1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: We are now heading across and as I said, we 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: have got the Federal Assistant Minister for Social Security, Aging 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: and Women, Kate Thwaites in town at the moment, and 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: she is in Darwin this week and plans to visit 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: new emergency accommodation for women and children experiencing family and 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: domestic violence. She's also set to take part in a 7 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: round table with senior territorians to talk about the kinds 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: of federal government support available to them. And she joins 9 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: me on the line right now. Good morning to your 10 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: Assistant minister. 11 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 2: Good morning, lovely to be with you and to be 12 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 2: in dar And today. 13 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, great to have you on the show. Now, Kate, 14 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: can you tell me more about the new emergency accommodation 15 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: for victims of domestic violence, which, as we know, is 16 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: a massive issue in the Northern Territory. 17 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely well. This is part of our federal Safe Places 18 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: emergency funding and in the Northern Territory there are two 19 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 2: organizations who from a federal perspective of receiving ten point 20 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 2: six million dollars to build crisis and emergency accommodation here 21 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 2: in the territory. So today I'll be meeting with the 22 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: Salvation Army. Now they've received more than five point six 23 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: million dollars to create thirty six safe places under this program, 24 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 2: so I'll be taking a closer look at that today. 25 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: And they're also doing some work in Alice Springs where 26 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 2: they've got eight million dollars to create fifty six safe 27 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 2: places there. So that's a really important part of the 28 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: work we are doing to keep women and children safe 29 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 2: in the territory. I should also mention, and I think 30 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: this is sort of relevant in this space as well, 31 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: that at the moment we are developing the National Aboriginal 32 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 2: and Torres Strait Islander Family Safety Plan. Of course, Katie, 33 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: we do know that First Nations women and children are 34 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: thirty four times more likely to be hostilized due to 35 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: violence and non Indigenous women, and so this plan is 36 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 2: really important in making sure that we are tackling that 37 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 2: crisis in the right place, and we want input into 38 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 2: that plan. So consultation is now open and that's being 39 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 2: led by SNAKE. So if people want to input into 40 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 2: that plan, please head to the SNAKE website and do 41 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 2: put your input into that National Family Safety Plan for 42 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,679 Speaker 2: National Average on Trustrail under people, it is going to 43 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 2: be a really important part of the work we're doing. 44 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: I mean, you said, just a moment ago, we know 45 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: that this is an incredibly serious issue here in the 46 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: Northern Territory. I mean, just this morning, we are reporting 47 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: that the Northern Territory Police have now charged a thirty 48 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: six year old man in relation to the death of 49 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: a twenty two year old female in Catherine. Now he's 50 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: been charged with one count of murder in relation to 51 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: the death on Monday, and one count of aggravated assault 52 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: for a separate historic incident against the same woman. We 53 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: were earlier told by the Northern Territory Police that this 54 00:02:55,160 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: was indeed a domestic violence related incident. I mean, it 55 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: feels as though here in the Northern Territory right now 56 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: we are reporting on we have far too much of 57 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,839 Speaker 1: this violence happening, but the rate at which women are 58 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: being killed in the Northern Territory, I mean, it's an 59 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: absolute disgrace. 60 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,679 Speaker 2: Katie, You're right, I mean what's happened is a tragedy, 61 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 2: and of course my condolences are with that immediate family 62 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 2: and of course with that whole community in Catherine, because 63 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 2: this is devastating. It shouldn't happen. We do have a 64 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 2: national plan to end family violence within a generation. We're 65 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: putting three point four billion dollars against that plan. We're 66 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: doing the work now, as I said, on this National 67 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 2: Aboriginal and Terrestrate Islander Family Safety Plan, and we're putting 68 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 2: some of those as I was talking about earlier emergency 69 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 2: pieces in place as well safe places for women and children. 70 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: But of course I can't pretend that this is problem solved. 71 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: There is so much more work to bed and as 72 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 2: a federal government, we will keep doing that with the 73 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: Northern Territory government and with communities and women and all 74 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: the organizations that are working in this space, because it 75 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: is a national crisis and we do need to continue 76 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: to bring a national focus to it. 77 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: A System Minister, we also know Thatch over recent months 78 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: and years there have been calls for needs based funding 79 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: when it comes to domestic violence here in the Northern Territory. 80 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: I know the former Labor government here in the UNC 81 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: was certainly pushing for that, the now colp government certainly 82 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 1: pushing for that. Are we ever going to get to 83 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: a point where there is needs based funding for the 84 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: Northern Territory around domestic violence? 85 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 2: We work really closely with the Northern Territory government and 86 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 2: will continue to tackle family and domestic violence. And so 87 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 2: with the funding that the federal government does provide to 88 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory, we do recognize that there are additional needs, 89 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 2: particularly around the remoteness of where people are living, and 90 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: so we do provide significantly more funding to the Northern 91 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: Territory than to other areas of it. The territory does 92 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: receive mud. 93 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: I understand that, but you'd have to agree like you 94 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: would you would have to agree that if women were 95 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: being murdered at the rate at which they are in 96 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory in any other capital city. I mean, 97 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: it's appalling you You would have to agree that you 98 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: guys would be jumping up and down more so than 99 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 1: what you are right now and looking at providing more 100 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: funding or doing things differently. 101 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 2: Well, Katie, it is appalling. We are tackling it in 102 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: a way and with a focus that it has never 103 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: received before. As I said, I'm not going to pretend 104 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 2: that this is something that you click your fingers and 105 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: you fix overnight. That's not This is deeply entrenched and 106 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 2: it comes at us from a number of fronts, and 107 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: so we need to work on a number of fronts 108 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 2: to fix it and that's what we will continue to 109 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 2: do so across the board. The territory receives more than 110 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: one hundred and eighty three million dollars at the moment 111 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 2: from the Commonwealth to address this at a whole range 112 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 2: of levels. 113 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: But a ruling out, really a ruling out if that 114 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: needs based funding will rule it out. 115 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: No. No, What I'm saying is we will keep working 116 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 2: with the Northern Territory government in communities and women and 117 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: children to make sure that we are doing everything we 118 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 2: can to keep them safe and this is part of 119 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 2: that work. And there's more work to be done as well. Katie. 120 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: All right, now, I know you are also attending around 121 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: table with the Counsel of the Aging here in the 122 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: Northern Territory. What's on the agenda at that. 123 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm looking forward to a meeting with older people 124 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: here in the territory talking with them about how our 125 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 2: government is supporting older people with cost of living pressures 126 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 2: at the moment. We know, just like for everyone at 127 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 2: the moment, the cost of living pressures are very real 128 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 2: for older Australians. So we've had some recent indexation to 129 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 2: the pension. We've been making it easier for people to 130 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 2: get access to the Commonwealth Senior's Health Card and the 131 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 2: associated benefits with that. That's a card that helps with 132 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: your particularly with your healthcare costs, and that we've increased 133 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 2: the limit of income which you can receive that, so 134 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 2: there's a lot more people who are receiving support under 135 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 2: that at the moment. I'll also be talking about some 136 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 2: of the broad issues that we know affect older people, 137 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 2: issues like whether they want to keep working and how 138 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: they combine that with the pension issues like age discrimination, 139 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 2: which we know does play out in the workforce sometimes 140 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 2: and more broadly in our community. So I'm really looking 141 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 2: forward to having those discussions both about work out governments 142 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 2: Scott underway as well as other work that we need 143 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: to do well. 144 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: Kate Thwaite, the Federal Assistant Minister for Social Security, Aging 145 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: and Women, really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you 146 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: very much for your time and joining us on the show. 147 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, thank you.