Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Matt Hepworth spoke with Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison

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Matt Hepworth spoke with Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Well, the Deputy Chief Minister, Nicle Madison has been traveling
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  Speaker 1: the territory with a promise to cut red tape and
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  Speaker 1: long approval delays as well as get new job creating
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  Speaker 1: projects off the ground. She joins me on the line. Now,
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  Speaker 1: good morning to Cole Madison. Good morning, Maddie Minister. It
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  Speaker 1: sounds like you've been on a bit of a travel
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  Speaker 1: blitz across the Northern Territory. What's the feedback been like.
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  Speaker 2: Well, I have been on a travel blitz because I
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  Speaker 2: think it's really important that you get out and you
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  Speaker 2: meet as many people as you can in your new
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  Speaker 2: portfolios to get a really good feel for the opportunities
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  Speaker 2: that they present. And so I've been up and down
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  Speaker 2: across the territory. I've met with people on stations. I've
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  Speaker 2: gone out to farms to see some amazing products that
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  Speaker 2: are grown right out of here in the territory, including
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  Speaker 2: watermelons in the desert, and of course our world class
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  Speaker 2: mango industry, and certainly have gone out and seen the
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  Speaker 2: gas exploration happening too. It's been wonderful, but the message
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  Speaker 2: has come back loud and clear that industry wants to
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  Speaker 2: have a government that's in there behind them to help
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  Speaker 2: them expand and to grow what they've already got, and
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  Speaker 2: also people wanting opportunities to be able to come in
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  Speaker 2: and invest in the Northern Territory and making sure that
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  Speaker 2: that journey as easy as possible and that they've got
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  Speaker 2: a government with the door that's open to do business
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  Speaker 2: and to support them.
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  Speaker 1: As I mentioned, there was a report in the NT
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  Speaker 1: News yesterday that your trip came with this promise to
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  Speaker 1: cut red tape and those long approval delays. How exactly
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  Speaker 1: is the government going to do that.
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  Speaker 2: Well, we've already embarked on this body of work. We've
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  Speaker 2: had the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission also looking at ways
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  Speaker 2: that we can be more efficient when it comes to
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  Speaker 2: government processes. And I think we've all seen this year
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  Speaker 2: in twenty twenty, what a year it's been, but we
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  Speaker 2: have seen just how fast and agile government can be.
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  Speaker 2: So we want to keep that momentum going. So my
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  Speaker 2: job we'll be making sure that we do have a
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  Speaker 2: look at some of those those issues to do with
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  Speaker 2: regulation when it's to projects and making sure that there's
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  Speaker 2: world class and that the investment journey is as smooth
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  Speaker 2: and as easy as possible here in the Northern Territory,
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  Speaker 2: and that we do have the best approvals processes so
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  Speaker 2: investors and project proponents know that they have got certainty
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  Speaker 2: when it comes to the timelines of getting their projects up.
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  Speaker 1: You've picked up some big portfolios following the recent cabinet
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  Speaker 1: reshuffle that includes the Minister for Mining and Industry. Now
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  Speaker 1: that's an industry that's long criticized the government for a
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  Speaker 1: long approvals process. What practical steps will the government put
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  Speaker 1: in place to streamline that approvals process in the mining sector.
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  Speaker 2: Well, again, making sure that we do have the best
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  Speaker 2: regulation in the world, so we're making sure that we
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  Speaker 2: do have very competitive regulations, so we're looking at that
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  Speaker 2: and also when you have a look at some of
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  Speaker 2: the other reforms we've embarked on, for example, the environmental reform,
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  Speaker 2: which is an important part of approvals processes because yes,
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  Speaker 2: we want economic development, but we've got to make sure
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  Speaker 2: that it's sustainable economic development. So we're actually going through
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  Speaker 2: a reform process there which also is about cutting red
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  Speaker 2: tape and making sure that we have more certainty with
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  Speaker 2: a modern Environmental Protection Act. So that's some of the
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  Speaker 2: reform work we've done, which is not actually about making
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  Speaker 2: things harder. It's about making things more efficient and making
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  Speaker 2: sure that Okay, if something is low risk, then there
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  Speaker 2: is less paperwork around it, but if something is high risk,
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  Speaker 2: then we expect people to do the work around it.
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  Speaker 2: So we're making sure we have modern, contemporary legislation in
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  Speaker 2: place so we can get more projects out of the
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  Speaker 2: ground sooner and make that journey easier for these project proponents.
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  Speaker 1: You've also picked up the portfolio for defense industries. That's
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  Speaker 1: another industry that provides a significant chunk called boost to
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  Speaker 1: the Northern Territory economy. What projects are on the horizon.
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  Speaker 2: There, Well, this is a really important portfolio area, and
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  Speaker 2: my job is to make sure that when defense come
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  Speaker 2: in and invest money in the Northern Territory that actually
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  Speaker 2: flows through to local businesses and it doesn't go to
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  Speaker 2: interstate companies or overseas companies. It's about making sure that
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  Speaker 2: they understand that we actually have all the business capability
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  Speaker 2: here in the Northern Territory to deliver those big projects
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  Speaker 2: such as the upgrades that we're seeing out at Tyndal,
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  Speaker 2: some of the upgrades that we're seeing of course out
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  Speaker 2: here at Kuna woras So we've got the Defense White Paper.
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  Speaker 2: It's a big investment of about twenty billion dollars over
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  Speaker 2: twenty years. Our job is to make sure that we
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  Speaker 2: continue to lobby the Commonwealth to make sure that they
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  Speaker 2: do invest in the territory. We are an incredibly important
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  Speaker 2: location to the national security interests of Australia and so
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  Speaker 2: it's important to make sure that they do bring the
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  Speaker 2: investment up here. Because don't kid yourself, Maddie, we've got
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  Speaker 2: other jurisdictions that will fight tooth and nail to get
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  Speaker 2: defense investment over us. I think we've all for example,
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  Speaker 2: what happened in South Australia a few years ago with
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  Speaker 2: the Submarines. We don't have as many votes here in
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  Speaker 2: the territory when it comes to seats in Parliament, but
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  Speaker 2: we do have a very important strategic defense location. So
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  Speaker 2: we will continue to advocate for defense investment here in
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  Speaker 2: the territory. And like I said, my job is to
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  Speaker 2: make sure that that work when it comes through from defense,
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  Speaker 2: that we make sure that it goes through and flows
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  Speaker 2: through to local businesses. Because the Master Builders Association, the
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  Speaker 2: Chamber of Commerce that aiden the defense industry network here,
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  Speaker 2: they've done a great job advocating to have those big
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  Speaker 2: defense packages broken down into smaller pieces so they flow
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  Speaker 2: through to local businesses. And we've got to keep that
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  Speaker 2: momentum going because traditionally in the past they would go
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  Speaker 2: to big national companies and some of our locals would
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  Speaker 2: miss out on that local work.
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  Speaker 1: Minister, you were quote it in the Anti News yesterday
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  Speaker 1: as saying the Chief Minister has been very clear that
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  Speaker 1: we expect our public service to keep a strong level
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  Speaker 1: of agility moving forward coronavirus environment we're working in, we
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  Speaker 1: want a very customer focused public sector. What role does
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  Speaker 1: the public sector play in this grand scheme of things
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  Speaker 1: when we're talking about streamlining the approvals process and cutting
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  Speaker 1: red tape, they.
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  Speaker 2: Are central to it. We need to make sure that
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  Speaker 2: we have a public sector that is working to make
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  Speaker 2: that these jobs happen and to get these projects up.
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  Speaker 2: So it's about having a can do attitude to make
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  Speaker 2: sure that everybody is on task and understand that they
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  Speaker 2: all have their role to play. If paperwork sits on
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  Speaker 2: their desk for a few extra days and a few
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  Speaker 2: people do that, then that all adds up. So it's
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  Speaker 2: about making sure that everybody knows that part of their
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  Speaker 2: responsibility to serving the Northern Territory and making sure that
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  Speaker 2: everybody wins is making sure everyone does their job as
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  Speaker 2: efficiently and as quickly as possible to make sure we
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  Speaker 2: can get more projects off the ground as quickly as possible.
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  Speaker 2: So this is a time where everybody has stepped up.
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  Speaker 2: In twenty twenty, our public sector have been absolutely fantastic.
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  Speaker 2: But we've got to keep that momentum going because if
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  Speaker 2: we don't, it's at the cost of jobs. And right now,
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  Speaker 2: we want to make sure that we are the most
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  Speaker 2: competitive place in the nation. We are the best place
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  Speaker 2: to come in and do business, and that means we
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  Speaker 2: have a public We need a public service to be
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  Speaker 2: standing side by side with us on this journey and
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  Speaker 2: make sure that they are all doing their jobs to
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  Speaker 2: make sure that they support these projects as well.
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  Speaker 1: Does it mean does it mean that the public sector
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  Speaker 1: needs a reform or even as far as an overhaul.
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  Speaker 2: Well, I think what everybody's seen this year is that
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  Speaker 2: when they've been asked to do things in a very
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  Speaker 2: short amount of time, that they've scene that they can.
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  Speaker 2: So we're going to be doing a lot of work
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  Speaker 2: with our public sector around looking at customer service around
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  Speaker 2: that culture of customer service delivery and making sure that
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  Speaker 2: we've got the right systems in place to help them
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  Speaker 2: do their jobs. Because they want to help people. That's
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  Speaker 2: why they are in the public service. They love serving
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  Speaker 2: the Northern Territory and doing their job there. But you know,
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  Speaker 2: we've got to make sure we've got the right legislation,
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  Speaker 2: the right regulation around them, but also that we're supporting them.
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  Speaker 2: So they're very clear on understanding our expectations that right
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  Speaker 2: now is a time where we need to support as
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  Speaker 2: many projects to get more jobs up and running and
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  Speaker 2: more projects up and running across the territory. So we
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  Speaker 2: need them to be doing their job with like I said,
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  Speaker 2: great agility and very customer service focused.
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  Speaker 1: Can I move on to another portfolio, that's international education,
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  Speaker 1: as I understand that there's been a delay to the
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  Speaker 1: first cohort of international students returning to Darwin. When are
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  Speaker 1: they expected to arrive now towards.
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  Speaker 2: The end of November. I met with CDU yesterday. They
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  Speaker 2: are really working hard to make sure that they secure
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  Speaker 2: those students. We are very fortunate here in the Northern
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  Speaker 2: Territory to have been allowed to do a trial of
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  Speaker 2: international students coming in and so we want to make
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  Speaker 2: sure that this is a real success because more international
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  Speaker 2: students here are in Darwin and the Northern Territory. We've
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  Speaker 2: got campuses in ol Springs as well. It's really important
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  Speaker 2: because it contributes to the local economy and Maddie, even
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  Speaker 2: though we're in a global recession right now, there are
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  Speaker 2: still jobs out there that need to be filled in
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  Speaker 2: some different sectors out there that often students are some
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  Speaker 2: of the people in that casual workforce that fill those jobs.
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  Speaker 2: And also they're great for our community here. It's really wonderful.
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  Speaker 2: We're a very multicultural community, so you know, I think
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  Speaker 2: having an international student population really adds to the vibrancy
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  Speaker 2: of the Northern Territory.
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  Speaker 1: Just finally, Minister Darwin Council has delayed a decision on
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  Speaker 1: whether to allow the development of an RSL clubhouse on
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  Speaker 1: the Esplanade. It comes following a last minute phone call
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  Speaker 1: from Larachia Elder Billa Worra Lee to Lord Mayor Convat Scalus,
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  Speaker 1: citing the area as one of cultural significance. What did
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  Speaker 1: you make of this and does the anti government support
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  Speaker 1: the RSL building on that site?
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  Speaker 2: To say, it was pretty extraordinary scenes at the council
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  Speaker 2: meeting the other night, and I don't think I've ever
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  Speaker 2: quite seen a line up out the door. It shows
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  Speaker 2: that there is a lot of public interest in this topic.
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  Speaker 2: As government, our position hasn't changed here. We're doing the
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  Speaker 2: State Square redevelopment. We've always said that that car park
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  Speaker 2: should become green space. We think it will actually contribute
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  Speaker 2: to that really important place that it is there. With
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  Speaker 2: the cenotask that it is green space. We take away
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  Speaker 2: another heat generating car park and we think that that
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  Speaker 2: will actually benefit that space and the city. I think
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  Speaker 2: it's really important that we have an RSL. But clearly
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  Speaker 2: our position has not changed with regards to that space.
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  Speaker 2: We've always said it should be green space, it should
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  Speaker 2: contribute to the State Square development, and that's where our
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  Speaker 2: position has not changed.
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  Speaker 1: So if the RSL doesn't end up building there, will
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  Speaker 1: government come in and convert that land, because obviously, whilst
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  Speaker 1: you've floed for green space, it is just a bitumized
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  Speaker 1: car park at the moment.
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  Speaker 2: Council land and that's the job of council to determine that.
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  Speaker 2: But we've always been very keen and we've started the
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  Speaker 2: redevelopment of the State Square with the understanding that that
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  Speaker 2: would be part of the green space. And again part
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  Speaker 2: of the work that we're doing there was to reduce
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  Speaker 2: the heat in the CBD, particularly as we know that
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  Speaker 2: our planet is getting warmer, it's important that we do
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  Speaker 2: tackle issues such as our heat sinks and that's what
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  Speaker 2: we've got in the CBD, so we are reducing it
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  Speaker 2: by removing a lot of that black ash fhalt and
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  Speaker 2: those heat generating car parks and contributing to that State
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  Speaker 2: Square redevelopment. So that's what we were working towards. Clearly
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  Speaker 2: the Council has different views on that and it'll be
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  Speaker 2: interesting to see where they land at this council meeting.
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  Speaker 2: Also important to recognize that even with the Council decision made,
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  Speaker 2: there's still a development process that would have to go
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  Speaker 2: through after that.
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  Speaker 1: The Deputy Chief Minister Nicle Madison. We'll leave it there.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your time this morning.
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  Speaker 2: Thanks Maddie.