1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,239
Speaker 1: Well, it certainly has seemed as though some common sense

2
00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:07,200
Speaker 1: has prevailed over the last few days of last week.

3
00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,719
Speaker 1: So Thursday, you'll recall that we're speaking at length about

4
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,960
Speaker 1: the petition Justice for Decklan Lavity and calls from well

5
00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,079
Speaker 1: nearly twenty six thousand Territorians. For this to actually be

6
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,599
Speaker 1: debated in Parliament, it had to go to the Public

7
00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,480
Speaker 1: Accounts Committee about lunchtime on Thursday. Now we all know

8
00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,400
Speaker 1: that then Friday was a public holiday, but they did

9
00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,120
Speaker 1: go to the Public Accounts Committee and it voted to

10
00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,440
Speaker 1: bring that petition back into Parliament. Now joining me on

11
00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:38,599
Speaker 1: the line to talk a little bit further about this

12
00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,159
Speaker 1: is Robin Lamley, the Independent Member for Ara Lewin. Good

13
00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:42,680
Speaker 1: morning to you.

14
00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,000
Speaker 2: Robin, Good morning Katie.

15
00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,440
Speaker 1: Now, Robin, I know that there may be some details

16
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,280
Speaker 1: that you can't sort of disclose, as you know, because

17
00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,440
Speaker 1: you are part of that Public Accounts Committee, But can

18
00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,560
Speaker 1: you tell us what happened on Thursday?

19
00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,320
Speaker 2: So I'm a member of the publica Counts Committee. We

20
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,760
Speaker 2: have five members. There are three government members and two

21
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,520
Speaker 2: non government members. Myself and Bill Yan from the COLP

22
00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,720
Speaker 2: sit on that committee with Joel Bowden, who's the chair

23
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,800
Speaker 2: of the Committee, Brent Potter who's the deputy chair, and

24
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,600
Speaker 2: Darren Young is the other person on that committee. Those

25
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:27,040
Speaker 2: three guys are all Labor guys, and Labor the Labor

26
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,640
Speaker 2: government control that committee because they have the numbers. They

27
00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,360
Speaker 2: shouldn't but they do. There's meant to be single members

28
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,440
Speaker 2: on that committee, but the government actually changed that early

29
00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,720
Speaker 2: in this parliamentary term, so they always had the absolute majority.

30
00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,760
Speaker 2: So we went into the meeting on Thursday at lunchtime

31
00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,680
Speaker 2: and very quickly it was resolved that this petition, with

32
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,520
Speaker 2: as you said, nearly twenty six thousand signatures, which is incredible,

33
00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:59,840
Speaker 2: is now referred back to the Parliament for debate coming

34
00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:02,320
Speaker 2: up up in late August. Robin.

35
00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,120
Speaker 1: There's been a couple of people messaging through saying Katie,

36
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,240
Speaker 1: they're only going to be debating this for sixteen minutes?

37
00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:09,000
Speaker 1: Is that right?

38
00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,000
Speaker 2: Well, that's the other side of the story. So this

39
00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,839
Speaker 2: is another creation of the Northern Territory Labor government. They

40
00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,240
Speaker 2: decided that yes, petitions could go back for debate in Parliament,

41
00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,960
Speaker 2: but they would be limited to two lots of five

42
00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,800
Speaker 2: minute speeches and two lots of three minute speeches, which

43
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,520
Speaker 2: totals sixteen minutes. So Whilst it is an absolute joke

44
00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,760
Speaker 2: that the government would limit any debate to that duration,

45
00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:44,200
Speaker 2: I think for me, it's just the symbolic nature of

46
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:49,680
Speaker 2: the fact that they've finally conceded, after rejecting twenty two

47
00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,959
Speaker 2: out of the last twenty four petitions stopping them from

48
00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,760
Speaker 2: going back to Parliament for these sixteen minutes of debate,

49
00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:01,280
Speaker 2: they've conceded last Thursday to at least this one to

50
00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,440
Speaker 2: go back for a sixteen minute debate. It is an

51
00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:08,000
Speaker 2: absolute joke, Casey, but I think it's important that it

52
00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,520
Speaker 2: goes back for a mention by potentially four people in

53
00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,520
Speaker 2: Parliament in August. Yeah, I think that at a minimum

54
00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,000
Speaker 2: that's what people would expect. But you know, this Labor

55
00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:25,200
Speaker 2: government has created this situation where they are in absolute

56
00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,280
Speaker 2: control of everything that happens in Parliament in a very

57
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:33,040
Speaker 2: undemocratic way, and this whole scenario playing out very publicly

58
00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,680
Speaker 2: thanks to you, is really a very sad indictment of

59
00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,880
Speaker 2: what they're thinking is and how hell then on controlling

60
00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,760
Speaker 2: everything they are to the detriment of democracy.

61
00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,520
Speaker 1: Well, and Robin, the thing is people are starting to

62
00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,760
Speaker 1: notice and they're starting to see this more and more,

63
00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,720
Speaker 1: and I know that you know, you've said thanks to me,

64
00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,440
Speaker 1: but we wouldn't have even been aware of this had

65
00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,440
Speaker 1: you not let us know. So I think the reality

66
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,720
Speaker 1: here is that that you know, that blindfold needs to

67
00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,240
Speaker 1: be pulled off. People need to know exactly what's going on,

68
00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,520
Speaker 1: and you know, I'm pleased that the decision was made

69
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:12,160
Speaker 1: that the debate's going to happen, but sixteen minutes is

70
00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:17,559
Speaker 1: absurd when you've got nearly twenty six thousand people saying

71
00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,239
Speaker 1: that they are not happy with the way in which

72
00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,719
Speaker 1: crime is being dealt with in the Northern Territory, that's

73
00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,840
Speaker 1: an absolute face for the government to think that that's okay.

74
00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,039
Speaker 2: Well, it's deeply offensive, but this is a government that

75
00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,960
Speaker 2: doesn't care. Katie. You know, they look like very kind,

76
00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:38,720
Speaker 2: friendly people, but how they play politics is fierce and

77
00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,880
Speaker 2: really disrespectful. What I was pleased to hear on Thursday

78
00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,120
Speaker 2: morning was your interview with Kezia per At, the Independent

79
00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,480
Speaker 2: member for Goiter. She's actually offered to put this whole

80
00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,080
Speaker 2: debate up as a matter of public importance, and I

81
00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,680
Speaker 2: spoke to Kezia later on Thursday afternoon and I think

82
00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,880
Speaker 2: she will do that so good. There will be more

83
00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,040
Speaker 2: debate on this issue, but going through the proper channels

84
00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,040
Speaker 2: of a debate, of a petition going to the Public

85
00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,520
Speaker 2: Accounts Committee, usually being knocked back, but in this case,

86
00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,400
Speaker 2: under enormous pressure, thanks to you and your show, it

87
00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:18,279
Speaker 2: will come back to that sixteen minute debate, but thanks

88
00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,520
Speaker 2: to keiv Epiric, it will be debated further as a

89
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:25,719
Speaker 2: matter of a matter of public importance. So those twenty

90
00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,039
Speaker 2: six thousand people that have signed this petition can be

91
00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,039
Speaker 2: guaranteed that we will we will do our best to

92
00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,400
Speaker 2: play out a proper debate within the Northern Territory Parliament

93
00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:37,320
Speaker 2: at the end of August.

94
00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,160
Speaker 1: Robert, why do you think that that is so important?

95
00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,279
Speaker 1: Why do you think it's important that a proper public

96
00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,040
Speaker 1: debate happens, Because you know some listening are going to think,

97
00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,200
Speaker 1: oh goodness me. You know, the government made their announcement

98
00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,359
Speaker 1: last week about what they're going to do. Can't we

99
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,839
Speaker 1: all just put this to bed and stop talking about crime.

100
00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:01,599
Speaker 2: If we cannot have a proper and awesome debate about

101
00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,960
Speaker 2: this issue, which is of grave importance to so many

102
00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:13,640
Speaker 2: Territorians in the Northern Territory Parliament, then we may as

103
00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:18,239
Speaker 2: well all pack up and go home. And save many, many,

104
00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,920
Speaker 2: many millions of dollars every year paying for the likes

105
00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,840
Speaker 2: of me to front up, travel to Darwin, to participate

106
00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,960
Speaker 2: in in democracy. This is the place that we need

107
00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,599
Speaker 2: to do it in Parliament on behalf of our constituents.

108
00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:38,120
Speaker 2: That's what the parliamentary system is meant to be about.

109
00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:43,120
Speaker 2: For Labor to block it time and time again is

110
00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:49,279
Speaker 2: just so fundamentally wrong. It enrages me. It makes me sick.

111
00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,560
Speaker 2: I bring it up time and time again in Parliament.

112
00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,320
Speaker 2: Just how wrong these parliamentary committees are being stacked with

113
00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:03,080
Speaker 2: government members, government making decisions about government, scrutinizing government. It

114
00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:08,000
Speaker 2: is fundamentally wrong, Katie. And honestly, if you can't do

115
00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,760
Speaker 2: the basic thing of bringing up issues that matter when

116
00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,800
Speaker 2: we go to Parliament and debating them properly, then the

117
00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,560
Speaker 2: whole thing is just a farce and we should save

118
00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,000
Speaker 2: a hell of a lot of money and shut the

119
00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:19,920
Speaker 2: doors and go home.

120
00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,640
Speaker 1: Robin, we've just had word from Brent Potter apparently saying

121
00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,440
Speaker 1: there was no pressure. He moved it to parliament. He

122
00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,880
Speaker 1: says he moved it to and Bill Yan second did it.

123
00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,280
Speaker 2: Well, he's actually breaching the rules of his public Accounts Committee.

124
00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,160
Speaker 2: But yes, if Brent's happy to share that, that's exactly

125
00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,960
Speaker 2: what happened. But it was under jures. I mean, every

126
00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:46,040
Speaker 2: other time the petition's come to that Parliamentary committee, the

127
00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:50,160
Speaker 2: Public Accounts Committee, the committee has said, no, we're not

128
00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:55,080
Speaker 2: referring petitions back to Parliament for debate. So Brent obviously

129
00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:59,000
Speaker 2: heard the debate on your show on Thursday morning, read

130
00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:02,600
Speaker 2: the room final, and yes he did get in first,

131
00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,760
Speaker 2: but it was there was so much pressure on the

132
00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,040
Speaker 2: likes of Brent Potter and Joel Bowden, the chair of

133
00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,160
Speaker 2: this committee, and Barren Young, the other Labor member, that

134
00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,000
Speaker 2: they obviously talked about it before going in there, and

135
00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,320
Speaker 2: they decided that this was how it was going to happen,

136
00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:24,120
Speaker 2: with no debate and a unanimous support it for that happening.

137
00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,560
Speaker 2: But you know, Brent, you need to go back to

138
00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,000
Speaker 2: the history books. Over the last yeah years, I was

139
00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,559
Speaker 2: realized that most of the petitions that have come through

140
00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,520
Speaker 2: twenty two out of the last twenty four petitions have

141
00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:40,360
Speaker 2: been rejected by your government, your members into going back

142
00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:41,880
Speaker 2: into Parliament for debate.

143
00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:45,840
Speaker 1: Well, and apparently has also said and I'm hearing this

144
00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,640
Speaker 1: obviously through Crystal my producer that there was no opposition

145
00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,080
Speaker 1: from the Northern Territory government for this to progress. But

146
00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,000
Speaker 1: he obviously didn't hear the Attorney General Chancey Paig on

147
00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,080
Speaker 1: the show on Thursday morning, because it certainly didn't sound

148
00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,200
Speaker 1: as though it was going to be progressing when the

149
00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,720
Speaker 1: Attorney General wasn't even prepared to give us his personal

150
00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,400
Speaker 1: view as to whether he thought that it should or not.

151
00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,920
Speaker 1: But Robert, I want to move along. Not only did

152
00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,839
Speaker 1: the Public Accounts Committee determine that that debate is going

153
00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,720
Speaker 1: to go ahead even though it's only for sixteen minutes,

154
00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,120
Speaker 1: but my understanding is that there was also that pressure

155
00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:22,120
Speaker 1: was placed obviously by you about the fact that this

156
00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,000
Speaker 1: committee is only five members, three of them are labor.

157
00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:28,920
Speaker 1: Has there been some change now or is there going

158
00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,959
Speaker 1: to be some change to the way that Public Accounts

159
00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,400
Speaker 1: Committee is actually made up?

160
00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:39,240
Speaker 2: So, Katie, straight after we decided to allow that petition

161
00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,000
Speaker 2: to go back to Parliament the debate, I've moved a

162
00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,240
Speaker 2: motion in that meeting, And because Brent's been on the

163
00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,480
Speaker 2: phone talking to you about what he did, I'll tell

164
00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,760
Speaker 2: you what I did. I moved a motion that the

165
00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:55,480
Speaker 2: Public Accounts Committee recommend to the government, the Labor government,

166
00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,960
Speaker 2: that the committee be restored to six members, three government

167
00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:03,200
Speaker 2: and three non government members, as per the Legislative Assembly

168
00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,560
Speaker 2: Standing Orders one seven seven that stipulates there should be six.

169
00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,000
Speaker 2: The government changed that on the floor of Parliament. They said,

170
00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,840
Speaker 2: oh no, we don't need six, will only have five,

171
00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,319
Speaker 2: even though the rules of the Parliament say there should

172
00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:22,640
Speaker 2: be six. So once again the committee under jurors agreed

173
00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:28,480
Speaker 2: to it, and they've written to the government, the Chief Minister,

174
00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,719
Speaker 2: the Leader of Government Business Chancey Paiks, saying that this

175
00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,760
Speaker 2: parliament Public Accounts Committee wanted to be returned to what

176
00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,439
Speaker 2: it should be six members. So at least you have

177
00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,240
Speaker 2: the look of a democratic process in place.

178
00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,479
Speaker 1: Excellent and so is that going to happen, Robin.

179
00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,319
Speaker 2: Yes, it has happened. The letter one unful Thursday afternoon,

180
00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,720
Speaker 2: and so there has been a big change in the

181
00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:58,600
Speaker 2: Public Accounts Committee of Parliament thanks to your exposure and

182
00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,480
Speaker 2: as you say, very taking the blindfold off and letting

183
00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,760
Speaker 2: us have a look at what's really going on inside Parliament.

184
00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,280
Speaker 2: And Katie, I can assure you there's a whole lot

185
00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,520
Speaker 2: more that I can and will provide you going forward,

186
00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:16,240
Speaker 2: because things are not functioning well within the Northern Territory Parliament,

187
00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,040
Speaker 2: and territorians need to know what's going on inside there

188
00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,480
Speaker 2: because it is reflecting on the decisions that are being

189
00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,760
Speaker 2: made by the Parliament and the fact that the government

190
00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,600
Speaker 2: is actually getting away with so much more than what

191
00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,200
Speaker 2: people even realize.

192
00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,719
Speaker 1: And Robin, you know the thing that astonished me when

193
00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,960
Speaker 1: we spoke to you on Thursday and you said it

194
00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,720
Speaker 1: just a moment ago. Twenty two out of the last

195
00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,720
Speaker 1: twenty four petitions have not then been able to go

196
00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,160
Speaker 1: forward for debate. Now, I know that sometimes those numbers

197
00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,400
Speaker 1: would not be very big that have signed those petitions,

198
00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:54,800
Speaker 1: but territorians signed those petitions hoping that they're going to

199
00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,600
Speaker 1: be heard and hoping that they will be discussed in

200
00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,520
Speaker 1: Parliament or that our is your makers are going to

201
00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:02,440
Speaker 1: listen to them.

202
00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,480
Speaker 2: The Labor government have blocked that from happening. They are

203
00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:12,160
Speaker 2: so thin skin. You know, a petition about you know,

204
00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:16,120
Speaker 2: something very very minor, like you know, putting a gate

205
00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,920
Speaker 2: on a public housing block of units or something that

206
00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:25,840
Speaker 2: might come be cabled as a petition in Parliament, but

207
00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,120
Speaker 2: they're so thin skin they don't want that petition going

208
00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,600
Speaker 2: back for a sixteen minute debate. In Parliament. It is

209
00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:39,160
Speaker 2: absolutely ridiculous and they have actively blocked those debates from

210
00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,520
Speaker 2: the curR and Katie and territory. As I said, they

211
00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,680
Speaker 2: need to be aware of this happening. It is just

212
00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:52,520
Speaker 2: so wrong, so ridiculous, and very strongly reflective of just

213
00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:57,679
Speaker 2: how this Labor government operates. They have to control every

214
00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,920
Speaker 2: part of that Parliament and they're not entire Under the

215
00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:06,679
Speaker 2: Westminster parliamentary system, those parliamentary committees are meant to be bipartisan,

216
00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:11,560
Speaker 2: they're meant to be evenly balanced, and the government is

217
00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,080
Speaker 2: not meant to control those parliamentary committees that they do

218
00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,440
Speaker 2: at every turn, and it is wrong and it doesn't

219
00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,840
Speaker 2: happen in other Commonwealth countries around the world because in

220
00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,640
Speaker 2: other Commonwealth parliaments they respect the fact that you can't

221
00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,440
Speaker 2: have government scrutinizing government because it is a thurfy, it

222
00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:37,040
Speaker 2: doesn't work, and it just doesn't enhance the democratic process

223
00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:38,679
Speaker 2: at all like they're meant to.

224
00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,120
Speaker 1: Well, Robin, I'll tell you what people are going off

225
00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,160
Speaker 1: about this debate only going to happen for sixteen minutes,

226
00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,040
Speaker 1: but really pleasing And Kesier did say that on the

227
00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,360
Speaker 1: show last week that she would move this forward as

228
00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,880
Speaker 1: a matter of public importance. I know that both you

229
00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,560
Speaker 1: and Kesier have spoken to us about the fact that

230
00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,520
Speaker 1: we have not had a petition with this level of support.

231
00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,040
Speaker 1: I mean, nearly twenty six thousand signatures. It's an unbelievable

232
00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,000
Speaker 1: amount and it's a number that cannot be.

233
00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:11,880
Speaker 2: Ignored thinking about it. It's incredible and congratulations to territori ands.

234
00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:15,200
Speaker 2: It just shows that when things are wrong, people will

235
00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,640
Speaker 2: come out in force and express themselves and that's fantastic,

236
00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,240
Speaker 2: sometimes at their own peril, because I know that the

237
00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,600
Speaker 2: government members were very keen to have a look at

238
00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,360
Speaker 2: whose names were on that list, so you know, and

239
00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,600
Speaker 2: labor are very unforgiving, I can assure you, but don't

240
00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,240
Speaker 2: be fearful people. No, keep up the rage, maintain the rage,

241
00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,800
Speaker 2: put your hands up, show your support if you can,

242
00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,560
Speaker 2: and let's make the territory better place, because that's what

243
00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,120
Speaker 2: Parliament is meant to be doing, improving the lives of Territorians,

244
00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:49,760
Speaker 2: not keeping secrets and hiding away and trying to protect

245
00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,560
Speaker 2: the government from scrutiny. That's just nonsense.

246
00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,520
Speaker 1: Just before I let you go, you know how important

247
00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,400
Speaker 1: is it that this Public Accounts Committee now is going

248
00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,040
Speaker 1: to be restored to three government members and three non

249
00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:05,960
Speaker 1: government members. When it comes to that transparency and it

250
00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,119
Speaker 1: comes to territorians being heard.

251
00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,280
Speaker 2: You know, the Public Accounts Committee is supposed to be

252
00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:17,960
Speaker 2: scrutinizing government expenditure at every turn. We've had one inquiry

253
00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:22,600
Speaker 2: in the last three years. One. I was the chair

254
00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,200
Speaker 2: of the Public Accounts Committee for twelve months in twenty

255
00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,720
Speaker 2: fifteen sixteen, and during that twelve month period we undertook

256
00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,920
Speaker 2: three inquiries. We completed three inquiries, so that the level

257
00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,720
Speaker 2: of output of the Public Accounts Committee at the moment

258
00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,560
Speaker 2: is at an all time low under the leadership of

259
00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:45,640
Speaker 2: Joel Bowden and the Labor government. With going back to

260
00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:50,400
Speaker 2: six members, although the chair will still have the casting boat,

261
00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,720
Speaker 2: I have to say so Labor will still be in charge.

262
00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:59,240
Speaker 2: The chair of all parliamentary committees cannot be government members.

263
00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,680
Speaker 2: They should not big government members. But at least with

264
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,120
Speaker 2: six you will have a more wholesome debate and they

265
00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:09,920
Speaker 2: will have to they will have to adhere to the

266
00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:15,920
Speaker 2: spirit of how these parliamentary committees should function. So there

267
00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,120
Speaker 2: will be a greater level of democracy because the numbers even,

268
00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:25,320
Speaker 2: and there should be greater scrutiny of government and stare

269
00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:27,000
Speaker 2: scrutiny of government.

270
00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,280
Speaker 1: Well, Robin Lamley, I always appreciate your time. Thank you

271
00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,080
Speaker 1: very much for coming on the show this morning, but

272
00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,160
Speaker 1: thank you as well for last Thursday, you know, speaking

273
00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,080
Speaker 1: up and telling us what the situation was, because I

274
00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,880
Speaker 1: do think that it's incredibly important that Territorians realize exactly

275
00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:46,720
Speaker 1: what's going on and realize, you know, the process that

276
00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,480
Speaker 1: this petition had to go through to actually get to

277
00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,040
Speaker 1: the point where it is going to be debated, even

278
00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,960
Speaker 1: if it's only for sixteen minutes. But like we've said,

279
00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,520
Speaker 1: kesy Epiric also going to make some moves to make

280
00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,880
Speaker 1: sure that it does get some further debate in Parliament.

281
00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:03,640
Speaker 2: My pleasure, Katie, Thank you,