Well, we know that parliamentary well, budget estimates is a word I'm looking for, is continuing in the Northern Territory today. Yesterday the Chief Minister was first uph and she has indeed got a number of portfolios, including police. We also know that there were a number of questions asked of the Territory Coordinator. Joining me on the line to tell us a little bit more about what has been her focus and to talk a little bit more about the process. Is the Member for Nightcliff, The Greens Member for Nightcliff, Cat macnamara.

Well, we know that parliamentary well, budget estimates is a word I'm looking for, is continuing in the Northern Territory today. Yesterday the Chief Minister was first uph and she has indeed got a number of portfolios, including police. We also know that there were a number of questions asked of the Territory Coordinator. Joining me on the line to tell us a little bit more about what has been her focus and to talk a little bit more about the process. Is the Member for Nightcliff, The Greens Member for Nightcliff, Cat macnamara.

Good morning to you, Cat, morning Katie.

Good morning to you, Cat, morning Katie.

Good to have you on the show. Cat, Can I ask before we get into budget estimates, what do you think of the announcement today by the Northern Territory government in terms of the rollout of oc spray a trial from September.

Good to have you on the show. Cat, Can I ask before we get into budget estimates, what do you think of the announcement today by the Northern Territory government in terms of the rollout of oc spray a trial from September.

Yeah, look, yeah, I only just saw that in the media this morning, so I'm still kind of wrapping my head around it. But I mean my initial thoughts are this just sends a message to me, right that the government has kind of just given us whenever one's safety. It's like, let's just everyone you know, that they've given up trying to actually do anything to improve the situation. Like what this is essentially doing is just putting weapons more weapons in the community. I mean, we're going to all this great length to take out other weapons, but knives and things. So yeah, really concerning and quite strange.

Yeah, look, yeah, I only just saw that in the media this morning, so I'm still kind of wrapping my head around it. But I mean my initial thoughts are this just sends a message to me, right that the government has kind of just given us whenever one's safety. It's like, let's just everyone you know, that they've given up trying to actually do anything to improve the situation. Like what this is essentially doing is just putting weapons more weapons in the community. I mean, we're going to all this great length to take out other weapons, but knives and things. So yeah, really concerning and quite strange.

Yeah, there's been a lot like this. We honestly, the tech sign this morning's gone off. Some people are really supportive of it. Some people are a little bit worried about it. The Police Association, for example, saying that they need a bit more detail, and I think that's fair enough. I think there's lots of people there are after further details, so we'll do our best to make sure that we can get some further detail for our listeners. Kat a busy day yesterday in budget estimates. I couldn't watch the whole thing, but I watched for a couple of hours in the afternoon and lots on the agenda. I know that you were certainly asking quite a few questions of the Chief Minister around the lobbyist register. Talk me through what you asked and what you're keen to see happen in this space, yees.

Yeah, there's been a lot like this. We honestly, the tech sign this morning's gone off. Some people are really supportive of it. Some people are a little bit worried about it. The Police Association, for example, saying that they need a bit more detail, and I think that's fair enough. I think there's lots of people there are after further details, so we'll do our best to make sure that we can get some further detail for our listeners. Kat a busy day yesterday in budget estimates. I couldn't watch the whole thing, but I watched for a couple of hours in the afternoon and lots on the agenda. I know that you were certainly asking quite a few questions of the Chief Minister around the lobbyist register. Talk me through what you asked and what you're keen to see happen in this space, yees.

So I asked around because we had the Chief Minister herself when she was in opposition sort of questioning Labour's integrity and specifically talking about the need for a lobbyist register where everyday people in the community can find out who which lobbyists are meeting with which ministers and how often they meet and so in their lobbyist register that they presented to us at the start of the year, that's not part of it. We have no transparency for the public around seeing who was meeting with lobbyists. And so that was my question to her, And I mean, I don't think I really got satisfactory answers because I put forward my own motion for a lobbyist register that included all the best practice things that we really want to see for accountability integrity, and the selpobos against it. So yeah, I asked her questions around that, and they just said, well, that was the model they wanted to go with. But I don't think that really stacks up.

So I asked around because we had the Chief Minister herself when she was in opposition sort of questioning Labour's integrity and specifically talking about the need for a lobbyist register where everyday people in the community can find out who which lobbyists are meeting with which ministers and how often they meet and so in their lobbyist register that they presented to us at the start of the year, that's not part of it. We have no transparency for the public around seeing who was meeting with lobbyists. And so that was my question to her, And I mean, I don't think I really got satisfactory answers because I put forward my own motion for a lobbyist register that included all the best practice things that we really want to see for accountability integrity, and the selpobos against it. So yeah, I asked her questions around that, and they just said, well, that was the model they wanted to go with. But I don't think that really stacks up.

So what do you reckon we need to say around that lobbyist register and how would you like to see it sort of go a step further.

So what do you reckon we need to say around that lobbyist register and how would you like to see it sort of go a step further.

Yes, the company, it just means that third party lobbyists, right, so anyone who worked for a contracting firm, they register themselves and they get their name registered on our list on our website, and that's that is there's a code of conduct and if they break it, they just get removed from this list. The problem is you've also got all the lobbyists that work for so you know a lobbyist that's employed by Santos or employed by a fambran, and we don't know who they're meeting with. The whole purpose of a lobbyist regisurant or most of the purpose is for transparency and accountability to the public. So we need it's like up they call it publishing of minister's diaries, right, and it can be as simple as how often they're meeting, who they're meeting with, what is the general items of things discussed, And then people can really know because then you can see who is walking into your MP's office or MLA's office the most, right, who are they meeting with the most And then you can and look. All other states and territories have different versions of this, and other states and territories are really improving and strengthening their as time goes on. So you know, to have the CLP go on to when labors and government about the lack of transparency and now to see them just doing the same, it's really frustrating.

Yes, the company, it just means that third party lobbyists, right, so anyone who worked for a contracting firm, they register themselves and they get their name registered on our list on our website, and that's that is there's a code of conduct and if they break it, they just get removed from this list. The problem is you've also got all the lobbyists that work for so you know a lobbyist that's employed by Santos or employed by a fambran, and we don't know who they're meeting with. The whole purpose of a lobbyist regisurant or most of the purpose is for transparency and accountability to the public. So we need it's like up they call it publishing of minister's diaries, right, and it can be as simple as how often they're meeting, who they're meeting with, what is the general items of things discussed, And then people can really know because then you can see who is walking into your MP's office or MLA's office the most, right, who are they meeting with the most And then you can and look. All other states and territories have different versions of this, and other states and territories are really improving and strengthening their as time goes on. So you know, to have the CLP go on to when labors and government about the lack of transparency and now to see them just doing the same, it's really frustrating.

Now, kat, I know that obviously the Territory Coordinator was in there yesterday Stuart Knowles and the Independence and Opposition got the opportunity to ask some questions of the Territory Coordinator and also of the Northern Territory Chief Minister in the space what were you keen to find out more about with the Territory Coordinator.

Now, kat, I know that obviously the Territory Coordinator was in there yesterday Stuart Knowles and the Independence and Opposition got the opportunity to ask some questions of the Territory Coordinator and also of the Northern Territory Chief Minister in the space what were you keen to find out more about with the Territory Coordinator.

Yeah, well, we wanted to get more details around the appointment of the Territory Coordinator. You know, was there an open process? Turned out there wasn't. He seemed to be just hand picked. I wanted assurances that his connections to the industry, to the gas industry, like how are they going to manage that in terms of conflict of interests? And also, you know, we saw the public submissions that we had to the Territory Coordinator bill, you know, over three hundred submissions and only two were in favor, and so I was asking questions around but what is the point of consoleation, Like what are you doing with that feedback? If people have gone to take the time to give you really detailed submissions and the government just kind of goes and throws them out the window. So what does that mean for consultation and what were they doing with people's input.

Yeah, well, we wanted to get more details around the appointment of the Territory Coordinator. You know, was there an open process? Turned out there wasn't. He seemed to be just hand picked. I wanted assurances that his connections to the industry, to the gas industry, like how are they going to manage that in terms of conflict of interests? And also, you know, we saw the public submissions that we had to the Territory Coordinator bill, you know, over three hundred submissions and only two were in favor, and so I was asking questions around but what is the point of consoleation, Like what are you doing with that feedback? If people have gone to take the time to give you really detailed submissions and the government just kind of goes and throws them out the window. So what does that mean for consultation and what were they doing with people's input.

Now, Police and emergency services were also in their guest today. I know there wasn't time for emergency services and the fieries in the ads because there's so many questions asked of the Northern Territory Police. What was your focus, particularly for your electorate of Nightcliff, where we know there's been some really serious concerns when it comes to crime and anti social behavior issues.

Now, Police and emergency services were also in their guest today. I know there wasn't time for emergency services and the fieries in the ads because there's so many questions asked of the Northern Territory Police. What was your focus, particularly for your electorate of Nightcliff, where we know there's been some really serious concerns when it comes to crime and anti social behavior issues.

Yes, so you're right, we did run out of time for emergency services, which was a shame because I had a lot of questions. I'm really keen to find out more for bush biz and te and emergency services and things. But I feel quite passionate about yeah, in terms of how we're going to mitigate the risks of climate change, in terms of increased bush buyer risk, things that are really important. So I'll be putting my questions unnoticed at a later day. But it was police here that was quite a big questioning time. Now as I'm I'm not a member of the estimates committee, so I sort of have to wait till the very end to ask my questions, and as you saw, we run out of time. But yeah, there was a lot of questions around the resourcing, around police retention, around questions around the recent guests in custody, yes, around command a White, and around questions around whether that could be have an independent investigation or not.

Yes, so you're right, we did run out of time for emergency services, which was a shame because I had a lot of questions. I'm really keen to find out more for bush biz and te and emergency services and things. But I feel quite passionate about yeah, in terms of how we're going to mitigate the risks of climate change, in terms of increased bush buyer risk, things that are really important. So I'll be putting my questions unnoticed at a later day. But it was police here that was quite a big questioning time. Now as I'm I'm not a member of the estimates committee, so I sort of have to wait till the very end to ask my questions, and as you saw, we run out of time. But yeah, there was a lot of questions around the resourcing, around police retention, around questions around the recent guests in custody, yes, around command a White, and around questions around whether that could be have an independent investigation or not.

Kat, How did you find the whole process? It's your first budget estimates. I've had to watch plenty of them over the last ten years. How did you find it?

Kat, How did you find the whole process? It's your first budget estimates. I've had to watch plenty of them over the last ten years. How did you find it?

Oh my gosh, I know it's all this is all a big learning curve for me. And you know, of course I'm just nervous like anyone who would be my physician, and just wanting to get the right questions in. And look, it's kind of like it's time limited, so you sort of sometimes you miss out, and I missed out in my few yesterday. But I mean, overall, I think it's just a really Look, it's a part. It's a really important process, right we should we have to be able to scrutinize the government. And it's also it's about asking getting into the details of fundings, but also broader policy stuff like why did this decision get made? And I've got so many more questions for the next two weeks that I'm keen to for different ministers.

Oh my gosh, I know it's all this is all a big learning curve for me. And you know, of course I'm just nervous like anyone who would be my physician, and just wanting to get the right questions in. And look, it's kind of like it's time limited, so you sort of sometimes you miss out, and I missed out in my few yesterday. But I mean, overall, I think it's just a really Look, it's a part. It's a really important process, right we should we have to be able to scrutinize the government. And it's also it's about asking getting into the details of fundings, but also broader policy stuff like why did this decision get made? And I've got so many more questions for the next two weeks that I'm keen to for different ministers.

Well, it'll no doubt be a it will continue to be an interesting process. And look, I agree with you. I think it's such an important process. It is an opportunity for the opposition, the independence to be able to ask further questions and questions that really are driven by the community and by those that live in your electorates. So it is definitely a really important process. I appreciate you having a chat with us this morning. Kat Let us know if you do uncover anything that you reckon our listeners might be interested in over the coming weeks. All right, we'll do Keatie, thank you, thanks for your time.

Well, it'll no doubt be a it will continue to be an interesting process. And look, I agree with you. I think it's such an important process. It is an opportunity for the opposition, the independence to be able to ask further questions and questions that really are driven by the community and by those that live in your electorates. So it is definitely a really important process. I appreciate you having a chat with us this morning. Kat Let us know if you do uncover anything that you reckon our listeners might be interested in over the coming weeks. All right, we'll do Keatie, thank you, thanks for your time.