1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: And well joining me live on the line is the 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: Opposition leader Anthony Albanezi. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Albow, Good morning Katie. It's great 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 2: to be back in Darwin. 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, great to have you on the show. And I 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: tell you what we know there's a federal election looming. 7 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: We had the Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the show 8 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: just a little while ago, and very lucky to have 9 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: you on the show now as well. Now there's lots 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: on the agenda I want to go. Firstly, we know 11 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: that tomorrow is indeed the day that we remember that 12 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: nearly well exactly eighty years ago, World War II forced 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: itself onto Australia's mainland for the first time. Now we 14 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: know that the Prime Minister is indeed seeking to elevate 15 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: national security as a key point well really of contrast 16 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party in the 17 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: lead up to the election. Albo, how important is the 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: Northern Territory strategically when you talk about Australia and our 19 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: defense force. 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: Well, the Northern Territory of course is absolutely critical. And 21 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: tomorrow will be commemorating the eightieth anniversary of the bombing 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: of Darwin. It's when World War II really came to 23 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 2: our shores. Two hundred and sixty aircraft in two waves, 24 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 2: seven hundred bombs being dropped on this great city and 25 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 2: on ships in the harbor, with a severe loss of 26 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: life and an incredible ongoing impact. But Darwin stood firm. 27 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: There were another sixty three raids in addition to that, 28 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 2: sixty four in total after that here in Darwin. But 29 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 2: Darwin responded with courage, resilience and resolves and we need 30 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 2: to always keep our nations safe from One of the 31 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: things I was very proud about when we were in 32 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 2: government was the arrangements we put in place for theationing 33 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 2: of US marines here in Darwin. 34 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: Now, mister Albinezi, the Prime Minister, says that the Labor 35 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: Party has had when in power, cut funding when it 36 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: came to to defense. Now, I know, like I said, 37 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: that he is certainly trying to, I guess, elevate this 38 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: issue of national security. They've announced this morning two hundred 39 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: and eighty two million dollars and that is into the 40 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,959 Speaker 1: Northern Territory when it comes to defense on a couple 41 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: of different projects. What is the Labor Party going to 42 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,679 Speaker 1: do to bolster that security and defense force? Here in 43 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: the territory. 44 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: Well, they're good at announcements, they're not great at delivery. 45 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 2: These are old announcements. These are announcers from two years 46 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 2: ago and from last year respectively, the two announcements, so 47 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 2: there's no additional money been announced by the government. Of course, 48 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: we will honor that and we supported that at the 49 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: time they were announced, as I said, two years ago 50 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 2: and then one year ago respectively. 51 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,119 Speaker 1: So you would honor those announcements. Is there anything else 52 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: that the Labor Party is looking at doing, you know, 53 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: for the Northern territory or indeed Darwin when it comes 54 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: to this space. 55 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: Well, we'll have more to say, of course. One of 56 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: the things that we're ongoing concerned about is that whereas 57 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 2: we supported the US Marines being placed here, we didn't 58 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 2: support the sale of the port. This occurred here in Darwin. 59 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: So it's a bit rich for the Prime Minister to 60 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 2: engage in the rhetorical position that he is. Experts on 61 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 2: defense and security have come out and have called out 62 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: the actions of the PM and the rhetoric and have 63 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 2: said that it itself undermines our national security. One of 64 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: the great strength that we have in this country is 65 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: that we have a united position when it comes to 66 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 2: keeping Australia safe against threats and that shouldn't be undermined 67 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 2: in the lead up to an election. And you had 68 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: no less than Dennis Richardson, who used to be the 69 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 2: head of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the head of Defense. 70 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 2: He was also appointed by John Howard to head Asia 71 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 2: as Director General and to be our ambassador to Washington, 72 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 2: and he had some very strong words about the direction 73 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: that the Prime Minister has chosen to go in. It's 74 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: like he will talk about anything other than talk about 75 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 2: the stuff up of the vaccines or the problems that 76 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 2: are their in age care, the issues which are there 77 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: with the government. 78 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, well look, I will talk in just a moment 79 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: about some of the issues we've got here in the 80 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: Northern Territory when it comes to health. The Prime Minister 81 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 1: reckons that you're the Chinese government's peak at this election. 82 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: What's your response to that? 83 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 2: That it's an incredibly irresponsible thing to say. He knows 84 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 2: it's not true. I tabled a letter in Parliament yesterday 85 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 2: where he wrote to me, thank you the bipartisan support 86 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: for the orchis arrangements that have been put in place 87 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 2: that couldn't have been done without bipartisan agreement. That was 88 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: a precondition. And people in the defense the national security 89 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 2: space know how irresponsible the Prime Minister's comments are. They 90 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:47,239 Speaker 2: themselves undermine our national security and the Prime Minister should 91 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 2: not engage in such reckless activity. He has a responsibility 92 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 2: to defend the national interest and this sort of rhetorical 93 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 2: nonsense is not doing that. Identical positions on Hong Kong, 94 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: on the South China Sea, on human rights for veigas, 95 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 2: and in Tibet on making sure that we put in 96 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 2: place protections and the Director General of Asia had to 97 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: come out this week in what was really an unprecedented 98 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 2: statement and make it very very clear that the sort 99 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 2: of rhetorical position that the Prime Minister's taking is not helpful. 100 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: Now, Opposition Leader, one of the big issues that we 101 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: have been speaking about here in the Northern Territory over 102 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: the last week is the situation that we're seeing with 103 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 1: our healthcare system. Obviously, COVID is rolling through the Northern Territory. 104 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: I caught up with both the AMA, the Australian Medical 105 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: Association and also the Nurses Federation earlier this week and 106 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: they spoke to us about the fact that territory hospitals 107 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: have reached crisis point as COVID rolls through, and certainly 108 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: of the AMA wanted to know from both our potential leaders, 109 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: yourself and also Scott Morrison if there would be any 110 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: additional health funding for the Northern Territory as we lead 111 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: into this election. 112 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 2: Well, we're announcing today some eleven point six million dollars 113 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 2: for the Danilla Dilber Health Service. They're here in Palmerston. 114 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 2: I'll be there with Luke Gosley and Marion Skimjaw and 115 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 2: Malandarry McCarthy in a short period of time to announce 116 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 2: that they currently provide services to over fifteen thousand people 117 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: and what they need as additional funding to make sure 118 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 2: that they can have a purpose built facility to deliver 119 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 2: local medical services to the community. And in particular of 120 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 2: course they deliver for First Nations population, which is a 121 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: growing population. It's also a population which is getting older 122 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 2: and requires more support. 123 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: How do you think how will that help as well? 124 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: How do you think that that will help in terms 125 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: of the broader community, you know, and in dealing with 126 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: that bounce back. I guess you would call it post 127 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: COVID we've got phenomenally long wait times for elective surgery. 128 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: Right now, we know that the likes of outpatient services, 129 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: some of those specialist outpatient services have been canceled. It's 130 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: going to be a tough bounce back here in the territory. 131 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 2: It is, and those pressures are being felt right around 132 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 2: the country because of the problems that have been there 133 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: with getting people vaccinated early enough, and here in the 134 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 2: territory of great job has been done of First Nations people, 135 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: particularly getting them vaccinated. In other parts of Australia it's 136 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 2: far less. But if you have appropriate health services delivered 137 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 2: in local communities, what that does is take pressure off 138 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 2: hospitals because if people can't get their local health service, 139 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: they end up with acute conditions that ends up requiring 140 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 2: more support, which is why it's important to provide that 141 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 2: local health service where people live. 142 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: Now we are fast running out of time. But one 143 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: of the other major issues that I had asked the 144 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 1: Prime Minister about as well, I know that he's in 145 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: Alice Springs at the moment, the issue of youth crime 146 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: in Alice Springs and right around the Northern Territory. In fact, 147 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: it's something that we've seen in North Queensland as well. 148 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: Just this week that issue of youth crime with a 149 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: fourteen year old allegedly killed in a car crash in 150 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: a stolen vehicle here in the Northern Territory in Darwin 151 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: last week a ten year old in a stolen car 152 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: in the early hours of the morning. Alice Springs has 153 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: been subject to some really terrible youth crime issues. Although 154 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,439 Speaker 1: if you were the Prime minister, how would you support 155 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: these communities to to try and get on top of 156 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:02,239 Speaker 1: this issue. 157 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 2: Well, one of the things that the labor governments will 158 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 2: always do us provide additional funding for community services. We've 159 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 2: announced one hundred and fifty additional community service workers would 160 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 2: be funded by us in local communities. There's no easy 161 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 2: solutions to these things. That requires education, it requires health services, 162 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: that requires community services. That requires a full response of 163 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 2: all levels of government. The sort of stories that you've 164 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: just told are shocking and they represent a tragedy. To 165 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 2: have a fourteen year olds to lose their life and 166 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,599 Speaker 2: have a ten year old in a stolen car is 167 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,439 Speaker 2: a terrible circumstance. We need to work with as well 168 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 2: community leaders to make sure that we can really reduce 169 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 2: level of youth crime. Youth crime not only leads to 170 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: a waste of life for those people involved, that impacts 171 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 2: everyone in the community, which is why you need a 172 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:13,199 Speaker 2: whole up government response. 173 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: Well, Anthony Albanezi, we have run out of time. I 174 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: didn't get to speak to Scott Morrison about his sixty 175 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: minutes interview, but mate, I understand you're going to be 176 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: doing one soon. What instrument are you planning on whipping 177 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 1: out throughout that interview? 178 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 2: I am, and I intend to talk about the serious 179 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 2: challenges facing the country rather than it will be a 180 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: ukulele freeze out. I'm not quite sure why the Prime 181 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: Minister wanted to remind everyone about Hawaii, but that's the decision. 182 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:44,719 Speaker 1: Not going to be playing the symbols. 183 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 2: That he and his team took. There won't be any 184 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 2: singing either, because think of the ratings. They might take 185 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 2: a serious dip they did. I think that you could 186 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 2: hear the sound of TV's clicking off as the Prime 187 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 2: Minister strained through that one line that he could remember 188 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 2: well of April. So Tuba, well. 189 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: I was thinking you might get the symbol out and 190 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: maybe seeing the gambler or something like that. Albow, No, no, 191 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: not this time. All right, good. 192 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 2: Stuff, it's not going to happen. 193 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: No, well, good to speak with you this morning. We 194 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: appreciate your time. Thank you very much for chatting with us. 195 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie. I also won't be shampooing stranger's hair. 196 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: Good well, I'm glad to hear I didn't get to 197 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: ask him about that. Anthony Albanezi, thank you very much 198 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: for your time this morning. We will leave it there