1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: We do also know that the Northern Territory government have 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: just announced a little bit earlier this morning an extra 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: small business lockdown payment today, offering an additional one thousand 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,239 Speaker 1: dollars to businesses which couldn't open this week due to 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,319 Speaker 1: the COVID nineteen restrictions, places like gyms, yoga studios and 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: market stall holders. I understand. So joining us on the 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: line to tell us a little bit more is the 8 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: Minister for Small Business, Paul Kirby. 9 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: Good morning morning, Katie. How are you very. 10 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: Well, so, Minister, another thousand dollars, but only for those 11 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: businesses that are eligible like gyms, yoga studios and market holders. 12 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: Yes, certainly, Katie. We're just in recognition that COVID is 13 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 2: never plain and simple and it always affects some businesses 14 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: more than others. So we're just trying to highlight that 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 2: under the Chose instructions there was a range of businesses 16 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 2: that weren't able to open last Friday afternoon and there's 17 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: been another impact of that for those businesses. So certainly 18 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: just and acknowledgment of that and another thousand dollars that 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: they can make themselves available of and they will be 20 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 2: open from nine o'clock tomorrow morning. People just need to 21 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: go to the Business Recovery dot int dot gov dot 22 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 2: AU website and all the info will be there. 23 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: Look, I reckon it's a good idea. The more support 24 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: we can apply applied to those businesses, those small businesses 25 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: that are suffering at this point in time, the better, Minister. 26 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: The thing we're hearing though on our email and also 27 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: through calls is that some people who thought they were 28 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: going to be eligible don't seem to be. I've got 29 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: an email here from Judas that says, Hi, Katie, I'm 30 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: a small business that applied for the grant of one 31 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: thousand dollars for shutdown of my work. Eighty percent of 32 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: my clientele is elderly, but have been told I'm ineligible. 33 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: They say I'm ineligible because I own less than seventy 34 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: five thousand dollars per annum. I mean, are you finding 35 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: here that there's quite a few territory businesses who actually 36 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: aren't able to access this thousand dollars to help them 37 00:01:58,280 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: out in this time when they really need it. 38 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: Look, we know that you can't put a system in 39 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: place that's going to assist everybody Otherwise, every person in 40 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory that has just got an ABM for 41 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 2: any particular reason would be available to one thousand dollars. 42 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 2: The seventy five thousand is a figure that's used across 43 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: the small business industry. It's when gest kicks in. The 44 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 2: federal government uses it for a number of their targets 45 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 2: as well. It's something that we used last year with 46 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: some of our grants. So look, we've set the conditions 47 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 2: as flexibly as as we could, and it's not people 48 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 2: don't have to make seventy five thousand dollars, they just 49 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: have to turn over seventy five thousand dollars. So we 50 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: realize that's not going to assist every person. I do 51 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: know that the Department of Being like reviewing the ones 52 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 2: that are closer and trying to make sure that we 53 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: do help as many people as possible. We absolutely wish 54 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 2: we could give everybody a thousand dollars to try and 55 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: help out, but that's just simply not the case unfortunately. 56 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: Minister. Do you have any idea how many businesses have 57 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: received the payment over that first week so over last week, 58 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: how many have indeed been eligible? 59 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know there's over two and a half thousand 60 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 2: that have already registered. I know that early in the 61 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: week when we clarified for the our Springs business people 62 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 2: that they were also able to apply now in that 63 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 2: stage had already been one hundred and twenty from down there, 64 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 2: so I'm sure there'd been many more now that have applied, 65 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 2: and we have got a million dollars out the door 66 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: to these businesses already. So that program is open until 67 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: next Monday. So we really urge people to get onto 68 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 2: that website to get an application in if they've got 69 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: any concerns or queries to yeah, to raise them, because 70 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: we do want to get people the money if they 71 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 2: are genuinely entitled to it. 72 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, and it does seem as though, you know, 73 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: for some of those businesses like gyms, for example, I've 74 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: heard from a few people who work in gyms who 75 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: are maybe on you know, maybe casual, but also from 76 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: a gym owner who said that, you know, obviously they're 77 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: still paying out wages. It's a difficult time at the 78 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: moment with them not being able to open. I'm assuming 79 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: that you're hearing quite similar stories through your office. 80 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly, And look to all of the business people 81 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 2: that are continuing to pay people particularly casuals. We know 82 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 2: that casuals get themselves or get in a really horrible 83 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 2: position at this time, and we saw it last year. 84 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 2: The federal government have some assistance that kicks in, but 85 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 2: not until after you've been locked down, declared a hotspot 86 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 2: by them, and for greater than seven days. So there's 87 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: a lot of businesses that actually take it upon themselves 88 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 2: to look after their casual workers, to make sure that 89 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 2: they've got food packs and things like that. We really 90 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: do feel for them. The Job Keeper and programs like 91 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: that and wager reimbursements are obviously a federal government initiative 92 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 2: that we don't have the capacity to step into. I 93 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: did want to thank all of those businesses that have 94 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 2: gone out of their way to make sure their casual 95 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 2: staff and all of their staff are looked after. We 96 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 2: very much appreciate it. 97 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, look, there's so many wonderful businesses doing the right 98 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 1: thing obviously, you know, making sure that they're following all 99 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: the rules and helping their staff as well. Unfortunately, well 100 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: one at least that hasn't, and we know that there 101 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,799 Speaker 1: is a Nightcliff takeaway business that's had to be shut 102 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: down after not doing the right thing. I mean you, 103 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: as a small business minister, must have been pretty annoyed 104 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: when you saw that. You know that you have got 105 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: this business who's flauting the rules. 106 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 2: No, can you imagine being another small business, either in 107 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 2: that area or anywhere through the top end, knowing that 108 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: your livelihood depends on your ability to feed your family, 109 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: depends on everybody doing the right thing, and people decide 110 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 2: not to. Yes, Yes, very annoyed would be a mild 111 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 2: way of explaining it. I think they've been very idiotic 112 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: in their behavior. And look, twenty five thousand dollars flying. 113 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 2: Why would you do that? Like? Why would you put 114 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 2: your staff at risk, put the public at risk and 115 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 2: risk a fine like that just doesn't make any sense 116 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: to me. But I would like to congratulate everyone that's 117 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 2: done the right thing that in general, the uptake right 118 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: across the top end and now Springs has been fantastic, Minister. 119 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,239 Speaker 1: Before I let you go, I have certainly been asking 120 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: all of the Gunner government ministers at this point whether 121 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: they're going to be attending the Darwin Cup carnival. Will 122 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 1: you be. 123 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: I love going to the carnival, Katie Beck, and I, 124 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 2: to be honest, haven't made a decision about that. As 125 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 2: you know, you're a young mum and quite often there's 126 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 2: a lot of things in leading up the long weekends 127 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: like that that have played into We'll make that decision 128 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: closer to the mark as a family if we feel 129 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: that we can spend the time away from our family 130 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 2: for the day, where we might do that, but we 131 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: also might decide that it's on for us to spend 132 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 2: some time at home at all. 133 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, I mean the Chief Minister obviously saying on 134 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: the show yesterday that he's not going to be attending. 135 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: He said that, you know that really he doesn't want 136 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: to be there. He was quite angered by the whole 137 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: situation now that's unfolded as a result of this twelve 138 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: million dollar grant and the subsequent Eyekac report, which is 139 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: why he won't be going along. You know, he said 140 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: it's it's made him angry and I personally can't stomach 141 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: going this year. Is there going to be a situation 142 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: here where none of the territory government ministers go along 143 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: to the Darwin Cup Carnival. 144 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 2: I can't tell you that, to be honest, Katie. I've 145 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 2: been spoken with everybody individually about that. But look, put 146 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 2: yourself in the Chief Minister's position and you interview him 147 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: a lot, you rarely hear him lose his temper. I 148 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 2: can absolutely guarantee you when we found out some of 149 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: the things that we've been lied to, he absolutely did 150 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: lose his temper there and understandably so. So yeah, I've 151 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: got no drama with him making that decision at all. 152 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: It's going to be an interesting time, no doubt about it. 153 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: Minister for Small Business, Paul Kirby, thank you for chatting 154 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: with this this morning. 155 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 2: I appreciate your time. Thanks Katie, thank you.