1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,519
Speaker 1: The government's had a change of heart when it comes

2
00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,840
Speaker 1: to the wage freeze. And joining me on the line

3
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:09,559
Speaker 1: is the CPSU's NT Regional secretary k Densely. Good morning

4
00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,480
Speaker 1: to u Ky.

5
00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:12,400
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie.

6
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,960
Speaker 1: Kay. What was your reaction to the backflip on the

7
00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:16,640
Speaker 1: wage freeze.

8
00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,880
Speaker 2: Oh, look, it's very welcome. It's been over two years

9
00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,720
Speaker 2: now where this has been here sort of hanging like

10
00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,520
Speaker 2: a dagger over public service heads. So with the cost

11
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,360
Speaker 2: of living rising, interest rates, petrol prices, the whole thing,

12
00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,880
Speaker 2: people who are who are actually under the pay freeze

13
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,800
Speaker 2: are really struggling. So this is a really welcome step

14
00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,599
Speaker 2: and you know it's a good.

15
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:42,319
Speaker 3: Start, Kay.

16
00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,640
Speaker 1: From your perspective, does this mean that every Northern Territory

17
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,279
Speaker 1: public servant is going to be getting an increase in.

18
00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:56,080
Speaker 2: Pay, Well, there's still a lot of workers who are

19
00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,000
Speaker 2: bargaining and also a lot of workers who are taken

20
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,240
Speaker 2: industrial action. So obviously this only happened yesterday and they'll

21
00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,920
Speaker 2: be talking to their members. But from what I understand,

22
00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,120
Speaker 2: two percent really isn't going to cut it, So that's

23
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,880
Speaker 2: up to obviously their members about how that how that goes,

24
00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:18,760
Speaker 2: and they'll negotiate it a fair pay increase. So but

25
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,000
Speaker 2: at least now they have a chance to have a compounded.

26
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,560
Speaker 3: Pay increase, so so that's.

27
00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,600
Speaker 2: Really good us, something that goes into their super as

28
00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,959
Speaker 2: far as the general agreement goes. And Jacana, they've they've

29
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,360
Speaker 2: accepted the pay frees unfortunately, and so they're into their

30
00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,160
Speaker 2: second year over pay frees and our members are really hurting.

31
00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,960
Speaker 2: We've been surveying them lately. You know, they're cutting back

32
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,400
Speaker 2: on spending money on essentials, un't able to commit to

33
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,600
Speaker 2: major purchases. There is a clause in the agreement which

34
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,840
Speaker 2: says that any favorable changes to the wages policy will

35
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,680
Speaker 2: flow over to them. So now we have to start

36
00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,960
Speaker 2: talking to our members, which we'll be doing over the

37
00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,160
Speaker 2: next couple of weeks, and talk to government about how

38
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:05,240
Speaker 2: they can actually get a.

39
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,280
Speaker 3: Pay rise that goes into their super and improves.

40
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,640
Speaker 2: Their retirement income and also you know.

41
00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,200
Speaker 3: Adds to their salary.

42
00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:16,120
Speaker 2: Instead of a love sum payment.

43
00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,640
Speaker 1: So okay, what happens next? You know, where does the

44
00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,720
Speaker 1: union now go when it comes to those negotiations.

45
00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,079
Speaker 2: I think it's up to its union members. So you've

46
00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:34,320
Speaker 2: got teachers, correctional officers, firefighters, power, water and charity generation

47
00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,239
Speaker 2: at the moment who are all watched and doing industrial actions.

48
00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,079
Speaker 2: So it's up to their members whether or not.

49
00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:42,560
Speaker 3: They do that.

50
00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,880
Speaker 2: Obviously, you know, we need to have improved offers in

51
00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:51,440
Speaker 2: writing about for those agreements. There's also an issue of

52
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,920
Speaker 2: duration of the agreement four times. You know, I don't

53
00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:57,560
Speaker 2: think anyone's going to accept two percent for four years,

54
00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,640
Speaker 2: and so it's really up to what is the offer

55
00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,800
Speaker 2: that people are going to get. So it's a matter

56
00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,440
Speaker 2: of wait and see what comes out.

57
00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,240
Speaker 1: Okay, does the union have any concerns about the impact

58
00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,040
Speaker 1: that this is going to have on the budget and

59
00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,400
Speaker 1: any potential reviews or slimming down from the government.

60
00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:24,840
Speaker 2: Wells the agreements that already have the taxable lumps on payments,

61
00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:27,079
Speaker 2: they are already come.

62
00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:28,320
Speaker 3: Out of agency budgets.

63
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,800
Speaker 2: So what that's done, obviously is you know.

64
00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:32,839
Speaker 3: Create workloads.

65
00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,320
Speaker 2: People are leaving because it's a lot more attractive in

66
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,840
Speaker 2: other states for pay increases that here, and a lot

67
00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:42,000
Speaker 2: cheaper to live as well.

68
00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,320
Speaker 3: So there's already a.

69
00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,640
Speaker 2: Lot of pressure in agencies on this. So what we

70
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,960
Speaker 2: need to do is find something that's workable but adds

71
00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,640
Speaker 2: to this salary, adds to this super and you know,

72
00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:59,640
Speaker 2: sort of increases their ability to spend in the community.

73
00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,320
Speaker 1: What impact do you think that this change is going

74
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,920
Speaker 1: to have when it comes to the recruitment and retention

75
00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,000
Speaker 1: of some of those frontline staff as well in the territory.

76
00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,560
Speaker 1: I mean, we've spoken at length about the impact that

77
00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,800
Speaker 1: it was having potentially on teachers. I spoke earlier in

78
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,560
Speaker 1: the week about the impact potentially for police. What impact

79
00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,280
Speaker 1: do you think that this is going to have now

80
00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,000
Speaker 1: that the government's reverse the decision.

81
00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,839
Speaker 2: Well, without speaking for the teachers union, I know sort

82
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,039
Speaker 2: of the next four to six weeks is very crucial

83
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,599
Speaker 2: in teachers signing up to work here again next year.

84
00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:35,560
Speaker 3: As I said, the pay rises in other.

85
00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:40,320
Speaker 2: States are a lot more attractive than here, and you know,

86
00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,159
Speaker 2: we know that our house prices, etc. And with interest

87
00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,080
Speaker 2: rates rising, you know, isn't really comparable to down south.

88
00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,720
Speaker 2: So there's emergency to get the teachers agreement there. And

89
00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,080
Speaker 2: whether or not to percent will cut it, I'm unsure,

90
00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,880
Speaker 2: and I actually don't think it will. So I think

91
00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,720
Speaker 2: that will be the concentration of the government to start with.

92
00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:10,560
Speaker 2: And as for the other agencies and the other groups

93
00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,880
Speaker 2: of workers, it's up to them about.

94
00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,440
Speaker 1: What they accept sounds like there's still quite a bit

95
00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:16,680
Speaker 1: of work to take place.

96
00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:17,480
Speaker 3: Kay.

97
00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,000
Speaker 1: Do you think that this backflip from the government is

98
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,159
Speaker 1: did I that it was embarrassing that it had to

99
00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,000
Speaker 1: get to this point.

100
00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,920
Speaker 2: I think it was really smart and you know, overdue.

101
00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:33,880
Speaker 2: So you will recall, Katie that Michael Gunner announce his papers.

102
00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,520
Speaker 3: After the last election out of the blue.

103
00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:41,240
Speaker 2: Without consultation. It wasn't in the Langoland reports and he

104
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,240
Speaker 2: just put it on and there was no talking term

105
00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,200
Speaker 2: about it. And I think with the new Chief minister

106
00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,719
Speaker 2: ship had that opportunity then to have a look at that.

107
00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,120
Speaker 2: We have to realize that, you know, people need to

108
00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,720
Speaker 2: afford to live in the territory and stay here, and

109
00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,760
Speaker 2: they're leaving and they're choosing, you know, other places to live,

110
00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,599
Speaker 2: and our public service is the backbone of the territory

111
00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:08,839
Speaker 2: population and obviously you know, supports local businesses and local communities.

112
00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,560
Speaker 2: So I think it's well overdue and I congratulate the

113
00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:17,240
Speaker 2: government caught making this change. As for the monetary value

114
00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,320
Speaker 2: of that and how we do it, that's that's a

115
00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:21,960
Speaker 2: large value that we're going to go through.

116
00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,039
Speaker 1: Yeah, And is that a worry? I mean, do you

117
00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,080
Speaker 1: think that that is a concern because we are talking

118
00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,320
Speaker 1: about a massive heat here now to the Northern Territory budget.

119
00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:36,320
Speaker 2: Well, you know, as I said, you know the love

120
00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,080
Speaker 2: some payments in the current agreements actually come out of

121
00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,000
Speaker 2: agency budgets. So that's something that we need to work

122
00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,200
Speaker 2: to about how we can get what will work. And

123
00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:50,520
Speaker 2: obviously there's some you know, industrials issues with that about

124
00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,960
Speaker 2: how we do it as in fair work rulings, et cetera.

125
00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,120
Speaker 2: But how can we get compounded ongoing pay riss for

126
00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,760
Speaker 2: people to afford to live and well deserved for the

127
00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,680
Speaker 2: work that they do, and how can we do that

128
00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:09,520
Speaker 2: really quickly? And you know, the government isn't actually funding

129
00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,560
Speaker 2: the pay right the lump sums at the moment, and

130
00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,560
Speaker 2: I dare say they're not going to fund the pay

131
00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,080
Speaker 2: rise neither. So that's a bit a bit of conversation

132
00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:17,800
Speaker 2: that we need to have.

133
00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,000
Speaker 1: Okay, Densilly, no doubt we'll be talking again in the

134
00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,560
Speaker 1: very near future. I appreciate your time this morning. Thanks

135
00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:24,240
Speaker 1: for chatting with me.

136
00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,120
Speaker 3: No worries, Katie, have a good day to you too.

137
00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:27,840
Speaker 1: Thank you