BARWIK: When I sort of continued that conversation with David Littleproud, yes, he did say that would be the plan. It would be flying department heads in from Canberra to remote communities, all remote communities across the Territory to sit down with elders and get many more people's opinions on what sorts of policies should be made. Senator Malarndirri McCarthy is the ALP Senator for the Northern Territory. She's also the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health. Is this great news to see another Indigenous Territory woman elevated into such a senior position in Federal Parliament?
MCCARTHY: I've always been on the record, saying it's important to see First Nations people across the board, whether it's local government, state or territory and federal, and naturally there will be a deep sense of pride for Senator Price and her family. But there's also a greater awareness now of the accountability and transparency that is required, especially when you take on such a pivotal role.
BARWIK: I want to get straight to this alternate suggestion, and it took us a while to unpack, and you only heard part of the conversation there, but this alternate idea to the voice that it's much more about sending bureaucrats from Canberra out into remote communities to sit with elders so that many more people can have a voice in Parliament. What do you make of that alternate idea?
MCCARTHY: It sounds like a rerun of the Northern Territory intervention, Alex. That's what the federal intervention was in 2007, was to deliver as many bureaucrats as possible right across the Northern Territory. So if that's where the Coalition are taking us to, then that's of serious concern. Clearly, that's not about local people and local voices.
BARWIK: Yeah, I did suggest that it did sound similar, but David Littleproud said a lot had been learned over the years and he acknowledged that even the Coalition had made some mistakes and that it would be different this time. Their would be better listening and because of those lessons of the past, essentially there'd be greater empowerment and more voices would be heard. Does he have a point that it'd be great to hear from more Indigenous Territorians through that method rather than just the few that might be part of the voice in Canberra?
MCCARTHY: It is a complete return to the intervention. I think the only lesson that anyone has learned from that period, Alex, is that it just should never have occurred. That kind of imposition and disempowerment of First Nations people and Territorians more broadly should never have taken place in the manner that it did. And so all I'm hearing here is that they haven't learned from that if they're returning to that.
BARWIK: Have you had a chance to speak with Jacinta Price today?
MCCARTHY: No, I haven't. I certainly expect to as we near Federal Parliament with the with the budget coming up in May. And clearly there's a lot to discuss not just about the Northern Territory but obviously, and now she's taken on the Shadow Indigenous Affairs Ministry role, I'll still be trying to convince her to vote 'Yes', Alex. I do think that it'd be great to get Senator Price on board with the 'Yes' vote.
BARWIK: A lot of what David Littleproud had to say about why she was such a good choice for the shadow ministry was because of her lived experience. What do you think she will bring from her lived experience in Central Australia to that role?
MCCARTHY: It's interesting that that word lived experience is used. If that were the case, then perhaps that elevation should have occurred immediately on her entry into the Senate. But clearly that has not been the focus for them. I'd say to your listeners to remember that when you do take on any responsibility, whether it's as a senator or when you're stepping into a ministry or shadow ministry area, there are a great deal of other levels of skill that you have to take into it, and that is listening to others and especially those that you don't agree with. And it will be interesting to see how Senator Price is able to do that, especially with those organizations that she's been fiercely opposed to here in the Northern Territory in particular.