1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,640
Speaker 1: Now, last week there was a lot of focus on

2
00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,080
Speaker 1: the fire service, culminating in the United Workers Union calling

3
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,480
Speaker 1: for the CEO of Police, Fire and Emergency Services to

4
00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:14,240
Speaker 1: stand down and also the separation of services. Meanwhile, the

5
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:18,120
Speaker 1: ABC was reporting that the Northern Territory Police Associations confirmed

6
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,480
Speaker 1: that some of its members are pushing to hold a

7
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,080
Speaker 1: vote of no confidence in the Northern Territory Police Commissioner.

8
00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:25,159
Speaker 2: Now joining me in the.

9
00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,280
Speaker 1: Studio right now is the Chief Minister at Tasha Files.

10
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:29,040
Speaker 2: Good morning to you.

11
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:30,560
Speaker 3: Good morning, Katie, Good morning listeners.

12
00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,559
Speaker 1: Now, Chief Minister, have you seen this letter that the

13
00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,239
Speaker 1: union issued last week to the commissioner or.

14
00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:36,080
Speaker 3: Are you aware of it?

15
00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,839
Speaker 4: Yeah, Katie, I am aware of that correspondence, and I

16
00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,600
Speaker 4: think it's important for listeners to understand that we have

17
00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,080
Speaker 4: seen significant development in the fire service over the last

18
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,479
Speaker 4: couple of years. We've seen a restructure that's created a

19
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,800
Speaker 4: strong leadership team that includes a Chief Fire Officer, a

20
00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,440
Speaker 4: deputy Chief fire officer and assistant fire chief fire officers.

21
00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,320
Speaker 4: So the Commissioner has put in place structures within that

22
00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,760
Speaker 4: fire service. But certainly, you know, take the concerns of

23
00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,480
Speaker 4: our hard working firefighters seriously.

24
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:05,600
Speaker 1: Well, I guess at the end of the day, they're

25
00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,360
Speaker 1: obviously concerned that they feel as though he's allegedly acted

26
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,800
Speaker 1: in a bullying or intimidating manner. Are you concerned that

27
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,080
Speaker 1: you've got firefighters that are calling for the CEO to

28
00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,000
Speaker 1: stand down due to those members no longer trusting him.

29
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,520
Speaker 4: I'm aware of those allegations and they have now put

30
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,240
Speaker 4: that in writing that the Police Commissioner, who is also

31
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,120
Speaker 4: the head of the Fire Service and Emergency Services, has

32
00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:29,760
Speaker 4: denied that.

33
00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,800
Speaker 3: But of course that latter will be treated with respect.

34
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,800
Speaker 4: But we certainly have seen this strong leadership created within

35
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,520
Speaker 4: the fire service. We've also seen recruitment to the service.

36
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,920
Speaker 4: But it is concerning to hear that you know members

37
00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:42,600
Speaker 4: are upset.

38
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:45,959
Speaker 1: You've got a situation right now though, where The ABC

39
00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,960
Speaker 1: was last week reporting that the Northern Territory Police Association

40
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,720
Speaker 1: has confirmed that some of its members are pushing to

41
00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,400
Speaker 1: hold a vote of no confidence in the Police Commissioner.

42
00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,400
Speaker 1: The union president Paul McHugh has told the ABC that

43
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,560
Speaker 1: six of the union's twelve member regions had so far

44
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,200
Speaker 1: past resolutions asking for a vote to be held. Chief Minister,

45
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 1: does the Police Commissioner still have your confidence? Because you've

46
00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,600
Speaker 1: now got a situation where the fieries are saying one thing.

47
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,840
Speaker 1: You've got half of those of the union's twelve member

48
00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,840
Speaker 1: regions saying that they want this vote of no confidence.

49
00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,560
Speaker 2: Does the Police Commissioner still have your confidence?

50
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:26,320
Speaker 1: Yes, Katie, So the Police Commissioner is safe in that role. So, Katie,

51
00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,680
Speaker 1: I've worked incredibly closely with the Police Commissioner as the

52
00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,120
Speaker 1: Territory Controller over the last couple of years whilst we've

53
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,079
Speaker 1: been in the COVID nineteen pandemic, and I've seen how

54
00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,720
Speaker 1: hard he works and how he certainly considers the views

55
00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:39,880
Speaker 1: of his team right across the Northern Territory.

56
00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:40,920
Speaker 3: So he has my support.

57
00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,200
Speaker 1: So can this all be put to bed at this

58
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,360
Speaker 1: point in time? You know, even though you've got a

59
00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,400
Speaker 1: situation where some members of the territory police and some

60
00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,040
Speaker 1: of the Fieries do not have confidence in their leader,

61
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,000
Speaker 1: you still have that confidence in him.

62
00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,520
Speaker 4: Yes, But I think any concerns that are raised need

63
00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,400
Speaker 4: to be addressed appropriately. And Katie, we are hoping that

64
00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,120
Speaker 4: the public health emergency will come to an end in

65
00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,480
Speaker 4: the next couple of weeks. We've seen an incredible amount

66
00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,640
Speaker 4: of work done by police, so their resources have certainly

67
00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,320
Speaker 4: been stretched and challenged right across the Northern Territory. So

68
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:11,840
Speaker 4: I think it is an opportune in time, with a

69
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,040
Speaker 4: new Minister for Police and the ending hopefully of the

70
00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,440
Speaker 4: Public Health emergency, to make sure that those offices, their

71
00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,400
Speaker 4: concerns that are being raised are addressed and that we

72
00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:24,839
Speaker 4: can repivot some of those resources that have been tied

73
00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:25,920
Speaker 4: up dealing with COVID. Well.

74
00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:27,560
Speaker 1: Look, I know that some of the concerns that are

75
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,120
Speaker 1: obviously being raised as well, issues with mental health, they

76
00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,600
Speaker 1: are indeed paramount Also those attrition rates within the Northern

77
00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,480
Speaker 1: Territory Police Force, they're on track to reach eleven percent.

78
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:41,360
Speaker 3: How is this going to be dealt with?

79
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,120
Speaker 4: So, Katie, when I've been out across the Northern Territory

80
00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,680
Speaker 4: and I spent time in a number of police stations

81
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,760
Speaker 4: recently and I will continue to do so, as will

82
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,840
Speaker 4: the Police Minister. But the support for our officers, the

83
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,800
Speaker 4: issues and what they face each and every day, certainly

84
00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:57,760
Speaker 4: we need to make sure that they are provided with

85
00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,520
Speaker 4: the right mental health and social supports and that's something

86
00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,640
Speaker 4: that is a priority for us. We know that they

87
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,400
Speaker 4: have had a review, we know that there's some services

88
00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,560
Speaker 4: that are provided that are extremely supportive and officers appreciate that,

89
00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,640
Speaker 4: such as the chaplain support. So we need to understand

90
00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,080
Speaker 4: what our officers on the frontline need and how we

91
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:17,640
Speaker 4: can ensure they get those supports.

92
00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,279
Speaker 1: But as far as you're concerned, Jamie Chalker is the

93
00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,560
Speaker 1: right person to lead the Police, Fire and Emergency services.

94
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,280
Speaker 3: Right now, correct, all right?

95
00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:26,919
Speaker 1: I do want to move along because there is a

96
00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,119
Speaker 1: lot to cover off on this morning, including the Darwin

97
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,680
Speaker 1: Turf Club and this twelve million dollar grant. Now the

98
00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,800
Speaker 1: government has said this money needs to be repaid. The

99
00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,159
Speaker 1: Darwin Turf Club has said that they can't. The chairman

100
00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,200
Speaker 1: of Thoroughbred Racing int Sid Sterling, has called on you

101
00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,880
Speaker 1: and the new racing ministers to show some personal courage

102
00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,279
Speaker 1: and independent thinking to reverse this decision to recall the

103
00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,760
Speaker 1: twelve million dollar Darwin Turf Club grant.

104
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:51,960
Speaker 3: Are you going to do that?

105
00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,200
Speaker 4: So, Katie, we know that the racing industry is a

106
00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,839
Speaker 4: huge part of our economy. We know that Territorians enjoy it,

107
00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,000
Speaker 4: but we also know that it breeding significant eco nomic opportunity,

108
00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,359
Speaker 4: not just in the top end during the Darwin Cup carnival,

109
00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,160
Speaker 4: for example, but right throughout the territory. So the Minister

110
00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,719
Speaker 4: for Racing, Gaming and Licensing, Minister Pate, will meet with

111
00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:10,960
Speaker 4: the board members of the Darwin Turf Club this week.

112
00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,479
Speaker 4: I understand, Katie, and at this stage the discussions around

113
00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,120
Speaker 4: that twelve million dollar grant to the Turf Club remain ongoing.

114
00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,000
Speaker 3: So the discussions are ongoing.

115
00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,839
Speaker 1: We do know that there was reportedly two more members

116
00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,800
Speaker 1: of the board stand down last week. There's no doubt

117
00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,679
Speaker 1: that this cloud hanging over this whole situation right now

118
00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,120
Speaker 1: is going to have a big impact, I would suspect

119
00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,040
Speaker 1: on the delivery of the Darwin Cup carnival.

120
00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:33,280
Speaker 3: Now.

121
00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,320
Speaker 1: I think that you know, right from the get go,

122
00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,360
Speaker 1: I didn't agree with the money being handed over in

123
00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,200
Speaker 1: the first place, but the fact is it's happened. The

124
00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,279
Speaker 1: grandstand is there. Is it time to just draw a

125
00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:45,599
Speaker 1: line in the sand and say, you know what, this

126
00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,119
Speaker 1: industry is too important to see it fall on its face.

127
00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,719
Speaker 1: Let's leave this where it is not, try to claw

128
00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:52,000
Speaker 1: this money back and move on.

129
00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:52,520
Speaker 3: Katie.

130
00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,280
Speaker 4: I don't want to be repetitive, but I think that

131
00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,280
Speaker 4: that incoming minister to have those discussions is important. We

132
00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,960
Speaker 4: need to understand the situation that the Darwin turf club

133
00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,719
Speaker 4: is presently in but in terms of racing, we know

134
00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,960
Speaker 4: the significant economic contribution that it makes to communities right

135
00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,120
Speaker 4: across the Northern Territory. We do provide an annual grant

136
00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,920
Speaker 4: each year to the industry and I'm looking forward to

137
00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,120
Speaker 4: the new minister having those discussions around how we can

138
00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,360
Speaker 4: support the industry, but acknowledge what has happened.

139
00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:23,280
Speaker 1: So could those discussions indeed include not paying the money.

140
00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:24,080
Speaker 3: Back, Katie.

141
00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,440
Speaker 4: I think that we do need to remember back and

142
00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,600
Speaker 4: I know that it is a new board, but taxpayers

143
00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,360
Speaker 4: do expect and deserve their money to be spent responsibly.

144
00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,559
Speaker 4: But this is something that the new minister is looking

145
00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:34,719
Speaker 4: at with those fresh eyes.

146
00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,040
Speaker 1: But I mean, at the end of the day, they

147
00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,360
Speaker 1: did deliver the twelve, They did deliver the.

148
00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,480
Speaker 3: Grand stand, so it's there.

149
00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,040
Speaker 1: It's doing what you guys said it needed to do

150
00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,320
Speaker 1: in terms of you know, drawing that visitation, having people

151
00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,359
Speaker 1: use that grandstand and utilize it. Like I said, I

152
00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,320
Speaker 1: didn't agree with it from the get go. I thought

153
00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,440
Speaker 1: it wasn't the best use of taxpayer dollars. But the

154
00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:55,600
Speaker 1: fact is it's there and it's doing what it was

155
00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:56,200
Speaker 1: meant to do.

156
00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,400
Speaker 4: And the incoming minister knows the economic contribution just in

157
00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,640
Speaker 4: the top end, but right across the territory that racing

158
00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,120
Speaker 4: industry brings, and so he will have those discussions with

159
00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,800
Speaker 4: the board members around where they're sitting financially and into

160
00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:11,560
Speaker 4: the future, because we do need to make sure that

161
00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,560
Speaker 4: we support this industry, Katie, because sometimes people think of

162
00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,000
Speaker 4: racing as a glamorous industry, and of course on those

163
00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,720
Speaker 4: carnival days it is, but there's many people that work

164
00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,760
Speaker 4: incredibly hard, incredibly long hours. There's a lot of infrastructure

165
00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:24,360
Speaker 4: that needs to be supported so that we have a

166
00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:25,480
Speaker 4: safe working environment.

167
00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:27,240
Speaker 3: So the new ministry is looking at all of that.

168
00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,000
Speaker 4: So it sounds like the doors open there. The Ministry

169
00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:31,800
Speaker 4: is meeting with the duw And Turf Club. I think

170
00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,840
Speaker 4: it's this week, Katie. Don't hold me to that, but

171
00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,040
Speaker 4: he certainly will be entering discussions with them around how

172
00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,239
Speaker 4: the industry can be supported because it is an important

173
00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:41,840
Speaker 4: economic contributor to the territory.

174
00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:43,520
Speaker 1: All right, we are going to be hearing from Sid

175
00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,680
Speaker 1: Sterling in the next ten minutes or so, the chair

176
00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,240
Speaker 1: of Thoroughbred Racing here in the Northern Territory now one

177
00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,320
Speaker 1: of the only one of the other things that he's

178
00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,840
Speaker 1: still floating around. At the moment, we are now the

179
00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,400
Speaker 1: only jurisdiction in Australia with a vaccine mandate for workers

180
00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,200
Speaker 1: still in place. How long can they govern and that

181
00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,600
Speaker 1: continue with this mandate when every other jurisdiction in Australia

182
00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,880
Speaker 1: has really you know, I looked at it and acknowledged

183
00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,320
Speaker 1: that it's no longer required.

184
00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,960
Speaker 4: So COVID nineteen, I believe, is transitioning from that pandemic

185
00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,560
Speaker 4: to an endemic. The public health emergency is due to

186
00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,640
Speaker 4: end on June sixteenth, so I have been seeking briefings

187
00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,800
Speaker 4: from Health as well as the Territory Controller around how

188
00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:27,080
Speaker 4: we step forward and hopefully we see that emergency phase end.

189
00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,280
Speaker 4: And then you certainly would look at all the chow

190
00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,280
Speaker 4: directions are in place and what directions need to be

191
00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,959
Speaker 4: kept to keep the community safe as we transition from

192
00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:36,760
Speaker 4: that pandemic phase through to an endemic.

193
00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,839
Speaker 1: So is there a possibility here that when the emergency

194
00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:42,800
Speaker 1: phase ends, so too does the X mandate.

195
00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,040
Speaker 4: So, Katie, I need to get the full health advice

196
00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,040
Speaker 4: before I speak publicly, but I can certainly point to

197
00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,080
Speaker 4: decisions where we've made in the past, where we've been

198
00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,719
Speaker 4: incredibly agile so around close contacts and removing that so

199
00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,320
Speaker 4: our health teams are getting all the advice they need

200
00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,080
Speaker 4: so that that we can make the right decisions. And

201
00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:00,600
Speaker 4: I know people are fatigued about COVID. They're sick of

202
00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,480
Speaker 4: talking about it. It's been over two years, but simply

203
00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,480
Speaker 4: because we want it to go away. It won't go away,

204
00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:07,720
Speaker 4: but certainly getting all of that advice.

205
00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,360
Speaker 1: I think most people are wondering why the health advice

206
00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:12,960
Speaker 1: is different here in the Northern Territory.

207
00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,760
Speaker 2: To other states. You know why other states.

208
00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,920
Speaker 1: No longer acquire the vaccine mandate but for us here

209
00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:17,920
Speaker 1: in the territory we do.

210
00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,920
Speaker 4: So Katie, we've got an incredibly vulnerable population. And when

211
00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,360
Speaker 4: I say vulnerable, it's not just people that have underlying

212
00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,599
Speaker 4: health illnesses. We have people original Interrrostrate Island to Territorians

213
00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,000
Speaker 4: with underlying chronic illness. We've also got a very young population.

214
00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,880
Speaker 4: But all of those factors are being taken into account.

215
00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,720
Speaker 4: And what I can say to your listeners, because I

216
00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,840
Speaker 4: know that there is incredibly passionate views around this, is

217
00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,600
Speaker 4: that that public health emergency ending just in a couple

218
00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,679
Speaker 4: of weeks time is certainly for us around you know,

219
00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:48,920
Speaker 4: do we need to continue that emergency? If we don't

220
00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,400
Speaker 4: continue that emergency, what are the measures that we do

221
00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,319
Speaker 4: need to keep in place. But we're very much looking

222
00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,160
Speaker 4: towards shifting from a pandemic to an endemic.

223
00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,959
Speaker 1: It sounds like you are looking to get rid of

224
00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,760
Speaker 1: the vaccine mandate when the emergency phase ense.

225
00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,200
Speaker 4: So Katie, what I can say is I've pointed to

226
00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,360
Speaker 4: the times when we've been incredibly agile with making decisions.

227
00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,559
Speaker 4: I will be getting briefings from Health over the coming

228
00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,560
Speaker 4: days as we know that that date of the pandemic

229
00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:14,000
Speaker 4: emergency ending comes quite.

230
00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:14,440
Speaker 3: Tell us here.

231
00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,440
Speaker 4: We don't mind, you know, always talk to you, but

232
00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,600
Speaker 4: I do need to make sure because this is incredibly

233
00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,640
Speaker 4: complex and we are seeing, you know, cases still in

234
00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,640
Speaker 4: the territory. We've seen changes to the variants, so we

235
00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,720
Speaker 4: do need to make sure we make those correct.

236
00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:29,280
Speaker 3: Decisions, all right.

237
00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,040
Speaker 1: One of the other big concerns at the moment, which

238
00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,720
Speaker 1: is indeed crippling territories, is the cost of living. So

239
00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,360
Speaker 1: we know that int Costs has released the latest cost

240
00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,000
Speaker 1: of living report. It's found that we're doing it very

241
00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,040
Speaker 1: tough in the territory, right Now the CPI for housing

242
00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:48,720
Speaker 1: including utilities increase by fifteen point nine percent in Darwin

243
00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,959
Speaker 1: compared to four percent nationally. Fuel went up by forty

244
00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:56,440
Speaker 1: one point four percent in Darwin compared to thirty two

245
00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:01,920
Speaker 1: point three percent nationally. Darwin rents rose compared to zero

246
00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,079
Speaker 1: point four percent nationally. Now I understand that this is

247
00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,720
Speaker 1: not just an issue that the Northern Territory government can

248
00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,080
Speaker 1: deal with. It is something that the whole federal election

249
00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,400
Speaker 1: was really there was a lot of discussion about it

250
00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,400
Speaker 1: throughout the federal election. But what can be done to

251
00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,360
Speaker 1: try and lower the cost of living right now?

252
00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,840
Speaker 4: So we need to work incredibly closely with the Commonwealth

253
00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,720
Speaker 4: government in this space. But there is things that the

254
00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,240
Speaker 4: Northern Territory does do and will continue to do. One

255
00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,560
Speaker 4: of the big ones KD is that because and you

256
00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,400
Speaker 4: know this area well, our power and water their government

257
00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,199
Speaker 4: owned corporations. So we've got the ability to ensure that

258
00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,600
Speaker 4: power prices. We've committed to two point seven percent increases

259
00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,280
Speaker 4: in power prices, not the significant increases that you're seeing

260
00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,680
Speaker 4: on the East Coast. So people are hearing in the

261
00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,680
Speaker 4: media how much power is going up on the East

262
00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,040
Speaker 4: coasts territories can be reassured because their government owned assets,

263
00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:55,640
Speaker 4: we're able to ensure that that is managed. We're making

264
00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,200
Speaker 4: sure that we're releasing land because we know that housing

265
00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,280
Speaker 4: and you pointed to that increase in the cost of

266
00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,000
Speaker 4: housing and rental. We're making sure that there is land

267
00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,480
Speaker 4: release and also making sure that we've got affordable and

268
00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,240
Speaker 4: social housing. And we also provide targeted schemes Katie, to

269
00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,040
Speaker 4: those For example, there's childcare support that go straight to

270
00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,360
Speaker 4: the childcare centers, but that does help mums and dads

271
00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,440
Speaker 4: with childcare fees. And also territories living, you know, concession

272
00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,880
Speaker 4: and seniors. We've got a number of incentive schemes in place.

273
00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,880
Speaker 1: So what sort of new things are you looking at,

274
00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,920
Speaker 1: Particularly when you look at the price of petrol. I

275
00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,320
Speaker 1: know that you know you can't force petrol companies to

276
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,800
Speaker 1: lower the price of fuel, but we've seen over recent

277
00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,040
Speaker 1: weeks the situation where despite that fuel excise, despite the

278
00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,520
Speaker 1: terminal gate price going down. I know it fluctuates at

279
00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,520
Speaker 1: the terminal gate, but you know, we had the AA

280
00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,040
Speaker 1: Inc Writing the to the a Triple C to try

281
00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:46,320
Speaker 1: and have a look into this. Is there something that

282
00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,000
Speaker 1: the Northern Territory government can do to try and put

283
00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,720
Speaker 1: a bit of pressure on those petrol companies as well,

284
00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,240
Speaker 1: to make sure that they're not, you know, taking advantage

285
00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:54,559
Speaker 1: of us.

286
00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,000
Speaker 4: Yeah, and we've seen, you know, we've all got instances

287
00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,200
Speaker 4: where we feel here in the territory we're taking advantage.

288
00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,520
Speaker 4: But global fuel prices are up, which does in turn

289
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,319
Speaker 4: have a cost impact on transport and for us here

290
00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,839
Speaker 4: in the territory, whether you're living in a city or

291
00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:08,679
Speaker 4: a town or out in a remote area.

292
00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:10,000
Speaker 3: That certainly is a factor.

293
00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,560
Speaker 4: So we're certainly making sure that even with the Commonwealth,

294
00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,840
Speaker 4: you know, some of those decisions that we're not necessarily

295
00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,280
Speaker 4: directly responsible for, that they understand the viewpoint of the

296
00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:21,719
Speaker 4: Northern Territory and how much it does impact us.

297
00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,240
Speaker 1: All right, So no writing to the petrol companies or

298
00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,520
Speaker 1: anything like that at this point to say, come on, guys,

299
00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:27,240
Speaker 1: be fair.

300
00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,640
Speaker 4: Oh Katie, if you know there's advice that points to

301
00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,160
Speaker 4: that we need to talk to those companies that they

302
00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,960
Speaker 4: are having a leend of territories, of course we'll do that.

303
00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,440
Speaker 4: But there isn't an easy fix. We are seeing a

304
00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:41,800
Speaker 4: global increase in fuel prices and it's certainly being felt

305
00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:42,480
Speaker 4: here in Australia.

306
00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:44,720
Speaker 1: Well, I believe there was an announcement made this morning

307
00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,280
Speaker 1: as well when it comes to electric vehicles. What exactly

308
00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:49,720
Speaker 1: is the government doing in this space.

309
00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,640
Speaker 4: Yeah, so, Katie, we know that electric vehicles are the

310
00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,840
Speaker 4: way of the future, and certainly you know for any

311
00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,360
Speaker 4: Territori and that perhaps is looking towards a new vehicle.

312
00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:01,000
Speaker 4: Mindority is difficult to get vehicles that moment and it's

313
00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,080
Speaker 4: certainly a big impact on the financial on the household budget.

314
00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,080
Speaker 4: But we announced a scheme this morning around providing for

315
00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,120
Speaker 4: charging stations, so for both personal residential use but also

316
00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:16,280
Speaker 4: body corporates and businesses. So there's a grant available to

317
00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,080
Speaker 4: help cover that cost. And some of these fast charging

318
00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,760
Speaker 4: stations are being installed, Katie, so people can pull up

319
00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,560
Speaker 4: charge their electric vehicle quickly and so that and also

320
00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,160
Speaker 4: around reducing that stamp duty from the first of.

321
00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:29,480
Speaker 3: July for an electric vehicle.

322
00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,480
Speaker 4: So if you have been thinking about perhaps changing your vehicle,

323
00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:34,960
Speaker 4: now it's time to look at these grant schemes and

324
00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:36,320
Speaker 4: see what you might be eligible for.

325
00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,400
Speaker 1: Hey, before I let you go, we know overnight some

326
00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,920
Speaker 1: pretty terrible news. Eight youths apparently arrested following a dramatic

327
00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,960
Speaker 1: night of car thefts throughout the top end, four allegedly

328
00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:50,560
Speaker 1: assaulting a man on the esplanade before stealing his car,

329
00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:55,320
Speaker 1: and four allegedly involved in an almost identical incident in

330
00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:56,440
Speaker 1: the Northern Suburbs.

331
00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,040
Speaker 2: Police say that some of these boys.

332
00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:03,240
Speaker 1: Aged between twelve and fifteen years of age. I mean,

333
00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,960
Speaker 1: these types of incidents are becoming all too common for

334
00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,520
Speaker 1: us in the territory. But to me, this is mortifying

335
00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,720
Speaker 1: for a whole raft of different reasons. It's mortifying obviously

336
00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,440
Speaker 1: for the victim who's been allegedly assaulted and had their

337
00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,960
Speaker 1: car stolen, but also you think, how on earth have

338
00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,640
Speaker 1: we got kids of this age out on the street.

339
00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,720
Speaker 4: It's unacceptable, Katie, I spoke to the Minister for Police

340
00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,560
Speaker 4: earlier this morning who's been brief by police, and well

341
00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,720
Speaker 4: done to our police officers for their quick action in

342
00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,200
Speaker 4: this space, and Katie will talk you know over time

343
00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,520
Speaker 4: in further detail, but it's not acceptable. We are co

344
00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:40,320
Speaker 4: locating our resources around police and those youth teams because

345
00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:43,040
Speaker 4: we start to see the behavior escalate, we see the

346
00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,680
Speaker 4: risky behavior, and so we need to put in place

347
00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,560
Speaker 4: measures to support those young people and their families because

348
00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:50,880
Speaker 4: children of that age quite frankly should not be out

349
00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:51,840
Speaker 4: at that hour of the night.

350
00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:53,080
Speaker 3: No, that's exactly right.

351
00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,600
Speaker 4: So it's about making sure those mechanisms go in place

352
00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,960
Speaker 4: before a young person then commits an offense. But obviously

353
00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,640
Speaker 4: there's strong action. And if they do commit an offense.

354
00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,360
Speaker 2: What does co locating those services make.

355
00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:05,280
Speaker 4: Yeah, so we've got police and this is something that

356
00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:08,480
Speaker 4: Minister Warden and I in our conversations across the Northern

357
00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,200
Speaker 4: Territory co locating the youth diversion teams and the youth

358
00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,360
Speaker 4: teams with police so that they can you know, children

359
00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,200
Speaker 4: don't simply wake up one morning and go out and

360
00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,960
Speaker 4: commit these offenses. Their behavior leads to it, they stop

361
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:24,040
Speaker 4: going to school. That risky behavior before it becomes an

362
00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,360
Speaker 4: interaction with the justice system is seen, and we need

363
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,760
Speaker 4: to identify that and make sure that those young people

364
00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,200
Speaker 4: and their families are supported. So this is a body

365
00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,360
Speaker 4: of work that the new Minister for Police, who also

366
00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,840
Speaker 4: has the responsibility for territory families, is taking very seriously.

367
00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:38,400
Speaker 1: All right, We might try and get her on through

368
00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,200
Speaker 1: throughout the week and find out more. Chief Minister and

369
00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:43,240
Speaker 1: Attasha Files will leave it there. Thanks so much for

370
00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:44,000
Speaker 1: your time this morning.

371
00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:44,560
Speaker 3: Thank you,