1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line right now is the 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Member for Namajira, Bill Yan. 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 2: Good morning to you. 4 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 3: Bill, Good morning Katie here are you going very well? 5 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: And Bill obviously a member of the COLP and on 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: that Public Accounts Committee. Now I know that there's stuff 7 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: that you can't say when you're on that Public Accounts Committee, 8 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: so I get that and want to be cautious of that. 9 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: But Bill, you know, finally we've spoken to Robin Lamley 10 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: a bit earlier this morning and also Thursday last week. 11 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: So twenty two out of the last twenty four petitions 12 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: that have gone to that Public Accounts Committee have not 13 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: gone through to the process of them being able to 14 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: be debated. So finally a bit of good news that 15 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: this is actually going to move forward to that debate stage. 16 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. 17 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 3: Well, look, Katie, I think it was a little bit 18 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 3: of pressure put on Labor, probably by you and on 19 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 3: radio last week, because normally we pushing it things to 20 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 3: come back before Part be the only one we managed 21 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 3: to get back through the school zones down in Central Australia, 22 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 3: and that took all the time that petition went in. 23 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 3: It took eighteen months to get that back before Parliament. 24 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 3: I think and yeah, I think the word was out 25 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 3: amongst Labor, so they moved pretty hastily to make sure 26 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 3: that this petition is going to come back before Parliament. 27 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,479 Speaker 3: And if only a look at the one that happened 28 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:25,279 Speaker 3: with CEAFAT that came into Parliament with a Labor member 29 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 3: and rather than that even being allowed to come through 30 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 3: the PAC, Labor didn't refer in Parliament, so effectively that 31 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 3: whole petition just disappeared and didn't even make it to 32 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 3: PAC to be able to be invited on to refer 33 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 3: it back to Parliament. So Labour certainly don't want it. 34 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 3: I am absolutely serious. This happened at the Parliament before instruments, 35 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 3: I believe. So there was that big petition done by 36 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 3: the multicultural community for CEAFAT. Maria kit bought that into 37 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 3: Parliament and didn't even refer to pact they voted, didn't 38 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 3: go through, so that never got the chance to even 39 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: be debated on the floor. 40 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: Well that's disgusting, actually really bloody sad. That makes me 41 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 1: feel really sad to think that the whole community, that 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: that whole community, the multicultural community, had tried to make 43 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: sure that their voices were heard after Seafat's death and 44 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: absolutely tragic death, and it never went anywhere. 45 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 3: No, no, I didn't. And look, I listened to what 46 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 3: you're saying to Look, we only get sixteen minutes to 47 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 3: debate this particular motion or so the petition in Parliament, 48 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 3: and we've been raising stuff about crime and about bail 49 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 3: to try and discuss this petition now for months and 50 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 3: months and months. Katie and Labor shut it down at 51 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 3: every opportunity. They don't want to talk about it. They're 52 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 3: not interested in making change. That was pretty evident, I 53 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 3: think with the lack of change to the bay laws 54 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 3: that they bought in last week and tried to sort 55 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,679 Speaker 3: of cover that over with a few changes to the 56 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 3: knife wars by including machetes and axes in control weapons, 57 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 3: and it was a bit of a smoke screen over 58 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: the fact that they're not actually going to make them 59 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 3: changes and bill. 60 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 1: The thing is, you know that petition went from fifteen 61 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: thousand people to nearly twenty six thousand people after they 62 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: made that announcement. 63 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: That's right, Katie, And now I think those numbers are 64 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 3: still going up because all of a sudden, people are 65 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 3: pretty upset and pretty angry about what's not happening. It 66 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: was pretty evident by I suppose that petition and of 67 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 3: course the process outside Parliament that Territorians want change, they 68 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 3: want something to change in that Baal area and the 69 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: governmentor gone away with their expert committee and comeback. So no, no, 70 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 3: we don't need to make any changes. Everything's great. Well 71 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 3: I can tell you now, Katy, that the people of 72 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: territory don't feel the same way, that's for sure. 73 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, I asked the Chief Finister that this morning. 74 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: You know, how do you juggle that expectation when you've 75 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: got experts saying that what you're doing is enough, but 76 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: you've got a community, You've got the Darwin and Northern 77 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: Territory community saying well, hang on a second, we don't 78 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: actually feel as though what you're doing is enough. You know, 79 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: how do you balance those two things. 80 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 3: Well, that's something that government's got to do. This government 81 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 3: needs to get the trust back of territories because I've 82 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 3: certainly lost that trust if you look at what I 83 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 3: suppose what we went through last week, that Jack's Law 84 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 3: around that legislation out of Queensland for police. I said, 85 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 3: I had some horrendous things happened there a couple of 86 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 3: Christmases ago in Queensland and the Queensland Labor government actually 87 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 3: pretty smart. They made swift changes to bail and other 88 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 3: laws to protect the people. Look Territory Labor sort of 89 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 3: piecemeal things only when I suppose pressured and cajoled into 90 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 3: actually doing something that they won't be proactive about changing 91 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 3: the laws give that protection to people in our community. 92 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 2: Well, and Bill, we did learn on Thursday as well. 93 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: Keesy Ip you're joined us on the show, and she said, 94 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: do you know what, Katie, if this debate isn't allowed 95 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: to happen, I'm going to introduce it as a matter 96 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: of public importance anyway, so that it has to be so. 97 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: I think what we're seeing is that, you know, we've 98 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,239 Speaker 1: definitely got a situation here where the tides turning. People 99 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: have had enough. They want to make sure that their 100 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: voices are being heard. And I've never seen a petition 101 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: that has had this much support before. I said that 102 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: all throughout last week. But Bill, one of the other 103 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: things that looks as though it's going to change, and 104 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: I hope that this is going to be a positive, 105 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: is that that Public Accounts Committee, the makeup of it, 106 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 1: is going to change so that it's back to how 107 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: it should be three members of the government three non 108 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: members of the government. How important do you think it 109 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: is that that change happens. 110 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 3: Well, it gives the balance back to that communicator, even 111 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 3: though Labour still will hold the power because as with 112 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: most committees, to shareholds an extra vote. But to have 113 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 3: that balance of three and three from where Labor changed 114 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 3: ignore was it hed month ago or nearly two years 115 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 3: ago and took it for from three Labor members down 116 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 3: to two non government members. So there's one from the 117 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 3: seal P which is myself, and an independent which is Robin. 118 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 3: It makes it very very difficult for us to have 119 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 3: robust discussion and to bring different points of view because 120 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 3: I said, Robin and I are well where two I 121 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 3: gainst those three And of course we never have the 122 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 3: numbers to push things through. But had that three and 123 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 3: three allows us to have that good discussion, bring different 124 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 3: points of view forward and try and convince those Labor 125 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 3: members on the PAC to do things in the best 126 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 3: interests of territory. 127 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: And you know, like I do think to myself, I 128 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: will definitely give credit where it's due and what I 129 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: do think happened on Thursday, is that it does seem 130 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: as though Brent Potter, Joel Bowden and Manuel Brown did 131 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: see that you know that this does need to be debated, 132 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: because I tell you what, early on Thursday morning, when 133 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: I'd interviewed the two General Chancey Paig, he wasn't even 134 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: prepared to give me his personal view as to whether 135 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: he thought that it. 136 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 2: Should be debated in parliament. 137 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: So two those three Labor members, I will say, good 138 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: on you, good on you for actually doing what the 139 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: community expected. 140 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 3: Well, I think Kata that they read the room. I 141 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 3: said the pressure was on after those of your interviews 142 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 3: on Thursday morning, I think Labor went away and realized 143 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 3: that if they pushed this down and they didn't allow 144 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 3: this debate to come back before the Parliament, then I 145 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 3: was supposed to be hell to pay in the community 146 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 3: because the community expect this debate to take place and 147 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 3: there's very important discussions to happen in Parliament. 148 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 2: Well, Bill Yan, I always appreciate your time. 149 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: Thank you very much for having a chat with me 150 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: this morning on short notice, and we'll talk to you 151 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: again very soon. 152 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 3: I know I'm coming out July from walkup on my 153 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 3: way back. Doll the spring. Soho, I'll get back on 154 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 3: the road. 155 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 2: Good stuff. Good on you, Bill, Thank you.