1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,679
Speaker 1: Well, as you just heard from the Northern Territory Police

2
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,200
Speaker 1: Association President Nathan Finn, the pay dispute with the Northern

3
00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,639
Speaker 1: Territory Police looks as though it's coming to a close.

4
00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,520
Speaker 1: We had expected that issue to go to the renumeration

5
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,279
Speaker 1: tribunal last week. That didn't happen though. The Minister for

6
00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,799
Speaker 1: Public Employment joins me on the line right now, Joe Hersey,

7
00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:21,680
Speaker 1: Good morning to you.

8
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,120
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning listeners and Minister.

9
00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,720
Speaker 1: It does seem as though the pay dispute with Northern

10
00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,440
Speaker 1: Territory Police is well hopefully going to come to an end.

11
00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,120
Speaker 1: The offer put on the table now going to the vote,

12
00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,720
Speaker 1: but with the Executive endorsing as.

13
00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,320
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, Katie, and I did say to you

14
00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,680
Speaker 2: last Friday that there would be further announcements on that

15
00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:53,360
Speaker 2: and obviously it's better for all round that it does

16
00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,200
Speaker 2: not go to the police tribunal. And so negotiations with

17
00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:04,959
Speaker 2: the MTPA and myself and the Commissioner went on and

18
00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,440
Speaker 2: we've been able to strike a deal with them, and

19
00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:09,920
Speaker 2: you know, I think it's a it's a good deal

20
00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,400
Speaker 2: for them, and we thank the police for the hard

21
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:14,120
Speaker 2: work that they do each and every day, and I

22
00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,720
Speaker 2: think the pay reflects our appreciation to them right across

23
00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:18,640
Speaker 2: the territory.

24
00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,640
Speaker 1: So, Minister, talk us through exactly what the government's put

25
00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,160
Speaker 1: on the table. I mean, we did hear from Nathan

26
00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,200
Speaker 1: Finn a few moments ago, but talk us through from

27
00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,120
Speaker 1: your perspective the offer on the table.

28
00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,880
Speaker 2: So the offer on the table is they have an

29
00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,320
Speaker 2: annual salary increase of it's a four year deal. It'll

30
00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,679
Speaker 2: be five percent the first year, four percent, three percent

31
00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,360
Speaker 2: and three percent. And they did want in that fourth

32
00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,640
Speaker 2: year a guarantee that with CPI and CPI at the

33
00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,760
Speaker 2: moment is one point seven. That you know, we know

34
00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,520
Speaker 2: that CPI was higher before, but in that fourth year

35
00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,320
Speaker 2: they wanted to know that if CPI went over three percent,

36
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,600
Speaker 2: for example, that then it would be honored and they

37
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,760
Speaker 2: would if it was three point five, for example, they

38
00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,040
Speaker 2: would get three point five. And so that's we've said, yes,

39
00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:14,680
Speaker 2: you know, that's okay. And also that they have negotiated, negotiated,

40
00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:21,360
Speaker 2: of course, sorry, negotiated the Aboriginal Community Police officers also

41
00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,919
Speaker 2: to have a one of five percent structure increased to

42
00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,800
Speaker 2: their base salary in that as well. So you know

43
00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,239
Speaker 2: that goes on top of they already have the housing commitments,

44
00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,400
Speaker 2: they've unlimited sick leave, and so you know, I think

45
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,200
Speaker 2: it's it's a competitive offer. We want to attract police

46
00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,240
Speaker 2: here to the territory, and I know we've got some

47
00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:46,560
Speaker 2: new Zealand recruits coming soon to the territory and or

48
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,640
Speaker 2: here the forty police recruits have already come and I

49
00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:51,440
Speaker 2: know that in Catherine. I think we're getting nine of

50
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,160
Speaker 2: those early September. So you know, I think that's good

51
00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,920
Speaker 2: to be able to attract and retain people here and

52
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,200
Speaker 2: that the latest payoffer reflects that.

53
00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,320
Speaker 1: It is so incredibly important. I mean, we want to

54
00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,720
Speaker 1: make sure that the Northern Territory is a place that

55
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,000
Speaker 1: people want to come to work, particularly when we look

56
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,480
Speaker 1: at our police force. Tell me in terms of I

57
00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,720
Speaker 1: don't know whether this falls under you or whether it

58
00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,240
Speaker 1: falls under Leafinociaro as the police minister, but in terms

59
00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:25,280
Speaker 1: of that retention bonus, is there going to be any

60
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:30,000
Speaker 1: further discussion about that retention bonus and it potentially expanding?

61
00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,600
Speaker 2: No, that doesn't sit with me. But the retention bonus

62
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,880
Speaker 2: is not going to be expanded. That has been absorbed

63
00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:46,760
Speaker 2: I think in this pay offer to the police and

64
00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:53,000
Speaker 2: so there's no further conversation around that, but this we

65
00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,320
Speaker 2: know that this is a very good deal. We ask

66
00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,440
Speaker 2: a lot of our police. We came in with a

67
00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,800
Speaker 2: reducing crime you mandate and the police have done an

68
00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,480
Speaker 2: incredible job right across the territory in reducing crime and

69
00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,840
Speaker 2: keeping territory in safe and so I think you know

70
00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,320
Speaker 2: this pay deal is a reflection of the hard work

71
00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,520
Speaker 2: that police do each and every day keeping us safe

72
00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:18,200
Speaker 2: in our community.

73
00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,080
Speaker 1: All right, Minister, I want to ask you about one

74
00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,640
Speaker 1: of the other things we've been talking about throughout this week,

75
00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,200
Speaker 1: and that is the government announcing a number of power

76
00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,159
Speaker 1: price changes, as we know at the beginning of July. Now,

77
00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,359
Speaker 1: as a result of those changes, some Northern Territory schools,

78
00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,320
Speaker 1: well all Northern Territory public schools will take it off

79
00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,039
Speaker 1: the subsidy list and moved to cost reflective pricing, so

80
00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,760
Speaker 1: they're no longer receiving that Community Service Obligation subsidy for

81
00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,960
Speaker 1: electricity now. Nt cogso's president Ruth Myrams joined us on

82
00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,359
Speaker 1: the show and said that it means massive power price

83
00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,240
Speaker 1: increases for the schools. Minister, what are schools saying to

84
00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,880
Speaker 1: you about this change? I know that they've certainly raised

85
00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,159
Speaker 1: it with the Department that they're quite concerned.

86
00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,600
Speaker 2: I have heard from schools. I've also heard from the department,

87
00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,400
Speaker 2: but I've also had conversations with COGSO as well, Michelle

88
00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,640
Speaker 2: at COGSA where she flagged these concerns with me. What

89
00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,400
Speaker 2: I want to assure the schools is that they will

90
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,560
Speaker 2: not be out of pocket. There was a briefing provided

91
00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:25,400
Speaker 2: to school business managers mid August and also Principles at

92
00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,839
Speaker 2: the end of July, and it's been made very clear

93
00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,760
Speaker 2: to school leaders that schools will not have to divert

94
00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:37,440
Speaker 2: any resources from learning programs to afford these cost increases,

95
00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,560
Speaker 2: and the department will give them additional cash grants in

96
00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,360
Speaker 2: semester two to cover the estimated cost increases. So I

97
00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,680
Speaker 2: just want to assure schools that they won't have to

98
00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:52,919
Speaker 2: be scrambling finding money for this and they will be supported.

99
00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:55,520
Speaker 1: So what about sort of long term, how are they

100
00:05:55,560 --> 00:06:00,280
Speaker 1: going to continue to cover this additional cost long term?

101
00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,919
Speaker 1: You know, is the Education Department's budget going to have

102
00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:04,760
Speaker 1: to be increased?

103
00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,960
Speaker 2: I think that's something that we need to have further

104
00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:14,640
Speaker 2: conversations about around Sorry about those electricity prices, but you know,

105
00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,000
Speaker 2: the last thing we want, Katie, is for schools to

106
00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,920
Speaker 2: be scrambling around finding money for electricity. We want them

107
00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:25,279
Speaker 2: to be educating our young people and get them into

108
00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:29,479
Speaker 2: real pathways into the workforce. And you know, I think

109
00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,000
Speaker 2: it's really important the work that they do out there

110
00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,520
Speaker 2: in their schools, and the Department will support them.

111
00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,480
Speaker 1: That's really Look, I'll just play for you a little

112
00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,560
Speaker 1: bit of what Ruth Myram's Frumenti Cogso said earlier in

113
00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:43,599
Speaker 1: the week. Take a listen.

114
00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,880
Speaker 3: So we are calling for a reinstatement of that subsidy.

115
00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,760
Speaker 3: We don't understand why schools are being treated as commercial customers.

116
00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,359
Speaker 3: We're looking for the anti government to fully cover these

117
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,880
Speaker 3: increases while they're working through the reinstatement of the subsidy

118
00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,960
Speaker 3: and to ensure that that doesn't come out of that

119
00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,279
Speaker 3: Commonwealth funding that you mentioned, Katie. We're also a bit

120
00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,680
Speaker 3: baffled as to why each school has their own agreement

121
00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,640
Speaker 3: around provision of power. You know, our schools are meant

122
00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,440
Speaker 3: to teach our kids. They're meant to be you know,

123
00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,920
Speaker 3: places are learning. Why are they often negotiating all these

124
00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,000
Speaker 3: electricity bills. So we're really calling for the Department of

125
00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,920
Speaker 3: Education to act as a central client and cover those negotiations.

126
00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:22,960
Speaker 3: Then they can have that heads up if changes are

127
00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:24,840
Speaker 3: coming and they can model what it means to make

128
00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:25,560
Speaker 3: a plan for it.

129
00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,640
Speaker 1: So, Minister, is that something that you know that you

130
00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,200
Speaker 1: are looking at now as the minister responsible to ensure that,

131
00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,120
Speaker 1: as you're touched on, that these schools aren't going to

132
00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:36,760
Speaker 1: be out of pocket.

133
00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,880
Speaker 2: I think they're definitely conversations Katie that need to be

134
00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,800
Speaker 2: had more moving forward, because as Ruth said, they don't

135
00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,720
Speaker 2: want to be, you know, wondering where they're going to

136
00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:50,680
Speaker 2: get the money to pay their next power bill. And

137
00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,440
Speaker 2: as I said, they will receive additional cash grants in

138
00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,840
Speaker 2: semester two this year and for twenty twenty six onwards,

139
00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,680
Speaker 2: the Department will they will make changes just facility funding

140
00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,800
Speaker 2: in the school resourcing models. So they're ongoing conversations that

141
00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:11,600
Speaker 2: we will continue to have across schools and because as

142
00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,560
Speaker 2: I said, we want to make sure that teachers are

143
00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,400
Speaker 2: out there teaching our students and they're certainly not worrying

144
00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,360
Speaker 2: about where they're getting their money for their power bills.

145
00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, one hundred percent. I guess the concern that I've

146
00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,440
Speaker 1: got you know, even listening to that, and you may

147
00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,760
Speaker 1: be able to explain it to me, but even listening

148
00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,600
Speaker 1: to that, I think you know it Like, obviously the

149
00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,880
Speaker 1: Department's going to have to find that money from somewhere,

150
00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,600
Speaker 1: but I know people are going to be listening going, well,

151
00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,440
Speaker 1: where are they going to find the money from longer

152
00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,520
Speaker 1: term and how are they not going to sort of

153
00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,400
Speaker 1: have to make savings or or cut somewhere else in

154
00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:43,600
Speaker 1: order to find it.

155
00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,560
Speaker 2: And that is a very good question. They will be,

156
00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,960
Speaker 2: as I said, they're operational issues, but they're certainly ones

157
00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,080
Speaker 2: that they will be continuing to talk to the Department about.

158
00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,280
Speaker 2: And you know, if we need to go back and

159
00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:01,440
Speaker 2: get some more money from the federal government to provide

160
00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:05,560
Speaker 2: better education for our schools right across the territory, then

161
00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,680
Speaker 2: that's certainly something that I'm prepared to do. I'm actually

162
00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:14,440
Speaker 2: going down for a minister's meeting on Friday to Sydney,

163
00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,760
Speaker 2: so yeah, you know, maybe they'll potentially be conversations we

164
00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,760
Speaker 2: continue to have. But I think it's important for schools

165
00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,720
Speaker 2: to know that they won't be dipping into their funding

166
00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,440
Speaker 2: and there is that the Department will be supporting them.

167
00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,079
Speaker 1: I mean, is the government being a bit tricky here

168
00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,800
Speaker 1: in terms of you know, passing this electricity cost onto

169
00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,320
Speaker 1: the Education Department, then obviously saying you know, to the

170
00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,360
Speaker 1: federal government, well you know, these are the operating costs

171
00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:45,600
Speaker 1: now as a result of different changes, when the reality

172
00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,640
Speaker 1: is the Northern Territory government has made those changes when

173
00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,479
Speaker 1: it comes to the electricity subsidy.

174
00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,280
Speaker 2: I think Katie there, as I said before, I think

175
00:09:55,280 --> 00:10:00,520
Speaker 2: they're conversations that we need to have ongoing and find out,

176
00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,000
Speaker 2: you know, where where the money is going to come from,

177
00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,760
Speaker 2: because we certainly will not be cutting it in the

178
00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,080
Speaker 2: delivery of education to students.

179
00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,360
Speaker 1: All right, Education Minister and also Minister for Public Employment,

180
00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,560
Speaker 1: Joe Hersey, good to speak to you this morning. Really

181
00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:15,559
Speaker 1: appreciate your time.

182
00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,920
Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, Thank you, have a good day.

183
00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:19,920
Speaker 1: Thank you. You two