measures to try and make our streets as safe
(18:15):
as possible.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
I mean, do you need to shake up here? Do
you need do you need a cabinet reshuffle? Somebody looking
at things differently to try to, I don't know, to
come up with some new ideas to hopefully have an impact.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
So Katie, we've got a relatively new commissioner for police
and we've been working as a government very closely with him.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
But the police are doing their job, you know, that's
the thing. They are doing their job, but we're not
actually stopping the crime in.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
The first place.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
And so Katie working with police to understand what they
need to keep the community safe, and those other government
agencies there's a number of them that work in that
space so that we can provide them with the resources,
the legislation, the programs to keep our community safe.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
So at this point in time, I do like I
just want to make it clear for our listeners because
I know that they're really, really very concerned about this.
So it doesn't sound you know, it doesn't sound like
you've got anything urgent that you're going to be doing
or that you're going to be looking into this week,
for example, to try to change what's going on.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
So Katie, just see your listeners have a sense of understanding.
I talk to the Police Commissioner regularly, probably two or
three times a week, if not more. If there is
any single thing that as a government we need to
act upon, we of course will absolutely do that.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
All right, I want to ask you about the Tenant
Creek Mayor he's in hot water following vision emerging of
him sitting on a child who'd allegedly broken into his home.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Should he resign? Katie?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
That footage is confronting. I've watched that footage and police
are investigating that matter. So I don't want to make
any commentary that may impact upon that. I understand the
frustration that out a community feels around crime and community safety,
and the appropriate thing to do is to let that
investigation take place.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
All right now, the COLP announced candidates to candidates for
Palmerston for Palmerston seats over the weekend. What is the
ALP doing when it comes to the seat of Blaine.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
So, Katie, in terms of our processes, and it's a
question for the party. They've had recently an expression of
interest to see if there's people that in unheld seats
are interested in running for the Northern Territory Labor Party.
And so we then work through whether some preselections are opened.
In some cases, people don't want to be pre selected
early because they might be in a role that you know,
it would be conflicting for them. So we've got a
(20:29):
strong team that represents the Northern territory labor within the
government and the Parliament, and we're focused on territory.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
It just a very quick one.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
We spoke last week to the co head of the
area of Obstetrics. When it comes to scans for pregnant women,
we've had numerous expectant mums contact us seriously concerned that
they can't get in for these scans.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Now Here assured us.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
That women are being seen at the appropriate times, but
we've since had other mums get in contact with us
to say that they can't get in for scans.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
What is going on from your perspective, So.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Katie, I think that there is a range of scans
that are pregnant mother to be can have. It's the
nuclear translucency scans that are provided by multiple private organizations.
So when you for pregnant, you choose to go through
GP shared care, the public or the private system. Even
if you're a public patient, you can get additional scans
that you go and pay for with a private provider.
Our scans that are provided within the public system, they're
(21:23):
generally around twelve weeks and then again at twenty weeks,
but that can be between eighteen and twenty two weeks
are being provided. There is no delays. My understanding is
these are additional scans that people get through private providers.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Some are saying that that's not the case, that it's
not actually those the nukal ones sit they're delayed on.
It's like the twelve week scan that they're trying to
get in for and they're having to wait weeks after
they're meant to get in for that scan.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
So, Katie, you spoke to Jeremy Chin, the medical co
director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Royal Darwen Hospital last week.
He leads an excellent team there that provide amazing care. So, Katie,
the people should, if they're worried about their healthcare, talk
to their doctors and nurses at their appointments. There's a
patient advocate if they're not worried about if they're worried
(22:09):
about that process. And we also have the Health Complaints Commissioner,
so we're open to criticism in this space. I rigorously
go back and ask questions because I was concerned when
I heard of it on face value. And that's the advice.
And you've spoken to Jeremy as well.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
All right, we are going to have to leave it
their Chief Minister Natasha Files, always appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Thank you, take care,
Let's get into it, because there really is so much
happening around the place this morning. And joining me in
the studio right now is the Chief Minister, Natasha Files.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good morning to your Chief Minister.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Now we know that it was an incredibly sad situation
yesterday afternoon. One person's died and another has suffered serious
injuries after a large tree branch fell in Darwin's Botanic Gardens.
So a twenty eight year old woman was declared deceased
at the scene. A thirty three year old man suffered
serious injuries and was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital. Do
(00:34):
you have any detail around what's happened here.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Oh, Katie. An absolute tragedy and when I heard the news,
I just felt sick to my stomach and my heart
goes out to that young woman's family and her friends
and to the others involved. And the first responder is
the people that came to the assistants. Just an awful incident,
a beautiful place, the Botanic gardens, and people just go
there to relax and you just don't think anything like
(00:56):
that can happen, You.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Really don't, and it is so well made. It shocked
me because there's also been sort of school holiday events
held there throughout the last couple of weeks, and I
can think of many occasions where I've been there underneath
the tree myself with my family. Do we know if
it was an African mahogany tree or is there much
that we know at this point?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
And Katie, you know our thoughts and our we're thinking
of those involved and hoping that the person in hospital
is able to recover well. But in terms of our
tree management, our park staff will be absolutely devastated. They've
taken almost pride in our parks right across the territory.
I understand it is not an African mahogany tree, Katie.
The Botanical Gardens they have a tree audit program and
(01:39):
understand it's up to date, but they'll be doing an
extraordinary audit of trees in response immediately so that we
can ascertain, you know, anything that could identify further trees
that may be problematic, as well as ensuring those staff
and those that assisted, Katie, I think that the cafe
staff assisted are provided with the support they're needed to.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
So at this point in time, is it believe that
it is like a freak accident.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
It seems that on face value, Katie, but police obviously
under conducting an investigation. I understand it can be subject
to the coroner's officer. There may be a coronial into
this matter. So you know, our park staff take great
pride in maintaining our parks and as I said, they
do have a tree audit program. It is up to date,
but they will now take an extraordinary audit to ensure
(02:29):
is there any factors that can identify further problems.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
And we'll do our best to keep our listeners up
to date with that situation throughout this morning. Now, Chief Minister,
you've just come from a press conference with Master Builders
in Tea who have commissioned economic advisory for ASYL Allen
to analyze the impacts of defense infrastructure investment in the
Northern Territory. This research has reportedly shown that the industry
(02:53):
can create an additional seven six hundred local jobs in
the territory between now and twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
How does the government make this come to fruition?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
So, Katie, this is a really exciting report. This is
done by ASL Allen. This is an independent report. Master
Builders have facilitated this and a big congratulations to them.
It's around what do we need in the territory to
manage this capacity that's coming forward so we can benefit
the most, So territory businesses, territory jobs can benefit.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
How will we ensure that locals are going to get
these contracts.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
So this is a significant report because it gives us
an understanding of what the jobs, what types of jobs
are needed, and when they're needed. This report goes through
until twenty twenty seven because that's when the defense data
was provided to but it's anticipated it'll be up to
a decade. So it allows us to focus our training,
for example, in those types of jobs that we can
prepare the workforce. It allows us to ensure that we've
(03:48):
got adequate housing. We've managed big projects before, Katie, we
are able to surge up, but this will help us
have that pipeline and that consistency.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, I was going to ask, I mean, where are
we going to actually need to bring in workers to
fill these jobs and where are they going to live.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
So clearly, Katie, it'll be a combination of growing our
own and people moving to the territory that we hope
stay on and be territori ins post impacts. If we'd
had projects ready to go, we would have perhaps seen
many people stay here in terms of living. We've obviously
got land release programs across the Northern Territory in both
Darwin and Catherine, particularly for defense, but we've also got
(04:23):
infield programs. So this I think the most important thing
from this independent report, Katie. And this is not government,
this is not us spooking what we want to say.
This is independent, market tested and it's signals to the market.
It's signals to those investors. We've got a number of
projects within DHAL and CBD, for example, for accommodation, and
those developers need to get finance to get those projects happening.
(04:45):
This signals that there is a really exciting economic Truman.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
We're talking though here about seven six hundred jobs between
now and twenty twenty seven. We're never going to be
able to get those buildings up and running all those
houses built in that time, are we.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
So, Katie, the challenge is there for us. We know
now that we've got that independent, verified pipeline of work
coming and so that's really important for our industry, our
housing industry, so that they can get those projects off
the ground.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Are we going to wind up in a situation though,
like we were when impects really hit the ground, where
locals are paying astronomical rents and astronomical prices for their
homes because we've got a workforce that comes in for
a couple of years and then they're out.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
So Katie, impex was huge for our economy. But I'm
determined that we won't make the same mistakes that we
made in the point you just made around locals missing out,
but also that consistency. So this shows that there is
a steady pipeline of defense investments, significant investment. We can
grow the Northern Territory's gross state product by five percent
(05:49):
if we can sustain high levels of local involvement. So
that's why as a government, with industry and with our
education providers, housing providers, we can all work together with
this independent.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I mean, we have seen over the weekend some terrible
scenes unprecedented surprise attack by Islamist group Hamas, which launched
a multi pronged assault of rocket barrages and gangs of
gunmen who basically invaded border towns in Israel. There is
no doubt that there is more uncertainty in the world
(06:21):
right now I guess the question is because we talk
a lot about defense from a real financial perspective and
the financial impacts in a positive way. But I mean,
what exactly does this work mean in terms of Australia's
national security as we look at what is a very
uncertain world at this point.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
So, Katie, I think for your listeners, the Defense Strategic
Review highlights the importance of the North Northern Australia and
so the investment that needs to be made in the North,
and that's from an Australian defense perspective. In terms of
our allies, what we are mostly attractive to them about
is the ability for them to train, so they're able
to train land and see together. There's huge training rangers
(07:00):
that are much bigger than they are able to access
in their own countries. The ability for the different services
to train in together. So that's the uniqueness that the
Northern territory. So the investment is in preparing capability and
we hope we don't ever see combat, but also about
those strategic training locations for both Australian Defense and our allies.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
All Right, I do want.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
To move along because there's a lot to discuss this morning,
and John Howard and Tony Abbott have declared the Northern
Territory is a failed state because of its inability to
provide basic services to remote communities, including education, and they
believe that a voice to Parliament will not improve practical
outcomes for Indigenous people in central Australia. That's what was
reported in the Australian newspaper on the weekend. Now, the
(07:45):
former Liberal prime ministers who implemented the Coalitions two thousand
and seven intervention into the Northern Territory, which included as
we know, grog bands and placing military personnel in some
remote communities, said that little had changed for Indigenous Australia
in the fifteen years since the Coalition government's action, I mean,
Chief Minister. These are scathing remarks from two former Coalition
(08:08):
prime ministers. John Howard said the intervention was a recognition
that the Northern Territory government had completely failed in its responsibilities,
and he reckons it doesn't appear as if a lot
has changed over the fifteen years that have gone by.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What is your response to that?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
So, Katie, the timing, Why is this suddenly an issue
because there is a national referendum this weekend?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
It's also because everything's really blown up at the moment
in terms of crime and everything that's gone on in.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Alis So, Katie, we are being used as a political
football and the Northern Territory is sick and tired of it.
For the East Coast when it suits them to care
about her issues and talk about our issues, and when
it doesn't suit them, they're not interested. You know. We
see time and time again that Canberra when we go
to them with solutions around what we need to properly fund.
The Northern Territory has got a large geographical area, high
(09:00):
indigenous population thirty percent Indigenous Territorians in our population. When
we go to them with solutions, they're not interested. But
when the timing suits them, we get used as a
political football and I'm sick and tired of it.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
I mean. John Howard, though, told The Australian that he
thinks what emerged from the events this year in the
Northern Territory was a further indictment of the inability, the
failure of the Northern Territory government to provide basic services
and look as a territory. And I do think it's
a bit rich for two former prime ministers who had
(09:32):
a stake when it comes to helping manage things in
the Northern Territory for quite some time, to use the
Northern Territory to push their barrow when it comes to
the voice. But then on the other hand, a lot
of people are really very concerned about the state of
the Northern Territory right now. They do feel that crime's
out of control, and they're concerned about overcrowding at the
hospital continued code yellows and various other serious concerns. With education,
(09:57):
I mean, is your government failing.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
We've got a billion dollar education budget, a two billion
dollar health budget, a billion dollars for community and safety.
We are, as I just was saying, an area of
large geographical challenges. We also receive the lowest GST, so
we don't have first time.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Around though because I thought we got a boost for
our per capita.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
We've got a small boost. But the way the GST
formulation is, it doesn't actually recognize the challenge of service.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Deliveries of dollars coming into the Northern Territory, billions of dollars,
and we are I mean, we do seem as though
we're failing in some areas right now.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
So Katie to overcome our challenges. We need to see
a steady investment and I welcome recently in Central Australia
we've seen a change in the funding model to an
enrollment based model for Central Australian schools and this is
off the back of that Central Australian Regional deal. But Katie,
this is when we highlight the challenges we have in
the territory. We know what it's needed to overcome these,
(10:55):
but we need to see that consistent investment into the territory,
just on.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That education side of things again. According to The Australian newspaper,
the Central Land Council's ninety elected delegates, who represent twenty
four thousand Indigenous people from dozens of remote regional communities,
they decided on Thursday, as I understand it, at a
camp meeting near Ularu, to ask the Commonwealth Government to
force your government to deal with your bloated bureaucracy and
(11:20):
start funding schools properly.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
So, Katie, we have an incredibly hard working education department
and we put every resource we can out on the
ground educating kids.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Is the bureaucracy bloated though, Katie.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I don't think it is, and we need to make
sure that we have as many resources in schools. We didn't.
Order of the funding model that was released late last
year into education in the Northern Territory, we've got an
effective enrollment funding model formulation. We know that we need
to go to an enrollment based model. So essentially, at
the moment, schools are funded on the amount of children
(11:54):
that show up. Where if you've got a school that
lots of kids show up each and every day, they're
getting a consistent education. If you fund schools based on enrollment,
you've then got the resources to get those kids who
aren't necessarily going to school engaging with education regularly into
the classrooms. But for Central Australia that's been agreed to
and there is forty million dollars of additional funding coming
into Centralian school so what the Land Council's called for
(12:16):
has actually been achieved.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
So what you're saying is that you feel as though
the way that you are funding those schools, particularly in
Central Australia, across the board in remote communities in the
territory right now, you feel as though you're working towards
getting this right correct.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
So that report that was released in December that talks
about going to an enrollment based funding model. That is
what we're working towards.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
What in the meantime because you know, I guess right now,
we seem to have so many social issues and we've
got to you know, we've got yourself as the Chief
Minister and the government saying that what we require is
generational change.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
But then you've got kids not at school.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
So Katie, I always say we need the generational change
and that will take time, but we need the immediate
responses and education is a great exams. We need each
kid every day to go to school.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
What are you doing immediately to make sure they are?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
So?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
In Central Australia, that change in that funding model is
something that we've done immediately to get extra resources into
our classrooms to get those kids to school.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
So you reckon, you're going to start to see those
kids at school like from today tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So Katie, we've seen and I don't have the figures
in front of me, and I'm sure the Education Minister
would be happy to chat with you, but we have
seen a slight increase in attendance at schools. Now that's
better than going backwards, and it is a starting point.
But getting kids to school so they're engaged in the
school system is a really key point for me. I
think it's so important.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
One of the things that gets raised here like very
regularly is even if you go to Casuarina or if
you go to one of the shopping centers today, you're
going to see kids walking around that are not at school. Now.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I don't mean kids that are in this today's before
today you'll see, punny.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
What you mean from tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
You know, Like, I'm not talking about kids who've got
their school uniforms on and they're ready to go. I'm
talking about kids that are not going to school.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Like, how are we in a.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Situation where we're not sort of going, all right, we've
got to try to engage these kids. How do we
not have somebody out there at the shopping center trying
to engage them and get them to school.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
So when we talk about the Department of Education and
the bureaucracy, there's exactly people there that are focused on
those families that are completely disengaged, making sure kids are
enrolled and kids are going We've been doing some work
with public housing, so people that are in public housing
tendencies that perhaps have visitors saying to those families, you
need to send your kids to school. You need to
go home to community and go to school, or if
(14:31):
you're staying in town for a reason, then you need
to get your kids engaged in schools because we do
have support programs there. We've got schools for kids that
are disengaged, so there's quite a number of resources. Because
to me, education is the key to overcoming. Going back
to the point you raised at the start, the generational challenging, Yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
We're like, this is the thing you guys have been
in for seven years now and it doesn't seem to
have gotten better.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
It seems to have gotten worse.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Well, your point to that attendance figure, and it's a
slight increase, but at least how much I realized. I
haven't got the figures in front of me. I apologize,
but it's stabilized because we've seen for a number of
years a decrease in kids attending school.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Okay, I do.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Want to move along because last week two women were
raped in our CBD in broad daylight. There was a
worker who lost an eye in an unprovoked attack in
Malac and two people are dead and another in a
critical condition in hospital after two separate shootings last Tuesday night,
all very different kinds of incidents, but all of them
(15:30):
really highlighting that the issue of crime in the Northern
Territory right now is beyond crisis point. You said in
a media report last week, you know that you're open
to ideas of how to do things differently.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Has the government run out of ideas here?
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Oh, Katie, we are invested right across and I point
to that billion dollars into community safety. That's right across
the spectrum, from supporting our police on the front line
to ensuring that we have programs available to people so
that they can overcome their lenges. But Katie, some of
those all of those incidents were absolutely appalling and apparent,
and police are investigating and we hope that justice is
(16:08):
served to those victims.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Can you understand, though, why the communities reached a point where,
you know, like when we talk about this issue, the
government sees all the right things and says, you know,
we've we've got these different programs, we're doing this, we're
doing that, but nothing seems to be making a difference.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
So, Katie, we've got more police than on the beat
than ever before. More consequences for crime or investment.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
So what do you attribute the further increase in crime
and more brazen, horrible attacks.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
To, Katie? And I need to make sure that I
don't interfere with commentary that might impact just asking.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
What would you what do you attribute it to?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
If what you're saying is that we've got more police
than ever before, we've got more funding than ever before,
what do you attribute the terrible crime that we're seeing
on these streets too?
Speaker 3 (16:51):
So, Katie, we know that domestic and family violence is alive.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
That's those two those two sexual assaults were the two
victims were not known to the offend.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
But Katie, you were talking about five different incidents there
two of those word domestic. Sorry, I understand one of
them was domestic and family violence. But what I'm saying
is that we have a range of factors that lead
to those crimes taking place, and that's where we need
to understand. Of course, police are investigating these matters and
any advice they provide to us will act on, but
we can't.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
We cannot attribute every active crime to domestic fold.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I'm not trying to by any means, but what I'm
saying is that there's lots of resources, more than ever before,
and is there more work to do? Yes, So what
is that work? So, Katie, it's understanding the factors that
lead to these crimes and then putting those measures in
place what they might be, and.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
We immediately to keep people on the streets safe. You know,
because as a woman, I feel pretty concerned that something
like that's happened in our CBD in daylight hours. You know,
you think to yourself, am I safe walking through Austin Lane?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Katie, I think it's something that many Territorians think about
when they, you know, step out of their car or
step out of their homes. And so it's around all
of those different resources. So we interact with city council,
with private security. We have CCTV cameras that more police
means they're doing more regular patrols. So there's a number
of measures to try and make our streets as safe
(18:15):
as possible.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
I mean, do you need to shake up here? Do
you need do you need a cabinet reshuffle? Somebody looking
at things differently to try to, I don't know, to
come up with some new ideas to hopefully have an impact.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
So Katie, we've got a relatively new commissioner for police
and we've been working as a government very closely with him.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
But the police are doing their job, you know, that's
the thing. They are doing their job, but we're not
actually stopping the crime in.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
The first place.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
And so Katie working with police to understand what they
need to keep the community safe, and those other government
agencies there's a number of them that work in that
space so that we can provide them with the resources,
the legislation, the programs to keep our community safe.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
So at this point in time, I do like I
just want to make it clear for our listeners because
I know that they're really, really very concerned about this.
So it doesn't sound you know, it doesn't sound like
you've got anything urgent that you're going to be doing
or that you're going to be looking into this week,
for example, to try to change what's going on.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
So Katie, just see your listeners have a sense of understanding.
I talk to the Police Commissioner regularly, probably two or
three times a week, if not more. If there is
any single thing that as a government we need to
act upon, we of course will absolutely do that.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
All right, I want to ask you about the Tenant
Creek Mayor he's in hot water following vision emerging of
him sitting on a child who'd allegedly broken into his home.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Should he resign? Katie?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
That footage is confronting. I've watched that footage and police
are investigating that matter. So I don't want to make
any commentary that may impact upon that. I understand the
frustration that out a community feels around crime and community safety,
and the appropriate thing to do is to let that
investigation take place.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
All right now, the COLP announced candidates to candidates for
Palmerston for Palmerston seats over the weekend. What is the
ALP doing when it comes to the seat of Blaine.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
So, Katie, in terms of our processes, and it's a
question for the party. They've had recently an expression of
interest to see if there's people that in unheld seats
are interested in running for the Northern Territory Labor Party.
And so we then work through whether some preselections are opened.
In some cases, people don't want to be pre selected
early because they might be in a role that you know,
it would be conflicting for them. So we've got a
(20:29):
strong team that represents the Northern territory labor within the
government and the Parliament, and we're focused on territory.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
It just a very quick one.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
We spoke last week to the co head of the
area of Obstetrics. When it comes to scans for pregnant women,
we've had numerous expectant mums contact us seriously concerned that
they can't get in for these scans.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Now Here assured us.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
That women are being seen at the appropriate times, but
we've since had other mums get in contact with us
to say that they can't get in for scans.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
What is going on from your perspective, So.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Katie, I think that there is a range of scans
that are pregnant mother to be can have. It's the
nuclear translucency scans that are provided by multiple private organizations.
So when you for pregnant, you choose to go through
GP shared care, the public or the private system. Even
if you're a public patient, you can get additional scans
that you go and pay for with a private provider.
Our scans that are provided within the public system, they're
(21:23):
generally around twelve weeks and then again at twenty weeks,
but that can be between eighteen and twenty two weeks
are being provided. There is no delays. My understanding is
these are additional scans that people get through private providers.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Some are saying that that's not the case, that it's
not actually those the nukal ones sit they're delayed on.
It's like the twelve week scan that they're trying to
get in for and they're having to wait weeks after
they're meant to get in for that scan.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
So, Katie, you spoke to Jeremy Chin, the medical co
director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Royal Darwen Hospital last week.
He leads an excellent team there that provide amazing care. So, Katie,
the people should, if they're worried about their healthcare, talk
to their doctors and nurses at their appointments. There's a
patient advocate if they're not worried about if they're worried
(22:09):
about that process. And we also have the Health Complaints Commissioner,
so we're open to criticism in this space. I rigorously
go back and ask questions because I was concerned when
I heard of it on face value. And that's the advice.
And you've spoken to Jeremy as well.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
All right, we are going to have to leave it
their Chief Minister Natasha Files, always appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Thank you, take care,
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