1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,880 Speaker 1: There's been a lot to cover off on this week, 2 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: with the Prime Minister obviously heading to Alice Springs and 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: making a couple of different funding announcements, But the story 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: that's really got everybody talking is this report on the 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: ABC online. An Aboriginal controlled organization paid tens of millions 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: of dollars in government grants each year to help improve 7 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: social issues in Alice Springs has come under fire for 8 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: declining meetings, allegedly failing to deliver services adequately and allowing 9 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: you convicted domestic violence offender to sit on the board. 10 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: Now. 11 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: Tannganji Council Aboriginal Corporation is one of Australia's largest Aboriginal 12 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: controlled organizations. It's funded to provide housing, safety and youth 13 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: services for Aboriginal people in Alice. According to this report 14 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: by the ABC, in the past financial year, it collected 15 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: more than thirty million dollars in government grants and contracts, 16 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: including for servicing sixteen town camps dot IT across Alice 17 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: Springs's fringes, as well as the Women Say Safety Group 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: and family violence prevention programs. Now joining me on the 19 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: line to talk more about this situation is the COLP 20 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: Senator for the Northern Territory JA Center Number jimper Price, 21 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Senator. 22 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,199 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning to a listener. 23 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: Great to have you on the show now. I wanted 24 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: to get to the Prime Minister's visit to Alice in 25 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: a moment, but I want to ask you about this 26 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: situation that it's really raising a lot of questions I 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: think this morning and yesterday about Tanganjeer Council Aboriginal Corporation. 28 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: The fact that the organization, which employs about three hundred people, 29 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: hasn't released an annual report since two thousand and eighteen, 30 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: despite the fact that last financial year they collected more 31 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: than thirty million dollars in government grants and contracts. 32 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,639 Speaker 2: Well, that's exactly right. You have to ask the question, 33 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 2: why do they keep being funded when they can't even 34 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: deliver their financial reports. And this is what comes around 35 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 2: at every sentate estimates why they have not delivered their 36 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 2: financial reports. And you know, when you're a local on 37 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 2: the ground and you can see what's going on in 38 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 2: the community, you have to swatch your head in wonder 39 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 2: where are the outcomes from the delivery of this funding 40 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: to this organization and I've been your concerns have been 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: brought to me about the organizations for years, you know. 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm grateful that finally the ABC have stepped 43 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 2: up and decided to do a bit of investigating because 44 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: it's really important considering their service are most marginalized in 45 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 2: our community. 46 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: And so in this situation, Jacinta, I mean, like when 47 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: you guys are in Ellis Springs, you know, I lived 48 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: there many years ago, so I can't profess to have, 49 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: you know, to have a great understanding of how well 50 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: or not well these town camps are operating. But we 51 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: spoke to doctor Gavin Morris about this yesterday and you know, 52 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: he said, Katie, like they're not delivering the services that 53 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: they're funded to deliver, is how it seems from the outset. 54 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 2: What's your take. Yeah, I'd absolutely have to agree with 55 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: mister Morris on that issue. Everyone asked that question, especially 56 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 2: when you know that they've been getting funding to deal 57 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: with the youth crime issue and kids on our street, 58 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,839 Speaker 2: and you really have to you know, many of us 59 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: kind of can't believe that. Also, the CEO is previously 60 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: in the past advocated for alcohol to be allowed into 61 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: town camps. Know you're funded to deal with the crisis, 62 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 2: and you're advocating for alcohol to be allowed into town 63 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 2: camps where with the highest rates of domestic and family 64 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: violence occur in our community. It's just yeah, it's ridiculous. 65 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: Justin why or how do you think that they're able 66 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: to get away with this, Because, to be really blunt 67 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: about it, you know, since if not releasing an annual 68 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: report since twenty eighteen, I mean, if if that was 69 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: you know, another non government organization that was receiving an 70 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: enormous amount of federal and Northern Territory government funding, you 71 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: would have to think that they'd be pulled into line 72 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: at some point over the last you know, over the 73 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: last six years. 74 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: Well you'd think so. But we know that the Deputy 75 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 2: Chief Minister, mister Paik has had a very close relationship 76 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: with members of those with the Tullandier family, if you like, 77 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 2: for quite some time. We do know that you know, 78 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 2: Tullnanjera out in force during election time and handing out 79 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,039 Speaker 2: how to vote on behalf of labor. I mean it 80 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: should be such that any organization that is in receipt 81 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: of any kind of taxpayer funds should be a political 82 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: But this organization certainly isn't. And as you can see, 83 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 2: they've never been held to account of the fact that 84 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 2: they've never provided outcomes for our most vulnerable, and yet 85 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: we just continue to go around in this ridiculous circle. 86 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 2: It's just it's utterly ridiculous. 87 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: Senator, do you know if complaints have been made at 88 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 1: any point to the Northern Territory government about service delivery 89 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: within those town camps. 90 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: Look, I'm not sure whether complaints have been made. What 91 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 2: I feel is that the community feels very frustrated and 92 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: they feel as though there's nowhere to go, but they 93 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 2: don't feel like they can actually they don't feel like 94 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: if they went to the government that anything would actually 95 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 2: be done to sort out the situation. You know, a 96 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 2: lot of people have come to me with their concerns 97 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 2: but have not wanted to, you know, pop their head 98 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: above the parapets, for fear of retribution should they complain. 99 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: And that's residents of town camps, that's former employees. I 100 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: think an investigation should take place given that there are 101 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 2: those that are coming forward, and I would urge any 102 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: locals who are concerned about it, certainly, if you wish, 103 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: come to my office and provide your complaint so this 104 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: matter can be pursued appropriately. 105 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: So you really, I mean, are you calling on the 106 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: Northern Territory government here to investigate? I know you've called 107 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: before for orders into you know, some of this spending. 108 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, This is exactly the reason why, because we're 109 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: feeling seeing the failure of these organizations who are funded 110 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: in a millions like astronomical figures to serve us our 111 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 2: most marginalized and continue to fall over. I mean, you 112 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 2: know we've had the debacle of NAJA. You know, the 113 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 2: story after story keeps coming to us and yet governments 114 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 2: and we've done it on our side of politics as well, 115 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 2: because you're throwing money at the situation and it's not 116 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 2: creating the outcomes, and there's lack of accountability, there's lack 117 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 2: of transparency, and it has to absolutely stop. 118 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: Now we know the Prime Minister was in Alice earlier 119 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: in the week, he's announced or the Attorney General, the 120 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: federal Attorney General had said an additional sort of fourteen 121 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: million dollars to go towards policing and community safety. Senator, 122 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: I mean, what did you make of the Prime Minister's visit? 123 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 2: Look again, it's just another opportunity to have his photo 124 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 2: taken with locals. I mean, you know, the best he 125 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 2: can suggest is that he supported alcohol restrictions being put 126 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 2: back in place. Well, hello, Prime Minister, we told you 127 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 2: well and truly beforehand that lifting those restrictions would lead 128 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: to absolute destruction and mayhem. So please don't try to 129 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 2: take credit for supporting reapplying you know, those restrictions and 130 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 2: the fact that he supported the curfew. Mate, he's done 131 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 2: bugger all to lift a finger to support Central Australia. 132 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 2: And the greatest funding a commitment that they've made to 133 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 2: Alice Springs and this area is the eighty million dollars 134 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 2: for a bloody music of an art gallery that the 135 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 2: locals did not want in the first place, you know, 136 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: like reality versus this pie the sky fantasy the of 137 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 2: the Prime Minister. 138 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, well I can tell you weren't impressed. 139 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: You weren't impressed. 140 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: By the visit, by the sounds of it. Hey, before 141 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: I let you go, The other issue that has been 142 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: top of mind right across Australia over the last few 143 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 1: days is, you know, is the situation that we are 144 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: seeing around Australia when it comes to gender based violence. Now, 145 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: I've got to say it's it's tragic what we are 146 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: seeing right around the nation. But this is not something 147 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,319 Speaker 1: that is new for us here in the Northern Territory. 148 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 2: No, absolutely not. And you know it's like this flurry 149 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 2: of people wanting to sort this issue out. The Prime 150 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 2: Minister making suggestions that men have to change their behaviors. 151 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 2: If I stood up as an Aboriginal war and said 152 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: those things, is that Aboriginal men need to change their 153 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: behaviors because of the fact that we've got the highest 154 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 2: rates of DV. I get shot down at every turn, 155 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 2: and all of a sudden, you know, all men have 156 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,719 Speaker 2: to sort themselves out. I think it's a bit more 157 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: complicated than that. And men are also victims of DV. 158 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: This is about family and domestic violence and it can 159 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 2: happen to anyone and interpersonal relationships. But yes, it is 160 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 2: a huge issue. And again I see in the Northern 161 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:33,479 Speaker 2: Territory the lack of support for women's legal services, especially 162 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 2: when many of them don't tick the Indigenous organization box, 163 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: but support predominantly Indigenous women and victims as opposed to 164 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 2: the legal services that are topped up incredibly but support 165 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: predominantly perpetrators, and yeah, we have to support victims a 166 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 2: lot better than we. 167 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: Do now in terms of you know, we hear a 168 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 1: lot of discussion in the interior will about needs based funding. 169 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: We know that our rates of domestic violence are incredibly high, 170 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: and you know, it's it is such a scooge what 171 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,959 Speaker 1: we see and you've spoken about it on so many occasions. Look, 172 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: do we need that needs based funding? Do we need 173 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: when the federal budget, you know, is handed down? Is 174 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: that something you would like to see? 175 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 2: Look, it is absolutely critical. And the conversations I have 176 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 2: with many of the women's legal services particularly is that 177 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 2: often funding is determined on a per capita basis as 178 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 2: opposed to where the needs are most. And you know, 179 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: all the women's legal services around the country have made 180 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 2: that determination, but they considered a table. This is what 181 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 2: we want. We want organizations to come together who are 182 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 2: the experts in their area and come up with the 183 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 2: common sense approach to these issues. They do that, and 184 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 2: yet in the end, when the delivery of the federal 185 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 2: funds goes to the territory government, it's never followed through 186 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 2: as has been determined by those women legal services. And 187 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 2: that is absolutely about needs based and that's that's the 188 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 2: model that we need to follow going forward. 189 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: Well, Jacenter Number, jimper Price, we always appreciate your time. 190 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: Thank you very much for having a chat with me 191 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: this morning. 192 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me Kate, thank you