Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Senator for the Northern Territory Jacinta Price has called the NT and Federal Labor Government's out for putting indigenous communities in a vulnerable position

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Senator for the Northern Territory Jacinta Price has called the NT and Federal Labor Government's out for putting indigenous communities in a vulnerable position · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: But we know that there has certainly been a lot
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: happening in Canberra in recent days and weeks following on
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  Speaker 1: from the federal election, and last week all eyes were
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  Speaker 1: on the federal government as they were announcing their portfolios
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  Speaker 1: for different ministers. Then yesterday we obviously heard those shadow
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  Speaker 1: portfolios announced. But joining us on the phone for the
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  Speaker 1: first time since becoming the newest Senator for the Northern Territory,
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  Speaker 1: it is the Coorp Senator.
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  Speaker 2: Just enter Price, Good morning to you.
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  Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, thanks for having me and a.
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  Speaker 1: Big congratulations on becoming the Senator of the Northern Territory.
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  Speaker 2: You must have been pretty pleased when it all happened.
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  Speaker 3: Look, it's been a long time coming, I think, but
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  Speaker 3: it's still certainly thinking in no understanding that I've actually
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  Speaker 3: landed the role, but very much looking forward to the
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  Speaker 3: enormous work ahead.
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  Speaker 2: What have been those first steps?
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  Speaker 1: Have you been down in Canberra and you know, what
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  Speaker 1: have your sort of had to do over the last
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  Speaker 1: week or so?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, So I spent a day in Canberra last week.
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  Speaker 3: It was our first party room meeting determining who would
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  Speaker 3: be the leader of the Nationals going forward, and you know,
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  Speaker 3: just sort of acquainting myself with some of the processes
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  Speaker 3: and steadily now just understanding what's all involved and with
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  Speaker 3: running an office and all those sorts of things. So
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  Speaker 3: that's what that's what's going on at the moment. Now.
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  Speaker 1: I know that Peter Dutton and also David little Proud
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  Speaker 1: obviously announced over the last few days those different shadow portfolios.
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  Speaker 1: I know there'd been some criticism in the media yesterday
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  Speaker 1: that new South Wales Liberal MP Julian Lisa, I believe
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  Speaker 1: is how you pronounce his surname, becomes the Shadow Attorney
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  Speaker 1: General and also the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.
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  Speaker 2: Lots of people questioning why you.
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  Speaker 1: Weren't named as the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, sure, I mean, I think it's an absolute privilege
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  Speaker 3: to be able to hold a portfolio, most definitely, And
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  Speaker 3: I'm also very aware that I'm very new to the
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  Speaker 3: position itself, and I know Julian's work over the years
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  Speaker 3: has been consistent. He's been a very dedicated Liberal MP
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  Speaker 3: for many many years and I've appreciated the work that
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  Speaker 3: he has done and the connections that he has within
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  Speaker 3: the Indigenous community. So look, I think He's a great
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  Speaker 3: person for the portfolio and for myself, I really need
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  Speaker 3: to be able to learn more about the entirety of
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  Speaker 3: the job itself. There's plenty of committee work that I
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  Speaker 3: can certainly get involved with, and there's no doubt at
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  Speaker 3: all that I will be very much involved in a
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  Speaker 3: lot of issues across the board. For Territorians most definitely,
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  Speaker 3: and certainly for Indigenous Australians. Everyone knows that I'm not
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  Speaker 3: one to sit back be quiet. I do like to
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  Speaker 3: get very involved and I'll be working certainly very closely
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  Speaker 3: with Julian and many others within the Coalition and across
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  Speaker 3: across the bench as well. Iro envision. There's some really
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  Speaker 3: important work to get done and that's what I plan
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  Speaker 3: on being able to do being involved with that hard work.
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  Speaker 2: Now.
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  Speaker 1: I know some of that incredibly important work does come
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  Speaker 1: down to the issues of violence that we've got around
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  Speaker 1: the Northern Territory, specifically with Indigenous women being targeted when
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  Speaker 1: it comes to that violence and it is being reported
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  Speaker 1: or It was reported over the weekend in an interview
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  Speaker 1: with The Weekend Australian that the Northern Territory Supreme Court
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  Speaker 1: Judge Judith Kelly had said that problems were so severe
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  Speaker 1: that in some cases women who'd tried to escape that
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  Speaker 1: violence had been effectively kidnapped and dragged into tiny out
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  Speaker 1: stations to face beatings of rape. Just into this is
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  Speaker 1: something you know, These issues with domestic violence and violence,
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  Speaker 1: something that you've spoken about on numerous occasions. I'm assuming
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  Speaker 1: that you saw that interview that had been done with
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  Speaker 1: the Weekend Australian, and I'm guessing that you probably weren't
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  Speaker 1: overly surprised by what she'd seen.
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  Speaker 3: No, I mean, you know, I'm acutely aware of all
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  Speaker 3: these sorts of circumstances. I've known about these things all
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  Speaker 3: my life and have been obviously very vocal about them
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  Speaker 3: for many number of years, and try to really highlight
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  Speaker 3: it nationally so the rest of Australia can understand exactly
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  Speaker 3: what goes on within communities that are largely out of sight,
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  Speaker 3: out of mind, because people just can't seem to wrap
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  Speaker 3: their heads around what actually goes on in these communities,
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  Speaker 3: whereas those of us who have lived it and seen
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  Speaker 3: it and very much know that our own family members
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  Speaker 3: have been very much a part of it for so long.
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  Speaker 3: For me, I want to ensure that we have the
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  Speaker 3: right narratives going forward. I just don't believe we have
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  Speaker 3: provided the opportunity to have realistic conversations and debate about
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  Speaker 3: what are some of the causes of the violence in
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  Speaker 3: order to actually really help victims out in these communities.
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  Speaker 3: And I plan on bringing that home, particularly in Parliament.
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  Speaker 3: If I have to be confrontational with these issues, that's
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  Speaker 3: what I will do. If I have to bring in
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  Speaker 3: victims of this violence into Parliament House so they can
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  Speaker 3: be heard firsthand, that's what I will do. And look
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  Speaker 3: measures like the Voice to Parliament, I don't necessarily believe
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  Speaker 3: that they're going to be the right way to make
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  Speaker 3: these changes because the whole process towards this idea of
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  Speaker 3: a voice is largely ignored, the sorts of voices that
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  Speaker 3: Judith Kelly certainly talks about.
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  Speaker 1: So how do you reckon this narrative needs to change
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  Speaker 1: and how do you think that you could play a part?
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  Speaker 1: Obviously now well as the Senator full the territory, Well,
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  Speaker 1: I think.
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  Speaker 3: It comes down to who's responsible. I mean, the perpetrators
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  Speaker 3: are responsible for their actions, and we've seen the narrative
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  Speaker 3: being played out for so long that there's excuses been made,
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  Speaker 3: but you know, it's because of colonization, It's because people
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  Speaker 3: have been dispossessed with their land. It's all these arguments
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  Speaker 3: that suggests is why we've got these rates of violence
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  Speaker 3: and perpetrated against Indigenous people. Whereas I would argue and
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  Speaker 3: having understanding my own culture to begin with, and understanding
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  Speaker 3: those that still live by traditional culture, that traditional culture
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  Speaker 3: that plays a huge role in the acceptance of violence
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  Speaker 3: within communities. And if we can't stand up and hold
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  Speaker 3: to account people that were even related to with regard
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  Speaker 3: to the violence that's been meted out, how can we
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  Speaker 3: begin to actually solve these issues. And it's empowering those
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  Speaker 3: people who are brave enough to stand up and be
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  Speaker 3: honest and be truthful and to hold to account those
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  Speaker 3: who are responsible for the violence. And you know, it's
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  Speaker 3: up to state and territories to apply legislation that actually,
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  Speaker 3: you know, for people who commit these crimes, they need
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  Speaker 3: to do the time without excuses being made for their behaviors.
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  Speaker 3: And there needs to be much more support for victims
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  Speaker 3: going forward as well on protection. They shouldn't have to
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  Speaker 3: flee a community to feel safe. They should be able
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  Speaker 3: to be safe within their own community.
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  Speaker 2: Now Jacindra.
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  Speaker 1: I know that one of the other issues that you've
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  Speaker 1: been quite vocal on in the leading to the federal
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  Speaker 1: election and more generally I think as well, is the
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  Speaker 1: situation that we're in at the moment with alcohol in community.
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  Speaker 1: So I believe it's from a bit later this month
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  Speaker 1: or next month. I will double check that day, but
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  Speaker 1: essentially some of those communities which have been drive for
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  Speaker 1: quite a long period of time are now going to
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  Speaker 1: be able to access alcohol. This is something that you're
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  Speaker 1: pretty worried about.
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  Speaker 3: I'm very, very worried about this, and you know, there
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  Speaker 3: are those that argue that it's paternalistic or it's racist
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  Speaker 3: even to suggest that alcohol shouldn't be allowed out into communities.
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  Speaker 3: You know, if we didn't have the sort of rates
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  Speaker 3: of domestic violence, sexual abuse of children, and stuff like
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  Speaker 3: that in communities, then I'd probably agree with them. But
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  Speaker 3: the fact remains that we do have those extreme rates
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  Speaker 3: out in communities, and alcohol only, you know, increases those rates,
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  Speaker 3: and that is what will happen. Like you can guarantee,
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  Speaker 3: I'm not going to suggest that it might happen. It
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  Speaker 3: will be the case that one if the Catalyst debit
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  Speaker 3: card is abolished, and two easy access to alcohol out
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  Speaker 3: in communities. We're going to see a return to what
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  Speaker 3: we used to have prior to the intervention, skyrocketing rates
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  Speaker 3: of DV homicide and sexual abuse of children. And we've
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  Speaker 3: already got horribly critical rates and it's only going to increase.
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  Speaker 3: And I'm just absolutely gobsmacked that this argument that you
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  Speaker 3: know that's something like a cashless debit card is the meaning. Well,
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  Speaker 3: it's bloody well demeaning to understand that we have the
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  Speaker 3: highest rate of sdis amongst our children. That is far
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  Speaker 3: more demeaning than having to use a cashless debit card
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  Speaker 3: which quarantines your welfare, which is provided to you by
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  Speaker 3: the taxpayer. And it's only supposed to be a measure
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  Speaker 3: until you can get on your own two feet and
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  Speaker 3: have a job, and then you can do what you
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  Speaker 3: want with your own money. But it's also a protection
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  Speaker 3: for victims. I know many Aboriginal women who who were
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  Speaker 3: really scared that the card was going to be abolished,
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  Speaker 3: the Basics Card and all the cashless debit cards, because
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  Speaker 3: they can quarantine their income to ensure that they can
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  Speaker 3: feed their children without their drunken husband demanding access to
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  Speaker 3: their welfare. Payments and that's what it was about. Another
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  Speaker 3: protective measure, So labor effectively stripping away all protect and
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  Speaker 3: allowing the alcohol back into communities, and it is going
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  Speaker 3: to be disastrous. I would hope that Linda Burney would
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  Speaker 3: seriously ensure that the new futures legislation, Stronger Futures legislation,
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  Speaker 3: is maintained for at least another twelve months while the
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  Speaker 3: territory government does what it's supposed to do and consult
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  Speaker 3: with communities about what it might look like. Certainly those
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  Speaker 3: communities who should have social.
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  Speaker 1: Clubs center there will be people listening this morning thinking
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  Speaker 1: to themselves, well, if that, you know, if that Stronger
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  Speaker 1: Futures legislation should be extended, then why didn't Scott Morrison
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  Speaker 1: and the former government do that.
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  Speaker 3: Well. I think it was something certainly that would have
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  Speaker 3: been considered after this, after the federal election going forward.
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  Speaker 3: I mean, I can't see why this current government can't
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  Speaker 3: do that, or that the Territory government, because they are
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  Speaker 3: responsible for the Northern Territory, didn't opt for that and
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  Speaker 3: or carry out the sorts of consultations that they're supposed
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  Speaker 3: to have within the three years. Knowing that it was
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  Speaker 3: coming to an end. Why they didn't get out into
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  Speaker 3: communities and have the conversations as to okay, if you
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  Speaker 3: want alcohol in your community and you want it responsibly,
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  Speaker 3: what does that look like? Is that something you do
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  Speaker 3: want and how can we go about implementing that? And
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  Speaker 3: for those communities who just really do not want alcohol,
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  Speaker 3: well then what what do you want that to look like?
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  Speaker 3: You know, they didn't take any of those steps whatsoever.
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  Speaker 3: And now we're within the situation that we've got.
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  Speaker 2: Well, it's going to be it is.
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  Speaker 1: It's certainly going to be one to watch, there is
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  Speaker 1: no doubt about that. But from your perspective, you reckon
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  Speaker 1: that that the new Albanzi government really needs to look
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  Speaker 1: at extending that Stronger Future's legislation.
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely, and these are the measures that are far more
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  Speaker 3: important than they feel good, you know, voice to Parliament,
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  Speaker 3: you know Ularu statement or all those, all those things
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  Speaker 3: that they haven't provided an outline, a clear indication of
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  Speaker 3: how any of those measures are in fact going to
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  Speaker 3: improve anybody's lives. I mean, on one hand, they say
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  Speaker 3: the cashlest debbit card hasn't improved circumstances, and yet they
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  Speaker 3: want to apply something that hasn't been tested or proven,
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  Speaker 3: and change our constitution, which I don't feel is broken
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  Speaker 3: in any way, and divide our country on the lines
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  Speaker 3: of race. We need to think in terms of practical policy,
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  Speaker 3: not feel good measures that allows for people in those
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  Speaker 3: positions to pat themselves on the back and say, look,
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  Speaker 3: I'm so good, I did this for Aboriginal people, but achieve.
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  Speaker 1: Nothing in the end, Well, just enterprise the Northern Territories.
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  Speaker 1: Newest Senator, we are going to have to leave it there.
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  Speaker 1: Good to speak with you this morning. Thank you for your.
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  Speaker 3: Time, Thanks for having me Katie.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you