1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: As we heard, int Green's MLA Cat Magnamara yesterday announced 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:08,319 Speaker 1: that she's quitting parliament, effective immediately. McNamara became the first 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: Greens candidate to win a Northern Territory Parliament seat back 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four. Now we know that the resignation 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: triggers a by election for the electorate, which was held 6 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: for more than twenty years by the Labor Party prior 7 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: to the twenty twenty four election. Joining us on the 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: line is the Opposition leader, Selena Yubo. Good morning to you, Selena. 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, Good morning to your listeners. 10 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: Now, Selena, what was your reaction when you heard that 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 1: kat had resigned. 12 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, first, Katie, I was quite sad to hear of 13 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: the reasons behind Kat's resignation around her health battles, and 14 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: I think that's you know, it does take a toll 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: on all of us when we're in parliament and she's 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: done an outstanding job, so acknowledging of course that she 17 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 2: made history as the first Greens Party member in the 18 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: Northern Territory legislatve Assembly and she did represent the seat 19 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: of Nightcliff. Though I think ultimately, of course, understanding the 20 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 2: pressures behind the scene, really feeling for Katon and their family, 21 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 2: but of course acknowledging that you know, Nightcliff will now 22 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: need to move to a by election and that's something 23 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 2: that we really want to contest as the Labor Party. 24 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. Look, I hope that she is okay, and we 25 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 1: spoke about that yesterday and certainly are all the very 26 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: best to her now on this by election. I mean, Selena, 27 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: it is you know, it is up for grabs well 28 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: and truly Labor one that the actual election on primary 29 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: votes obviously not when those preferences came into play, but 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: on primary votes, it's going to be important that you 31 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: get somebody good in there to run. 32 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, Katie, we want to work really hard. We have, 33 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: as you mentioned, represented the seat of Nightcliffe over twenty years. 34 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: Labor has a very strong history in that electorate. We 35 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: want to continue to look at getting that trust back 36 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 2: and making sure that we are the best option and 37 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 2: we absolutely want to offer that to the electra Nightcliff, 38 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 2: the constituents there, they deserve to have a strong voice 39 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 2: representing them in Parliament and we want to make sure 40 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 2: we put the best candidate up so we can do that. 41 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: Have you had a few people put their hands up 42 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: or contact you and say, Selena, I want to run. 43 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's always interest, which is great. That's all handled 44 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: through our Labor Party, you know the branch and the 45 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: mechanisms there. But it's been exciting hearing people wanting to 46 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 2: put their hand up and wanting to represent labor and 47 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: particularly for Nightcliff. So we'll have an internal party process, Katie. 48 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: That will be pretty quick because we don't know when 49 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 2: the by election date is. It could be as early 50 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: as the sort of second or third week of March, 51 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: so we're just waiting for that. But we want to 52 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: be ready to go. We want to be match fit ready, 53 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 2: and that's our internal processes are acting very swiftly to 54 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: do that. 55 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: Right now, do you reckon you can win? 56 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: Oh, we'd love to win. We'd love to have Nightcliff 57 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 2: back in Labor hands because we know that Nightcliff is 58 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: a very special and beautiful part of the Northern Territory 59 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: and we want to make sure we can keep that 60 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 2: strong representation that we had under Natasha Files and Jane 61 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: a Guard as our labor representatives previously. 62 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: I mean on a real sort of operational perspective, though 63 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: it would be a big thing for the Labor Party 64 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: to have a seat in the northern suburbs again, though, 65 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't it. 66 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, Katie, we know that's where we have to do 67 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: a lot of our work. We've got some really strong 68 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: plans for this year. I think last year we were 69 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 2: starting to just scratch the surface. This year we're really 70 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 2: ready to delve down and to work back those northern 71 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 2: suburb seats for the Labor Party. And I think that 72 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: we've got that energy to do it this year. 73 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: In particular, some are saying it'll be a test of 74 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: your leadership. I mean, do you think that it is? 75 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: I guess some people probably think that. You know, when 76 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: Leah Finocchiaro was an opposition she lost five elections in 77 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: a row as the opposition leader and she won number 78 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 2: six as then she became Chief Minister. So, you know, 79 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: different people have different views about how by elections, federal 80 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 2: elections and territory elections are run, whether they're from the 81 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: opposition's perspective or from the government's perspective. We just want 82 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 2: to make sure we put the best candidate up for 83 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: Labor and that we win Nightcliff. 84 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, and look, I you know, I do I certainly 85 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: you know, I understand those comments that people make about 86 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: you know, test of your leadership, test of leader's leadership, 87 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: whoever's in power of whichever major party. But I also 88 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: think that, you know, we live in an ultralocal place 89 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: where people want, you know, they want an elected member 90 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 1: who's going to stand up for them and what they 91 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: care about in their electras. 92 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, and I think that's the beauty of the 93 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 2: Northern Territories that you do get to know your local member. 94 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: It becomes very personal. You want that person to be 95 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 2: very community minded. You want to be able them, you know, 96 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: to remember your name or your dog's name, or your 97 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 2: children's name. And in the Northern Territory, we're so lucky 98 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: we have the privilege and honored to be able to 99 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 2: do that with our small constituency. Obviously, for bush seats 100 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 2: like Mime, we have to travel very long distances, but 101 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 2: those high density urban seats as well, like seeing your 102 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: local member out shopping or down at the local footy 103 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: club or you know, walking along the foreshore, we did 104 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 2: get to engage with people in everyday life, which is 105 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: not just the political side. Selena. 106 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: Funny you say that because I was you know, I 107 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: was talking about this on a Yesterday and throwing a 108 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: few names for who I think may put their hand up. 109 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 1: Suki Doris Walker. I wonder if she will for the Greens, 110 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: Ed Smelch for the Labor Party. Are you backing Ed? 111 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 2: Oh, it's a great person, Katie. If he nominates, then 112 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 2: I think he would be outstanding candidate for Nightcliff. Again, 113 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 2: we'd have to go through those party process, which we 114 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 2: want to do very very quickly. Whoever our candidate is 115 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 2: that's announced, we want to make sure that they're out 116 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: and about their supported and they're going out to show 117 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: the community why they want to run and represent the 118 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: seat of Nightcliff. I think that's really important. 119 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: Do you reckon he should run? Oh? 120 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: I think I can't speak for Ed. You'd have to 121 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 2: absolutely ask him. But he's a fantastic community member. Obviously 122 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 2: he's a Darwin City councilor so he's been very well 123 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: connected in what the community has been. 124 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: Sounds like a yes. Sounds like a yes, Selena. 125 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 2: I think we'd have a great pool of candidates and 126 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 2: Ed could be one if he nominates, But we just 127 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: want to make sure we've got the best person up. 128 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, Hey, I want to ask you about maternity 129 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: services quickly before we let you go. Last week you 130 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: labeled them unacceptable. During a heated parliamentary debate, you raise 131 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 1: the issue as a matter of public importance, saying that 132 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: Darwin's maternity services were in chaos and families were being 133 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: left without choice or continuity of care. What are your 134 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: main concerns at the moment when it comes to those 135 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: maternity services. 136 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, Katie, I think this is really an issue that 137 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: goes right across the territory and really gets to the 138 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 2: frustration people have when of course we have our political 139 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 2: debates in parliament, but what comes out of it, What 140 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: are the practical outcomes that the government can focus on 141 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 2: on behalf of Territorians. And that's really what our focus 142 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: in pushing, particularly last week, making sure that this is 143 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 2: an issue that stays well and truly on the table 144 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 2: for the government. We've got some pretty appalling sponsors back 145 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 2: to be honest, it was, you know, the tit for 146 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 2: tat politicizing and this is really an issue that this 147 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: needs to go. What are you doing, how are you 148 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 2: doing it and what is the outcome going to be 149 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: and the impact for our territory mothers, our territory families 150 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 2: and our territory babies. So we're going to continue put 151 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: to put pressure on the pud PUD Me Katie, We're 152 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 2: going to continue to put pressure on the COLP government 153 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 2: because people just want to know that the government is 154 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: working to support them. We don't want to hear the 155 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 2: you know, political whoha. We're over that. I think many 156 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: people are over that. They want to know what's happening 157 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 2: for maternity services, particularly in Darwin and Palmerston, where literally 158 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: half of the territory's population live. So we're not getting 159 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 2: that from the government. We're going to continue to ask 160 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: those questions. And we had some pretty harrowing stories that 161 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 2: were shared with us, Katie. It was actually quite concerning 162 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 2: and for me, you know, I've had some you know, 163 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: some great stories with my maternity care here in the 164 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 2: Northern Territory. I've also had the sad stories personally, So 165 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: it was pretty heavy week. But we understand that people 166 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: want us to ask those questions. They want us, with 167 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 2: their permission to share those you know, pretty uncomfortable stories, 168 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 2: and will continue to do that in opposition. But we 169 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 2: just want answers. We just want to know that the 170 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: government doesn't think that they can you know, slap this 171 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: aside and ignore it. It has to have action and 172 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: we're happy to support that. But at the moment, there's 173 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 2: no strong plans. We're just asking for what is the 174 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 2: plan for the ZLP and they continue to ignore and 175 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 2: not give the you know, the answers around what the 176 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 2: plans are for maternity in the NT. 177 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: And look, there's a lot to take in when it 178 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: comes to the maternity services, and you know, we definitely 179 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: need to ensure that Northern Territory women have those choices. 180 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: And I know that the closure of the private hospital 181 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: has really taken away one of those big choices. Selena. 182 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: We did speak yesterday to Tessa from our Birth our 183 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: Stories and she had said that, yeah, there's been a 184 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: number of women that have actually contacted them or shared 185 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,839 Speaker 1: their stories as well in recent weeks about the air 186 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: conditioning situation up there at the hospital too. Now, I 187 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: know that that's sort of, you know, it's not as 188 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: big an issue as some of the other things that 189 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: women may be dealing with or people may be dealing 190 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: with with their health. But I tell you what, when 191 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: you're up there giving birth, you know you want to 192 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: make sure, not only that that air con is working, 193 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: but that for the little babies, you know that they're 194 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: able to stay at the temperature that's required as well. 195 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, Katie. And we asked the question last week, 196 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 2: which was pretty disappointingly and actually quite disgustingly fobbed away 197 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 2: by padme the Health Minister, Steve Edgington, and then he 198 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 2: did come back at the very end of question time 199 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 2: to say I've sought some extra information. But first up, 200 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 2: it was just denial. And when people have gone through 201 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 2: the situation themselves, their families, with their children, and they're 202 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 2: asking for some answers and why this is happening and 203 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 2: you know, basically a developed country like Australia here in 204 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory, why is this happening? And that is 205 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 2: a practical thing, Katie, that can be fixed. You can 206 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: fix an aircorn, you can put a bit of extra 207 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 2: money in to upgrade the aircorn system at the RDH 208 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 2: Maternity Ward. But it was just flat out denial and 209 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 2: sobbing off from the Colp government. And that's not good enough, 210 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 2: especially when there's people who are experiencing that and wanting 211 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 2: to see a solution. That's what the cop need to 212 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,199 Speaker 2: be focused on Katie. Is the solution. They could have said, oh, 213 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 2: it wasn't aware, or actually, yeah we've had some trouble, 214 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 2: we are going to fix it. Oh hey, let's use 215 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 2: that ten million dollars from the federal government that we 216 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 2: still need to do a plan and use that to 217 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 2: upgrade those facilities. 218 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: Well, Selena Hubo, I always appreciate your time. Thank you 219 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: so much for having a chat with us this morning. 220 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: We'll talk to you again soon. 221 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Katie, having you too.