Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The opposition leader, Lea Finocchiaro joins me in the studio.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Good boarding to you, Leah, Good morning Katie and your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Now, after twenty years of celebrating Territory Day at Mindle Beach,
the Territory Day fireworks celebrations are going to move locations
this year.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
As I'm sure you've heard.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
The change got listeners fired up yesterday to say the least,
especially Mindle Beach stallholders for expecting this year well to
have a busy.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Night on that night. Firstly, what do you make of
these changes?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I think it's ridiculous, Katie.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
And what we've seen is the government doing the blame game,
Evil Loola, Brent Potter.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
They're blaming everyone but themselves.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
They should just stand up and do what leaders are
required to do, and that's make a decision. If that
was me, Katie, I would be saying fireworks are happening
at Mindle Beach like they have done for twenty plus years.
The reality is thousands of Territorians are going to head
down there anyway because they might not know about this
or hear about it, and the government is just going
to have an absolute disaster on its hands to manage
(01:00):
because of course people are going to be expecting a
celebration that's not going to be there. There's going to
be personal use of fireworks then in an unrestricted environment,
which isn't normally the case. It's just again, this government
can't even do the basics.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Clea, Do you think at this point in time that
the government should change it back?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
They should back to Mendel.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Absolutely, they should put their hand up and say we
made this decision, we got the decision wrong. We've heard
the community loud and clear that Mendle Beach is the
best place to continue to celebrate Territory Day, public fireworks
and just.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Make the decision and move on. But they're blaming each other.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
We're too far in now in terms of it happening
down at the Fort Hill lawns there and at the waterfront,
like we're.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Too far in. Can we change it back?
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I mean there was discussion about whether it was the
change was due to there being a sacred site down there,
which we all understand, but other major events are still
continuing to happen.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
I mean, based on the grass was exactly just a
few weeks ago. I know that it wasn't on the
actual beach but if there is area that is.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Of great concern, couldn't you petition that area? Off?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Of course you could, Katie. That's why this is ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
You've got Darwin City Council, You've got Mindle Beach Markets
operating there. You've had Aboriginal Areas Protection come out and
explain that the site is.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Very well known.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
So the government could have taken the appropriate risk mitigation.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Sorry excuse me, Katie.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Yeah, So while I let you get your breath back,
I mean, do you think that we are in a
situation here though We're like, I mean, is it just
political point scoring on your part to say move it back?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Wouldn't that be easier said than done?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
That this decision should never have been made in the
first place. I mean, it's just astonishing that after twenty
plus years, all of a sudden there's an issue with
a sacred site at that beach. Now the government could
have gotten the permit, or they could have decided to
go ahead without the permit like they have done for
twenty four years, and put in place risk mitigation, and
(02:56):
instead they've chosen to shut it down. It's just an
a salute joke. People are furious. They don't understand it.
Everyone's playing the blame game. The government should stand up,
take responsibility for the decision, say it's moving back and
just move on.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Is it the government though, or is it in team
major Events doing their risk mitigation and going well, hang
on a second, the risk is potentially too high here.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well, you had.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Brent Potter, the Minister and radio on your show yesterday
saying that, and Tim came to him. I mean, at
the end of the day, he's the minister, even while
as the Chief Minister, even if they didn't know about it,
they could still change the decision. It's just ridiculous blame
shifting that we're seeing a government that lacks accountability. They're
totally out of touch with the community and it.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Should never have happened, Katie.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
If that was me in that seat, I would have said,
we're going ahead with mindel and I can guarantee listeners
and under a COLP government that's where it will be.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
What if there was any kind of legal challenge after
the fact, if there was some kind of damage to
those San junees in and you wound up with you know,
with traditional owners saying well hang on a sick you
have still forged ahead with this event. Now there is
damage to a sacred sash.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Well. I think there's a number of issues. One is
that why wasn't the permit obtained? Two, even if the
you know was everyone pulled together to see if they
could fast track the permit, it sounds to me like
the government just gave up.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Now, there are a number of things you can do.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Besides the fact, you could have worked with Aboriginal Areas
Protection and said where is the site, what can we do?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
You could have barricaded it.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
There's a number of things that could have been done
and it just hasn't been done.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
It just has not been done.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Tens of thousands of people go down there, Katie, as
you know. And what about the markets, Now, there's always
a special mindor beach markets that happens on that night.
You've got retailers experiencing really low levels of trade. ABS
data just came out that showed that retail trade is flatlining.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And even I saw a lady on the news.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Who's the storeholders say that everyone's feeling it across Darwin.
So now they're missing an opportunity to trade, which is
less money moving through our economy. Let's food on the
table for those stallholds.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Look, we are going to be catching up as well
after ten o'clock this morning with one of those stallholders
to get their take on things. But look, it's hard
for me not to agree with you on this. I
actually think we do need to change this back. I
don't think that it's too late. I think there is
still the opportunity for this to go back. If you've
got the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authorities saying that you know
that there there wasn't an application filed and that it's
(05:25):
not essential for the event to go forward. I think
if there is able to be that risk mitigation, if
there is an area that we're.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Concerned about, well let's try and petition it off.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Yeah, and then at least every effort has been made
by NT major events to make sure that the area
is safe and that sacred sites are not damaged in
any way. But it doesn't sound you know, the more
that we question here, the more that I ask, it
doesn't sound as though there has been a complaint made.
So that's where I can't understand why the change is happening.
(05:56):
And look, you know, we are more than happy if
there is a Larakia owner out there who disagrees and
who does not.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Want it to happen.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
On mindle Beach, We are really happy to have you
on the show and hear the reasons why we did
seek to get that clarification yesterday and have not been
able to so.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Look, I think that it needs to change back.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
It does need to change back, There's no question about it, Katie.
And again this is just a failure of this Layla
Labor government to do the very basics and now they
can't even make a decision in the wake of a mistake.
They can't own the mistake. There continue to be out
of touch with community sentiment on this issue. It makes
no sense to anyone apparently except for them.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Leah. Let's move along.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Questions were asked yesterday yesterday during the estimates process about
travel of the former Chief Minister Michael Gunner and the
trips that he took to remote communities during caretaker mode
in the leading to the last election. The Chief Minister's
ruling out paying that money back. Do you think that
that money should be paid back?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Yes, and we have been firmly on the record over
the last three years saying that money should be paid back.
But of course, again you've got a Chief Minister, Evia Laula,
tone deaf and out of touch with the community sentiment.
This didn't pass the pub test in twenty twenty, it
doesn't pass the pub test now, even though the IKAK
reports has been tabled and ultimately people expect better from
(07:21):
their leaders and we haven't seen that under Labor. So yesterday,
in estimates, was an important time to question the Chief
Minister and we had the Deputy IKAC or sorry, the
acting IKAC Commissioner was there as well.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yesterday, Leah, how will you do things differently when it
comes to travel if you become the chief minister, because
you know, even this morning, like I've got somebody messaging
through saying I'm a CLP supporter, but I'm finding it
frustrating that Lea is very negative towards the Labor Party
all the time. I want to hear what she can do.
(07:55):
So what will you do differently when it comes to
that travel?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Well, you don't travel during caretaker, you don't travel to
polling boots on taxpayers money, you don't campaign on the
taxpayers perse. It's all very basic stuff. But again we've
seen this government plagued by scandal and integrity crisis, whether
it's shares scandals that eventually took down Natasha Files or
Chancey Paik around owning shares in an alcohol company during
(08:21):
stronger futures, this government at every turn has faced scandal
and integrity crisis and that continues on and so the
SEALP has been very clear. For example, we have a
new measure if people want to talk about new policies
and points of difference. Besides just being good people doing
the right thing includes having a lobby register, a public
(08:41):
lobby register so that people can see the meetings that
government ministers have, so that that breathes transparency into the process.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Exactly the register, so it's published like in real time.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, I believe.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
So I think there's different models around the country and
we'll obviously have a look at the best ones and
he can pick from the ones that currently exist. But yeah,
it's basically an updated register of who's meeting with who,
so that people can you see is are you meeting
with developers? Are you meeting with people from the mining
industry for example. So that's just one in a number
of ways in which we can create stronger, more robust
(09:17):
systems of government and most importantly give territories a confidence
that their leadership is doing the right thing.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Just on the government travel and on the situation where
we had that IKAQ report come out into the former
chief minister's travel, we are expecting a second report to
come out. However, we now know that obviously the Ikak inspector,
he has completed his report into the allegations the KAC
Commissioner paid his former partner twenty thousand dollars to suppress
(09:46):
a domestic violence allegation. Now that has has found that
inspector's report has found that, you know that the Akak
Commissioner had not done anything wrong the look of it.
We know that there is still work or there is
still there was parts of it that he could not
you know that he could not investigate fully i e.
(10:08):
The domestic violence allegation. But what it has also shown,
or what that report is also released and said, is
that the k Commissioner requires some time off. So we've
now got a situation where the deputy k Commissioner has
stepped up, yes, and is filling that role. But what
happens to that second report that we were expecting into
(10:29):
this travel situation.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
That's right, Katie.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
So I asked this yesterday of the Acting k Commissioner
and she said, she said, basically she needs to get
on the ground. She's been away for a period of
time and that there's no time frame now for that
second report.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Okay, so we don't actually know now when that second
report's going to come out. It was it was something
that wasn't going to be made public, even.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Laula said she would not make it public.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
But now we don't even have a timeframe on when
that will be completed, and we don't know the impact
on all ongoing investigations to the IK.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
All right, moving along, One last thing that I'm keen
to get your take on is there are renewed calls
for the board of Australia's largest Indigenous legal service to
be sacked following allegations that had appointed a known domestic
violence offender as its chair. Now, this story broke in
The Australian yesterday that Hugh Woodbury was appointed chair of
the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in March, almost four
(11:29):
years after he pleaded guilty to serious domestic violence offenses
in Alice Springs. Now the Sky News is reporting that
Darwin Barrister John Lawrence, sc a former Principal solicitor for
NAGA and former head of the Anti Criminal Lawyers Association,
has told Sky News that the board needs to be removed.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
What is your take on this.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I think what we're seeing with Niger is obviously an
enormous period of disruption and upheaval, and so it's really
important going forward that people have confidence in that organization.
Now it's very clear that there's still a lot of
water to go under that bridge. It raises huge concerns
of course to the community. But again we haven't heard
(12:13):
from the Attorney General Chancy Paig on this issue. Here
is the Attorney General of the Northern Territory. This is
a legal service provider and it's very important that NAGA
is working effectively because otherwise what you have is people
appearing in court unrepresented, and when you have an unrepresented
person in court, that protracts the court process. It means
(12:34):
things are not running as smoothly and that limits people's
access to justice. So this is one for government to
get to the bottom of and resolve because we need
a strong NAGA in the Northern Territory and what we've
seen is a significant period of uncertainty and destabilization.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And if this isn't resolved before the August election, what
are you going to do if you're elected as the
Chief benstry.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
We have to resolve it. We have to get to
the bottom of this now. For whatever reason, Chancey Paig
has and said a boo about it, but it's got
to be done. Legal services are very important parts of
our justice system and they need to be working well
and there needs to be confidence in those systems, and
so they labor can a review. Yes, it absolutely needs
(13:15):
to be looked at. It needs to be strengthened and resolved.
There's significant funding goes to NAGA and they need to
be a strong organization in the territory.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
And so if you are elected as the Chief Minister,
you'll commit to reviewing NAJA or what are you going
to do exactly?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Well, I guess we'd have to understand what's actually on foot,
you know from opposition we just don't get that level
of detail. So I imagine there is some sort of oversight
or something happening at the moment.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
If there's not, we'll commence it.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
If there is, we'll look at whether what this government's
done is enough, but clearly it's not all right.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Lea Finochio, opposition leader, always appreciate your time, Thanks very
much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Thank you, Take care everyone,
The opposition leader, Lea Finocchiaro joins me in the studio.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Good boarding to you, Leah, Good morning Katie and your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Now, after twenty years of celebrating Territory Day at Mindle Beach,
the Territory Day fireworks celebrations are going to move locations
this year.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
As I'm sure you've heard.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
The change got listeners fired up yesterday to say the least,
especially Mindle Beach stallholders for expecting this year well to
have a busy.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Night on that night. Firstly, what do you make of
these changes?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I think it's ridiculous, Katie.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
And what we've seen is the government doing the blame game,
Evil Loola, Brent Potter.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
They're blaming everyone but themselves.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
They should just stand up and do what leaders are
required to do, and that's make a decision. If that
was me, Katie, I would be saying fireworks are happening
at Mindle Beach like they have done for twenty plus years.
The reality is thousands of Territorians are going to head
down there anyway because they might not know about this
or hear about it, and the government is just going
to have an absolute disaster on its hands to manage
(01:00):
because of course people are going to be expecting a
celebration that's not going to be there. There's going to
be personal use of fireworks then in an unrestricted environment,
which isn't normally the case. It's just again, this government
can't even do the basics.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Clea, Do you think at this point in time that
the government should change it back?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
They should back to Mendel.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Absolutely, they should put their hand up and say we
made this decision, we got the decision wrong. We've heard
the community loud and clear that Mendle Beach is the
best place to continue to celebrate Territory Day, public fireworks
and just.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Make the decision and move on. But they're blaming each other.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
We're too far in now in terms of it happening
down at the Fort Hill lawns there and at the waterfront,
like we're.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Too far in. Can we change it back?
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I mean there was discussion about whether it was the
change was due to there being a sacred site down there,
which we all understand, but other major events are still
continuing to happen.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
I mean, based on the grass was exactly just a
few weeks ago. I know that it wasn't on the
actual beach but if there is area that is.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Of great concern, couldn't you petition that area? Off?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Of course you could, Katie. That's why this is ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
You've got Darwin City Council, You've got Mindle Beach Markets
operating there. You've had Aboriginal Areas Protection come out and
explain that the site is.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Very well known.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
So the government could have taken the appropriate risk mitigation.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Sorry excuse me, Katie.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Yeah, So while I let you get your breath back,
I mean, do you think that we are in a
situation here though We're like, I mean, is it just
political point scoring on your part to say move it back?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Wouldn't that be easier said than done?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
That this decision should never have been made in the
first place. I mean, it's just astonishing that after twenty
plus years, all of a sudden there's an issue with
a sacred site at that beach. Now the government could
have gotten the permit, or they could have decided to
go ahead without the permit like they have done for
twenty four years, and put in place risk mitigation, and
(02:56):
instead they've chosen to shut it down. It's just an
a salute joke. People are furious. They don't understand it.
Everyone's playing the blame game. The government should stand up,
take responsibility for the decision, say it's moving back and
just move on.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Is it the government though, or is it in team
major Events doing their risk mitigation and going well, hang
on a second, the risk is potentially too high here.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well, you had.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Brent Potter, the Minister and radio on your show yesterday
saying that, and Tim came to him. I mean, at
the end of the day, he's the minister, even while
as the Chief Minister, even if they didn't know about it,
they could still change the decision. It's just ridiculous blame
shifting that we're seeing a government that lacks accountability. They're
totally out of touch with the community and it.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Should never have happened, Katie.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
If that was me in that seat, I would have said,
we're going ahead with mindel and I can guarantee listeners
and under a COLP government that's where it will be.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
What if there was any kind of legal challenge after
the fact, if there was some kind of damage to
those San junees in and you wound up with you know,
with traditional owners saying well hang on a sick you
have still forged ahead with this event. Now there is
damage to a sacred sash.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Well. I think there's a number of issues. One is
that why wasn't the permit obtained? Two, even if the
you know was everyone pulled together to see if they
could fast track the permit, it sounds to me like
the government just gave up.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Now, there are a number of things you can do.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Besides the fact, you could have worked with Aboriginal Areas
Protection and said where is the site, what can we do?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
You could have barricaded it.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
There's a number of things that could have been done
and it just hasn't been done.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
It just has not been done.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Tens of thousands of people go down there, Katie, as
you know. And what about the markets, Now, there's always
a special mindor beach markets that happens on that night.
You've got retailers experiencing really low levels of trade. ABS
data just came out that showed that retail trade is flatlining.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And even I saw a lady on the news.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Who's the storeholders say that everyone's feeling it across Darwin.
So now they're missing an opportunity to trade, which is
less money moving through our economy. Let's food on the
table for those stallholds.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Look, we are going to be catching up as well
after ten o'clock this morning with one of those stallholders
to get their take on things. But look, it's hard
for me not to agree with you on this. I
actually think we do need to change this back. I
don't think that it's too late. I think there is
still the opportunity for this to go back. If you've
got the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authorities saying that you know
that there there wasn't an application filed and that it's
(05:25):
not essential for the event to go forward. I think
if there is able to be that risk mitigation, if
there is an area that we're.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Concerned about, well let's try and petition it off.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Yeah, and then at least every effort has been made
by NT major events to make sure that the area
is safe and that sacred sites are not damaged in
any way. But it doesn't sound you know, the more
that we question here, the more that I ask, it
doesn't sound as though there has been a complaint made.
So that's where I can't understand why the change is happening.
(05:56):
And look, you know, we are more than happy if
there is a Larakia owner out there who disagrees and
who does not.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Want it to happen.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
On mindle Beach, We are really happy to have you
on the show and hear the reasons why we did
seek to get that clarification yesterday and have not been
able to so.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Look, I think that it needs to change back.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
It does need to change back, There's no question about it, Katie.
And again this is just a failure of this Layla
Labor government to do the very basics and now they
can't even make a decision in the wake of a mistake.
They can't own the mistake. There continue to be out
of touch with community sentiment on this issue. It makes
no sense to anyone apparently except for them.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Leah. Let's move along.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Questions were asked yesterday yesterday during the estimates process about
travel of the former Chief Minister Michael Gunner and the
trips that he took to remote communities during caretaker mode
in the leading to the last election. The Chief Minister's
ruling out paying that money back. Do you think that
that money should be paid back?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Yes, and we have been firmly on the record over
the last three years saying that money should be paid back.
But of course, again you've got a Chief Minister, Evia Laula,
tone deaf and out of touch with the community sentiment.
This didn't pass the pub test in twenty twenty, it
doesn't pass the pub test now, even though the IKAK
reports has been tabled and ultimately people expect better from
(07:21):
their leaders and we haven't seen that under Labor. So yesterday,
in estimates, was an important time to question the Chief
Minister and we had the Deputy IKAC or sorry, the
acting IKAC Commissioner was there as well.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yesterday, Leah, how will you do things differently when it
comes to travel if you become the chief minister, because
you know, even this morning, like I've got somebody messaging
through saying I'm a CLP supporter, but I'm finding it
frustrating that Lea is very negative towards the Labor Party
all the time. I want to hear what she can do.
(07:55):
So what will you do differently when it comes to
that travel?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Well, you don't travel during caretaker, you don't travel to
polling boots on taxpayers money, you don't campaign on the
taxpayers perse. It's all very basic stuff. But again we've
seen this government plagued by scandal and integrity crisis, whether
it's shares scandals that eventually took down Natasha Files or
Chancey Paik around owning shares in an alcohol company during
(08:21):
stronger futures, this government at every turn has faced scandal
and integrity crisis and that continues on and so the
SEALP has been very clear. For example, we have a
new measure if people want to talk about new policies
and points of difference. Besides just being good people doing
the right thing includes having a lobby register, a public
(08:41):
lobby register so that people can see the meetings that
government ministers have, so that that breathes transparency into the process.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Exactly the register, so it's published like in real time.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, I believe.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
So I think there's different models around the country and
we'll obviously have a look at the best ones and
he can pick from the ones that currently exist. But yeah,
it's basically an updated register of who's meeting with who,
so that people can you see is are you meeting
with developers? Are you meeting with people from the mining
industry for example. So that's just one in a number
of ways in which we can create stronger, more robust
(09:17):
systems of government and most importantly give territories a confidence
that their leadership is doing the right thing.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Just on the government travel and on the situation where
we had that IKAQ report come out into the former
chief minister's travel, we are expecting a second report to
come out. However, we now know that obviously the Ikak inspector,
he has completed his report into the allegations the KAC
Commissioner paid his former partner twenty thousand dollars to suppress
(09:46):
a domestic violence allegation. Now that has has found that
inspector's report has found that, you know that the Akak
Commissioner had not done anything wrong the look of it.
We know that there is still work or there is
still there was parts of it that he could not
you know that he could not investigate fully i e.
(10:08):
The domestic violence allegation. But what it has also shown,
or what that report is also released and said, is
that the k Commissioner requires some time off. So we've
now got a situation where the deputy k Commissioner has
stepped up, yes, and is filling that role. But what
happens to that second report that we were expecting into
(10:29):
this travel situation.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
That's right, Katie.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
So I asked this yesterday of the Acting k Commissioner
and she said, she said, basically she needs to get
on the ground. She's been away for a period of
time and that there's no time frame now for that
second report.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Okay, so we don't actually know now when that second
report's going to come out. It was it was something
that wasn't going to be made public, even.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Laula said she would not make it public.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
But now we don't even have a timeframe on when
that will be completed, and we don't know the impact
on all ongoing investigations to the IK.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
All right, moving along, One last thing that I'm keen
to get your take on is there are renewed calls
for the board of Australia's largest Indigenous legal service to
be sacked following allegations that had appointed a known domestic
violence offender as its chair. Now, this story broke in
The Australian yesterday that Hugh Woodbury was appointed chair of
the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in March, almost four
(11:29):
years after he pleaded guilty to serious domestic violence offenses
in Alice Springs. Now the Sky News is reporting that
Darwin Barrister John Lawrence, sc a former Principal solicitor for
NAGA and former head of the Anti Criminal Lawyers Association,
has told Sky News that the board needs to be removed.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
What is your take on this.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I think what we're seeing with Niger is obviously an
enormous period of disruption and upheaval, and so it's really
important going forward that people have confidence in that organization.
Now it's very clear that there's still a lot of
water to go under that bridge. It raises huge concerns
of course to the community. But again we haven't heard
(12:13):
from the Attorney General Chancy Paig on this issue. Here
is the Attorney General of the Northern Territory. This is
a legal service provider and it's very important that NAGA
is working effectively because otherwise what you have is people
appearing in court unrepresented, and when you have an unrepresented
person in court, that protracts the court process. It means
(12:34):
things are not running as smoothly and that limits people's
access to justice. So this is one for government to
get to the bottom of and resolve because we need
a strong NAGA in the Northern Territory and what we've
seen is a significant period of uncertainty and destabilization.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And if this isn't resolved before the August election, what
are you going to do if you're elected as the
Chief benstry.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
We have to resolve it. We have to get to
the bottom of this now. For whatever reason, Chancey Paig
has and said a boo about it, but it's got
to be done. Legal services are very important parts of
our justice system and they need to be working well
and there needs to be confidence in those systems, and
so they labor can a review. Yes, it absolutely needs
(13:15):
to be looked at. It needs to be strengthened and resolved.
There's significant funding goes to NAGA and they need to
be a strong organization in the territory.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
And so if you are elected as the Chief Minister,
you'll commit to reviewing NAJA or what are you going
to do exactly?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Well, I guess we'd have to understand what's actually on foot,
you know from opposition we just don't get that level
of detail. So I imagine there is some sort of oversight
or something happening at the moment.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
If there's not, we'll commence it.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
If there is, we'll look at whether what this government's
done is enough, but clearly it's not all right.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Lea Finochio, opposition leader, always appreciate your time, Thanks very
much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Thank you, Take care everyone,
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