Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Matt Hepworth spoke with Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Ireland

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Matt Hepworth spoke with Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Ireland · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hello, Katie Wolf and three point sixty online at Mix
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: one O four nine dot com. You Matt Hapworth's filling
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: in for Katie Wolf this morning. We know last night
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: in Parliament we saw on the gunn of Government reject
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: the Opposition's proposed changes to youth bail laws. It comes
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: despite pleas from the community and industry groups. One of
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: those industry groups was the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce,
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: and joining me on the line now is their CEO,
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: Greg Island.
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: Good morning, Greg, Good morning Matt, And I told Katie's
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: feeling better soon.
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: Yes, yes, she's resting up, so hopefully she'll be back
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: with us again tomorrow. Greg. I know the Chamber likes
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: to remain pretty apolitical, but a big call earlier in
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: the week calling on the government to support this bill
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: put forward by the opposition. Why did you guys do that?
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, man, it's really not a political player in
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: any way, shape or form. We're getting strong feedback from
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: our members, particularly in the southern regions, that this crime
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: is just a major issue that is really crippling to them,
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: so we're supportive of any potential measure that would accelerate
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: some control in that space, So we were keen to
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: have both parties communicate with each other and get the
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: best outcome for the community.
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: What's your reaction now, given the government chose not to
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: support it last night.
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I've got to admit, madam, I'm not a lawyer
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: and I'm not full bottle on all of the processes
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: and procedures, and I think there's a lot of procedural
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: matters that hamstrung those conversations. But I just don't see
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: any cooperation between either party even in what's trying to
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: support the best outcomes of the community. So I would
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: just like to see some progress made in a positive light.
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: We're fully supportive of the gunn of Government's methods that
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: they're putting in place. Equally, we would like to see
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: them accelerated through early adoptional legislation. So best outcome for
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: the community is what we're chasing.
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: Great, you touched on it before, but just how big
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: a problem is crime for members of the chamber, particularly
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: those in our springs At the moment.
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: It's literally all we talk about down there, man, at
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: the moment. I was down there a few weeks ago
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: witness some very unpleasant behavior. Myself communicated with our members
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: and literally dominates the conversation. People are afraid when they
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: go home at night, what sort of damage is going
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: to be to their property. Only yesterday morning we got
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: to the Chamber Office to find windows smashed in our springs.
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: It's impacting on us directly ourselves.
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: The governments say they're working on their own legislation in
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: this space, but they've flagged that that won't at least
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: be addressed until May. Particularly it might if you hit
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: Parliament until August. Do you think that's too little too late?
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: I think it's absolutely a step in the right direction.
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: And as I said before, I really don't have a
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: full understanding of the processes required. I would just like
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: to see that in place as soon as practically possible.
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: Just finally, Greg, we know job Keeper is set to
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: end on Sunday. What kind of effect is this going
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: to have on territory businesses.
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: Well, there are a number of territory businesses still reliant
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: on job Keeper and that is absolutely going to hurt.
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: You know, We've got.
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: Messaging out there in the community that the business needs
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: more staff. So therefore, if there are impacted businesses, I
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: hope those people can move directly into roles that are
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: vacant at the moment, but we are expecting some damage,
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: particularly around the tourism sector.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean obviously that is certainly the one that
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: that's going to be hardest hit, given our international borders
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: are still closed. I know a lot of businesses in
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: far North Queensland, those tourism businesses have been lobbying the
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: government really hard, the federal government if at the end
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: of Job Keeper they could perhaps put in some kind
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: of subsidy for that industry instead. Have you had any
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: word or knowledge that the government's looking at that or
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: are we really looking at the edge of a cliff
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: face for everyone on Sunday.
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: Oh, I haven't heard any whispers of any relief. I'm
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: monthfully expecting the payment to stop, and there is no
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: real attitude appetite I should say to extend it in
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: any way, shape or form. For what I can tell, it's.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: Going to be a tough few weeks ahead, both when
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: we talk about crime and the end of Job Keeper.
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: All the best to you and the Chamber. Greg, Thank
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: you so much for your time this morning.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: Jeers Man, I have a great day.