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Katie Woolf spoke with Minister for Small Business Paul Kirby · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Minister for Small Business. In fact, Paul Kirby, good morning
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: to you, Kurbs.
• 0:04
  Speaker 2: Good morning, Katie, Good morning everyone.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: Now, Minister, I will get to some of the good
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: things happening in just a couple of moments, but I
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: do want to ask you. I know that plenty of
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: us feeling really pretty sorry and pretty bad for zacholie
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: IgA this morning in wake of that terrible break in overnight.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: Have you seen those photos? Have you had a chat
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: to those business owners at this point?
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  Speaker 2: Personally, I haven't been able to chat with them yet,
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  Speaker 2: but we have had people from our team certainly in
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: touch with them straight away, and we'll have people out
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: there as early as within an hour or so's time
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: to make sure they can start working through and making
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: sure that they can help as much as they can
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: with a cleanup, make sure that they can get any
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: sort of big, secure arrangements in place to stop this
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: from happening again. You're right, is absolutely heart wrenching when
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: this happens. We know that people put their heart and
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: soul into these small businesses and it's just got wrenched
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: when things like this happen.
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  Speaker 1: You must feel pretty upset as well as the Minister
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: for small business. I mean even this morning, you're out
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: there trying to make a good news announcement, and when
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: this kind of thing happens, it dominates the headlines, and
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  Speaker 1: rightly so you know people are upset with this kind
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  Speaker 1: of useless, senseless crime.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly it does. It pulls deep at people's heart
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  Speaker 2: strings because like the Ida people that run in Larichia,
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: they're well known. The same with Zicoli. They're part of
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: the community, they're part of our family, and to see
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  Speaker 2: people just senselessly targeting like this just breaks everybody's hearts.
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: But you're right, you know there is some good news stories,
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: some good things happening around town. We just need to
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: get as much help with these people as we can
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: so they can get back up and running and make
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: the best of the dry season that they possibly can.
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: Paul Kirby, do you think that the government that you're
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: part of that team, that enough is being done in
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: this space.
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: I think you've seen as recently as yesterday that we'll
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: do everything that we can. But whether it's alcohol related violence,
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  Speaker 2: whether it's use violence, whether it's senseless break ins, that
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: we've done everything that we can and we'll continue to
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: do what. You don't stop working on things like this.
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  Speaker 2: You don't put the queue back in the rack and
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: say that's it, we don't have to do anymore. There's
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: constantly more challenges. There will always be more challenges, and
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  Speaker 2: we'll continue, you know, whether it's through be Secure and
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: other arrangements, to get these businesses back up and running
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: as soon as we possibly can and make sure that
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: we're as much help as we can be.
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: How quickly do you think that we are actually going
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: to see a positive impact from the changes that were
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: pasted in parliament yesterday?
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  Speaker 2: Well, I know those laws are passed on urgency for
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  Speaker 2: a particular reason, because we have heard that there's a
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: very small cohort of repeat offenders that we want to
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: try and make sure our first option is trying to
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: get the help to people, to try and make sure
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  Speaker 2: that those diversion programs that we've concentrated on are the
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: first priority for people. We don't want to see people
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: locked up if we can at all help it. If
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: people are repeat offending and they've got now the capacity
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: to try and draw a line in the sand quicker
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: and earlier and make sure they don't drop out of
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: those diversion programs make sure that they can be held
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: accountable and helped to stop that offending that does hurt
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: the community so much.
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: Lots of people a bit concerned about that. Well, what
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: was perceived as a watering down yesterday with that legislation.
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  Speaker 1: When you talk about, you know the fact that the
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: lawyers are going to be able to argue exceptional circumstance,
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  Speaker 1: I mean, what would you say to those listening this
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: morning who think that that's a step in the wrong direction.
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: Well, probably a good explanation helps me understand exactly where
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: we've landed and where we'll continue to try and work. Yes,
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  Speaker 2: you're right. We have the cop coming out and saying, look,
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  Speaker 2: you haven't you've ordered it down, you haven't gone anywhere
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  Speaker 2: near hard enough. We've got lobby groups saying you've gone
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: far too far. This is against the principles of some
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: of what we stand for. So I think that means
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: that we've probably landed somewhere sensibly in the middle. During
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: debate yesterday, it was repeatedly admitted by all sides Department.
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  Speaker 2: There is no silver bullet for this, and some of
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  Speaker 2: the proof of this put in will be in the
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: eating so we will find out over the coming period
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: of time. There's review periods building this to try and
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  Speaker 2: make sure that if we need to adjust anything going forward,
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: we can, but we knew that we did need to
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: make some changes.
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  Speaker 1: Look, I really hope that it does make a difference,
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  Speaker 1: and I know that that anyone who's been a victim
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: of crime will be hoping the same thing.
• 4:53
  Speaker 3: Minister.
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: Let's move along, because there's lots happening this morning, and
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: I know that you have been out this morning announcing
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: the online portal. Well, there is currently an online portal
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  Speaker 1: essentially where people are able to put in their applications
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  Speaker 1: for their business, and that online portal is now expanding
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  Speaker 1: to include liquor license applications as well. Tell us exactly
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: what's going on here.
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  Speaker 2: It has been This is a can do portal that
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  Speaker 2: we instigated that opened back in February, and a big
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: shout out to the department people that got this up
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  Speaker 2: and running really quickly. It does mean that people's whether
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  Speaker 2: they're doing renewals or a new application for food and
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: beverage outlets, and you're right, some of them are lick
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: A licensed applications. They can do them online now. So
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  Speaker 2: it's been open since February. We've had nearly five hundred
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  Speaker 2: applications and renewals go through there already. But the important
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  Speaker 2: part of what's happening now is we've opened it up
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  Speaker 2: to some of our major and events that are happening,
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: our major and smaller events that are happening, those one
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: off events Glenty, the Italian Festival, may Day, all of
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: those things that have to go through this process. They
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: have to apply for licenses. This will just mean because
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: they're mainly volunteers that do all of that work, they
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: can apply online, they can track online where their application
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: is up to, and it will save so many people
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  Speaker 2: so much time. There's over two hundred and fifty of
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  Speaker 2: these applications go in for these dry season type of events,
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: for these major events, So we're really sure that this
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: will help people get through so much quicker, so much easier.
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: It will save a lot of these organizations so much time.
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  Speaker 2: And it's probably about seventy five percent of the applications
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: that they'll be dealing with through the dry season. So
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: that's really good announcement for these special events and these
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: major events coming up over the course of a dry season.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: Well, I think it sounds like a good thing.
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: I have been told that the process can be very
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: difficult and confusing for some people, especially I guess those
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: who are maybe applying for the first time. Will there
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: still be that support or maybe a person that they're
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: going to be able to go to to help or
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: to seek that help if they are applying for the
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: first time and it's a difficult process.
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly we haven't removed any of those support mechanisms. Right.
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  Speaker 2: If people have done it for a number of years,
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  Speaker 2: they will see the difference straight away that they will
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: just be able to apply online and then track where
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: their application is up to. If somebody's doing it for
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: the first time and they're still a bit confused and
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: absolutely still all of that support in place. But what
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  Speaker 2: they don't have to do anymore while they're trying to
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  Speaker 2: get a business up and running, while they're trying to
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  Speaker 2: get their renewals done. They don't have to take a
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  Speaker 2: pile of paperwork and run from say Power and Water
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: if it's to do with some of their approvals or renewals.
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  Speaker 2: They don't have to run back to licensing. They don't
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  Speaker 2: have to run to a different government department with different
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  Speaker 2: paperwork and submit six different things done online. It's all
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: done very quickly and very easily. The people that have
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: been working their way through it have been really glowing
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: in their communications about how well it's running.
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: Well. That is good to hear. Another good thing that
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  Speaker 1: we've heard this morning, and we did briefly catch up
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: with Sam Burke from the Waterfront. Well, they're going to
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: be able to have those takeaway cocktails again down there
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: on the lawns at the waterfront. He was complementary of
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: the work that you have done in terms of helping
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: them to get that reinstated.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, obviously it's been a great addition to the waterfront,
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  Speaker 2: particularly last dry season. It was so nice to be
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: able to sit down on the lawn and have some
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: tacos or have a meal and a couple of quiet
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  Speaker 2: drinks down there. We knew that under those emergency powers
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: it sort of came around a bit quicker than anybody
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: had predicted that those powers needed to end. So under
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: the Catering Authority, we've been able to find a sensible
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: way through this, and it's just a good example of
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  Speaker 2: our focus now on removing red tape of government being
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: able to get out of the way and let business
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  Speaker 2: get on with what they need to get on with.
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  Speaker 2: So yeah, hopefully from this weekend there'll be the capacity
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  Speaker 2: to do that. I know Sam's got some big plans
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  Speaker 2: about getting some good furniture and having a big opening
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  Speaker 2: down there in a couple of weeks time.
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  Speaker 3: He did mention that. Yeah, he did mention that.
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  Speaker 1: And now, Paul Kirby, I know you are pressed for
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: time obviously Parliament sitting.
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: We'll meet to do a pre record with you earlier today.
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: That didn't happen because we were having some technical issues,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: but I do want to ask you the federal budget
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: was handed down overnight. From your perspective, was it a
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: good budget for the territory.
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: Yeah, obviously, you know, we would always encourage more and
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: more and more. We've been working closely with the federal government,
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: and each of the minister's been working closely with their
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: federal minister. I guess an example of that is just
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: really happy to see the extra incentives and extra financing
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: towards apprenticeship. We know that, you know, some of the
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: Aged Care Royal Commission.
• 10:04
  Speaker 4: Footage that everybody saw was really daunting for people to see,
• 10:09
  Speaker 4: so really encouraging to see some investment in those spaces,
• 10:13
  Speaker 4: and I guess all of us that have got kids
• 10:15
  Speaker 4: that childcare will welcome.
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: Any of those changes and any of those assistance that's
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: been offered. But certainly from the training perspective, you know,
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: we've got near record numbers of apprentices in the Northern
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: Territory at the moment. Talking to businesses as recently as yesterday,
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: the people at Bridge Toyota, they've got more apprentices on
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: now than they ever have before. They admitted that this
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: government support that they've had over the past six or
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: twelve months has really really helped them and it helps
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: them make the decisions to keep employing young territorium. So
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: we certainly want to keep pushing in that direction and
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: pushing to get as many young kids into work as
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: we possibly can.
• 10:54
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: Look, one of the things that I think has been
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: a good thing throughout COVID is the way that territory
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: government and also the federal government have worked together despite
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: those political differences. They've tried their best to work together
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: for the benefit of territori ands. I hope that that
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: kind of thing continues to happen, well passed when COVID
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: is done and dusted.
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you did right. I think the capacity
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: for them to have those shorter and sharper meetings online,
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: for the Chief Minister to be able to explain to
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: the Prime Minister exactly the challenges that we're up against
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: up here and how we're trying to very prudently work
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: our way through that. The Prime Ministers acknowledging that and
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: is acknowledging that we do need support and help. And
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: as with all of the grants and systems that we
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: put in place to try and support businesses, we tail
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: it in and around what the Federal government was putting in.
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: So happy to keep working as hard as we can
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: make things better for all territories up and down the track.
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: Kading Well, Paul Kirby, Minister for Small Business. We appreciate
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: you stepping out of Parliament to come and have a
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: chat with us.
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: That's all right, thank you.
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: We've talked to you that it needs to be in
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: there sometimes.
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: Thank you very much. That is the Minister for Small
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: Business there, Paul Kirby