JO LAVERTY, HOST: Malarndirri McCarthy is former Northern Territory Minister for Statehood and current Northern Territory Senator. This must be bringing back memories of old debates past for you.
SENATOR MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Yes. But look, I am enormously passionate about the Territory becoming the seventh state in the federation. So any opportunity to try to bring that forward and to certainly have a bipartisan approach will be most welcomed.
LAVERTY: Why didn't it work last time when the big push. I mean, you were minister for statehood at the time. There was a really big push for it. Why didn't it work?
MCCARTHY: Well, I wasn't the minister at the time when we had the referendum in the Northern Territory. And I take your listeners back to that time and there was great support for statehood, but it was in the final sort of the process where you lost the voters. The vote was lost, the referendum was lost in the Northern Territory just by a margin by about 51% I think was the 'no' vote from memory and you know that in itself said that the people of the Northern Territory did not want it and sadly it couldn't take place. So when I became the minister in 2008, I pushed then for recognition around the 2011 anniversary of 100 years from when we were surrendered back to the Commonwealth from South Australia to try and ignite passion again for the start of the battle for statehood. And there are so many Territorians who worked with me on the Statehood Steering Committee to keep igniting that debate, but also an education and information campaign. And we just haven't gone the next step of going to a referendum in the Northern Territory. And I think if the Chief Minister is suggesting that's a very real possibility, then I certainly welcome that.
LAVERTY: Do you think it would be possible that conditions are different? In 2024 it would perhaps be from from that year onwards. Do you think conditions are different now to what they were when it was initially voted against?
MCCARTHY: We've certainly gone through a lot in the last 20 odd years at different levels. I think that the Northern Territory is more than ready and has been, in my personal view, to become the seventh state in the Federation. And I guess from the perspective where I stand here in the Senate, it is pretty lonely to only have four representatives from the Northern Territory in a made over 220 odd members of both the Senate and the House of Reps. So it's important for Territorians to realise that we need to have that kind of representation represented here in the Australian Parliament and you can do that much better when you're a state.
LAVERTY: You've touched on one of the big changes that we would see if we moved to a state, more senators, for starters, perhaps more members of Parliament as well. But what else would we notice in our day to day lives about becoming a state instead of a territory?
MCCARTHY: Can I just touch on that? On the more senators just you mentioned that, Jo. I mean, there is still the enquiry that's going on at the moment for the possibility of more senators or at least another two as part of the the electoral committee that's underway at the moment. So that is always still a possibility for the Senate anyway. So it's not just about having extra political representation. It's about the Northern Territory being able to make its own decisions, decisions like the Territory Rights bill that's before the Parliament at the moment, which, you know, at the moment the Federal Parliament can overturn any piece of legislation in the Northern Territory simply because it's a territory. And I think those kind of legislative frameworks are going to be stronger if the Territory was the state.
LAVERTY: So is Senator Price. Is she right then? Rather than quibbling with things like territory rights bills, we should actually be focussing on the bigger picture and becoming a state.
MCCARTHY: Well, yes and no, because we certainly do want statehood, but we also know that that's a long way ahead of us. We have right in front of us now an opportunity to do the right thing for the people of the Northern Territory as the Australian Parliament. And we should do the right thing and that is to return the Territory rights.
LAVERTY: On ABC Radio Darwin, you're hearing from Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and you're on with Jo Laverty this morning. Just moving to another topic, the Nationals have come out with a position on the voice to Parliament saying they will not support it. What's your reaction to this?
MCCARTHY: Well, my reaction was one of disappointment. But also, pointing out that it is really quite premature, really, Jo. I think Senator Pat Dodson said it well the other day when he said it was premature and inept really to make that kind of decision when we've still got important work in front of us. The working group and the engagement group are working on the referendum. First Nations people have come from around the country and need the opportunity to be able to speak to Australians and to politicians in the coming months and then once they're informed, then make a decision. But at this point in time, I do think it's premature.
LAVERTY: Your counterpart in the Senate, Senator Price, doesn't like it either. Have you spoken to Senator Price about why she doesn't like it?
MCCARTHY: Look, I certainly haven't in the last few days, but Senator Price has made it clear, you know, for quite some time that she's not supportive of the voice and has not given one particular reason. Certainly given quite a few different views. But what I would say, and I'd certainly say this to Senator Price when I see her, is that wait until the engagement group and the working group have an opportunity to brief you. I mean, they're the First Nations people who are working on this. And it's the same thing I would say to any politician before they make any decision at this point in time.
LAVERTY: It's really good to speak with you on this. Thank you for your time.