1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Now. I'm not sure if you've seen the Australian newspaper today, 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: but they have been running a series of articles about 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: the issues plaguing Alice Springs. We spoke to Meyor Matt 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Patterson about this earlier in the week. Now today, Labour's 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: Member for Lingiari has spoken to The Australian and said 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: that youth justice laws need to stop treating criminal miners 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: as little angels and start applying tough love to lawless children. 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: In what has been described as an extraordinary intervention against 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: her own party's handling of the Northern Territory youth crime crisis, 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: Marian Scrimjaw's told the paper authorities need to stop pussy 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: footing around on juveniles, that the decision to raise the 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 1: age of criminal responsibility is not working, and that it's 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: time for parents to be held accountable for their children's actions. 14 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: So we are going to catch up with Marian Scrimdaw 15 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: just after ten o'clock this morning, but the Member for 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: Namajira and Opposition Spokesperson for Treasury, Bill Yan joins me 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: on the line. 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 2: Good morning Bill, Good morning Katie. In the morning everyone 19 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 2: up in the top end. 20 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: Bill, what do you make of Marion Stringjaw's comments this morning. 21 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: I mean she sounds as frustrated as the rest of 22 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: the territory. 23 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: Well, I think Mary's a bit of a realist. If 24 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: you look at what's been happening in Central Australia, Josh 25 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 2: Robin and myself and now Marion have been coming out 26 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,199 Speaker 2: saying that what labor here in the territory is doing 27 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 2: is not working, and so we live it every day 28 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 2: because we're in the community. The only ones that are 29 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: not I suppose taking any nose or don't actually understand 30 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: is labor themselves. For years, we've been talking about this, 31 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 2: the issues that we've been seeing in our community, and 32 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: the only ones that are not listening labor. So the 33 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: stuff that Liam Mendez has been doing during the week 34 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 2: sadly a highlighted nationally issues that we still face in 35 00:01:53,480 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: our springs. It's just it's ongoing. It's absolutely relentless and 36 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: when we're not seeing any relief in our community, that's 37 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: for sure. 38 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: Well, we're one hundred days in, are we in the 39 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: in the summer plan? I mean I would imagine the 40 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: police working their butts off to try and keep things 41 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: under control. But how's it going one hundred days since 42 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: that summer plan was implemented in Alice. 43 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 2: Well, I don't think we've seen any change at all, Katie. Sadly, 44 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 2: we're still seeing high levels of crime, high levels of 45 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 2: youth crime, and the fact that the Police Minister Brent 46 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 2: Potter come out with his with his zero tolerance statement. 47 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: I'll tell you what, the people of Central Australia run 48 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: out of tolerance for labor's bullshit when it comes to 49 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: these these words. I suppose mindless platitudes that being trainers, 50 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 2: that we want some action, and from personal experience, you 51 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: see the level of lawlessness that's happening now in town. 52 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 2: I was attacked, an assaulted. No, I suppose about three 53 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 2: or four weeks ago, a group of five kids. When 54 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: these kids, I reckon, I was a little wire. It 55 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: was a couple of weeks ago, back in January. I said, 56 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 2: there's five kids on a Sunday afternoon. I said, I 57 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 2: was attacked. I said, coming to the eight of some 58 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 2: other people, and well, I reckon, the oldest might have 59 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 2: been fourteen to fifteen and the youngest was probably about ten. 60 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 2: And one of the attackers was actually wearing an ankle bracelet. 61 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: So sorry, can I just repeat that place? And Bill, 62 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: you were attacked by a group of how many youths? Five? 63 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: There was five a year a little while ago, so 64 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 2: it may be about three or four weeks. I suppose. Well, 65 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: you were wanting to make a big deal of it. 66 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: I said, yeah, yeah, I said, some cuts and bruises 67 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: and doing a bit of duck and them we even 68 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: here and there, and I zigged when I should have 69 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: zagged and wore a few rocks. But shoody, hell, it's 70 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: not something not something I really wanted to make public 71 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 2: because I got to respect. I said, more privacy, and 72 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 2: of course the privacy the people that I was helping. 73 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 2: But it's at a time now when I said even 74 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: I've had enough. You see this stuff continuing day after 75 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: day after day and nothing is changing. And Marian's had 76 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: the Coage come out and say, yeah, well, what Territory Labor, 77 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 2: what Territory Labor are doing is not working and it's 78 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 2: not helping our community. She's had the Coage come out 79 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 2: and say, well, they need to do something different. And 80 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 2: there's garbage that they're going to do a review in 81 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 2: the Youth Justice and not release the finance until after 82 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: the bloody election again. It's just again, it is just 83 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: absolute garbage and spin. They changed the Youth Justice back 84 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 2: back in two thousand and ninety. They created the problems 85 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 2: with those changes, and now I said, the rest of 86 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 2: us are paying the christ for that bill. 87 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: Look, I know I understand that that you know, you're 88 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: not making wanting to make a big deal of the 89 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: fact that you got attacked by a group of young people, 90 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 1: But like, what time of the day did that happen? 91 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: Will you? Like? I mean, I've got a lot of questions. 92 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: I did, luck, are you all right? Yeah? 93 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I said, a few cuts and bruises middle 94 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 2: on Sunday, I said, Sunday afternoon at home, so I said, 95 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 2: coming to the aids some other people, I said, I 96 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: respect their privacy and I respect Yeah, that's why I've 97 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 2: never really spoken about this. And yeah, it was just yeah, 98 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 2: it was a Sunday afternoon. 99 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: Did the police have to come in a seat from my. 100 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, now please come. And the police were great, they 101 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 2: got there pretty quick and dealt with the matter. I 102 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 2: can never ever fault the work of our police in 103 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: Central Australia. They do a phenomenal job under phenomenal pressure 104 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: and they're struggling. They've got a new computer system that's 105 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: not working for them, that's making their life difficult. They 106 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 2: struggle with numbers, they're they're struggling dealing with triple O 107 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: calls because they're under staff. So they're backs against the 108 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 2: wall from the very start. And of course the response 109 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 2: that I got and the people myself and got was 110 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 2: absolutely back. You couldn't fault them. 111 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, goodness, meet, Like I think, I guess 112 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 1: you know the thing is that's that is utterly concerning 113 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: that that's happened in itself, right, But then you go 114 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: Marian Scrimdaw herself is also revealed in The Australian that 115 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: her house got broken into, you know, a month ago. 116 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: But I don't know, I really don't know what the 117 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: yardstick is for the government at this point in time 118 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: in terms of understanding like just how bad stuff is 119 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: and and you know, your story is not it's not unusual, right, 120 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: Like what's happened to you is not unusual in Alice 121 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: Springs at the moment. 122 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 2: No, And that's that's the sad case, Katie, is that 123 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 2: and this is what's happening. We're seeing people breaking into 124 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: the people's houses and then threatening them with weapons to 125 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 2: steal the cars and their personal belongings. It's very very 126 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 2: Brazien said, it's very, very aggressive, and this is something 127 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: that's crept in over the last few years. I think 128 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 2: just last week in Parma, I asked questions. We got 129 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: contacted by a friend in Alice Springs. Him and his 130 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 2: neighbors put in a roster system so someone could stay 131 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: away to protect each other's properties because there's a group 132 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: of kids trying to break in and throwing rocks at 133 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: their properties. I believe it was last Wednesday night, and 134 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: of course Wednesday night in town was an absolute nightmare. 135 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: The police were run off their feet because they had 136 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 2: a heap of stolen cars and other matters going on, 137 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,239 Speaker 2: and they couldn't get out to help ben out because 138 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 2: I just didn't have the people on the ground to 139 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: be Yeah, residents are left to fend for themselves. So 140 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: just for government to say that their one hundred days 141 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 2: have been successful and there's zero tolents, approach is working. 142 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 2: As again, I'm going to call it for what it 143 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 2: exactly is, and that's bullshit. 144 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: Which I think is fair enough. Like honestly, I think 145 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: that's fair enough, Bill, These kids that attacked you, did 146 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: they have weapons? 147 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: Are they using rocks and sticks? One of them hat 148 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 2: to crack at me with a fairly long piece of steel? 149 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 2: How to guard me with that? And then yeah, they 150 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 2: came back with rocks and sticks, And yes, I wore 151 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: a few rocks and dodged a few sticks. And yeah, 152 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: it's just but I said, that's the nature of what's 153 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: taking place. It's not good enough to people in Central Australia. 154 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's not good enough right as well. 155 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's absolutely not It's. 156 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: Truly not good enough. I mean, Bill, Look, we've spoken 157 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: before about these issues. No doubt we'll speak more about 158 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: them because something has to change. But mate, what do 159 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: you then make of the Northern Territory government's plan to 160 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: review youth justice. 161 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 2: Well, again, every time this government comes up against a 162 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 2: problem or an issue, rather than actually making a decision, 163 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 2: got plenty of people who can make decisions. There's plenty 164 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 2: of smart people working in the government who can make 165 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 2: decisions and do things. The first thing they'd come out 166 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 2: was we're going to have a review and will take 167 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 2: forever to do a review. We brought a number of 168 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 2: things to Parliament, in the last three years to make 169 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: some differences to what's happening in our communities around youth 170 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 2: justice and youth crime issues. Mayor and scrim DAWs come 171 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 2: out today publicly in the Australia and said exactly the 172 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: same thing. If this government, if the Territory Labor government 173 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 2: was serious about doing something, call Parliament back tomorrow, right 174 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 2: and let's push through some of the changes that we've 175 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 2: spoken about by getting rid of or bringing back a 176 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 2: breach of bail as an offense, because the kids are 177 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 2: breaching bail and breaching bail and nothing happens. We're now 178 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 2: seeing all these kids under twelve. Of course there's no 179 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 2: offense recorded. They can't be put before the court, so 180 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 2: they can't be sent to diversion reactivities. They will just 181 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 2: keep committing offenses until all of a sudden they hit twelve 182 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 2: and then they'll start to get a record that we've 183 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: missed a couple of years where we could have been 184 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 2: providing some of those indiventions for those kids, so they 185 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 2: don't end up at that point. 186 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: Bill from your perspective, right, So, when the age of 187 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: criminal responsibility was raised, we were told that there would 188 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: be programs in place to deal with anybody that was younger, 189 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: any of those kids that were younger committing these crimes. 190 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: And I want to be really upfront, none of us 191 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 1: want kids just being chucked in jail and throw away 192 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: the key. But everybody wanted to make sure that those 193 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 1: programs were in place. From your perspective, in Central Australia 194 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: right now, are there programs in place for youth to 195 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 1: get them off the path of offending? 196 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 2: No, certainly not, and we'll promise that in parliament. When 197 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: the Attorney General brought this change in legislation to Parliament, 198 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 2: the commitment was there would be programs in place to 199 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: assist kids coming into contact with the criminal justice or 200 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 2: committing offenses, to do that intervention so that they didn't 201 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 2: continue on committing offenses. We were given that promise. Territorians 202 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 2: were given that promise and given out assurance that has 203 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 2: not happened. When the changes were rolled out, the first 204 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: thing we asked, well, where's the programs we've got Salt 205 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: Bush Now, Salt Bushes is one organization in Central Australia 206 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 2: trying to deal with everybody and everything relating to youth 207 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 2: when it comes to interventions, and they can't do everything 208 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 2: is there's a few other smaller programs, but nothing was 209 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: specifically put in place to deal with these kids before 210 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 2: the changes were put in, which means again the territories 211 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 2: and particular people of Central Australia have been betrayed by 212 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 2: labor and their promises. 213 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: Bill. Look, I actually invited you on to talk about 214 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: these ABS stats, but I tell you I was pretty 215 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: shocked by what you just told me about you being 216 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: attacked by a group of kids. I do still want 217 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: to get to these stats, though, So I know that 218 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: the opposition has claimed over a third of businesses in 219 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: the territory of closed in the past four years. That's 220 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: according to data revealed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Bill, 221 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: talk me through the data that you're going from here. 222 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we've got some data through from ABA. Yes, 223 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 2: So they said out of the fourteen a little over 224 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 2: fourteen thousand business that we're operating in two thousand and nineteen, 225 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 2: only about nine thousand remain in operation at twenty twenty three. 226 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 2: So that's a drop of five thousand businesses or thirty 227 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 2: five percent for that period. 228 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 3: And of course, out of the two bid over two 229 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 3: thousand business that commenced since twenty twenty less than a 230 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 3: little less than half, only forty eight percent remain in operation. 231 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 2: And that really really goes to the heart of business 232 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 2: confidence and business development here in the territory because small 233 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: business is the core and heart of our territory economy. There. 234 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 2: They employ the mums and dads in neighbors everybody else. 235 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 2: So without small business, the territories in the world are heard. 236 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: So we're talking small businesses is really quite shocked. 237 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: So what you're saying is so out of the fourteen thousand, 238 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 1: two hundred and forty four Northern Territory businesses that we're 239 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: operating in twenty nineteen, only nine two hundred and twelve 240 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: of them remain in operation as of as of twenty 241 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 1: twenty three, Like, is there any context given as to 242 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: why they close or anything like that. 243 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 2: No, no, we're trying to find some of that detail. 244 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 2: But look anecdotala when you're out talking to business and 245 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 2: I'm out around Alice Springs talking to different people, businesses 246 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,839 Speaker 2: are struggling. We've seen the increasing cost of business and 247 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 2: of course that increase and sadly a lot of this 248 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 2: comes down to crime too, because they're victims of crime. 249 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 2: They're seeing their business is breaken into their stuff, stolen things, smashed, 250 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 2: They've got to pay to fix and replace that stuff, 251 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 2: so that goes on. They're on cost, so they've got 252 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 2: to try and pass that cost on to us of 253 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: the consumer. Now, if us the consumer don't want to 254 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 2: pay those high costs from that business, well will go 255 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: somewhere else, or we may be purchasing from inter state, 256 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 2: so that hurts our local economy. We need to bring 257 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 2: the territory back to a place where businesses are comp 258 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 2: to invest. Here, we've got a safe place for them 259 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 2: to come and invest and a safe place for them 260 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 2: to operate. Because while we're seeing the criminal activity and 261 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 2: the crime across the board, we're going to see that, sadly, 262 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,199 Speaker 2: that continuous decline in business confidence and of course business 263 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 2: capacity and capability, and we're circling a gurgler. Unless we'd 264 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 2: deal with that one salient point. 265 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: Well, bill Yan, we are going to have to leave 266 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: it there. The Member for Namajeira and also opposition spokesperson 267 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: for Treasury, really appreciate your time this morning. We'll talk 268 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 1: to you again very soon, and I am glad that 269 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: you are okay. After that incident. Yeah, that happened to 270 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: you a few weeks ago. 271 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: Cheers, Katie, thanks for your time today. 272 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: Thank you.