1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: We are continuing Meet the Candidate series for the Seat 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: of Solomon, and joining me live on the line is 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: the Independent Phil Scott. 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Phil, Good morning Katie. Great to 5 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: be with you. 6 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: Good to have you on the show. Phil, a number 7 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: of questions. You've got eight minutes, and I've had a 8 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: couple of additional ones for you, but I might ask 9 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: you those at the end of the eight minutes, if 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,319 Speaker 1: that's all right, Yeah, no stress, All right, you're ready. 11 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: Let's get into it now. Phil. First off, why do 12 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: you think you're the best person to represent the seat 13 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: of Solomon. 14 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 2: Because my background's in community building, and because I've been 15 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 2: actually having conversations hundreds of them with community for a 16 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: few years now, and because we are supported by volunteers, 17 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 2: hundreds of volunteers from across Darwin and Palmerston who are 18 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 2: all motivated by the same things and who are now 19 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 2: organizing together around this way of having community representation, which 20 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: is grassroots, which has volunteer driven, and which was also 21 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 2: really fun because we realize that we've got a lot 22 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 2: of power in ourselves as a community. 23 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: The cost of living has been raised on this show 24 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: is the number one issue for voters what will you 25 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: do to lower the cost of living for those in Solomon. 26 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: So we have a lot of power as an independent 27 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,199 Speaker 2: The cost of living is the way it is because 28 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: there are only two parties have been in power for 29 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 2: decades now. So the position that we find ourselves in 30 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: paying through the nose for our groceries, for our power bills, 31 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 2: for our rents, and for our housing is because these 32 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: two parties have created the system to be this way. 33 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 2: What we're saying is that we want to hold them 34 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: accountable for implementing recommendations of the Supermarkets Inquiry. We've got 35 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: two of the most profitable and powerful supermarkets in the 36 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: world world. It's a duopoly. It shouldn't be that way, 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: and we're not taken money from the supermarkets, so we're 38 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 2: actually able to speak up and say we want to 39 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 2: change that dynamic. The same goes for power bills. We're 40 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 2: not taking money from gas companies, so we're able to say, 41 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 2: you know what we want. We want to address the 42 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 2: cost of living by bringing down the cost of power 43 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: for everybody and including in especially small businesses, so that 44 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 2: they can they can manufacture things and they can deliver 45 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 2: services a lot cheaper. We also want to address cost 46 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: of living by through cheaper flights. Again, we've got another duopoly. 47 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: It's not just two big parties, it's not just two 48 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: big supermarkets. It's two airlines who have got who have 49 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 2: captured the airline market. And again we're saying they donate 50 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: to major parties and so they have their interests served. 51 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: But we as a community, the people of the territory 52 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 2: are a distant third to to the corporations and to 53 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: the major parties. Our interests are coming third and all 54 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: of this so we want to shake that up. 55 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: Phil Obviously you say that as an independent you've got 56 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: a lot of power. But how if we don't end 57 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: up with a hung parliament, how will you make sure 58 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: that those voices are heard? 59 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, good question. Essentially, at the moment, we don't our 60 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 2: voice is being ignored. Wet. We've got people doing it 61 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: tough here in the territory. We've got really abysmal health outcomes, 62 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 2: we've got really abysmal community safety outcomes. And what have 63 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 2: our major party representatives been saying about it? What have 64 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: they been doing about it? There's no power in having 65 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 2: a backbencher ignored by some party room bosses. Three thousand 66 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 2: kilometers away who don't give U stuff about the territory. 67 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: We want, we want somebody in there having a bit 68 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 2: of a scrap and standing up for us and actually 69 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 2: speaking out about out what's in territorian's interests at a 70 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: national level, and that's where the power lies. And the 71 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: independents have been able to show that they've got a 72 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: lot of good outcomes for their communities just by being 73 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 2: in there and just by having a voice. 74 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: Phil crime continues to be an issue for the Northern Territory. 75 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: If you are elected as a federal member, how do 76 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: you feel that the well, what do you feel could 77 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: be done by the federal government to try and support 78 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory government in this space? 79 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 2: So many things, so again, people are really angry about this, 80 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 2: and people have been really let down by a lot 81 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 2: of false and empty promises from the major parties who 82 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: for decades have been talking about, oh, yeah, well we're 83 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 2: going to address the crime issue, We're going to get 84 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: tough on it and whatever the whatever, whatever they say 85 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: they're going to do hasn't worked. We're in this situation 86 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: because of the actions and inactions of two groups of people, 87 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 2: two parties whose power brokers don't sit in the territory, 88 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 2: They sit somewhere else and in the end don't really 89 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: give us stuff about us. So an independent, we can 90 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 2: bring together law enforcement. Police have given us a lot 91 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 2: of messages about what's working and what's not working, And 92 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 2: their voices aren't being heard in this dynamic, as the 93 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 2: voices of the families and the offenders themselves aren't being heard. 94 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: We are on this show philed. They really are a 95 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: streaming out for help. So what would you do as 96 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 1: an independent to try and turb the crime that we're seeing? 97 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 2: Bring together law enforcement, community leaders, and residents to develop 98 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 2: solutions that keep us safe. Also address these issues in 99 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: the early stages. So it does not work to be 100 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 2: addressing the crime after it's happened, does it, Like it 101 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 2: cost one point three million dollars to keep one person 102 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 2: in jail for twelve months, Like if we've had an 103 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 2: increase in eight hundred people I think in jail since 104 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 2: August last year, we're getting up towards a billion bucks 105 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 2: for what outcome, Like sixty percent of these people are 106 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 2: going to come out of jail and re offend again 107 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 2: because we caught were trying to address the issue way 108 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 2: too late invest in that. I've got a background in 109 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 2: community building and community development. Investing in that child, that infant, 110 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: that baby, and it's mum and dad, that family in 111 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: those early years, in the first five years is all 112 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 2: where it's at. You've give enough supports to them at 113 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,799 Speaker 2: those stages, you give them a great start in life. 114 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: Your return on investment in that child's life is massive, 115 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: and you give all the wrap round services that they need. 116 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: I'm a rugby coach as well. If I see a 117 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: kid in my team who looks like they're going off 118 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 2: the rails, I've got a responsibility to that kid, and 119 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: as a member of the community to ask myself, right, oh, 120 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: what role have I got in all of this to 121 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: help that kid out? And where can I go? Where 122 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: are the local properly funded service providers that are actually 123 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: going to work for that kid, that young person and 124 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: give them a proper start in life and steer them 125 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: away from the justice system. 126 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: Well, we've only got about a minute left and I've 127 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: still got quite a bit to ask. Migration numbers they're 128 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: looking to be an issue for both the major parties. 129 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: They saying they want less migration as Australia struggles through 130 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: the housing crisis. What do you think needs to happen 131 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: for us here in the Northern Territory. Given the fact 132 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: that we do need international students at charles Dale and University, 133 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: we also obviously need to fill some of those critical jobs. 134 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely we do. If we want to steal critical jobs. 135 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: Let's look at the sorts of training that we're providing 136 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 2: to our young people here, I mean university. Sure, one 137 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 2: model is to have them as a business, but we 138 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,679 Speaker 2: want to make sure that university education for our kids 139 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: and young people is is as cheap and low as possible. 140 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 2: They're paying through the nose and they're coming out of 141 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 2: union with massive debts that they're going to have to 142 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 2: pay off. We could be again charging big corporations to 143 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 2: pay for that and not have to rely on this 144 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 2: university as a business type model that we've got. Immigration 145 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 2: has been six figures since the early two thousands, and 146 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 2: it's one of the big reasons that housing as expensive 147 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 2: as it is. So I fully support an interrogation of 148 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: immigration numbers and whether they should be as high as 149 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: they are. 150 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: Phil That is your eight minutes. But look, I've had 151 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: a couple of listener questions for you. This morning, So 152 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: I'm just going to try and pump through them really 153 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: fast so that we're not giving you an unfair advantage. 154 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: One of those was how long of your lives here 155 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory. That's from somebody wanting to vote independent, 156 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: but they don't want to blow in great. 157 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: Well, I've lived here over three years. I've had family 158 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 2: here since the early eighties, and if they want somebody 159 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 2: who's going to actually be able to do something decent 160 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 2: about the territory, my background in community development and community 161 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 2: building is what I'm standing on, and we've got a 162 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: lot of old Darwin supporting this independent movement. 163 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: So three so three years or a bit over three 164 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: years now. Another one you said earlier in the week 165 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: that you were two points behind the ALP on polling. 166 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: Are you going to release that polling? 167 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: I'm yeah, I guess I'm not sure. Do we release polling? 168 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 1: Well, well, I guess if you are. If you are 169 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 1: saying that you're going to be open and transparent, then 170 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: it is definitely part of being open and transper and I. 171 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 2: Would argue, yeah, oh yeah, absolutely. If the if the 172 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 2: major parties released polling, then. 173 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: Well usually we don't. I mean we usually the different polling, 174 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 1: like you know, the if I know, to the media, definitely. 175 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: If if somebody refers to polling, usually it's actually the 176 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: pollsters it releases. 177 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 2: Okay, great, well, look where none of us have any 178 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: political experience. I'm a volunteer. Everybody who's supporting this campaign. 179 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 2: A lot of people actually have given up their jobs 180 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 2: to even give us a crack at leveling the playing 181 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 2: field and having a go at this. So to be honest, 182 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 2: none of us have ever done this before, and and 183 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 2: we're sticking it to the major parties, and we're noticing 184 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 2: that they're getting really really sensitive about how popular we are, 185 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 2: and and they're trying to play a lot of heat 186 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 2: to us. So we don't want to give away anything. 187 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 2: It's not for me. 188 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: It's not that it's you know, it's asking for that 189 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: openness and transparency. So I guess if you know, like 190 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: if you've referred to the polling, then eighties like it 191 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: is about being open and transparent. 192 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I see, I see no issue with it. 193 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: And awesome, Hey another one, are you I know with 194 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: a lot of the TILL candidates across the nation, they 195 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: are funded by Climate two hundred, are you. 196 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're on the record as having received funding from 197 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,559 Speaker 2: Climate two hundred, which is crowd funding from everyday Australians 198 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 2: right across the country. 199 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 1: Is also though, but is it also Simon Holmes of Court, 200 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: who is indeed a wealthy businessman. 201 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 2: Again, major parties are saying that because they they want 202 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 2: to distract Well, look and they're the billionaire I was. 203 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: Going to say, Phil, I wouldn't argue that they are 204 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 1: definitely funded by you know, well for labor, by you know, unions. 205 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: People would argue for the lubs, you would say that 206 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: they are funded by property developers whoever. But again, I 207 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: guess if you're running on a campaign of being open 208 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: and transparent, then that is definitely something to ask. 209 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely, And he, as I understand it, his contribution 210 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 2: is about two percent of whatever money is crowdfunded from 211 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,959 Speaker 2: those every day assis through Climate two hundred. All right, 212 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 2: But he's not a big figure in this unlike unlike 213 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: the big corporations and the big billionaires who donate to 214 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 2: the parties that we don't receive anything from. And we're 215 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 2: doing a lot of our own fundraising as well, so 216 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 2: we're totally open about where we're getting our funding from. 217 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: Good to know well Phil Scott, the Independent running for 218 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 1: the Seed of Solomon. Mate had You've got more questions 219 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: on the text line this morning than anybody else, so 220 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: I appreciate you answering those for us. Thank you very 221 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:58,439 Speaker 1: much for your time this morning. Good to catch up. 222 00:12:58,400 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 2: With you, my pleasure. 223 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: Good on you, Thank you, thanks so much.