SUBJECTS: Death in custody in Alice Springs; income management; Reconciliation Week
HOST, ADAM STEER: Yet another death in custody, this time in the Red Centre. The NT again hitting the national headlines for all the wrong reasons. With reports of out-of-control crime and problem drinking in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs and Katherine. So, what’s the plan from the Federal Government? Malarndirri McCarthy is the Northern Territory Senator and Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians. Firstly, Senator, congratulations on securing another term for the Northern Territory. What does that mean for you personally?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Well, yeah. Good morning, Adam. And good morning to your listeners. I’m absolutely elated to have a fourth term and I thank the people of the Northern Territory for their overwhelming support to see me back into the Senate.
STEER: We’ve got a lot to get through today. As the Northern Territory Senator and Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, the community of Yuendumu is in sorry business following the death in custody of a 24-year-old man in an Alice Springs supermarket earlier this week. Senator, this of course is under investigation. What was your initial reaction when you heard that news?
McCARTHY: Well, it’s absolutely devastating news to hear the tragedy that’s taken place in Alice Springs, Adam, to know that a 24-year-old man who was just searching for some food-and obviously we’ll know more in terms of the investigation. I’ve spoken to family members and expressed my sympathy, but also wanted to understand what they’ve been told, how they’ve been communicated with. I’ve also reached out to the Chief Minister who is also the Northern Territory Police Minister, to understand what the process is in terms of the investigation, but also to express my concerns given that this incredibly tragic incident has occurred when family members are also preparing for the handing down of the coronial inquiry into Kumanjayi Walker’s death so many years ago.
STEER: What role do you play as the Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians in this situation? Yuendumu is a very small community. Two high-profile incidents happening within three years. Place could be a little bit like a tinderbox.
McCARTHY: Well, as Northern Territory Senator, I’m very concerned in terms of incidents and events that happen here. But what makes this one even more difficult, Adam, is because you’ve got the family who’ve gone through a tremendously traumatic time over Mr Walker’s death and the inquest and the court cases that have occurred as a result and still waiting for that to be handed down in terms of the coronial. And now you have this young man, who’s lost his life when he’s gone to a supermarket, and we’ll obviously find out more details about that. So, this particular incident heightens the concerns in terms of trying to keep calm in the community on both sides and for everyone-not just the family of Yuendumu and those people who knew this young man, but also for the police and the investigation, for the security guards, for the Coles employees. This is a very, very important time to remind people to just take a deep breath here while we work out how to handle this in the most appropriate way.
STEER: Well, former ALP politician Karl Hampton, a Warlpiri man himself, says the Northern Territory Government has defunded important justice programs in remote communities. Have you spoken to him? Have you heard something similar?
McCARTHY: Look, I’ve certainly spoken to Karl Hampton. I’m aware of he and Ned Hargraves and many of the Warlpiri Elders who over many years have called for support with their law and justice program. I’ve been able to assist them at the federal level in terms of the cultural aspects of that program. I know they still continue to seek support here in the Northern Territory. That will also be a matter for the Northern Territory Government, and I commend the Warlpiri Elders for what they do.
STEER: Let’s move to some other issues in the Top End. We have had growing reports of Katherine in crisis. Some of the business leaders saying it is like a war zone after 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Woolworths has reduced their operating hours in the regional centre to deal with the anti-social behaviour. What can you do from a Federal Government point of view to try and help the situation?
McCARTHY: Well, I certainly have heard the commentary in regards to Katherine, Adam, and I am very conscious of the concerns of residents in the town. I will certainly want to get some feedback from the Northern Territory Government on that. They can actually refer cases to the Commonwealth in terms of income management or any other matters that are concerning them that they would like us to look at. I’ve not seen that, but obviously we’ve been in an election. It will be entirely up to the new Ministers at the table on this. So, obviously once we receive any formal notice from the Northern Territory Government, we will look at it.
STEER: The NT Government, in the lead-up to the election, wanted some of those quarantine restrictions tightened in places like Alice Springs. We’ve been speaking to a world expert this morning who says that income quarantining doesn’t work. What’s your position on that?
McCARTHY: Well, it depends on who you speak to, doesn’t it, Adam? And in our view, income quarantining has been important around the Basics Card. We know that families have requested it-mothers, grandmothers in particular. But there are obviously loopholes. If family members stand over them and want their Basics Cards, there will always be human nature that comes in where people want to do things differently. So, I know that there are concerns and questions around it. Now that we have a second term in government, any matters that need to be raised with us, we will look at that.
STEER: Yeah. And all this amidst the background of Reconciliation Week, it is tough at the moment, isn’t it?
McCARTHY: Yeah, it is tough. And I must say it was good to certainly start off the week with Cootamundra Girls Home and the Kinchela Boys in terms of the Stolen Generations and the anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report. Reconciliation in our country is still important, you know, to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians together. And I do commend the schools and the organisations that are doing their best to keep peace across the country.
STEER: Malarndirri McCarthy, the Senator for the Northern Territory and the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Your guest this morning on ABC Radio Darwin. I did speak to her earlier this morning at 6am, so that was before we interviewed the expert on the Basics Card.