1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:00,720 Speaker 1: Now. 2 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 2: Yesterday a report in the paper that the Territory government's 3 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 2: been accused of election year pork barreling after it emerged 4 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 2: that it bankroll changes to the back to school voucher 5 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 2: scheme out of the existing Education Department budget. The opposition 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 2: Country Liberal Party said that while supporting cost of living measures, 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 2: the government's election year cash splash was desperate and irresponsible. 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 1: And joining us on the line to talk a little 9 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: bit more. 10 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 2: About this is Joe Hersey, the Shadow Minister for Education. 11 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Joe. 12 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,480 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, and good morning listeners. 13 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: Now, Joe, the government announced this on January thirteen, So 14 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: boosting the so called back to school payment scheme from 15 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 2: one hundred and fifty bucks to two hundred for the 16 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four school year. 17 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:47,639 Speaker 1: From the work. 18 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 2: That you've done or the digging that you've done, where's 19 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: this money coming from? 20 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: Exactly? 21 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 3: So what the Lawler Labor government didn't say is that 22 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 3: it's actually coming from the education budget s bottom line. 23 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 3: So whilst we absolutely support cost of living relief, we 24 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 3: know that the cost of living is out of control. 25 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 3: Did a labor's economic mismanagement and you know in twenty 26 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 3: sixteen they came to government with a restoring integrity to government, 27 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 3: saying Territorians want and deserve a government they can trust. 28 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 3: An open, accountable and transparent government is essential for this 29 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:24,639 Speaker 3: trust to exist. 30 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: Joe. Some people, some people this morning, law, Joe. 31 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 3: They do not. There's no integrity there, there's no trust, Joe. 32 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 2: Some people listening this morning are though, going to be 33 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: thinking to themselves, do you know what that two hundred 34 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: dollars back at the beginning of the year, when I'm 35 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 2: doing it tough financially, I'd prefer that then it going 36 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 2: to the school budget. 37 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: I mean, what do you say to that argument? 38 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 3: Well, what we know that you know, Ver is severe 39 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 3: underfunding in schools and we've seen that the literacy and 40 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 3: numerous the figures have dropped, and there was articles in 41 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 3: the Australian to state that last year. But the cost 42 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 3: of living when we have nearly ten billion dollars of debt. 43 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 3: Whilst we absolutely believe there should be cost of living relief, 44 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 3: this has come from the education bottom line. They just 45 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 3: need to be open and transparent about it. Yeah. 46 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: Look, I don't disagree with you. 47 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: I do think we're in a situation where we're certainly 48 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: you know, they do need to be open and transparent 49 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 2: about it. Joe, do these vouchers need to be means tested? 50 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 3: I don't believe they do need to be means tested, Katie. 51 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 3: And you know, I think everyone out there should get 52 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 3: some cost of living relief. But if we weren't in 53 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 3: ten billion dollars of debt, and you know, along with 54 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 3: the crime, and you know, with goods and services, insurance premiums. 55 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 3: Just last night I had someone contact me their insurance 56 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 3: has gone from two thousand to nine thousand dollars. I mean, 57 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 3: how can people afford to have this in increases in 58 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 3: their insurance premiums when we have a cost of living 59 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 3: that is just through the roof we labors, through the 60 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 3: labour's economic mismanagement. 61 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: So, Joe, in. 62 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 2: Terms of you know, these school vouchers, if the CLP 63 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,519 Speaker 2: doesn't feel that they should be means tested, are you 64 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: going to go back to the reduced one hundred and 65 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 2: fifty dollars for back to school vouchers if elected? Or 66 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: will you keep it at that two hundred dollar mark? No? 67 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 3: I think Katie, if it's if it's been two hundred 68 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 3: dollars now obviously moving into election, these things all need 69 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 3: to be looked at and costed, but you can instead 70 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 3: of wasting money on other pet projects as they do. 71 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 3: You know, potentially if we went ten billion dollars in debt, 72 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 3: there is more money for cost of living relief like 73 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 3: the two hundred back to school vouchs, which I know 74 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 3: as a parent, I absolutely loved going back to school 75 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 3: and having that voucher there to use for my children 76 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 3: with the either with books, uniforms, other things that have 77 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 3: and in the school our vouchers we went to school 78 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 3: to swimming programs. You know, parents do actually need some 79 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 3: kind of cost relief. But the thing here is the 80 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 3: integrity and the trust that is not there in this government. 81 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 2: I agree, you know in terms of they are certainly welcome. 82 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,239 Speaker 2: These vouchers are certainly welcomed by a lot of parents 83 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 2: across the Northern Territory. But I guess what people are 84 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: going to be listening this morning, Joe thinking is well, 85 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 2: hang on a sect. The CLP's given them a kick 86 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 2: in the guts for increasing it and taking it from 87 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: the Education Department budget, but you're not going to change anything. 88 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 3: Well, Katie, what we know is that they were deliberately 89 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 3: deceitful when they didn't disclose that the voucher increase was 90 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 3: taken straight from the education bottom line, and if they 91 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 3: didn't think it was an issue, why hide it. So, 92 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 3: you know, it just shows that Labour only has short 93 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 3: term solutions for favor for economic policies to ensure families 94 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 3: get ahead. No one is saying that we don't want 95 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 3: to give the two hundred dollars voucher. It is about 96 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 3: integrity and trust in the government, which you know, territory 97 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: in you know, and I certainly don't have jo I. 98 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: Want to ask you. 99 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: We learned a little bit earlier in the week that 100 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 2: the Territory Safety Divisions been deployed to Catherine. That was 101 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: confirmed for us by the Police Minister Brent Potter on Monday. 102 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 2: They were deployed there on the weekend following a request 103 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 2: from the mayor due to a spike in property crime. 104 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: Has it settled things down at all? 105 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 3: Well, it's interesting. I did hear that, and I heard 106 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 3: Brent Potter talking about that on the weekend. Ye And 107 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 3: you know, if I go back to my local United 108 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 3: that every day last week got broken into there was 109 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 3: either a knife attack, a machete attack. You know, I've 110 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 3: spoken to the owner there, who is absolutely breast and 111 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 3: just beside himself. His staff have walked out, his brother 112 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 3: got beaten up. It is absolutely disgusting. And when I 113 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 3: called in on him yesterday he actually said things have 114 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 3: calmed down. So maybe that is the you know the 115 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 3: result of this this group, the you know, the Territory 116 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 3: Safety Division coming to Katherine. And if so, I absolutely 117 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 3: welcome that. 118 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. 119 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 2: You know, if it does mean that it makes a 120 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: big difference and that it does help things to settle down, 121 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 2: that's a good thing. But Joe, so you're telling me 122 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 2: that that servo every day last week was targeted every 123 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 2: day last week. 124 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 3: I spoke to Venki, the owner, and I speak to 125 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 3: him often because they often have attacks there. I did 126 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 3: say to him he needed to ring U Katie and 127 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 3: the voice is, you know, his issues there. Every day 128 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 3: last week he had an attack on that business, which 129 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 3: is just you know, as I said that, there's no 130 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 3: there's no assurances that he's going to be able to 131 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 3: get more staff there. I mean he had four walk out, 132 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 3: he said, and his brother ended up in hospital on 133 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 3: the weekend. 134 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: Oh that is terrible. 135 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 3: And one other staff member there at the moment, which 136 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 3: is just shocking. It is getting it absolutely just I 137 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 3: felt so sad when I walked in there and just 138 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 3: had a conversation with him on the weekend. He literally 139 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 3: just got back from overseas and that was what he 140 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 3: walked into. 141 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: That is terrible, really terrible to hear. 142 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: And from what you've said though that things do seem 143 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 2: to have quietened down to some degree, and you're hot 144 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: you are hopeful that that is as a result of 145 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 2: that Territory Safety Division being there in Catherine. 146 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 3: I certainly hope. So, Katie and I will keep checking 147 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 3: in with Venki and with other places around town, and 148 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 3: I'll be following up on just seeing, you know, what 149 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 3: works the Territory Safety Division are doing here in Catherine. 150 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 3: But I absolutely do welcome it. If it's going to 151 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 3: make a difference, I absolutely do welcome it to the community. 152 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: We need something, Joe, just a very quick one. 153 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: I'm not sure whether you heard the Corrections Commissioner Matthew 154 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 2: Valley on the show, but he confirmed with us just 155 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 2: a few minutes ago that forty five percent of the 156 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 2: prison population across the territory at the moment is actually 157 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: on Remand what do you make of that. 158 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, that is that is concerning, and I didn't I 159 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 3: didn't catch it fully, but I know that there's been 160 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: a lot of talk about, you know, prisoners being held 161 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 3: and not doing the work programs or not doing any 162 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 3: of the you know, the skills that they have in 163 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 3: the prisons. And you know, that's one thing that we 164 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: have sentenced to a skill where when these prisoners go 165 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,959 Speaker 3: to jail, then they can go to programs and be 166 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 3: educated or do you go out into community and do 167 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 3: things to become better community citizens when they get out. So, 168 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 3: you know, I certainly hope that they also get more 169 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 3: staff to be able to run some of these programs 170 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 3: which I know that I've heard on radio they're talking 171 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 3: about as well. 172 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 2: Well. Joe Hersey, it is always good to catch up 173 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 2: with you. We really appreciate your time this morning and 174 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 2: for having a chat with us as the shadow spokesperson 175 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: for education. 176 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: Thanks Joe, Thanks Katie, thank you