Minister for Indigenous Australians
Topics: YiSSA short term accommodation in Darwin, NT flood recovery
KATIE WOOLF, HOST: The Chief Minister yesterday reaffirmed the Northern Territory Government's intention to continue transitioning people staying at the YiSSA short term accommodation facility to another location after negotiations for a new agreement with the facility's owner Ausco broke down over accusations that it was asking for an exorbitant price. However, NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has now accused the Territory of ignoring an offer to go halves with the Commonwealth to secure the facility's future. I'm pleased to say that joining us on the line is the Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy. Good morning to you, Senator.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning, Katie and good morning to your listeners on this first day of September.
HOST: Oh, I cannot believe how fast the year is roaring by.
MINISTER: Yeah, I know. Well, we're looking very close to the build-up coming soon.
HOST: I reckon.
MINISTER: Enjoy the last of the dry.
HOST: Yeah, I agree. Now Senator, tell me what was offered to the Northern Territory Government?
MINISTER: Sure, Katie. What was offered was to go in partnership with the Northern Territory Government who said that $3 million was as far as they could go. Minister Cahill had said that at the beginning when she was negotiating hopefully with Ausco to be able to go as far as $3 million. When I spoke to Ausco and looked at the figures that they had provided to the Northern Territory Government within 90 days, which is what the timeframe was left for the lease that they currently have, it was $6.5 million in total. So, the Commonwealth has come to the party and said, we will pay the other half of 3.5 to go in partnership with the Northern Territory Government to keep the families and the staff at YiSSA.
HOST: Tell me, I know that the Territory Government hadn't revealed that figure but labelled it too much for taxpayers. Do you believe that that was too high a price to pay?
MINISTER: Not at all in this instance, Katie, when you think about a number of facts, one is that the people have nowhere to go. So, you would see hundreds of people adding to the homelessness on the streets of Darwin, in particular those areas of the northern suburbs. And these are families who are on renal dialysis. They're families who are escaping family and domestic violence. It's not just for Aboriginal families; it's for any family. Yolngu, Balanda. It has been a beautiful place of support for all of those families and this has caused great distress for them and for the staff of Yilli Rreung and for Mission Australia.
HOST: Look, I think that's an incredibly important point to make. We are talking about Northern Territory families here. It's going to be tough if we do not have a strong transition plan. But I know the other side of that is indeed a facility which is ageing and no doubt it has got wear and tear. I mean, it's a heck of a lot of money. Any idea how many years that would tie it up for? Are we talking an actual sale here of that facility for 6.5 million, or are we talking a lease?
MINISTER: A sale, a complete sale. In speaking with Ausco, this was agreed that they would offer it to the Commonwealth as much as the Northern Territory Government. And I thought it was a pretty sensible step to go in partnership with the Northern Territory Government, which I have genuinely tried to do in good faith, trying to work with Minister Robyn Cahill and unfortunately just seems to be going off the rails with a lot of information that I believe is incorrect and I do think it can be corrected. And I did write to the Chief Minister after I heard her comments on your program yesterday, Katie, just to ensure that she had the correct information. I do believe she didn't have the full brief on this and I sincerely hope she can reconsider and reflect on her comments. It does matter to those families. They would have heard her comments. It was deeply hurtful for people who are suffering, but who have been looked after very, very carefully and very strongly by Mission Australia and by Yilli Rreung.
HOST: Senator, which elements do you feel as though she wasn't aware of or what parts did you feel you do need to correct?
MINISTER: The Chief Minister said she didn't know the figure and I think that's important. So, I wrote to her to say that the figure was $3.5 million and this is a very practical and very good opportunity to keep these families here. Yes, by all means we can look at longer term, but we only have about three weeks, really, Katie, and otherwise Ausco's going to have to start demobilising those buildings out there and there is still no transition plan for hundreds of families and it's just enormously difficult. So, I'm just urging the Chief Minister to really have a look at the letter. Let's come back to the table on this. Let's be sensible about this. We don't have to have a battle here. It's quite unnecessary when so many families really require the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory to assist them.
HOST: Now, Senator, I know that the Chief Minister yesterday on the show also questioned the Commonwealth priorities after this came to light. That you were willing to make this offer but other areas that the Territory's requested support, such as the Daly River Naiuyu flooding, only received, she said, one million dollars in funding recovery. What do you say to that?
MINISTER: Yes, I did correct that as well in my letter to the Chief Minister, Katie, that that was also incorrect. We've obviously provided well over $9 million in support for the Katherine region, which includes the Daly, which includes east of Katherine, in terms of financial support for again, Territory families, in regards to those terrible floods that occurred earlier this year. And what we've also done is encouraged the Northern Territory Government to continue to apply for funds through the disaster relief funding recovery. We do need them to apply, just like all the other states and territories do when they've had a disaster and the Northern Territory Government has still failed to do that and it is at the detriment of those residents in Daly River and other areas. So, I still encourage Minister Jo Hersey to actually write those applications out because it is required. I've had the National Emergency Management team up here, I've encouraged them to work with the Northern Territory Government to get these payments through, but there has been no movement.
HOST: So, are you saying that if they simply write a letter, if they actually fill in that paperwork, that money will come?
MINISTER: Well, that's part of the arrangement. It has to be 50 50. So, the Northern Territory Government has to apply so that we can actually release the funds at the Commonwealth level.
HOST: Senator, I do want to ask you, just going back to the situation at YiSSA, you obviously sent that offer to Minister Cahill on the 20th. That's according to the letter that you've sent to us. You haven't received any correspondence back yet?
MINISTER: No. Other than what was said in a statement from Minister Cahill. Yes.
HOST: All right, well, we're due to have her on just after you.
MINISTER: Sure.
HOST: I do want to ask you how big of a concern is this whole situation from your perspective?
MINISTER: Well, I'm concerned for those families, Katie. I've been out there numerous times. I still am getting a lot of phone calls to my electorate office. I really urge the Northern Territory Government to meet the Commonwealth halfway on this. I know that the Northern Territory Government has spoken about a longer-term plan for a facility over $40 million, which I think is something that can be talked about at a later point. But right now, we have a good facility that is costing far less than that. So, let's keep those families there, take the pressure off them and the staff. And then let's have a discussion about what the long-term future looks like. All of those things are possible.
HOST: So, Senator, that offer is on the table still this morning to go 50 50?
MINISTER: Absolutely. Absolutely.
HOST: And I mean, what is your message to Minister Cahill? We've got her on in just a couple of minutes. What's your message to her?
MINISTER: Sure. Minister Cahill, I think it's really important that you and I can resolve this and I do believe that this is a genuine offer to at least take the pressure off those families, and I hope I can hear a yes.
HOST: Well, Malarndirri McCarthy, Senator for the Northern Territory, Minister for Indigenous Australians, I always appreciate your time. Thankyou very much for joining us on the show this morning.
MINISTER: No worries Katie, thankyou.
HOST: Thankyou, thanks so much.
