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Katie Woolf spoke with Senator Sam McMahon · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: The Senator for the Northern Territory, Doctor Sam McMahon, Good
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: morning to you.
• 0:04
  Speaker 2: Good morning, Katie, and good morning to you listeners.
• 0:07
  Speaker 3: Now, Senator, firstly, some good news.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Yesterday we did catch up with the Federal Minister Dan
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: teen and spoke further about about these new agricultural visas. Senator,
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: how soon do you anticipate that they're going to come
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: into action and they'll be able to be utilized.
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, Cadie, it will be before the end of
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: the year. Obviously as soon as we can possibly get
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: it in place, but definitely before the end of this year.
• 0:34
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: That is good to hear because I know that we've
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: we spoke to Luke Gosling a little bit earlier this
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  Speaker 1: morning and he was unsure when we asked Dantie, and
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: yesterday he said as quickly as possible. So that is
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: great to hear that before the end of the year
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: they are going to come into play.
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: I guess you know.
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  Speaker 1: In the meantime, as you and I have discussed on
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: a number of occasions, we've got this real issue at
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  Speaker 1: the moment when it comes to the workforce shortage for
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  Speaker 1: our farmers.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, o, Katie, Look the announcement of this visa is
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  Speaker 2: going to be an absolute game changer. It's going to
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  Speaker 2: revolutionize things for Northern Territory agriculture. This is something that
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  Speaker 2: the CLP has been has had as a policy for
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  Speaker 2: quite some time. This is something that I've been pushing
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  Speaker 2: down here in canber for the last two years. To
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  Speaker 2: have it announced is absolutely fantastic. It will absolutely revolutionize
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: the access to workforce for our farmers and producers. Look
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  Speaker 2: in the meantime, in the short terms, we still have
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: access to the seasonal worker program, which I'm working on.
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  Speaker 2: We've Minister a little proud to make sure that we
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: get as many of the seasonal workers across to the
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: NT for the mango season.
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  Speaker 1: But the problem at the moment is that we need
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  Speaker 1: a facility, or we need somewhere for them to be
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  Speaker 1: able to quarantine.
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: Again. You and I have discussed this on a few occasions. Senator,
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: where are we at? Because I'm a little bit confused.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, if you listen to labor, they're saying that
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: the Feds aren't working soon.
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  Speaker 3: Enough or fast enough.
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  Speaker 1: You know, when I spoke to NT farmers, they had
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: said that they're waiting for that sign off from the
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: federal government.
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  Speaker 3: But I guess at this point.
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  Speaker 1: In time, we just need everybody to work together to
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: make it happen.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, we do. Look, there's a couple of issues. Firstly,
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  Speaker 2: we have put in place, from a federal perspective, the
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  Speaker 2: capacity to have workers quarantine in their countries and then
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  Speaker 2: come and go on to farm, so they will have
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: already quarantined at home, they can come out here, they
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: can go straight onto the farm and start working. Now,
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  Speaker 2: unfortunately that Northern Territory government hasn't actually signed up to
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: make use of that scheme, so at this stage the
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  Speaker 2: Northern Territory Government is saying, no, we're not going to
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  Speaker 2: do that. We still want them to come here and
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: quarantine for two weeks before going out onto the farm.
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  Speaker 2: So one of the other things I've been pushing is well,
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  Speaker 2: can they do quarantine on farm in the Northern Territory Now,
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  Speaker 2: so far the MTG has approved that for one particular
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  Speaker 2: farm and some of them are We're only one farm,
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  Speaker 2: so yes, there's a couple of solutions there. But quarantine
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  Speaker 2: is a function of the Northern Territory Government and the
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  Speaker 2: cho and you know, if they allow it, then yes,
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  Speaker 2: federally We're more than happy for those workers to come in.
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: We want them to come in, we need them to
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  Speaker 2: come in.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, I think that that is that's obviously great news
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  Speaker 1: that on one of those farms here in the Northern
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  Speaker 1: Territory that's going to be able to happen. I take
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  Speaker 1: what you're saying there about that quarantining at home in
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  Speaker 1: their countries and then coming across. But I can still
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  Speaker 1: see how some territories might be a little bit worried
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  Speaker 1: about that. The other option is indeed Bladan Point. Where
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: are we at with this option?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, I've been talking about Bladen Village for a
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  Speaker 2: long time now. It's a superb facility. It's equal, if
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  Speaker 2: not better than Howard Springs. Unfortunately, the Chief Minister does
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: not support the use of Bladon Village at this point
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  Speaker 2: in time. I'm not sure why. I'm at a complete
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  Speaker 2: loss is to explain why. It's a purpose built facility
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  Speaker 2: that would be perfect. So I'm hoping that the MTG
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  Speaker 2: and the Chief Minister and the Cocho will change their
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  Speaker 2: stance on this and will allow allow our agricultural workers,
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: our seasonal workers to come in and use that facility.
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: All Right, I've got to say, I'm confused because obviously
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  Speaker 1: Luke Gosling is saying that it's a federal government that's
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: holding things up. You're telling me that it's the Chief
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  Speaker 1: Minister out and the Northern Territory Chief Health officer. I
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  Speaker 1: know though when the Prime Minister Scott Morrison was here,
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  Speaker 1: he did sort of flag this proposal was in the
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  Speaker 1: works between the federal and Northern Territory governments to use
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  Speaker 1: Blade Village as a quarantine facility to help deal with
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  Speaker 1: that agricultural work shortage. As we know, that facility can
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  Speaker 1: accommodate fourteen hundred people at a time. So I mean,
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  Speaker 1: are we just like, are we at a point now
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  Speaker 1: where where you know the conversation is broken down or
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  Speaker 1: where are we at here?
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  Speaker 2: Well, as you're aware, when the PM was in your
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  Speaker 2: studio he was open to using that facility and he
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: has since come out publicly and said that he's quite
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: open to that facility. So I can guarantee to you
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  Speaker 2: that federally we're happy for the NTG to use that
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  Speaker 2: facility for quarantine. I mean we've given them half a
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  Speaker 2: billion dollars for quarantine, so we are more than happy
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  Speaker 2: for them to bring as many people in as they
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  Speaker 2: possibly can. So it's definitely not it's not a federal issue.
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  Speaker 2: I don't know why Luke would say that. I really don't. Well,
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  Speaker 2: So it's definitely up to the Energy it's their decision.
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  Speaker 3: Okay.
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  Speaker 1: So apparently there is this proposal that's been put forward, obviously.
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  Speaker 3: I believe by the industry and.
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  Speaker 1: Also by a medical group who would be able to
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  Speaker 1: then utilize that Bladon village. You know, I guess all
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  Speaker 1: I'm thinking is, at this point in time, we know
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  Speaker 1: and you know this better than I. You've been speaking
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: to two NT farmers for quite some time, but we
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: are literally getting to the pointy end of the mango season.
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  Speaker 1: So I'm just thinking, how do we try to make
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: this work for our Northern Territory farmers so we do
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: not have those mangoes go to waste. Yeah.
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, it's one of my top priorities. Katie and I
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: talk to Minister a Little Proud on a daily basis,
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  Speaker 2: and this time a year, it always turns to mangoes
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: and the seasonal workforce and I'm doing everything I can,
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: and from a federal perspective, Minister a Little Proud is
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: doing everything he can to get the workers in that
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  Speaker 2: we need. I mean, nobody wants to see mangoes rotting
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: on the ground. Nobody wants that. We just need and look,
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: I'm sure the Chief Minister doesn't want that either. So
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: we just need this quarantine issue to be resolved federally.
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: We're happy for them to come in. We're more than happy.
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  Speaker 2: We just need the MTG to approve either on farm
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  Speaker 2: quarantine in country of origin quarantine or use of either
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: how it springs or blade in village. Look, I don't
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  Speaker 2: really care which it is, just so long as they
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: approve something for the seasonal worker program.
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  Speaker 1: Senator what is your message today for the Northern Territory Government.
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  Speaker 1: I mean I would imagine that you know you're prepared
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  Speaker 1: to work with them to try to make this happen.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, my message is, please please talk to me.
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  Speaker 2: We need to get a quarantine option for the seasonal
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  Speaker 2: workers and I'll do what ever I need to do
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: to make that happen. So if there's any issues that
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: the MTG has, please talk to me. I will I
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: will work with you. I will make it happen.
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  Speaker 1: Senator Sam McMahon, I really appreciate you taking the time
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  Speaker 1: tab a chat with us this morning at very short notice.
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  Speaker 3: I know you're very busy.
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: Thank you very much, No worries, Katie, pleasure as always.
• 8:22
  Speaker 3: Thank you.
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: That is the Senator for the Northern Territory, the COLP
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  Speaker 1: Senator Sam McMahon there, and yeah, look, I really hope
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  Speaker 1: that we're able to come to some kind of agreement here.
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: As you've heard there, we're both from Labor's Luke Gosling
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  Speaker 1: and also the Senator for the Northern Territory, the CLP
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  Speaker 1: Senator Sam McMahon.
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  Speaker 3: Everybody wants the same outcome here.
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  Speaker 1: Everybody wants us to be in a situation where our
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  Speaker 1: mangoes do not go to waste, where we have got
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  Speaker 1: the pickers and packers required to fill what is an
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  Speaker 1: acute worker shortage right now in this space.
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  Speaker 3: So we need to make this happen.
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  Speaker 1: Where the blade and village is the answer, where the
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  Speaker 1: quarrelarantining at their home in their country is the answer,
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: or whether the answer is to allow that quarantining on
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  Speaker 1: farms here in the territory, I really don't know, and
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  Speaker 1: I'm not an expert when it comes to the health
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  Speaker 1: profession and when it comes to the best ways in
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  Speaker 1: which to quarantine. But what I do hope happens is
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  Speaker 1: that we're able to get an outcome before those mangoes
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  Speaker 1: are due to be picked, because as we've heard over
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: recent weeks, we know that this is an industry which
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: brings in a lot of money to the Northern Territory,
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  Speaker 1: but we're also talking about local business and territorians here
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  Speaker 1: and making sure that there is an outcome for those
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: territorians where this fruit doesn't go to waste.