1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Well, as you've heard all throughout the morning, the Deputy 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: Prime Minister Michael Cormack joined us on the show earlier 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: this morning, and well, he said that he would guarantee 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: these two seats in Parliament. If you miss that interview, 5 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: take a listen and there will be there will be. 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 2: Here's the assurance, two seats for the Northern territory going forward. 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: So you are guaranteeing that we will have those two 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,319 Speaker 1: House of Reps seats. We will maintain those underline it 9 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: and put a couple of exclamation marks after it if 10 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: you like. Excellent, I will be doing that. So joining 11 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: me on the line right now is Senator Sam McMahon. 12 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Senator. 13 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, good morning Katie. 14 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: How are you? Yeah, really well, Senator. How exactly is 15 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: this going to work? 16 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 2: Oh? Exciting news, Katie, really exciting news. This is something 17 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: I've been working them for a very long time. You 18 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 2: can probably hear in the background. I've got the bills ringing. 19 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 2: I'm going to have to go very shortly. Yes. Basically, 20 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: as you know, we've had the build which was co 21 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 2: sponsored by myself, some of the mats and labor as 22 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: a private Senator's bill to ensure two seats. Now, as 23 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: I've said several times, there are reasons why that was 24 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: never going to be successful, and one of those reasons 25 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 2: is that it's the way it was drafted, it would 26 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 2: be very susceptible to legal challenge. What I've managed to 27 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 2: do is convince the government, and I met with Mattias 28 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 2: Corman yesterday and also Michael McCormack. We've convinced the governments 29 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 2: that the government will put forward their own legislation, and 30 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 2: this will be after the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, 31 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: which is handing up its report into this issue next week. 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: All details of that report will be considered and then 33 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 2: the Government will provide its own legislation which will be 34 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 2: introduced into firstly the House of Reps and then come 35 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: through there, be voted on and come through into the Senate. 36 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: But it will guarantee that we keep those two seats 37 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: in Parliament now and into the future. 38 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: I have had one hundred percent guarantees from the government 39 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 2: that that's what will happen. 40 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: You must be feeling pretty relieved. 41 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: Very very relieved, and you know, very very grateful to 42 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: all my colleagues that have helped with this, all my 43 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 2: Senate colleagues and Barnaby Joyce in the House have been 44 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: fantastic in championing this cause. And I'm just over the 45 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: moon that we've finally got this happening, and it's going 46 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 2: to happen well. 47 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: Senator Sam McMahon, no doubt you and I will speak 48 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: again in the coming days, but just to really reiterate 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: this for Territorians listening right now, this is guaranteed we 50 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: are going to maintain those two seats and the government 51 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: will support it, yep. 52 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And we probably have some other exciting announcements to 53 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 2: come out next week after the Joint Standing Committee finalizes 54 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: its report as well, Katie, and I'll be happy to 55 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 2: talk to you about them when that's done. 56 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: That'd be great. Senator Sam McMahon, I can hear those 57 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: bells ringing, but I just want to say that you 58 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: and Melanderie McCarthy and the other representatives, but particularly your Melanderie, 59 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: I think it's been really great to see the way 60 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: that politics has been put aside in this situation. You 61 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: guys have worked together in a bipartisan approach and Territorians 62 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: appreciate it absolutely. 63 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 2: And I fully appreciate her support and her help on 64 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 2: this matter as well. She's been fantastic too. 65 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: Good on your senator, thanks so much for your time today. 66 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: Thank you. 67 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: That is Senator Sam McMahon there and really just explaining 68 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: to us how it's going to work. She said, she 69 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: is one hundred percent confident that this is going to happen, 70 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: and the government is going to be drafting their own legislation, 71 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: but it will be guaranteed that we will have those 72 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: two seats in parliament.