1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,200
Speaker 1: We know that we cover crime a lot on the show,

2
00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:06,160
Speaker 1: particularly youth crime, and we've been keeping a close eye

3
00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,120
Speaker 1: on the way in which other states are handling the issue. Now,

4
00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,200
Speaker 1: I've spoken before about changes coming into place in Queensland,

5
00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,360
Speaker 1: and yesterday the Queensland government, well, they announced a major

6
00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,120
Speaker 1: backflip on a contentious youth crime reform and they're going

7
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,159
Speaker 1: to be reintroducing breach of bail as an offense. The

8
00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,360
Speaker 1: state government had previously dismissed the opposition's demands to reintroduce

9
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,840
Speaker 1: the measure. They declared the measure would not be effective.

10
00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,879
Speaker 1: Now the reforms are going to be detailed when Parliament

11
00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,160
Speaker 1: returns in Queensland today, along with the well with its

12
00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,879
Speaker 1: youth crime bills. So the Premieer there, Anastasia Palichet, she

13
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,120
Speaker 1: said that a petition which called for the reintroduction of

14
00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,920
Speaker 1: breach of bail had also contributed to this flip. The

15
00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,199
Speaker 1: governments also revealed in Queensland that they're going to be

16
00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:57,360
Speaker 1: investing forty two million dollars to spend on flying police

17
00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,639
Speaker 1: officers to hotspot areas as part of it, it's initiative

18
00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,600
Speaker 1: to ease community concerns about the youth crime crisis. Very

19
00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,000
Speaker 1: keen to hear from you this morning. Whether you think

20
00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,319
Speaker 1: these moves that are being made in Queensland are a

21
00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,399
Speaker 1: step in the right direction, send us a message now.

22
00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,480
Speaker 1: There is no doubt though that these moves and what

23
00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,880
Speaker 1: are happening in Queensland, well, it's probably making your question

24
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,040
Speaker 1: whether we should be doing more here in the Northern territory.

25
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,640
Speaker 1: I mean, just yesterday we heard of a youth in

26
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,360
Speaker 1: another stolen car in Alice Springs, well a number of

27
00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:31,319
Speaker 1: youths police having to use road spikes to stop that car.

28
00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,640
Speaker 1: No matter how you look at it, this issue of

29
00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,120
Speaker 1: youth crime, it's not going away in the Northern Territory.

30
00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,960
Speaker 1: In fact, many would argue that it's getting worse now.

31
00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,279
Speaker 1: The Opposition leader Leo Fanocchiaro reckons that the files government

32
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,680
Speaker 1: would do well to heed Queensland's example by protecting citizens

33
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,640
Speaker 1: from repeat offenders. And she joins me on the line

34
00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,840
Speaker 1: right now. Good morning to you, Leah.

35
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,280
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and to your wonderful listener.

36
00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,680
Speaker 1: Now, Leah, what is the current situation with breach of

37
00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:59,400
Speaker 1: bail in the Northern Territory.

38
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,560
Speaker 2: It's a very sad state here, Katie, because of course

39
00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,800
Speaker 2: in March twenty nineteen, the Labor government here remove breach

40
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,840
Speaker 2: of bow condition as an offense. So what that means

41
00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,400
Speaker 2: is when a young person breaks the law, they might

42
00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,000
Speaker 2: be bailed to the judge says, okay, you can have

43
00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,160
Speaker 2: another chance, and these are the rules around which you're

44
00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,360
Speaker 2: allowed to have your freedom. You can't do this, you

45
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:23,760
Speaker 2: have to do that, et cetera. Now, if a young

46
00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:28,560
Speaker 2: person breaches those conditions, so for example, if it's a curfew,

47
00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,040
Speaker 2: they're not allowed out after eight pm, and yet a

48
00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,160
Speaker 2: young person's found out in the middle of the night,

49
00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,320
Speaker 2: that is no longer an offense. The government essentially did

50
00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,240
Speaker 2: criminalize breaching bow conditions and of course that sends a

51
00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,920
Speaker 2: very bad message to offenders because of course why do

52
00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,280
Speaker 2: they have to keep to the conditions that the judge

53
00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,720
Speaker 2: has sent if nothing happens to them. And we've just

54
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,960
Speaker 2: seen this as well as the weakening of bail laws

55
00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,640
Speaker 2: raising the age of criminal responsibility. It is just this

56
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,560
Speaker 2: Labor government's folk on the rights of the offender above

57
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,360
Speaker 2: the rights of a community to be safe. We've long

58
00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,160
Speaker 2: called for the reinstatement of breach of bail. We brought

59
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,200
Speaker 2: it into Parliament ourselves Katie back in two thousand and one,

60
00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,040
Speaker 2: only to have labor voted down. It's something we talk

61
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,160
Speaker 2: about often and if labor in Queensland can do it, well,

62
00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:18,640
Speaker 2: labor in the territory can do it.

63
00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,920
Speaker 1: Now. What do you make of the moves that have

64
00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,840
Speaker 1: been made in Queensland? Obviously Anastasia Palachet making this announcement

65
00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,639
Speaker 1: yesterday afternoon. Today Parliament resumes in Queensland. It is all

66
00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,920
Speaker 1: as a result of the youth crime situation that they're

67
00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:37,280
Speaker 1: seeing there, which resulted in a woman being killed in

68
00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:42,400
Speaker 1: her own home allegedly at the hands of youths. What

69
00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,800
Speaker 1: do you make of these changes in Queensland? Do you

70
00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,080
Speaker 1: think that this is a step that the Northern territory

71
00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:47,720
Speaker 1: needs to take.

72
00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,640
Speaker 2: There's no question Territory labor needs to follow in Queensland

73
00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,640
Speaker 2: Labour's footsteps and bring back breach of boil condition as

74
00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,960
Speaker 2: an offense. In Queensland, they're having similar issues to us,

75
00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,720
Speaker 2: and I know the LMP opposition over there has been

76
00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,960
Speaker 2: fighting hard for the reinstatement of breach about just like

77
00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:10,040
Speaker 2: we have Katie. So I mean, this is about community safety,

78
00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,160
Speaker 2: This is about understanding that people who break the law

79
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,200
Speaker 2: need a consequence. This is not about, you know, making

80
00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:21,520
Speaker 2: bail and making the justice system this wonderful, cushy place

81
00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,880
Speaker 2: in which you can just go and continue to victimize

82
00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,360
Speaker 2: people who are just going about their daily life. I

83
00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,039
Speaker 2: don't know what it is going to take for Natasha

84
00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,320
Speaker 2: Files to understand that her job as a chief ministry

85
00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,320
Speaker 2: is to protect the community. Instead she's protecting the criminals.

86
00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,760
Speaker 2: And as a result, we've got escalations in violence, escalations

87
00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,680
Speaker 2: in offending, and we've got people fleeing the territory because

88
00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,719
Speaker 2: they just have absolutely had a gut balled Katie. But

89
00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,520
Speaker 2: you know what if Natasha Files wakes up today and thinks, oh,

90
00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,000
Speaker 2: I'm going to be like Ana Sergia Paliche today, well

91
00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:53,880
Speaker 2: it'll be a good day for the territory.

92
00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,919
Speaker 1: Lea, do you have any evidence to support that this

93
00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,000
Speaker 1: would actually make a difference in the Northern Territory.

94
00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,719
Speaker 2: It would make a difference because what would then happen

95
00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,359
Speaker 2: is police can then charge a young person for the

96
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,360
Speaker 2: breach of bail, which then brings them back before the court.

97
00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:13,760
Speaker 2: The court then has the opportunity to revoke that young

98
00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:18,160
Speaker 2: person's bail, which is what the COLP advocates for. We

99
00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,479
Speaker 2: think if you're given a chance by the courts and

100
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:26,400
Speaker 2: you completely go against that opportunity to continue to be

101
00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,159
Speaker 2: in the community, then that's it. I mean, everyone deserves

102
00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,520
Speaker 2: a second chance, Katie, and I think what we know

103
00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,440
Speaker 2: to be true from all the stories you hear and

104
00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,840
Speaker 2: the reporting you see, is that these youth offenders are

105
00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,679
Speaker 2: not getting one chance, They're getting ten chances, twenty chances.

106
00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,479
Speaker 2: I mean, how many times does a police report come

107
00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,680
Speaker 2: through and the offenses are from a young person who

108
00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,479
Speaker 2: was on bail at the time. Now, by making that

109
00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,400
Speaker 2: a chargeable offense, not only as a community are we

110
00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,800
Speaker 2: standing together and saying enough is enough. We do not

111
00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,080
Speaker 2: accept this behavior, but we're giving police the tools they

112
00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,720
Speaker 2: need to be able to take those actions and charge

113
00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:08,599
Speaker 2: these offenders and show them that there's not infinite chances

114
00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,279
Speaker 2: in life. You actually, as an offender, have to do

115
00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,920
Speaker 2: your bit and play by the rules of our community.

116
00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,600
Speaker 1: Lea, do we actually have kids in the Northern Territory

117
00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,440
Speaker 1: right now? And I think that this is really you know,

118
00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,960
Speaker 1: it's an important point for listeners to know. Do we

119
00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,920
Speaker 1: have kids in the Northern Territory right now who are

120
00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,320
Speaker 1: committing offenses while they're on bail?

121
00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:34,599
Speaker 2: One hundred percent, Katie one hundred percentage. Almost daily you

122
00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,520
Speaker 2: see a police media release come through and it might

123
00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,560
Speaker 2: be that a young person has been charged with shoplifting,

124
00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,120
Speaker 2: stealing cars, assaults, whatever it might be. And often then

125
00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,240
Speaker 2: the police will detail that they were on bail at

126
00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,279
Speaker 2: the time of that offending. Particularly in Alice Springs, you

127
00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,600
Speaker 2: hear it all too well. If you talk to police

128
00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,000
Speaker 2: service providers, they will tell you that young people are

129
00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,760
Speaker 2: getting infinite chances and it's just not okay. There is

130
00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,760
Speaker 2: just no minimum standard in the territory anymore for offenders

131
00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,880
Speaker 2: because this government puts their rights above our right to

132
00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,800
Speaker 2: live safely, go to work, raise our kids, have a

133
00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,680
Speaker 2: great life. They're instead chooting to back in the criminal leah.

134
00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,360
Speaker 1: In Queensland, we know that a petition was started by

135
00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,800
Speaker 1: a grandmother to overhaul youth crime laws. It reached almost

136
00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,880
Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty thousand signatures, so Julie West was

137
00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,760
Speaker 1: her name. She launched this petition calling on the government

138
00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,240
Speaker 1: to create Emma's Law, which would include mandatory minimum sentences

139
00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,160
Speaker 1: for serious violent crimes. And it was in the wake

140
00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,239
Speaker 1: of the alleged murder of that mother of two, Emma

141
00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,600
Speaker 1: Lovell on Boxing Day last year. Now it seems that

142
00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,080
Speaker 1: this petition has made a difference and it's made the

143
00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:47,400
Speaker 1: Premiere realize that change needed to happen in Queensland. Do

144
00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,720
Speaker 1: you think that we've reached that point? Do you think

145
00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,040
Speaker 1: that we've reached a point where you know, some regular

146
00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,440
Speaker 1: territory and needs to actually stand up and do this

147
00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,680
Speaker 1: because the government doesn't seem to be listening to the

148
00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,640
Speaker 1: concerns that are being raised through the other channels like

149
00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,920
Speaker 1: the met and through their local members.

150
00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,600
Speaker 2: Well, Territorians have done many petitions, Katie. We've tabled petitions

151
00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,480
Speaker 2: in Parliament on a wide range of issues and the

152
00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,520
Speaker 2: government has ignored them all. And I think all of

153
00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,560
Speaker 2: us together feel like what is it going to take

154
00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,360
Speaker 2: to get them to listen. But if there are territorians

155
00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,120
Speaker 2: out there who want to put their name and their

156
00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,040
Speaker 2: time behind that, we will support you all the way.

157
00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,160
Speaker 2: We've done it before. There have been petitions in the past.

158
00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:33,240
Speaker 2: But absolutely the power of the people is incredibly important

159
00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,280
Speaker 2: and that's why we're doing this no confidence motion in

160
00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,960
Speaker 2: the government in March, Katie. And we've stood in them

161
00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:43,199
Speaker 2: all last week collecting signatures on a petition of no confidence.

162
00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,200
Speaker 2: We call on the community to write to your labor

163
00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,400
Speaker 2: local members of Parliament and vote with us to get

164
00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,920
Speaker 2: rid of this appalling government who has completely forgotten to

165
00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,119
Speaker 2: put the rights of territorians above the rights of criminals.

166
00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,880
Speaker 2: And if there needs to be petitions on crime, we

167
00:08:58,960 --> 00:08:59,640
Speaker 2: will support that.

168
00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,800
Speaker 1: All the other things that the Queensland Government's revealed is

169
00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,520
Speaker 1: that they're going to be investing forty two million dollars.

170
00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,800
Speaker 1: It's going to be spent on flying police officers to

171
00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,480
Speaker 1: hotspot areas as part of its initiative to ease community

172
00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:16,440
Speaker 1: concerns about the youth crime crisis. I mean even that

173
00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,079
Speaker 1: like it seems to be a step so much so

174
00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,480
Speaker 1: in the right direction. What like, is that something that

175
00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,520
Speaker 1: we need to be looking at doing here in the territory.

176
00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,200
Speaker 1: I know that the police always surged to the areas

177
00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,800
Speaker 1: that are required, but the fact is it does seem

178
00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,520
Speaker 1: as though there needs to be further investment.

179
00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,080
Speaker 2: There's no question our police are under resourced and of

180
00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,880
Speaker 2: course late last year the government sent forty police officers

181
00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,560
Speaker 2: to Alice Springs. What they forgot to tell people is

182
00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,440
Speaker 2: that took police out of Darlin, Palmerston, Catherine Tannet Creek,

183
00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:50,560
Speaker 2: it's even shut down remote communities, and so you have

184
00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,000
Speaker 2: this situation where you know, we want extra resources in

185
00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,880
Speaker 2: areas like Alice Springs, but then you're actually depriving the

186
00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,959
Speaker 2: rest of the community who are also from this crime

187
00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,240
Speaker 2: crisis because it is not isolated to certain parts of

188
00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:09,200
Speaker 2: the community. It is everywhere. In Our police under resource,

189
00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,080
Speaker 2: they can't cope with the volume of calls coming in

190
00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,600
Speaker 2: the serious nature of the task that they're being having

191
00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,600
Speaker 2: to do with the domestic violence increases, that alcohol related assaults,

192
00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,839
Speaker 2: violent crime. It is a tragic situation for territories because

193
00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,280
Speaker 2: this government is not only supporting our police, they've disempowered

194
00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,800
Speaker 2: our police by weakening their laws and their powers. They've

195
00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,160
Speaker 2: also then created a crime crisis of a scale that

196
00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,960
Speaker 2: our police can't even cover just because of the sheer

197
00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,120
Speaker 2: volume of crime that is happening in our community. So

198
00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,600
Speaker 2: this government needs to take a good hard look at

199
00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,120
Speaker 2: itself and decide whether or not it's capable of governing

200
00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,920
Speaker 2: any further. Because I can tell you, Katie, people tell

201
00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,640
Speaker 2: me that this government has failed and they can't even

202
00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,040
Speaker 2: govern and do the very basic Now.

203
00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,160
Speaker 1: One of the things that is a bit confusing to

204
00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,280
Speaker 1: me at the moment is the Northern Territory Police do

205
00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,000
Speaker 1: continue to send out statements when they obviously when they

206
00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:07,920
Speaker 1: arrest somebody and when they do arrest a youth. And

207
00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:12,120
Speaker 1: I do know that they keep putting on those pressure releases,

208
00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,120
Speaker 1: you know, if somebody has had a serious breach of bail.

209
00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,600
Speaker 1: So if bail, like, if breaching bail is not an offense,

210
00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,600
Speaker 1: how come we're still seeing that, you know in those

211
00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:22,440
Speaker 1: pressure releases.

212
00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,360
Speaker 2: Well, I don't know, Katie. The sink in me is

213
00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,280
Speaker 2: that that's come from Kate Warden's office to say, please

214
00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,800
Speaker 2: make it look like we're a good government and add

215
00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,760
Speaker 2: this to your press release. I mean, it doesn't mean anything.

216
00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,800
Speaker 2: It just shows the community that someone was on bail.

217
00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:42,720
Speaker 2: But a police officer cannot charge someone for breaching their bail.

218
00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,040
Speaker 2: And so a serious breach of bao does come under

219
00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,920
Speaker 2: one of the many ridiculous amendments that government have made

220
00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:56,800
Speaker 2: to the Bail Act, but there's no charge, there's no

221
00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:58,679
Speaker 2: additional offense to preach about.

222
00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,520
Speaker 1: Ton Okay, I'm just simply trying to wrap my head

223
00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,800
Speaker 1: around it. Now lea onto another.

224
00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,160
Speaker 2: Confusing and they've made it that way deliberately.

225
00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,760
Speaker 1: So yeah, now onto another issue. We know that the

226
00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,319
Speaker 1: CLP held their Central Council meeting on the weekend and

227
00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,480
Speaker 1: members voted to back the no campaign in the upcoming

228
00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,200
Speaker 1: referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The move has

229
00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,760
Speaker 1: been welcomed by the colp's sole federal representative, Just Enterprise,

230
00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,079
Speaker 1: the Senator, but as of yesterday it was not clear

231
00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,880
Speaker 1: what the vote would mean for the CLP's parliamentary wing.

232
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,840
Speaker 1: Now you've said that you support the voice in theory,

233
00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,840
Speaker 1: but hold concerns about a lack of detail from the

234
00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:39,920
Speaker 1: federal Labor government. Lea, do you support the voice?

235
00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,320
Speaker 2: So we've been really clear in our position, Katie, and

236
00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:48,040
Speaker 2: that position hasn't changed. So we are absolutely open to

237
00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,160
Speaker 2: a voice to Parliament and that type of concept, but

238
00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,000
Speaker 2: what we want is more detail. We do not want

239
00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,800
Speaker 2: territories having to vote in a referendum to change our

240
00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,080
Speaker 2: constitution without knowing what it is. And the overwhelming feedback

241
00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,880
Speaker 2: we receive from our community and even within the party

242
00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:08,720
Speaker 2: is that people do not know what this is and

243
00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,199
Speaker 2: people should be afforded the opportunity to understand and make

244
00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,760
Speaker 2: up their own mind about how they're going to vote

245
00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:16,360
Speaker 2: in this referendum. Later in the year.

246
00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,200
Speaker 1: It sounds though, as though the rank and file don't

247
00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,520
Speaker 1: actually support it. They don't you know that they don't

248
00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:25,080
Speaker 1: support that voice to Parliament, but that you're still undecided.

249
00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,960
Speaker 1: So in theory, do you support the Voice to Parliament?

250
00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,840
Speaker 2: So our party membership took a vote over the weekend.

251
00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:38,559
Speaker 2: We had a fantastic debate which the parliamentary team absolutely

252
00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:43,000
Speaker 2: respect and value, and it highlighted the fact that the

253
00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,320
Speaker 2: majority of the party membership feel that they don't support

254
00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:51,360
Speaker 2: the voice and that's perfectly fine. Ultimately, as a parliamentary team,

255
00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,400
Speaker 2: we don't feel this is a role for politicians because

256
00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,000
Speaker 2: it is a referendum, so it is a federal matter,

257
00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:01,120
Speaker 2: which is why of course a senator is highly involved.

258
00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,480
Speaker 2: And ultimately for us, as territory based members of Parliament,

259
00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,559
Speaker 2: we're really focused on the issues affecting territories in their

260
00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,520
Speaker 2: lives today. So we're really focused on law and order

261
00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,320
Speaker 2: and crime, on growing out. I get that, living.

262
00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,120
Speaker 1: I totally get that, and you know, I think that

263
00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:17,920
Speaker 1: a lot of people listening will feel the same that

264
00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,360
Speaker 1: they are at the four you know, the crime issue

265
00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,720
Speaker 1: and also the cost of living. But I suppose the

266
00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,040
Speaker 1: thing that people are concerned about at this point in time,

267
00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:26,840
Speaker 1: is that they're wondering whether there is a bit of

268
00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,040
Speaker 1: a rift between the parliamentary wing of the CLP and

269
00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,200
Speaker 1: between the rank and file of the CLP. It seems

270
00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,160
Speaker 1: as though the party is saying that they don't support

271
00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,280
Speaker 1: the voice. Yeah, the parliamentary wing is saying that, you know,

272
00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,400
Speaker 1: there's still more detail that is required.

273
00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,840
Speaker 2: Look, there is absolutely no rift. These are very normal things.

274
00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:47,840
Speaker 2: I'll give you an example. So the last time the

275
00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,840
Speaker 2: Labor Party in the territory had their conference, they voted

276
00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,720
Speaker 2: against on your Gas but you've got the Labor government

277
00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,800
Speaker 2: supporting and on your gas position. So it comes up

278
00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,400
Speaker 2: from time to time where there is that difference. Gromound

279
00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,600
Speaker 2: does affect though. We're just really calling for more information.

280
00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,760
Speaker 2: We've called on the government, the Prime Minister to work

281
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,520
Speaker 2: with territorians. We want to make sure people know what

282
00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,080
Speaker 2: it is they're voting for and we respect the fact

283
00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:14,440
Speaker 2: that we have one vote just like any other territory

284
00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,320
Speaker 2: and Katie in the referendum when it comes. So you know,

285
00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,760
Speaker 2: we're looking forward to more information being provided. I had

286
00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,480
Speaker 2: a brief chat with Senator McCarthy at the bombing of

287
00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,560
Speaker 2: Darwin and it's important that we open our minds to

288
00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,760
Speaker 2: what this thing actually is a problem is nobody really

289
00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:33,520
Speaker 2: knows what.

290
00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,440
Speaker 1: It could potentially do though, is create a real weed.

291
00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,280
Speaker 1: You would have to suspect between the CLP and the

292
00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:41,400
Speaker 1: Labor Party when it comes to some of those bush

293
00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,760
Speaker 1: seats that obviously you know the CLP is going to

294
00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:47,600
Speaker 1: be vying for, it will mean that you know, Labor

295
00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,720
Speaker 1: can potentially go out there to those bush seats and say, see,

296
00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:54,640
Speaker 1: the COLP doesn't support an Indigenous voice to Parliament, so

297
00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,520
Speaker 1: how are they going to represent you? Are you worried

298
00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,640
Speaker 1: about the ramifications for you and for your parliamentary wing,

299
00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:06,120
Speaker 1: particularly seats like Bill Yams and you know the one

300
00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,800
Speaker 1: intenant Craig Steve Edgington's When the Labor Party is going

301
00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:11,720
Speaker 1: to be able to do that.

302
00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:17,120
Speaker 2: Well, I'm not surprised ever, when the Labor Party and

303
00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,680
Speaker 2: Natasha Files weaponizes an issue that's not a territory issue, but.

304
00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:23,840
Speaker 1: It is a territory issue if the if you know,

305
00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,160
Speaker 1: like we're talking about constitutional change, so it is going

306
00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:28,360
Speaker 1: to be a territory issue.

307
00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,720
Speaker 2: Well, it's an issue that Territorians get to devote, sorry

308
00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,240
Speaker 2: vote directly on. But when you walk around any community.

309
00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,160
Speaker 2: I can you know from our feedback, from our connection

310
00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,800
Speaker 2: on the ground, any of our electors which are far

311
00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,200
Speaker 2: and wide across the territory, the number one issue on

312
00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:48,320
Speaker 2: people's mind is not about the voice. And so ultimately,

313
00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,200
Speaker 2: if Labour want to weaponize this in a bush campaign,

314
00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,440
Speaker 2: then that's what they're going to do. We're on the ground,

315
00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:56,720
Speaker 2: We're going to be talking to people about the issues

316
00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,000
Speaker 2: that matter to them and we're going to be standing

317
00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,440
Speaker 2: up for territory to make sure that they understand what

318
00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,199
Speaker 2: the concept is, how it's going to work, so that

319
00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,280
Speaker 2: they can make the best educated decision. And when it

320
00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:10,400
Speaker 2: comes to voting in the referendum.

321
00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,840
Speaker 1: Leah, does the decision by the colp over the weekend

322
00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,119
Speaker 1: demonstrate that Senator just enterprise is running the show.

323
00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,479
Speaker 2: I think it's an important discussion. Of course, we're a

324
00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:25,359
Speaker 2: political party and it's a it's a major national news

325
00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,359
Speaker 2: headline runner at the moment, Katie, and so it's really

326
00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,720
Speaker 2: important for our senator to raise these issues, important for

327
00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:35,520
Speaker 2: the membership to debate policies. I mean we debated a

328
00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,200
Speaker 2: wide range of things over the weekend, Katie. It wasn't

329
00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:42,200
Speaker 2: just this topic. And we're extremely supportive and respectful of

330
00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:46,040
Speaker 2: all of those processes. That's why democracy is so brilliant

331
00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,000
Speaker 2: because everyone gets to have their stay and our party,

332
00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,800
Speaker 2: unlike Labor, support the freedom of the individual and respect

333
00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,560
Speaker 2: the individual's decision to have control over their destiny, their

334
00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:59,040
Speaker 2: mind and ultimately what they do with their life.

335
00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,080
Speaker 1: I mean, does CLP risks sort of blowing themselves up

336
00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,160
Speaker 1: here though? If you've got a situation where you as

337
00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:09,000
Speaker 1: the parliamentary leader, you know you're still in the process

338
00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:11,480
Speaker 1: of sort of determining whether you do or don't support

339
00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,240
Speaker 1: the Voice to Parliament based on the information. But then

340
00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,560
Speaker 1: you have got you know, your senator and the party

341
00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,800
Speaker 1: members that very much are saying that they don't.

342
00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,840
Speaker 2: So because ultimately, this is a referendum, so every single

343
00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:29,000
Speaker 2: person in this country will be able to place their vote.

344
00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,480
Speaker 2: It will be private, they will be able to exercise

345
00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,360
Speaker 2: their democratic right and if they feel like they don't

346
00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:36,800
Speaker 2: support it at the time because there's not much information,

347
00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,840
Speaker 2: or they just absolutely oppose the principle, and don't get

348
00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:42,639
Speaker 2: me wrong, Katie, for a lot of people, this is

349
00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:47,480
Speaker 2: an incredibly divisive issue. I absolutely recognize that a lot

350
00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,480
Speaker 2: of people feel like this is you know, race based discrimination.

351
00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,399
Speaker 2: But equally a lot of people feel like, well, the

352
00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,040
Speaker 2: system's broken at the moment, maybe this will fix it.

353
00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:00,280
Speaker 2: And so the real task here is for the Edril

354
00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:04,400
Speaker 2: government to be providing that impartial information the force and

355
00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:08,040
Speaker 2: the against. Just like every referendum that's ever come before

356
00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,960
Speaker 2: us in our history, Katie, that for and against narrative

357
00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,359
Speaker 2: needs to be put out there. People need to be

358
00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,919
Speaker 2: able to understand it, engage in it and make up

359
00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,560
Speaker 2: their mind about where they stand on this issue.

360
00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,800
Speaker 1: Well, Lea Finocchiaro, the opposition leader, always appreciate your time.

361
00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,760
Speaker 1: Thank you very much for taking the time to speak

362
00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:26,520
Speaker 1: with me this morning.

363
00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:29,280
Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, take care. Thank you.