Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Minister for Major Events Paul Kirby says he’ll push to ensure the Melbourne Demons and GWS Giants’ clash goes ahead in Alice Springs

Transcript

Minister for Major Events Paul Kirby says he’ll push to ensure the Melbourne Demons and GWS Giants’ clash goes ahead in Alice Springs · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: We know that on Monday, obviously we spoke about the
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: dispute around the footy being played in Alice Springs, taking
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: that step well around the actual AFL game. So obviously
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: the dispute centers around the Central Australian Football League, and
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: we know that the Alice Springstown Council had been in
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: a situation where they had said they no longer supported
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: the Central Australian Football League games happening in Alice Springs
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: due to the very serious issues that they've got around
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: crime and anti social behavior at this point. But then
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: the ABC reported a bit earlier in the week that
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: the AFL has said that it's going to consider pulling
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: the annual Melbourne Demons match from Alice Springs and against
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: the GWS Giants unless the town council reversed their decision
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: to bar community football from Treger Park. So according to
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: that report, there is an email to the council, And
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: then when we spoke to the mayor he did say
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: that yes there was, that there was that letter to
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  Speaker 1: the council and that they're not prepared to be hostage
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: to the AFL and their bullying attitude around this situation. Now,
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: the big point that needs to be made here is
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: that the Northern Territory Government does contribute quite a large
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: amount of money to make sure that this partnership with
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: the AFL and those games go ahead here in the
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: Northern Territory. Now joining me on the line right now
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: is Paul Kirby, who is indeed the Minister for Well
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: Small Business, Employment and Major Events.
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: Good morning to.
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: You, morning Katie, Morning everyone, Thanks so much.
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: For your time this morning. Now, Minister, the AFL games
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: that are played in the Northern Territory, they're part of
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: a paid partnership between the Northern Territory Government and the AFL.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: Has the Council or the AFL approached you about this situation?
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  Speaker 3: They have not under the Major Events banner that mersits
• 1:49
  Speaker 3: under my portfolios. So I want to be really clear
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: in saying note there's been no approach made to me
• 1:58
  Speaker 3: through the Major Events port that I hold, but there's
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: obviously discussions going on at different levels of government and
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: with counsel and with the AFL about exactly how all
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: this progresses.
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: So have the AFL or the City of Valla Springs
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  Speaker 1: Council contacted you or any other minister about this situation
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: and their concerns.
• 2:23
  Speaker 3: Well, I know that the Minister's fir Sport and I
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: know the Chief Ministers people have certainly been in touch.
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: I can't exactly explain to you what those conversations have
• 2:33
  Speaker 3: been because I haven't been in those conversations, but all
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  Speaker 3: I can assure people is that you know, I met
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: with Gary Pert who's the CE, and Kate Roffi the
• 2:43
  Speaker 3: president from the Melbourne Footae Club last year down there.
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: They are absolutely committed. They love what the capacity gives
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: them to do in the Hour Springs area. That I've
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  Speaker 3: got a range of players from and ex players from
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: that Central Australia region and utely love getting to Central Australia.
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: So we know that we'll have support underlying from the
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  Speaker 3: Melbourne Footy Club to want to still do the game.
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: So hopefully we'll be able to negotiate a way through
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: all of the other conditions that aroun our miss to
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: try and make sure that we do get that game
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  Speaker 3: up and running. From a major events perspective.
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: Yeah, well, the thing is the Northern Territory government contributes
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: quite a large amount of money to ensure that this
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: does happen. How much does go towards that deal with
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: the footy clubs to make sure that those games happen
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory.
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: Look, some of those arrangements with individual clubs commercially in confidence.
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  Speaker 3: We give as a Northern Territory government over twenty million
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: dollars to the major Events company and they dissect that
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  Speaker 3: and make those individual deals with the clubs to get
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: them up. But yeah, they're locked in for a few years.
• 3:50
  Speaker 3: That there is absolutely contractual arrangements. And now, as I
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: said the last time that I speak to the Melbourne
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: footay club, they're looking forward to coming up and we'll
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: do everything that we can to ensure that that happens.
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: So are you concerned that you know that the council
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: feels that they are in some way being threatened by
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  Speaker 1: the AFL over this football match and the dispute that
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: continues when it comes to the Central Australian Football League.
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  Speaker 3: Well, negotiations happen in a range of different ways. We
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  Speaker 3: know there's different councilors that have put their hands up
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  Speaker 3: and disagreed with some of the original statements. So you know,
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  Speaker 3: probably not for me to get involved at that level,
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  Speaker 3: but yeah, understand that individual discussions and conversations and consultations
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: can get a bit heier at times, and we'll just
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: try and keep cool heads and work our way through it, Katie.
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: But definitely, you know, in your role as the Minister
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: for Major Events, well within your rights to push for
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  Speaker 1: it to continue on given the fact that the Northern
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  Speaker 1: Territory Government does contribute quite a large amount of money
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: to make sure that these games happen.
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  Speaker 3: Oh and yes we do. And outside of that, we
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  Speaker 3: just know what it brings of the town and what
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: it brings to Central Australia. So absolutely no doubt in
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  Speaker 3: my way we'll be pushing as hard as we can
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  Speaker 3: to make sure that the event goes ahead because you know,
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: down at Parchment a couple of weeks ago, like massive numbers.
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  Speaker 3: I think they have one night that was rained out,
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  Speaker 3: but so that it probably would have been a record
• 5:16
  Speaker 3: equally week or ten days. So it is really great.
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  Speaker 3: We want to see people coming out in our screens.
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  Speaker 3: We want to see those good stories being told. It's
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  Speaker 3: a beautiful time of the year to travel through there,
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  Speaker 3: so we will be doing everything we can and make
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  Speaker 3: sure that it still goes ahead.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, you know, obviously the situation with the Central
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  Speaker 1: Australian Football League. You're not the Minister for Sports, so
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  Speaker 1: you know, so you're not overseeing or you're not you know,
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  Speaker 1: you're not sort of directly involved in that situation. But
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  Speaker 1: obviously the Alice Springstown councilor articulated that they're pretty concerned
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: about the issues with crime and they just want a
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  Speaker 1: bit of a reset for the year, is what they
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  Speaker 1: have told me on the show on numerous occasions. You know,
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  Speaker 1: they're not saying that the Central Australian Football League games
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: are never going to go ahead again, but they just
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  Speaker 1: feel that they need that bit of a reset for
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: this year.
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  Speaker 2: Do you think it's appropriate then that.
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  Speaker 1: That's sort of being used as a tool or a
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  Speaker 1: as a negotiation method then for the AFL game.
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  Speaker 3: Look know, Katie that there's been conversations going on about
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  Speaker 3: AFL facilities out in remote communities for many, many, many years,
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  Speaker 3: so it's not surprising that it's going to come to
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  Speaker 3: a head at some certain stage. We will absolutely be
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  Speaker 3: doing everything that we can to make sure that the
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: game still goes ahead and we get the opportunity to
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: highlight and showcase Alice breeds as we do. So, yeah,
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  Speaker 3: understand that the council have got some concerns. We've all
• 6:39
  Speaker 3: got some concerns and we're all working as hard as
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  Speaker 3: we can. But absolutely activation into that town is one
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  Speaker 3: of the things that I can concentrate on. Has major events.
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  Speaker 3: We just to make sure that our springs continues to progress,
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  Speaker 3: continues to bring money from Downtouth into the town and
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  Speaker 3: into the territory, and we'll be doing everything we can
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  Speaker 3: to make sure that happens.
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: So do you reckon that can still happen.
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  Speaker 1: And even if those Central Australian Football League games don't
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  Speaker 1: go ahead in Alice, I.
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  Speaker 3: Am the ultimate. I'm very very confident. I'm always optimistic,
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  Speaker 3: So yep, I'll keep working to make sure that we
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: give it every opportunity to happen. And understanding there's a
• 7:18
  Speaker 3: range of conversations from different stakeholders that need to happen.
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  Speaker 3: But yep, if I have any say in it, will
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  Speaker 3: be pulling everybody together and negotiating a way to Okay, yeah.
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  Speaker 2: It has to happen. I mean that's at the end
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  Speaker 2: of the day.
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  Speaker 1: There's, like you'd pointed out, there's contractual, great agreements and
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: arrangements in place, So I can't understand how the two
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  Speaker 1: sort of or why the two issues are really getting
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  Speaker 1: blended together. You know, you guys have got a contract
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  Speaker 1: with those footy clubs or major events. Does by the
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: sounds of things, so I can't understand how it wouldn't
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: be able to go ahead.
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: Oh well I can. It's negotiations and people use pressure
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: points that they've got and absolutely having that game in
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  Speaker 3: Central Australia is a really key thing percent Australia and
• 8:00
  Speaker 3: for our springs. We want that to go ahead and
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  Speaker 3: it does create an opportunity to have those discussions then
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  Speaker 3: to bring them to a head.
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  Speaker 2: So you reckon that.
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  Speaker 1: Do you feel as though the AFL are doing the
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: right thing here by using it as a bit of
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  Speaker 1: a tool to try and to force the council's hand.
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  Speaker 3: I haven't had the opportunity to speak with anybody from
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  Speaker 3: the AFL. I will over the next few days to
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  Speaker 3: see exactly what they're concerned, very exactly how we might
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: be able to work through it. There's always compromises that
• 8:28
  Speaker 3: are able to be reached, Katie, and that's what we'll
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: be aiming to do. If there's significant concerns and some
• 8:34
  Speaker 3: gaps on each side of the table, it's a big
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  Speaker 3: part of what we do is try and bring the
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  Speaker 3: two groups together and meet somewhere in the middle and
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  Speaker 3: find a way forward.
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  Speaker 1: Well, it's going to be interesting to see where it lands. Hey,
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  Speaker 1: before I let you go, I understand that those EBAs
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  Speaker 1: for a number of different areas of the public service
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  Speaker 1: are pushing forward. I think the latest was Territory Generation
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  Speaker 1: and Power and Water employees.
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  Speaker 2: Where are things at.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, they are still to be voted up, Katie. It
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  Speaker 3: was a was a long debate and consultation and explanation
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: about what we could do and back and forward. There's
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: been some three percent pay deal that's been put on
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  Speaker 3: the table, that's been costed. There has been some other
• 9:16
  Speaker 3: leave arrangements. The power and water workers and I was
• 9:18
  Speaker 3: still there when that happened lost their six week of
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: annual leave a number of years ago with an explanation
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  Speaker 3: that that was going to happen right across government and
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  Speaker 3: it obviously didn't. So they've been able to bargain to
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  Speaker 3: get that sixth week of leave back from the industry,
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  Speaker 3: allowance improvements and some operational improvements. So it's still to
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  Speaker 3: be voted. But when we've had the police and other
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: people in other unions in this situation where they've given
• 9:44
  Speaker 3: in principal agreement at the table. What the police had
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: their vote the other day almost ninety percent in favor,
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  Speaker 3: So we're confident that the vote will get up once
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  Speaker 3: it's out and explain to Power and Water and Territory
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  Speaker 3: Generation members up and down the track and they get
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  Speaker 3: the opportunity to vote.
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  Speaker 1: So yeah, good, did you just say that the police
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: have had their vote now in ninety percent up, eighty.
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  Speaker 3: Six percent in favor of the vote that sixty nine
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: or almost seventy percent of the eligible people cast vote.
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  Speaker 3: We just got this information over the weekend, Katie, and
• 10:12
  Speaker 3: eighty six percent of people were in favor. So as
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: much as you're at polar opposite when you're negotiating, when
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: you get to that stage of an in principal agreement,
• 10:21
  Speaker 3: which we have met with the unions with Power and
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  Speaker 3: more than Territory Generation, so we're very hopeful, we're very
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: thankful for the unions and all their hard work and
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: the Commissioner of a Public Employment. But once you do
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: get to that stage of in principal agreement where we're
• 10:37
  Speaker 3: really confident teams will progress from here.
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: So with the police at this point in time, by
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: the sounds of it, that's now been that they've had
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: the vote eighty six percent, And so when will their
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: pay rise go through when their pay conditions change.
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: Look, the Police Association, they fall under a slightly different
• 10:55
  Speaker 3: mechanism than the traditional fair work mechanisms that their association
• 10:59
  Speaker 3: will be work working with the commissioners to make sure
• 11:02
  Speaker 3: that all gets drafted up as soon as it's all
• 11:04
  Speaker 3: the final drafting is finished and it can be ratified,
• 11:08
  Speaker 3: than those pay rises in the back dating will go
• 11:10
  Speaker 3: through from that point forward.
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: Hey, before I let you go, I just got a
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: message through. Somebody's just messaged and said, can you please
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: ask the minister about John John's closing until Monday due
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: to staff concerns regarding personal safety due to anti social
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: behavior and crime. Apparently they are closing until Monday the
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: first because of those safety concerns. I mean that must
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: be a concern for you, given the fact that you're
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: the Minister for Small Business and also the local member.
• 11:41
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and John's a good guy and everybody knows how
• 11:45
  Speaker 3: much blood sweatned he is He's put into his business
• 11:48
  Speaker 3: over the last few years. I went for a drive
• 11:50
  Speaker 3: pass there last night when I did see that message,
• 11:53
  Speaker 3: and I'll certainly reach out to John today to see
• 11:57
  Speaker 3: what else we can do to assist. I know he
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: works very very hard to take obviously, the safety of
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: these works comes to power them ount. I don't know
• 12:05
  Speaker 3: what incidents have happened in the very recent future, but yep,
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: we do stop in there quite regularly to have a
• 12:12
  Speaker 3: chat with him and see how things are tracking. And
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: I'll do that again today.
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: It's a pretty ordinary situation, isn't it for us to
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: be in where there's a small business closing. I mean,
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: the footy is in jeopardy, all sorts of things, all
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: because of crime.
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: Well, there's a mountain of good things happening to Katie,
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: and we had, like I said, record numbers at Partsner,
• 12:29
  Speaker 3: record numbers or you know, he sold out event at
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: Too Stadium. We've got a couple of big games coming
• 12:36
  Speaker 3: up here for AFL over the coming weeks and months,
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: and then we'll get into the supercars and all of
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: our festival. So there is a lot of good stuff
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: that's happening. Will continue to push that stuff, and we'll
• 12:47
  Speaker 3: continue to work as hard as we can on making
• 12:49
  Speaker 3: sure that anti social behavior gets washed. Yeah, we have to,
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: and people can move around.
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we really have to. We've all had enough of it. Minister.
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: Always appreciate you time. Thank you very much for joining
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: us on the show this morning.
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: Thanks very much, Katie to thank you.