1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line right now, though, is the 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: opposition leader Lea Finocchiaro. Hang on, I'll just make sure 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: I've got the right line up. 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,239 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Leah, Good morning Katie, and to 5 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 2: your listeners. 6 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: Now, Leah, I'm sure you've probably heard the Attorney General 7 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: on the show a few moments ago. I'm sure you've 8 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: got some detail of exactly what was announced yesterday with 9 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: that knife crime strategy. Do you feel that it hits 10 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: the mark? 11 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 2: I can't believe that. Yet again we've got empty promises 12 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: from a government where we've been waiting for this knife 13 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: crime strategy for six months, and now we note that 14 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: in that six months the government has done no consultation 15 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 2: with industry, there is no funding to go with it, 16 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: there will be no legislative changes made to strengthen the laws. 17 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 2: And ultimately, despite this government knowing that knife crime has 18 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 2: increased twenty two percent since May last year, they are 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: going to do absolutely nothing about it. This fails our community, 20 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 2: just like their fouled Bow Review, which also resulted in 21 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: no legislative changes. 22 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: Lea. 23 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: The statistics or the evidence, according to the Attorney General, 24 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: says that knives and edged weapons make up only five 25 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: percent of violent crimes, and any strategy must focus on 26 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: violent crimes holistically. He reckons that nearly half of all 27 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: knife crime incidents are domestic and family violence related, and 28 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: that is why he was really talking once again about 29 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: needs based funding. 30 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 3: Do you think that's what we need here? 31 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 2: Well, needs based funding for domestic and family violence would 32 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: be amazing, But ultimately, this government has got its head 33 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 2: in the sand. If the Attorney General thinks that four 34 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: and a half knife crimes a week isn't enough evidence 35 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 2: that we have a knife crime problem, then he does 36 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 2: not deserve to be in that job. Should get out 37 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 2: of the way and let people who care about restoring 38 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: community safety bring the territory back to the place that 39 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 2: we know and love, because this is totally out of control. 40 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,919 Speaker 2: This government is asleep at the wheel, and it's people 41 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: out there every single day suffering from abuse, being victims 42 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: of crime, having their homes being broken into. That are 43 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 2: the ones paying the price of this total incompetence. 44 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 3: I mean, Leah, looking at those numbers. 45 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: Though just under fifty percent of knife related crime is 46 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: domestic violence, it's domestic violence related. So is the colp 47 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: here pushing an agenda on something you know that should 48 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: be dealt with through an educative process. 49 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 2: I don't understand how this government talks about domestic violence 50 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: as if it's some sort of crime that doesn't count 51 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: as much. I mean, all crime is absolutely hideous and unacceptable, Katie, 52 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: and domestic violence is even worse. The fact that we 53 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 2: have so much crime across every category, across the entire 54 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: territory tells me that we need to be strengthening our 55 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 2: laws and empowering our police to restore community safety because 56 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 2: this has gone beyond a personal safety issue a community 57 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 2: safety issue. This is now destroying our economy. People don't 58 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 2: feel safe to go to work, Businesses are closing their doors, 59 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: tourists are not coming, and ultimately people are leaving this 60 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 2: place because they have had enough. This government continues to 61 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: make empty promises around reviews and strategies, only to come 62 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 2: up empty handed and people have had a gut full. 63 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 2: We could stand in Parliament this week and strengthen the laws, 64 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 2: and instead this government's going to be talking about changes 65 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 2: to the Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal and changes to 66 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 2: food legislation. 67 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: Leah, what would you do differently if you were announcing 68 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: a knife crime strategy yesterday, what would you have. 69 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: Seen we would have made And this is something we 70 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 2: actually have legislation ready to go tomorrow Katie, so this 71 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: is ready to roll. We would make all serious violent 72 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: offenders start with a position of no bail, and that 73 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: will capture offenders not just with knives, not just with 74 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: broken smashed up bottles and all the other range of 75 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 2: weapons that labor don't recognized as being dangerous enough. It 76 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 2: would include people who don't use weapons. So that is 77 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 2: our number one priority and we hope that the government 78 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: can see reason and support us to make that law 79 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 2: tomorrow afternoon in Parliament. But we'd also make sure there 80 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 2: were minimum mandatory sentencing for people who assault someone in 81 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 2: their place of work, that we have give police the 82 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: power to charge people for breaching their bowel condition, That 83 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 2: we have compulsory alcohol treatment for our most chronically affected alcoholics. 84 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 2: That we have you know, truancy officers getting kids in school, 85 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: that we break cycles of offending by having a focus 86 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: on skills training when kids are in detention. I mean, 87 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 2: these are just some of our strategies Katie, to make 88 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 2: the territory safe. But ultimately, this is a government that 89 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 2: promised the world after Declan lost his life back in 90 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 2: March and has totally failed to deliver Leah. 91 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 3: I do want to ask. 92 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: I know that that today, of course, we are in 93 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: a situation where the petition Justice for Decklan Lavity is 94 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: going to be debated in the Parliament. Now. The Chief 95 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: Minister had committed to us yesterday that it was going 96 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: to be a fullsome debate. 97 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 3: What is your understanding today. 98 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 2: Well, she has not clarified or written back to me 99 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 2: about what that looks like. So I'm prepared and ready, Katie. 100 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 2: I've got a number of things ready to go depending 101 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 2: on what she does to try and push that this 102 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 2: be a full debate. I'm very concerned she's going to 103 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 2: time limit the debate, so say maybe two hours or 104 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: time limit how make a very little time limit for 105 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 2: how long members of Parliament can speak. So if that 106 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: is the case, I will jump up and move that 107 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 2: that be amended and changed and I would need Government 108 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 2: to support that, which very clearly they would have shown 109 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 2: their intention if they seek to limit this debate. But 110 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 2: I think there are going to be a lot of 111 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 2: people in the galleries, Katie, and I'm not going to 112 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: stop fighting for what is right and if this government 113 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 2: can look in the eyes of hundreds of people watching 114 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 2: them and still shut this down and limit it, well 115 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: that's on them. But I'm going to do everything I 116 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 2: can to make sure that every member of Parliament has 117 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: every opportunity, Lea. 118 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 3: Are there people there already? 119 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 2: I haven't been down into the gallery, Katy, so I 120 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: don't know that. But I'm really hopeful that people come 121 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: and be part of our democratic process. And if you 122 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 2: can't come in, you can access it online. If you 123 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 2: just google Legislative Assembly Northern Territory Live Broadcast, you can 124 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 2: pop it up on your phone or on your computer 125 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 2: as you're working and tune in. This government needs to 126 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 2: know that people care and people are watching them, and 127 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 2: they need to start acting like they're the government for Territorians, 128 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 2: not a government for themselves. 129 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: Well, and look, I'll be very keen to find out 130 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: exactly what happens today in Parliament and how everything sort 131 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: of rolls out, and just how many people are there. 132 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: I know that Declan Lavity's family and friends are certainly 133 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: expected to be there, is my understanding. 134 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 2: Lea. 135 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: Just going back to the knife crime strategy, though we 136 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: know that much of what the government has announced has 137 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: been following on from that tragedy. We also know that 138 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: there was the tragic death of Seafat. There was also 139 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: the terrible incident that we've seen in the CBD outside 140 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: a hotel. We had another death near the Rapid Creek shops. 141 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: We've had some really horrendous situations with crime in the 142 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: territory over recent months. There's no other way to push it. 143 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: But I know that a lot of people listening are 144 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: going to you know, they may not necessarily agree with 145 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: what the Labor Party's saying, they might be angry with 146 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: what the attorney generals come out with, but what they 147 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: want to be sure of or what they want to 148 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: know is that you know exactly what the CLP is 149 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: going to do differently. And I think that you know, 150 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: a year out from an election now, you guys are 151 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: going to have to come out with some of those policies. 152 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: And I know that you've said that you moving different 153 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: things in Parliament today, but you know, what guarantee can 154 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: you really give territorians at this point that the way 155 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: in which you would do things would minimize knife crime 156 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: in the territory. 157 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 2: Because it is our overarching fundamental belief policy call it 158 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 2: whatever you want. It is our absolute, iron clad promise 159 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 2: that our focus is on community safety. We need to 160 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: restore safety for Territorians to be able to go and 161 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: do the most basic things like go back to the shops, 162 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 2: not go to sleep at night, worrying if your house 163 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 2: is going to be next let the kids catch the bus. 164 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 2: And by doing that we can then have a vibrant community, 165 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 2: a business community that's flourishing. And we will do that 166 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: by empowering and supporting our police. We would do that 167 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 2: by changing the laws so that the rights of people 168 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 2: to be safe are above the rights of criminals. We 169 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: have a number of ways in which we can do that, 170 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 2: which include lowering the age of criminal responsibility, making breach 171 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: of bowel condition an offense, by ensuring that we empower 172 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 2: our police so that they can deal with problem drunks, 173 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 2: by having compulsory alcohol treatment, by having minimum mandatory sentencing 174 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 2: for assaults on workers people in their place of work, 175 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: and importantly, by dealing with bail. This revolving door of 176 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 2: bail literally puts our community at risk every single day. 177 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 2: And we will change the law so that all violent 178 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 2: offenders start with a position of no Bounce's just some 179 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 2: of what we do, Katie, are you going to have. 180 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 3: To be are you going to have to build another jaile? 181 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 2: Well, look, ultimately, these infrastructure demands that are something governments 182 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 2: have to look to. This government is pretending that the 183 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: current facility isn't bursting out the seams and hasn't announced 184 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: what is plan its plan is going forward, but labor 185 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 2: are going to have to deal with that issue well 186 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: before August next year, Katie, and I think people are 187 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: waiting to see what There's a. 188 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 1: Lot about you though, do you think that another jaile 189 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: needs to be built? What do you think needs to happen. 190 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 2: Well, we're already going to build a new youth justice 191 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 2: facility in Alice Springs for Sentence to a Skill which 192 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 2: is a detention facility that focuses on skills training for 193 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 2: youth to get them job ready and then partner it 194 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 2: into the workforce. So that's an existing commitment. When it 195 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 2: comes to Darwin and the adult facility, if the prison 196 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 2: is full and you cannot fit another person in there, 197 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 2: then ultimately we do need to be looking to what's 198 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 2: next because we need to be cracking down on crime. 199 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 2: We need to make our community save and you cannot, 200 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 2: like labories, leave criminals out on the streets simply because 201 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 2: you have nowhere for them to sleep in the prison. 202 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: Well, Leah finocchiiro the opposition leader, appreciate your time this morning. 203 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: No doubt we'll probably well hear from you again throughout 204 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: this week, given that debate it's due to get underway. 205 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 2: This morning, We certainly will, and I encourage everyone please 206 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: tune in and see what this government has to say 207 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 2: for itself. 208 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 3: Lea thank you for your time.