1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,119 Speaker 1: Now we know that NT Costs has released it's thirty 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: first cost of living report and the results are probably 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: not a huge surprise to most of us. The data 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: from December twenty twenty to December twenty twenty one reveals 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: that Darwin had the highest increase in price movement for 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: goods and services or Consumer Price Index ie CPI. Now 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 1: that is out of all Australian capital cities. Now I 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: say that it's probably not a surprise. What I mean 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: is the cost of living going up is probably not 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: a huge surprise. But to think that we're more expensive 11 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 1: than other capital cities is actually a big surprise. 12 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 2: And joining me in the studio to tell us more. 13 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: About this is the CEO of NT Costs, deb Di Natali. 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, deb. 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners. 16 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your time this morning. Now, 17 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: in what areas are we seeing some of the biggest 18 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: increases when it comes to that cost of living? 19 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 3: Look, probably the biggest take home message in terms of 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 3: our cost of living report this year are NT Costs 21 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 3: released is a cost of living report every quarter we've 22 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 3: moved to do two a year is that Territorians are 23 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 3: just doing it tough across the board. So if you 24 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 3: go out to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, those prices 25 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 3: have gone up. If you go out to fill your 26 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 3: car full of petrol, those prices have gone up. And 27 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 3: what you hear people say is, I have really noticed 28 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 3: this in my day to day stuff. So the data 29 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 3: tells us that there is a reason that people are 30 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 3: feeling the pinch, and the reason is that our rents 31 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,919 Speaker 3: have gone up. So if you have a look across 32 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 3: the country, our rents have gone up eight percent and 33 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 3: the rest of the country it's gone up zero four percent. 34 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 3: And I think what we always thought was living in 35 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 3: Darwin was pretty affordable, but now what we find is 36 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 3: actually living in Sydney and Melbourne is much more affordable 37 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 3: in terms of the rental increase than it is in Darwin. 38 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 3: And that's a pretty big jump in terms of across 39 00:01:59,000 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 3: the country. 40 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: And you know, when you look at the working class, 41 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: so those of us that have jobs that CPI, it's 42 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: well above really your wage increases, isn't it. 43 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely? And I think we've heard a lot in the 44 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 3: media around wage increases and what needs to happen there. 45 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 3: But what we do also know is that the numbers 46 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 3: that we rely on in our report and that CPI 47 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 3: relies on are capital city. So we're looking at places 48 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 3: like Melbourne, we're looking at Sydney, we're looking get Darwin. 49 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,119 Speaker 3: But in the northern territory. Those prices are really high 50 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 3: in Darwin. But let's remember that if you live in 51 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 3: rural or remote they're higher still. So people are doing 52 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 3: it really tough in those areas. 53 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: And that's, you know, again, that's for those of us 54 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: that are working. But then if you look at somebody 55 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: who's on a lower income or who is obviously reliant, 56 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: you know, on government payments, it's even harder. 57 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 3: I would suspect absolutely, and I'm sure you'll listeners will 58 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 3: be thinking about how is it that people who are 59 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 3: on job seeker are living on forty six dollars a 60 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 3: day and that they're able to pay rent, utilities and 61 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 3: day to day living. And it's even harder, of course 62 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 3: for people who have got children, who are thinking, I've 63 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: actually got to try and send the kids to school. 64 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 3: There's extra cost in terms of excursions, there's extra cost 65 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 3: in terms of medication. I'm not quite sure that I 66 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 3: can make ends meet this week. 67 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 1: It's so bloody hard to put it really bluntly, for 68 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: so many families. And then you know, if you've got 69 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: children that are still in childcare as well, the cost 70 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: of child care is incredibly expensive, and it just seems 71 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: as though, you know, you go to fill your vehicle up, 72 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: the price of petrol is astronomical. 73 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: The place that I've probably noticed. 74 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: At the most is when you go to do your 75 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: food shopping and you know, you're doing the same shopping 76 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: that you've been doing for the last couple of years, 77 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: but all of a sudden, it's costing you a heck 78 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: of a lot more money than what. 79 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: It used to do. 80 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: Absolutely, So what kind of things can be done to 81 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: really sort of try to ease what is a massive 82 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: burden for so many people at the moment. 83 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 3: There's a role for government to play in this, So 84 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 3: both the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory government can work 85 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 3: together in terms of affordable housing, subsidized rental target, affordable 86 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 3: home ownership. And one of the biggest policy positive implementation 87 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 3: that the Commonwealth government could do is to raise the 88 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 3: rate of job seeker. So what we do when we 89 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 3: do that is we generate money into the economy and 90 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 3: we enable people to get out of poverty. Forty six 91 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 3: dollars a day is not enough for people to be 92 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 3: able to live a life where there is dignity. So 93 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 3: the single biggest thing that they could do is raise 94 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,799 Speaker 3: the rate, not just ant costs, but every cause around 95 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 3: the country has been campaigning for that for a number 96 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 3: of years now, and some of that, some of the 97 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 3: concession scheme and increasing affordable housing would all go a 98 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 3: long way to making life easier for territorians who are 99 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 3: doing it tough. 100 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: Now, what about you know that's obviously on the federal scale, 101 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: and then when you look at on the territory scale, 102 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: you've spoken about that land release or affordable housing. How 103 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: about you know, with those petrol prices, I know that 104 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: we've spoken a lots over recent weeks and months about 105 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: despite the fuel excise, so the cut to the fuel excise, 106 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: and despite the fact that the terminal gate price sort 107 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: of ebbs and flows goes up and down, we don't 108 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: really see it going down too much either. 109 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: I mean, is there more pressure that. 110 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 1: Could be put on some of those petrol companies and 111 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: things like that as well? 112 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 3: Absolutely, there are a number of measures that we could implement, 113 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 3: and some of those would be having government lobby to 114 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: those petrol companies to say that for people who are 115 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 3: doing it tough, what measures can you put in place 116 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: in terms of running a responsible business to ensure that 117 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 3: people can still afford petrol, getting their car, go to 118 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: work everyday day, or drop their kids off to school 119 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 3: every day. 120 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: What's going to happen if we don't see some action 121 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 2: in this space. 122 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: Well, if we don't see action, we're going to drive 123 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 3: people further into poverty. We know that when you live 124 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 3: in the Northern Territory, you're twelve times more likely to 125 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 3: be homeless than if you live in any other part 126 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 3: of the country. And what we are going to see 127 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 3: are more people sleeping rough and we're going to see 128 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 3: huge pressure on social services. They're already at capacity, but 129 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 3: we will see people trying to access food bank and 130 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 3: trying to access homeless shelters, and that is not a 131 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 3: good place for us to be. So let's think about 132 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 3: this and let's try and implement the policy so that 133 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 3: we can avoid what will be a catastrophe for people 134 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 3: who are living in poverty. 135 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: It did say then that some of those support services 136 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: are already at capacity. Have you got are there some 137 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: examples of how it's going for some of those services 138 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: at the moment. 139 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 3: Well, we know that food Bank, for example, is saying 140 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 3: to us that have had they have had more people 141 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 3: come through their door than ever before. The demand was 142 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 3: so high. They opened up in Alice Springs and their 143 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 3: warehouse was empty within days. And we have to remember 144 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 3: that food Bank is for a very particular cohort of 145 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 3: Territorians who can't afford to go to woolies. Like we're 146 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 3: here talking about the prices of groceries having gone up 147 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 3: at our local woolies or the local IgA. There are 148 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 3: people that are locked out of that particular grocery list 149 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 3: for let's just say, for the next few years to come, 150 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 3: and the only place that they can access really good 151 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 3: fresh fruit and vege and that they can afford to 152 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 3: do it is at food Bank. Now, food Bank is 153 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 3: already at capacity. So what do we do if we 154 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 3: already have more people that are lining up at the door. 155 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, it makes it really tough. 156 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: One of the other things that I always worry about 157 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: when you talk about the cost of life here in 158 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: the territory and it being so high the present time, 159 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: is you know, we're also really trying to fill a 160 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: lot of jobs in the Northern Territory. We're trying to 161 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: push our workforce, we are trying to grow the territory. 162 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 2: How big an impact. 163 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: Do you think that this cost of living has then 164 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: on trying to fill those workforce shortages and trying to 165 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: boost the population. 166 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 3: It has an enormous impact. So you think about when 167 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:29,239 Speaker 3: people actually are employment seekers and they are looking for jobs, 168 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 3: what they need is they need a phone that has 169 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 3: got a phone card that's completely charged so they can 170 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 3: take those calls and organize the interviews. They need to 171 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 3: be able to have money to put petrol in the 172 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 3: car so they can attend their interviews. And if you 173 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 3: are living in poverty, it is absolutely impossible to be 174 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 3: able to put yourself on an equal playing field when 175 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 3: there are jobs advertised. 176 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: Well, debrah Dinatali, it's always really interesting to speak to you, 177 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: But I think this cost of living report that has 178 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: been released it makes for some pretty tough reading, I think. 179 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:02,959 Speaker 2: But as I said at the. 180 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: Start, I know it's probably not surprising for a lot 181 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: of people listening this morning how high the cost of 182 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: living is right now. But to think that we're more 183 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: expensive than some of those major capital cities. Is quite unbelievable. 184 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:19,559 Speaker 3: It's a real It is a huge concern and I'm 185 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 3: sure your listeners who are paying rent at certainly feeling 186 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 3: the pinch because the rents have gone up and without 187 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 3: the wage increase. We know that this is why people 188 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 3: are feeling like they're doing it tough, because they are well. 189 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: Deborah Tina Tari, the CEO of NT, costs lovely to 190 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: speak with you this morning. 191 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for your time.