1
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,360
Speaker 1: If you want to know what's happening on the local

2
00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,520
Speaker 1: political landscape, Katie Wolf has it covered on three sixty.

3
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,000
Speaker 1: Every one is listening, Mixed one oh four point nine.

4
00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:11,799
Speaker 2: We know that more than three hundred and twenty million

5
00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,080
Speaker 2: dollars is going to be allocated to upgrade Northern Territory

6
00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,640
Speaker 2: highways in tomorrow's federal budget. Joining me on the line

7
00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,759
Speaker 2: to talk more about the funding announcement, it's the Deputy

8
00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:26,840
Speaker 2: Prime Minister, Michael McCormack. Good morning, Good morning Katie, Deputy PM.

9
00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:29,400
Speaker 2: We know the twenty twenty one to twenty two federal

10
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,640
Speaker 2: budgets going to include one hundred and fifty million dollars

11
00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,720
Speaker 2: for the Northern Territory's national network highway upgrades, with major

12
00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,960
Speaker 2: territory highways set to be upgraded. It's also going to

13
00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,800
Speaker 2: include a development study for a proposed Tenant Creek multi

14
00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:49,640
Speaker 2: modal facility and rail terminal. Firstly, which highways are we

15
00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:51,560
Speaker 2: are set for these upgrades?

16
00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:57,160
Speaker 1: Stuart Victoria Berkley, And it's money that is needed, its

17
00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:01,200
Speaker 1: money that is expected, demanded and all deserved. And not

18
00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,520
Speaker 1: only that, he's going to support nine hundred direct and

19
00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,280
Speaker 1: indirect jobs. And as you know, Katie. It's not just

20
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,000
Speaker 1: those people with the stop goes signs. It's not just

21
00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,600
Speaker 1: the people in the seat with the wheel in front

22
00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,279
Speaker 1: of them on an excavator or laying bitchmen or whatever.

23
00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,119
Speaker 1: It's actually also the little cafe just down the road

24
00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,760
Speaker 1: providing the egg and bacon rolls early of the morning,

25
00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,399
Speaker 1: the coffee whatever. It's also the accommodation place providing the

26
00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,000
Speaker 1: motel beds for these people if they come in from

27
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,880
Speaker 1: another region. It all flows on throughout the economy. And

28
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,720
Speaker 1: indeed our budget is about securing Australia's recovery to the

29
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:38,959
Speaker 1: Northern Territories recovery.

30
00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,080
Speaker 2: Well, that's right and no doubt we need it just

31
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,600
Speaker 2: as much as plenty of other locations around Australia. When

32
00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:47,160
Speaker 2: is this work going to get underway?

33
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,360
Speaker 1: Well, I'd like it to get under way on Wednesday.

34
00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,760
Speaker 1: The Treasurer is getting to his feet tomorrow night, Tuesday

35
00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:00,200
Speaker 1: seven point thirty, and watch out for that. But I'd

36
00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,280
Speaker 1: really like to see that work starting very soon. And

37
00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,800
Speaker 1: having spoken and messaged Evilaula, having gone through the process

38
00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,520
Speaker 1: of looking at what the Gunner government has put forward

39
00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,560
Speaker 1: to us, and I speak to Leaf and oki Ao

40
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,600
Speaker 1: all the time about the Northern territories priority. It's about

41
00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,000
Speaker 1: the infrastructure that's required, and as you pointed out, it

42
00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,480
Speaker 1: is one hundred and fifty million dollars for that those

43
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,800
Speaker 1: National Network Highway upgrades throughout the end. It's also about

44
00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,120
Speaker 1: the Northern Territory gas industry, roads upgrade, the Bootloo basement

45
00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,800
Speaker 1: we announced recently, It's about the Tenant Creek multimodal facility.

46
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,959
Speaker 1: And I know how much Steve Edgington will appreciate that

47
00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,800
Speaker 1: this is actually getting work done. Sam McMahon constantly in

48
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,320
Speaker 1: my year about what the Northern Territory needs and we're

49
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:47,120
Speaker 1: certainly delivering.

50
00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,160
Speaker 2: Gee, where's you sound like? You know everybody in the territory,

51
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:51,320
Speaker 2: their deputy PM.

52
00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,440
Speaker 1: I come there off and I love the top end.

53
00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,239
Speaker 1: I love the Northern Territory and why shouldn't the Northern

54
00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,320
Speaker 1: Territory have as good a road, have, as good as services, have,

55
00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,440
Speaker 1: as good of infrastructure as anywhere else in the nation.

56
00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,760
Speaker 1: I mean, this has the potential to be one of

57
00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:11,440
Speaker 1: the powerhouse economic jurisdictions of our nation. That's why Keith

58
00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,840
Speaker 1: Pitt's always there talking about the Beeloo Basin. He was

59
00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,080
Speaker 1: in the North Coinsland the other day talking about that

60
00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,400
Speaker 1: very project. That's why Sam McMahon's constantly in my ear.

61
00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:25,119
Speaker 1: That's why I talked to Lefki Sam Burke as well. Now,

62
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:26,640
Speaker 1: you know, there are lots of people who get in

63
00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:28,639
Speaker 1: my year about the Northern Territory and I love visiting

64
00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,960
Speaker 1: there and I know absolutely well, I know how much Australia,

65
00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,560
Speaker 1: of course, has suffered during the coronavirus pandemic. We've done

66
00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,640
Speaker 1: a hell of a lot better than anywhere else you'd

67
00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,280
Speaker 1: like to pinpoint on the map, the global map. But

68
00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,280
Speaker 1: we can recover from this, we can build back better,

69
00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,800
Speaker 1: we can provide those jobs that potentially have been lost,

70
00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,240
Speaker 1: and we can pay down some of his debt. Last

71
00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,080
Speaker 1: time I looked at the two hundred and fifty three

72
00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,240
Speaker 1: billion of assistance that we've provided as a Commonwealth, and

73
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:57,920
Speaker 1: we need to and we will.

74
00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,080
Speaker 2: Now I do want to ask you, obviously, you said

75
00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,720
Speaker 2: that you want this work to get underway well on Wednesday,

76
00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,240
Speaker 2: so as soon as possible, But when do you anticipate

77
00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,760
Speaker 2: that all of this work and these road upgrades are

78
00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:10,800
Speaker 2: going to be complete.

79
00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:13,800
Speaker 1: Well, of course, you know you have to put in

80
00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,599
Speaker 1: factors like weather, You have to put in factors like

81
00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:22,320
Speaker 1: staff availability, the technological know how, throwing a few cultural

82
00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,720
Speaker 1: and eis obviously things that need to be ticked off

83
00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,520
Speaker 1: on and that's always important, but we'll get through that.

84
00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,440
Speaker 1: I'm going to work in good faith within Northern Territory government,

85
00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,919
Speaker 1: as I've done the whole way through. I have to

86
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,520
Speaker 1: say the INTE government was good, just like the other

87
00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,960
Speaker 1: states and the Act. When we were developing that National

88
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,839
Speaker 1: Freight Code, we got that through in ours, not days,

89
00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,960
Speaker 1: all weeks or months like some of the other things

90
00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,960
Speaker 1: that did prove an obstacle, But we did it because

91
00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,880
Speaker 1: of the good relationship that I have with the INTI government.

92
00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,599
Speaker 1: With other governments, and let me tell you, most of

93
00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,640
Speaker 1: them aren't my political persuasion, and so they are either

94
00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,520
Speaker 1: labor or liberal ministers. Of course, the Libs are on

95
00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,120
Speaker 1: side with the things that I espouse, but certainly I

96
00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,960
Speaker 1: have a good relationship, a good working relationship with my

97
00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,839
Speaker 1: labor ministers at a state and territory level, and I

98
00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,080
Speaker 1: want to continue to do that because you know, at

99
00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:16,599
Speaker 1: the end of the day, if you want that bitchman

100
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,200
Speaker 1: on the road which passes your place, you want to

101
00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,839
Speaker 1: get that safety upgrade that's so needed. You don't care

102
00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,520
Speaker 1: whether it's local, state or territory or federal government. You

103
00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:28,320
Speaker 1: just want it done, and you don't care about their

104
00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,880
Speaker 1: political stripe. You just want the work to be completed.

105
00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,919
Speaker 2: So really, you're hoping that this work will be complete

106
00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:34,919
Speaker 2: as quickly.

107
00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,240
Speaker 1: As possible, as soon as possible.

108
00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,800
Speaker 2: Of course, now I do want to ask, can Territorians

109
00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,080
Speaker 2: expect much more in the federal budget tomorrow? Night's specific

110
00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:44,800
Speaker 2: for us? I know you're probably not going to give

111
00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,320
Speaker 2: us a huge heads up, but is this it? Or

112
00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:48,560
Speaker 2: are we expecting more? No?

113
00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,599
Speaker 1: No, no, no, There are going to be so many things,

114
00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:56,080
Speaker 1: and I know the Treasure results already dropped out some

115
00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:57,839
Speaker 1: of the things that are going to be in there,

116
00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:02,320
Speaker 1: some of the provisions for women for mental health that's important.

117
00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,640
Speaker 1: And I know, having spoken to already a number of

118
00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:10,039
Speaker 1: women who've contacted me in regards to the breast cancer screening,

119
00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:15,800
Speaker 1: the cervical cancer tests, the endometriosis spending that we're doing,

120
00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,839
Speaker 1: that is good health money being spent wisely, and you

121
00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,000
Speaker 1: know it's going to provide such good health outcomes for women,

122
00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,960
Speaker 1: but overall health in general, And of course then we've

123
00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,200
Speaker 1: got age care and look, let's face it, none of

124
00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:32,040
Speaker 1: us are getting any younger, and there's a lot of

125
00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:36,320
Speaker 1: people who are needing that in the NT those age

126
00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:40,120
Speaker 1: care provisions, those additional bids, that additional care and support

127
00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,400
Speaker 1: and service, and i'd even say love, and we'll be

128
00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:45,600
Speaker 1: providing that through the investments that we make in that

129
00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,680
Speaker 1: particular sector. But right across the board, it is a

130
00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,599
Speaker 1: good budget. It is a responsible budget, but it's a

131
00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,800
Speaker 1: necessary spend on the provisions that are going to make

132
00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,800
Speaker 1: people feel better and get a better lifestyle and protect

133
00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,800
Speaker 1: their livelihoods because jobs are everything, of course in this budget,

134
00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:03,760
Speaker 1: jobs and services.

135
00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:05,600
Speaker 2: Can I just ask, I know, one of the other

136
00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,920
Speaker 2: issues that we've spoken about a lot on this show,

137
00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,560
Speaker 2: and I believe you and I have potentially spoken about

138
00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,440
Speaker 2: it previously as well, is the worker shortage being experienced

139
00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,720
Speaker 2: in a number of industries, particularly well we know in farming,

140
00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,240
Speaker 2: but also in tourism and hospitality. We know over the

141
00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,960
Speaker 2: weekend the big announcement allowing foreign students to work unlimited hours.

142
00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,640
Speaker 2: Will this be the only announcement in this space, or

143
00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:33,120
Speaker 2: can we expect some other changes with those with those

144
00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,640
Speaker 2: workers and with those visas so that a home we

145
00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:37,880
Speaker 2: can get people working.

146
00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,800
Speaker 1: Obviously, the Treasurer has to announce the budget, but right

147
00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,680
Speaker 1: the way through, we have tweaked the investments that we've made,

148
00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,760
Speaker 1: the programs we've put in place to ensure that we

149
00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,040
Speaker 1: do as much as we can, as best we can,

150
00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,000
Speaker 1: in the right places at the right time. And that's

151
00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,720
Speaker 1: what we've done. And so I appreciate that we're ninety

152
00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,080
Speaker 1: thousand a backpacker show where we would normally be at

153
00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,240
Speaker 1: this point in time, and that is difficult to get

154
00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,600
Speaker 1: those people to be working not only in the orchards,

155
00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:08,680
Speaker 1: but and the meat processing plates, but indeed in hospitality

156
00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,080
Speaker 1: in all areas of endeavors that they do. But we

157
00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,680
Speaker 1: will certainly continuing to review the situation, continue to work

158
00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,840
Speaker 1: with organizations such as the Regional Australia Institute, which identify

159
00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,800
Speaker 1: sixty six thousand jobs going in regional Australia right now.

160
00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,080
Speaker 1: And I'd almost put the entire Northern Territory in that

161
00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:31,680
Speaker 1: Regional Australia provision because Darwin Walsted is a capital city.

162
00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,320
Speaker 1: To me, it is a very much a regional city

163
00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:39,480
Speaker 1: so close to the north, such an economic potential powerhouse,

164
00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:41,600
Speaker 1: and we want it to be its best self. So

165
00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,600
Speaker 1: that's why all of these provisions. All of these tweaks

166
00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,880
Speaker 1: that we've made always have in mind the end.

167
00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:51,280
Speaker 2: Too well, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, We always appreciate

168
00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,000
Speaker 2: your time. Thank you very much for coming on the

169
00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,080
Speaker 2: show this morning, and no doubt we'll speak again in

170
00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:56,400
Speaker 2: the very near future.

171
00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:57,920
Speaker 1: Very much look forward to it. Thanks Kay, Thank you,