1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,560 Speaker 1: We do know that there has been a lot of 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: discussion about the situation with the survey results coming out 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:10,559 Speaker 1: from the Northern Territory Police Association on Friday, the interim results, 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: so there is still a heck of a lot of 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: information to come out. But joining me right now on 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: the line is Mark Turner. Here's the member for Blaine. 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: Good morning to you. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: Mark, Good morning Kat And of course for. 9 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: Those out there listening a former Northern Territory Police officer, Mark, 10 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: what was your response when you saw the survey results 11 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: from the Northern Territory Police Association on Friday? 12 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: Sadly, not surprised. It's just confirmed the datas as we 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: already had from the OCP people matters with data, the 14 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 2: report that was tabled in Parliament from the KA Commissioner 15 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 2: some weeks ago, and what we had anecdotally anyway. So 16 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: it's a shame that we really really need to do 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 2: more for our members now. And I think ass frustrating 18 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 2: me that I seem to be the only member of 19 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 2: the Legislative Assembly saying we need action now. Well, I 20 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 2: don't understand what that is. 21 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm not real sure either, Mark, because obviously I 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: did just interview the Chief Minister, Natasha Files. I heard 23 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: Kate Warden speaking on the ABC this morning, and neither 24 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: of them seem to have any urgency when it comes to, 25 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: you know, taking some action in this space. It seems 26 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: as though we have got a situation right now where 27 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: our Northern Territory police are saying we don't have enough 28 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: people to do the jobs that are being asked of them, 29 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: our morale is incredibly low, and we don't have confidence 30 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: in our leader. How can they continue on down this path? 31 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think that's the key thing. It's the jobs 32 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 2: that are being asked of the police because they're being 33 00:01:55,680 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: asked to do everything and they can't. It's they're the 34 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: only twenty four hour agency that are responding to everything 35 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 2: all of the time. When somebody's happening at three o'clock 36 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 2: in the morning, it's always peace that you're reading. So 37 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 2: until we get everybody working together, they're just going to 38 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 2: keep on taking the hints. But this is what frustrates me. 39 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: We've had this conversation for years, and we were having 40 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: this conversation that Police Association conferences six years ago, so 41 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 2: it's not like it's a new information. It's just given 42 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: us what what was already known. 43 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, I guess the thing that is new information, though, Mark, 44 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: is the fact that our officers are saying, well, almost 45 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: eighty percent of them are saying that they don't have 46 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: confidence in their leader. And you know, while we have 47 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: anecdotally been speaking about that and certainly been hearing it 48 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: from offices, I know you would have been. I certainly 49 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: have been. But it's right there in black and white. 50 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: Now do you feel as though he can continue on 51 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: in the top are? 52 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: I can't see how his position is still tenable. You 53 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: can delegate responsibility that you can't delegate accountability, and that 54 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 2: appears to be the situation we've got. You look at 55 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 2: what a statistically representative sample size is when government are 56 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 2: making decisions, and it's ten to twenty percent, and if 57 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: you're looking at really small sample sizes, it's thirty percent. 58 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 2: And we're sitting here with a sixty percent simple side. 59 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 2: I don't know how that repair work that the Chief 60 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 2: Minister is talking about can start to happen when you've 61 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: got a police force that feels the way it does. 62 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: I know that the during estimates, the Commissioner alluded to 63 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: the information that he wasn't able to talk about due 64 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: to legal advice, and I gave him the option to 65 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 2: speak under cover of privilege or turn the cameras off, 66 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 2: that he didn't avail himself of that. So there may 67 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 2: be things that the Chief Minister or the Police Minister 68 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: are where the rest of us aren't. That people's as 69 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: mister Riches, the KAC Commissioner noted in his report in Parliament, 70 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 2: people's perceptions are their realities. And we've got members who 71 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 2: are going out daily dealing with the worst things that 72 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 2: life can throw us. Whilst they're feeling like this, and 73 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 2: there's any surprise that they're falling over at a rate 74 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 2: of knots mark. 75 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: What do you think needs to happen immediately? 76 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 2: I think the opposition's calls for the Police Minister said 77 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: the fast fools. We've been a job for the seven 78 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: eight weeks, and again the calls under the Inquiries Act. 79 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 2: It's nineteen forty five legislation. It's just politics. Politics, say, 80 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 2: I can't see anything less than a Royal Commission looking 81 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 2: at the legislation that has the powers to get to 82 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 2: the bottom of this. You could beef up the ikack's 83 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: powers and increase their and they may be able to 84 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 2: do it. But at the moment as it stands, I 85 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 2: cannot see anything less than a Royal Commission into policing 86 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 2: that's going to be able to get to the bottom with. 87 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: So, Mark, you are calling for a Royal commission into 88 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: policing here in the Northern Territory. And if that's not 89 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: going to happen, you think at the very least there 90 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: needs to be an inquiry. 91 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 2: Well, you've got an agency with as the Commissioner, sorry, 92 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 2: as the Chief Minister said to you of the regular earlier, 93 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 2: the Chief Minister and the Police Minister aren't lying to you. 94 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 2: There is record funding, there's never been more police on 95 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 2: the books. They're telling them the truth and I understand 96 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: why they're so frustrating. But where are they They're certainly 97 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 2: not at the Palmerston Police station. There's two vans on 98 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 2: the road if you're lucky, and it's been that way 99 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 2: since I worked there. So where are the members and 100 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: where is the funding? And why have we got members 101 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 2: falling over? And if we can't answer those questions, we 102 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 2: certainly need to find their why. 103 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: Well, Mark Turner, I know that there will be a 104 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: lot of people listening very intently this morning and wondering 105 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: if that is the right path to go down. I 106 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: don't know, but I certainly think that it's worth a discussion. 107 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: I mean, as Paul Mcha pointed out on the show 108 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: on Friday, we've had several surveys, we've had several looks into, 109 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, the morale, but the results on Friday cannot 110 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 1: be ignored. And I think that if the government continues 111 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: to ignore them or make the force feel as though 112 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: they're not listening to what's being pointed out very loudly 113 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 1: and clearly, how can we expect our officers to do 114 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 1: their jobs. 115 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: Well, that's it, and it's what else, Katie, What else 116 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: is available to us? And that's what I've sat down 117 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 2: and looked at. Remember the legislate of Assembly. What are 118 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 2: the tools are there in front of us that we 119 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: can use to put our feet on the break and 120 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 2: say stop, let's speak to this. And I can't see 121 00:06:54,520 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: any you know, having a retired judge do a review. 122 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 2: We've got so many who were into state it's just 123 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 2: not going to work. And trying to do all that 124 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 2: in thirty days. Again, politics as usually isn't going to 125 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: fix this, and now it has done it's been a 126 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 2: problem for a number of years. If we want to 127 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 2: get to the bottom of it, and I genuinely believe 128 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: we do, you wouldn't have had the response rate. You 129 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: certainly wouldn't be getting the feedback from the community. You 130 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 2: know everybody wants this fixed. Let's just fix it for 131 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: the sake of our rank and police officers for putting 132 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 2: themselves out there in harm's way every day to look 133 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: after us. 134 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: Well, Mark Turner, the member for Blaine, we really appreciate 135 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: your time this morning. Thank you very much for having. 136 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 2: A chat with us, no pleasure. Thank you, Katie, thank you.