1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Three sixty with Katie Wolf. Join the conversation with Katie Wolf. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: You are our eyes and ears in the Territory mixed 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: one oh four point nine. 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: Now you would have heard a bit before ten o'clock 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 2: we caught up with NT Farmers Association. We caught up 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 2: with the CEO Paul Burke and spoke about the potential 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 2: of quarantining workers coming across from other countries, some of 8 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 2: those safer countries at Bladen Point, the worker village there 9 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 2: now joining us in the studio to talk a bit 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: more about this, and it's actually something that we spoke 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 2: about around this time last week with the Prime Minister 12 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 2: Scott Morrison as well. 13 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 3: It is the Senator for the Northern Territory, Sam McMahon. 14 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 4: Good morning, Good morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners. 15 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 4: Great have you in the studio, Senator. As I say, 16 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 4: this is something that. 17 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 2: You and I discussed last week when the Prime Minister 18 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: was in the studio as well. Where are things at 19 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 2: with Bladon Point being a location that we could potentially see. 20 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 3: Some of that workforce come across to quarantine in. 21 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 4: Yeah. Look, Katie, I've spoken to a lot of ministers 22 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 4: and put the proposal to them to use Bladen Village 23 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 4: for a multitude of things. I mean it's currently being 24 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 4: used for our Marine Rotational Force to get the Marines in. 25 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 4: It's also currently being used by Impects for their shutdown 26 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 4: for the workers needed for that. It has a capacity 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 4: of fifteen hundred rooms and their double rooms so it 28 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 4: can take a couple, so there is a lot of 29 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 4: capacity there. It's also divided into three different sections so 30 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 4: we can have different people quarantining for different reasons. And 31 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 4: I've put the proposal that it could be used for 32 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 4: bringing in seasonal workers. It could also be used for 33 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 4: bringing in international students, and it could also be used 34 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 4: for Ossie's returning home. And so where are we at 35 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 4: with that proposal, Well, it sits with Northern Territory government 36 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 4: at the moment. It's completely up to them. They control quarantine, 37 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 4: so it's up to them if they will allow the 38 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 4: use of the facility for those purposes. 39 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 2: And we spoke to the Health Minister Natasha File earlier 40 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: this morning. She had said that that obviously it would 41 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: need to be staffed and so there need to be 42 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: you know that we would need to come up with 43 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: a solution when it comes to staff and being able 44 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: to fund those staff as well. As I understand it, 45 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: I suppose that's been the concern even out of Howard Springs. 46 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 2: And again you and I have discussed this before when 47 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,519 Speaker 2: it comes to the staffing in some of these different 48 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 2: facilities and making sure we've got people that are adequately trained. 49 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: I mean, it does seem as though it's something that 50 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: the federal government and the territory government need to work 51 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: together on. 52 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. 53 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 4: Absolutely, And it's also involving private enterprise. And Katie, I 54 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 4: always think that when private enterprise gets involved, things generally 55 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 4: run a lot smoother and a lot more efficiently than 56 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 4: when government is running things. 57 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: So that's one of. 58 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 4: The beauties of this facility is that it is privately 59 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 4: owned and run, so that gives private enterprise the opportunity 60 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 4: to do what business does. 61 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 2: And then when it comes to the staffing out there, 62 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: what's happening at the moment, it. 63 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 3: Is like with defense and also with impact. 64 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 2: So have they then got their own staff out there 65 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 2: helping out in terms of that health care or what's 66 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 2: happening in that space, and could we learn from that 67 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 2: to be able to implement something similar When it comes 68 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 2: to the farmers and pickers and packers. 69 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. 70 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 4: Well, look, the Marines have obviously got their own staff, 71 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 4: and Bladen Village also has their staff there. The IMPEX 72 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 4: workers aren't actually quarantining, they're just staying there, so they 73 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 4: don't need to be under quarantine. But yes, it would 74 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 4: need to be a combination of federal, Northern Territory and 75 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 4: private enterprise to provide the solution. 76 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 2: And so what has the Department of Health or what 77 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: has the Northern Territory government said to you and to 78 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: the federal government at this point in time when it 79 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 2: comes to those potential plants. 80 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 4: Well, I don't think they've really considered it. I mean 81 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 4: I've been talking about it for a long time now, 82 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 4: but my understanding is that the the CCHO hasn't actually 83 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,119 Speaker 4: investigated the possibility. 84 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: So I'm really hoping that they do. 85 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: So, really, you'd like to see the Chief Health Officer 86 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: have a closer look at the potential of doing this. 87 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. 88 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And a proposal of formal proposal has gone through 89 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 2: to them, has it. No, I've put the proposal to 90 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 2: several federal ministers right now. Just talking about sort of 91 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 2: bolstering the workforce, because that's something that's been on the 92 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 2: agenda for quite some time. I know the hospitality and 93 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: also tourism of Flag their concerns. I know at one 94 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 2: point it was about seven thousand workers, seven thousand jobs 95 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: that they were trying to fill. Has there been much 96 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 2: movement from your perspective in this space on a federal level. 97 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, Look, Katie, there has been. 98 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 4: There's a couple of things that have happened, certainly for 99 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 4: the rural the ag workforce. States and territories now have 100 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 4: the option of having workers seasonal workers under that program 101 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 4: quarantine in Fiji and Vanuatu, so they do their pre 102 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 4: embarkation quarantine over there, then come to Australia into the 103 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 4: Northern Territory and go straight onto farms and work. Now, 104 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 4: so far only the South Australian government has signed up 105 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 4: for that. The Northern Territory government has chosen not to 106 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 4: take part in that program. So that's a great opportunity 107 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 4: there for the Northern Territory government to take part in 108 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 4: that program. And the other thing I spoke to Minister 109 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 4: Stuart Robert yesterday and put the proposal to him for 110 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 4: retirees and pensioners to be able to do more work 111 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 4: to raise the cap. They can currently earn I think 112 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 4: one hundred and seventy four dollars a fortnight without affecting 113 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 4: their pension. So I put it to him to raise 114 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 4: that significantly so that our gray nomads would be able 115 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 4: to do work. It's a win for tourism, hospitality and agriculture. 116 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 4: It's also a win for the government because they're going 117 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 4: to be earning money that then is taxed, so it's 118 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 4: no impost on the government. And Minister Robert was very 119 00:05:58,320 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 4: very interested in that proposal. 120 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 2: So currently our seniors or those that are on a pension, 121 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: are able to earn one hundred and seventy four dollars 122 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: a fortnight. 123 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: Is that right, yep, So you're proposing that. 124 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 2: That be actually well extended or that level be lifted 125 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 2: so that they could earn some more money and hopefully 126 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 2: get them back in the workforce. 127 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, Katie, increase it, make it, make it one thousand 128 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 4: dollars a fortnight, you know, and those that want to 129 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 4: work that are traveling around can fill those shortages, particularly 130 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 4: useful for tourism and hospitality. They can earn some money, 131 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 4: they pay tax on the money, and our operators get 132 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 4: their workforce. 133 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 3: It sounds like a good idea in theory. 134 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 2: Like we've spoken to people on this show before who 135 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: are seniors who have said though that they that they 136 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: struggle ized bose or they feel as though their ages 137 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: may be looked at as being an impediment rather than 138 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 2: being a positive thing. 139 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 4: Well, Katie talking to tourism operators throughout the Northern Territory 140 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 4: that that is not how they feel. They will take 141 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 4: people that are able to work, and a lot of 142 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 4: our retirees have skills. A lot of them have skills 143 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 4: and experience. Some of them are retired engineers who have 144 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 4: run their own businesses, all sorts of things, so they 145 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 4: often have the skills that these employers are looking for 146 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 4: and they're very keen to take them on. 147 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 2: How likely do you reckon this is that it could happen, 148 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 2: and do you reckon it would only be for the 149 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 2: territory or Australia wide. 150 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 4: I think it could be Australia wide. I don't see 151 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 4: any negatives in it. The Minister was very very interested 152 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 4: and he's keen to talk further with me and with 153 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 4: the Treasurer about the proposal. So yes, it could be 154 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 4: Australia wide and it could be a win win for everyone. 155 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 2: I'll be really interested to hear how that goes, and 156 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 2: I know that we've got plenty of seniors who listen 157 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: to this show who'll be keen to find out, because 158 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 2: you know, if you can raise that amount that you're 159 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 2: able to earn from one hundred and seventy four dollars dollars, 160 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: I mean that's bugger all really when you think about it. 161 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 2: If you're able to raise that and you can be 162 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 2: working a bit harder or working a bit more, earning 163 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 2: a bit more money and not impacting your pension, that'd 164 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: be amazing yep. 165 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 4: And contributing to the government's taxation as well, So it's 166 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 4: a win for everybody. 167 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 3: Senator. 168 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: The federal budget is going to get handed down next week. 169 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 2: Do you reckon there's going to be much in it 170 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: for the territory. We've already heard from Minister Keith Pitt 171 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 2: this morning. 172 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: Yes, Look, Katie, I think there is. 173 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 4: The Federal government has been spending massively in the territory 174 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 4: over the last twelve months and I would fully expect 175 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 4: that to continue. 176 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: All right, Well, I reckon we might have to have 177 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 2: a catch up with you next week when you're in Canberra. 178 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for your time this morning. 179 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: No worries Katie anytime. 180 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 2: Thank you Senator Sam McMahon there, the COLP Senator for 181 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory.