1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,400
Speaker 1: Moving along, and the situation that we've covered on numerous

2
00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:07,800
Speaker 1: occasions about the funding crisis at Legal Aid is repeatedly

3
00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:12,039
Speaker 1: and reportedly threatening to bring the territories overburdened justice system

4
00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,560
Speaker 1: to a halt. Now the organization confirmed that they are

5
00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,880
Speaker 1: indeed planning to dramatically cut back critical services due to

6
00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:23,320
Speaker 1: insufficient funding. So at the time well, the service said

7
00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,200
Speaker 1: that it would refuse to accept new adult clients charged

8
00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:28,880
Speaker 1: with criminal offenses after January one, So that was a

9
00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,560
Speaker 1: little bit earlier this year, or a few weeks ago.

10
00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,880
Speaker 1: But there's been a bit of movement in this space

11
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,800
Speaker 1: and the Attorney General, Marie Claire Boothby joins me on

12
00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:39,839
Speaker 1: the line. Good morning to your minister.

13
00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:41,800
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and to your listeners.

14
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:46,240
Speaker 1: Now, Attorney General, the situation has been a massive concern

15
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,760
Speaker 1: in recent weeks. You've now announced an additional one million

16
00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,239
Speaker 1: dollars for the organization. Why did you make that decision?

17
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,080
Speaker 2: That's right, Katie, And this comes off the back of

18
00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,600
Speaker 2: a number of years in the making, unfortunately, where Legal

19
00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,360
Speaker 2: Aid have been having increasing demand put on them and

20
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,479
Speaker 2: yet their their funding has remained the same. We met

21
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,440
Speaker 2: with Legal Aid. I think we've been in government. Now

22
00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,480
Speaker 2: this is our Night's week. We met them with them

23
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:17,880
Speaker 2: very recently and I sat down with them and heard

24
00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,679
Speaker 2: firsthand how they had been trying to come up with

25
00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,720
Speaker 2: talking to government's previous governments to be able to get

26
00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,959
Speaker 2: this solved, and really wanted a long term solution for

27
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,920
Speaker 2: their funding challenges. Apparently there was a plan review which

28
00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,120
Speaker 2: got stopped, so we're going to look at that again.

29
00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,319
Speaker 2: But given that you know, we have uncovered this awful mess,

30
00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,360
Speaker 2: we know that we need now more than ever to

31
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,480
Speaker 2: ensure justice for victims and of course offenders do need

32
00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:50,840
Speaker 2: to be given fair representation. That's why we've came up

33
00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,240
Speaker 2: with a one million dollars of extra funding. And I

34
00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,760
Speaker 2: need to be really clear. Legal Aid didn't have any

35
00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,760
Speaker 2: funding cut, but they absolutely have experienced a demand and increase.

36
00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,920
Speaker 2: So when we sat down, understood the challenges that they're

37
00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,640
Speaker 2: having and we went and found that one million dollars

38
00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,120
Speaker 2: extra and it really is very specifically designed and given

39
00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,520
Speaker 2: to Legal Aid to help manage the criminal trial case loads.

40
00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,200
Speaker 2: So it's very clear that we need them in our

41
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,840
Speaker 2: courts representing people and we need to make sure that

42
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,640
Speaker 2: we can ensure there's justice for those victims. Victims. I mean,

43
00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,160
Speaker 2: I just heard you talk about the repeat victims that

44
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,360
Speaker 2: are happening, and that's you know, this is exactly why

45
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,240
Speaker 2: we were elected as a government to make changes in

46
00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,600
Speaker 2: this space, because we want our community safe and we

47
00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:36,560
Speaker 2: want victims to have that justice.

48
00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,880
Speaker 1: Well absolutely, and you know, this is one of the

49
00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:42,000
Speaker 1: things that does concern me is I know for some

50
00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,320
Speaker 1: listening they'll be thinking, you know, they don't really care

51
00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,440
Speaker 1: whether legal aid is funded adequately or not. But the

52
00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,480
Speaker 1: flip side of that, as you've just touched on, and

53
00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:54,120
Speaker 1: as we've spoken about with various other people in recent weeks,

54
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,720
Speaker 1: the flip side of that is that then things slowed

55
00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,480
Speaker 1: down within the court system if somebody doesn't have adequate

56
00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,080
Speaker 1: represent like had been reported by the ABC earlier in

57
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,840
Speaker 1: the week. You know, there was a there's now a

58
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,600
Speaker 1: delay by the look of it, to a trial, or

59
00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,520
Speaker 1: there's certainly you know, there's certainly been some hold ups.

60
00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,359
Speaker 1: So is this money going to be enough? I mean,

61
00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,800
Speaker 1: is the million dollars actually going to be enough or

62
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,760
Speaker 1: is there going to realistically need to be quite a

63
00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,160
Speaker 1: bit more funding, And is that where the federal government

64
00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:24,200
Speaker 1: needs to step up?

65
00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:26,280
Speaker 2: There is a lot more work to be done in

66
00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,639
Speaker 2: this space, Katie, And we do continue to work with

67
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,440
Speaker 2: the national sorroy of the federal government on this, and

68
00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,400
Speaker 2: I've been speaking with the Federal Attorney General about it

69
00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,880
Speaker 2: because we really do need needs based funding. But like

70
00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,240
Speaker 2: you say, I do get the sentiment that you know,

71
00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,440
Speaker 2: there's a lot of care for legal aid or offenders,

72
00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,640
Speaker 2: but it's so much more than that. This is it

73
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,840
Speaker 2: is truly about making sure that the victims have justice.

74
00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,960
Speaker 2: There is nothing worse than being a victim of crime

75
00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,120
Speaker 2: and they're not knowing what's going on with that case,

76
00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,520
Speaker 2: and if it drags on and on or at worse,

77
00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,240
Speaker 2: these people can't be read, presented and it just goes nowhere,

78
00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,160
Speaker 2: then of course those victims are and they never feel

79
00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,440
Speaker 2: that justice that it really hinders their recovery. And we

80
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,200
Speaker 2: just can't see that continuing to happen.

81
00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,360
Speaker 1: So where are the discussions out with the federal government.

82
00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,080
Speaker 2: There's a new partnership which is going, like we're working

83
00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,240
Speaker 2: through all those details now because the existing partnership is

84
00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,919
Speaker 2: about to expire. So there's a lot of work in

85
00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,240
Speaker 2: that space happening, and obviously we'll have more to talk

86
00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,440
Speaker 2: about that, but we do still need to continue to

87
00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,520
Speaker 2: advocate for needs based funding. I mean, the problem with

88
00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,279
Speaker 2: some of these situations is there's never enough money, so

89
00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,640
Speaker 2: we have to look even more deeply about things that

90
00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,960
Speaker 2: are having the system, making changes to ensure that we

91
00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,200
Speaker 2: can deal with this sort of demand. And of course

92
00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,279
Speaker 2: it's a whole you know, we're looking at every angle.

93
00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,560
Speaker 2: We've just been in government for nine weeks. We've made

94
00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,040
Speaker 2: lots of changes that territories expected us to make, and

95
00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:52,520
Speaker 2: of course that work continues.

96
00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,840
Speaker 1: But I guess have any idea when that new partnership,

97
00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,080
Speaker 1: when the details of that might be finalized.

98
00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's happening in the next couple of weeks, so

99
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,400
Speaker 2: I can definitely come back on and share with your

100
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,320
Speaker 2: listeners what's going on with you. But I wanted to

101
00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,760
Speaker 2: make it really clear to your listeners today that's you know,

102
00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,200
Speaker 2: legal aid. It is a big problem that we've been facing.

103
00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,320
Speaker 2: It has the territory has been facing it for a

104
00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,400
Speaker 2: couple of years. And as soon as we found out,

105
00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,080
Speaker 2: you know, we did act very quickly on this. Like

106
00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,400
Speaker 2: one of the things that we've done since coming into

107
00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,160
Speaker 2: a government is we've we've found those problems have been

108
00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,800
Speaker 2: identified and we act very quickly to make sure that

109
00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,800
Speaker 2: we can address the issues because we can't keep going

110
00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,920
Speaker 2: down the same track that we were going down on

111
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:33,479
Speaker 2: and you know, having victims being assured that they have

112
00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,120
Speaker 2: an opportunity for justice and the offenders are going to

113
00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,160
Speaker 2: be having one fair representation that to you dealt with

114
00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,320
Speaker 2: in the way that the laws need to deal with them.

115
00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,640
Speaker 1: People have had an absolute gutfull There is no doubt

116
00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,840
Speaker 1: about that. I guess the concern at the moment. And

117
00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:48,960
Speaker 1: as you say, you know, this is not something that's

118
00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,080
Speaker 1: happened overnight. This is something that you've inherited, so I

119
00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:54,160
Speaker 1: want to be quite clear about that. But it is

120
00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,400
Speaker 1: being reported and it was earlier in the week and

121
00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,120
Speaker 1: I touched on this a moment ago. The ABC was

122
00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,520
Speaker 1: reporting that a man who appeared in the Northern Territory

123
00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,440
Speaker 1: Supreme Court in Darwin charged with serious offenses was released

124
00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,320
Speaker 1: on bail, partly due to uncertainty around whether his trial

125
00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:14,280
Speaker 1: could proceed now. The allegations involved domestic violence related defenses

126
00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,680
Speaker 1: and one count of aggravated robbery, which carries a maximum

127
00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,920
Speaker 1: sentence of life prison. Now he was unable to afford

128
00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,120
Speaker 1: his own lawyer. The man had previously been receiving legal

129
00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:28,000
Speaker 1: aid representation from a private criminal law firm under an

130
00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,360
Speaker 1: arrangement which had been funded by NT Legal Aid. Now,

131
00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,359
Speaker 1: according to the report by Samantha Dick at the ABC,

132
00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,719
Speaker 1: the accused had previously been denied bail due to the

133
00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:43,480
Speaker 1: close proximity of his proposed address to the complainant's residents,

134
00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,760
Speaker 1: the court had heard. However, Justice Blocklin said the ongoing

135
00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,560
Speaker 1: uncertainty at legal Aid, combined with other factors such as

136
00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,279
Speaker 1: the defendant securing a new address and agreeing to comply

137
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,440
Speaker 1: with strict bail conditions, had influenced her decision to ultimately

138
00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,560
Speaker 1: grant him bail. Now, I'm not asking you to comment

139
00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,440
Speaker 1: on this case specifically, I suppose, but what I suppose

140
00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,479
Speaker 1: I'm asking for is, you know, are we in a

141
00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,200
Speaker 1: situation right now in the Northern Territory. We're due to

142
00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,800
Speaker 1: a lack of funding over quite a long period of

143
00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,320
Speaker 1: time and a breakdown in different ways within the system,

144
00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,280
Speaker 1: that we are going to see people who should potentially

145
00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,000
Speaker 1: still be remanded in custody out on bail because there's

146
00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:27,800
Speaker 1: not another option.

147
00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,240
Speaker 2: That is exactly why when this was uncovered that we

148
00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,320
Speaker 2: acted quickly to find this extra one million dollars from

149
00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,240
Speaker 2: within the existing budget because we needed to make sure

150
00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,840
Speaker 2: that this doesn't continue to happen. I mean, as you say,

151
00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,360
Speaker 2: it's it's been a long time, long time coming, long

152
00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,360
Speaker 2: time problem, and you know, we need to make sure

153
00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,760
Speaker 2: that we address this. It's this is a short term

154
00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,640
Speaker 2: solution for the now, but that long term solution also

155
00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,800
Speaker 2: is why that is so important, because we cannot continue

156
00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,480
Speaker 2: to have you know, victims worried about what's going to happen, Yeah,

157
00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,680
Speaker 2: when their offenders are either not dealt with quickly or

158
00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,600
Speaker 2: as you say, back out in bail. Which is why

159
00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,920
Speaker 2: you know, we've just been head to humpum up to

160
00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,080
Speaker 2: be Frank Katie in the last nine weeks finding solutions

161
00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,280
Speaker 2: to every problem that we come across like that. Literally

162
00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,080
Speaker 2: at the moment, we're in the business of finding these

163
00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,440
Speaker 2: solutions and I guessing really swift action on it.

164
00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,640
Speaker 1: Well, and you know this area, and in fact, your

165
00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,680
Speaker 1: role as the Attorney General is going to be an

166
00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:31,280
Speaker 1: incredibly pivotal one because even you know, at the moment,

167
00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,880
Speaker 1: we've obviously discussed you know, the funding with legal Abe,

168
00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,960
Speaker 1: we've discussed that situation that I just touched on with

169
00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,200
Speaker 1: that case earlier in the week. But we also know

170
00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,760
Speaker 1: that we've got around forty percent of prisoners in our

171
00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,840
Speaker 1: corrections facilities that are actually on remand which indicates that

172
00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,240
Speaker 1: the court process is going quite slowly in a lot

173
00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,120
Speaker 1: of ways, and there's various reasons for that. Is that

174
00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:56,440
Speaker 1: something that you've had discussions with, you know, with those

175
00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:00,480
Speaker 1: in the system about attorney general and how worry is

176
00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:01,840
Speaker 1: that side of things?

177
00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,720
Speaker 2: Yes, Katie, that is it is worrying. As Attorney General,

178
00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,240
Speaker 2: I am very concerned with this and as this information

179
00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,680
Speaker 2: comes to me and we're working through all of these issues,

180
00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,440
Speaker 2: I do get more concerned, and which is why it's

181
00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,160
Speaker 2: so pressing that we have these solutions, like as an example,

182
00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,480
Speaker 2: that the extra one million dollars for legal aid. But

183
00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,640
Speaker 2: if you think about, you know, the Attorney General's role,

184
00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,960
Speaker 2: we sort of I'm the meat business sandwich between police

185
00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,760
Speaker 2: and corrections, and you know, my role, I'm squarely focused

186
00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,600
Speaker 2: on ensuring that victims have justice and there's a lot

187
00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,920
Speaker 2: of work to be done. That is the absolute truth

188
00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:39,680
Speaker 2: with our court system, with the way that the system

189
00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,640
Speaker 2: actually interacts with police and with corrections. But I mean

190
00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,719
Speaker 2: that is why we've you know, well, while we're here

191
00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,720
Speaker 2: doing what we do. Territorians wanted change. They want to

192
00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,320
Speaker 2: change not only in police but in corrections, but also

193
00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,439
Speaker 2: in our court system, and that is why we're going

194
00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,559
Speaker 2: through every little aspect of it to try and find

195
00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,480
Speaker 2: ways that we can ensure that it's sped up. And again,

196
00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,440
Speaker 2: like I say, it's about getting justice for the victims.

197
00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:06,679
Speaker 2: Crime is the number one issue in the territory and

198
00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,400
Speaker 2: there's a lot of work being done in all of

199
00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,720
Speaker 2: those spaces with police, with corrections and of course also

200
00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,400
Speaker 2: in the Attorney General's areas to make sure that courts

201
00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,400
Speaker 2: run as smoothly as they possibly can.

202
00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,319
Speaker 1: Absolutely, now speaking of that justice for victims, I mean

203
00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,800
Speaker 1: we just caught up with the Northern Territory Police and

204
00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,160
Speaker 1: Strikeforce Tried and Style Maltabarna just talked us through some

205
00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,920
Speaker 1: of the numbers when it comes to the offending that

206
00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,760
Speaker 1: they've been dealing with. Just since the beginning of this

207
00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:37,080
Speaker 1: financial year. You know, we've got five hundred and thirteen

208
00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,280
Speaker 1: prosecution files that have gone forward. Two hundred and eighty

209
00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:46,360
Speaker 1: three of those were youths. One hundred and thirty four

210
00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:51,160
Speaker 1: of those two hundred and eighty three youths were on bail.

211
00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,480
Speaker 1: I mean what's it like for you as the Attorney

212
00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:56,000
Speaker 1: General when you hear.

213
00:10:55,840 --> 00:11:01,040
Speaker 2: That, Oh, look, those figures are exactly what territories talk

214
00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,200
Speaker 2: to me about how they're feeling like. It is no secret.

215
00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,160
Speaker 2: I mean, we've had eight long, awful years under a

216
00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,480
Speaker 2: previous labor government where you know, they felt let down

217
00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:17,080
Speaker 2: by everyone, and those numbers it's a result of what's happened.

218
00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,280
Speaker 2: You know, we had a government that was just on

219
00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,679
Speaker 2: an ideological path and not willing to make the hard decisions,

220
00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,079
Speaker 2: to make the changes to try and make the territory

221
00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,560
Speaker 2: a safe place. And in nine short weeks, you know,

222
00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,720
Speaker 2: we've done so much more than we saw the previous

223
00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,080
Speaker 2: government do over two terms. Because that those numbers, Kadie,

224
00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,160
Speaker 2: they're just unacceptable, and you know that's why we've been

225
00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,560
Speaker 2: working the way we are because we don't accept those numbers.

226
00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,839
Speaker 2: We don't accept that after eight long years of dealing

227
00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:49,120
Speaker 2: with this which was never dealt with, that we want

228
00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,240
Speaker 2: to continue along that path.

229
00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,200
Speaker 1: Attorney General wandering, do you accept that there are some

230
00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,280
Speaker 1: people in the community who feel as though the court

231
00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,760
Speaker 1: system and you know in some cases that they are

232
00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,120
Speaker 1: being let down through that court system, and there's you know,

233
00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,680
Speaker 1: offenders are being granted by al when they shouldn't be.

234
00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,400
Speaker 2: There's certainly been the case over the last eight years, Katie.

235
00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,120
Speaker 2: I mean, like we've said this, this hasn't come up overnight.

236
00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,359
Speaker 2: It's been going on for a very long time. And

237
00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,560
Speaker 2: from my understanding of meetings that I've had, you know,

238
00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,360
Speaker 2: these issues have been raised with the governments for a

239
00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,040
Speaker 2: very long time, especially over the last eight years. So

240
00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,679
Speaker 2: it's not new. It is a mess that we as

241
00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,480
Speaker 2: a new government being here now for nine weeks, we

242
00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:32,680
Speaker 2: have to clean up this mess. It was a mess

243
00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,480
Speaker 2: of it's taken eight years to create and it's you know,

244
00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,760
Speaker 2: it's going to take some time to make sure we

245
00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,120
Speaker 2: can get the right measures in place. But I mean

246
00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:43,439
Speaker 2: right now, we've demonstrated that we were acting very quickly.

247
00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,200
Speaker 2: We came to Parliament in those first two weeks, like

248
00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,040
Speaker 2: we promised Terra Turrency would, and like they expect that,

249
00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,679
Speaker 2: we passed a rust of laws to ensure that community

250
00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,679
Speaker 2: safety is the number one priority and to try and

251
00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,040
Speaker 2: make these changes. And then of course the court systems

252
00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,400
Speaker 2: that you know help. We're through the system to have

253
00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:03,719
Speaker 2: justice for victims. I mean, that's why we're giving the

254
00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,880
Speaker 2: one million dollars extra of legal aid funding because those

255
00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:12,080
Speaker 2: criminal caseloads absolutely need to be dealt with, and unfortunately

256
00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,760
Speaker 2: it took a long time eight years to now come

257
00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:17,680
Speaker 2: to a new government to start to look at the

258
00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:18,560
Speaker 2: steps to resolve it.

259
00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,600
Speaker 1: Well, Marie Claire Boothby, you are going to be a

260
00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,280
Speaker 1: very busy woman, there is no doubt about that. I

261
00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,360
Speaker 1: really appreciate you taking the time to have a chat

262
00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,520
Speaker 1: with us this morning, and we'll talk to you again

263
00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:30,080
Speaker 1: very soon.

264
00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,680
Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie, and thank you, thanks so much.