Subjects: Derby visit, Junior Rangers, Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme, Remote Jobs Program
BRAD SHADFORTH, HOST: 97.9 up here in the local Indigenous radio, Larrkardi, and of course in the local Nyikina language, that means a boab tree, and of course, Derby surrounded by boab trees sitting on the end of the King Sound baking on a marsh. And I do have a special guest with us. She's doing a flash trip through this part of the country -
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Very flash.
HOST: We would have loved to have her come through during festival time -
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I hear you, Brad.
HOST: During the cold season, but she's up here sweating it out with us. And I actually saw her down there at the Marnin Bowa Dumbara Family Healing Centre for the 30th anniverary.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: It was the beautiful and congratulations to them all for their 30th anniversary. What a special, special anniversary that is, and congratulations to all the staff, everyone involved and the families.
HOST: The stuff that they do there is simply amazing. And if you're wondering who I'm talking to, it's none other –
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Yeah, who are you talking to Brad?
HOST: Malarndirri McCarthy. She's a Senator, Minister for Indigenous Australians in the Federal Parliament. First time in Derby, but she said it won't be the last time.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: That's right. 6DBY, you heard it here first, I will be back.
HOST: Definitely. We're gonna have to get some station IDs off you, so it sounds like you're still here, but you're not. So, what's the visit?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I wanted to come and spend some time in the Kimberley, and I just had a couple of days in Broome, drove down to Derby today and just to spend some time here really, listening to families, some of the organisations, and you're right, Brad, I want to come back, you can never see enough people, I think, and I do want to get around to Fitzroy and some of the other places, Looma and nearby communities. It's really beautiful. I'm actually stunned with boab trees. I just find driving that road between Broome and Derby and just the boabs, they're mesmerising. I've got to keep my eyes on the road, really. They are just simply stunning.
HOST: All different kinds of shapes and sizes hey?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: True. I really want to know those stories.
HOST: So, great to meet you. Always heard so much about you, so it was good to finally meet you. Who have you actually caught up with today?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Obviously with the anniversary, the 30th anniversary, I caught up with a lot of the families there, to Trish, the CEO as well. Emama Nguda as well, just went around with them to talk to some of the kids at the hostel. The kids that they're working with, the youth, but also their staff. I think it's really terrific the staff that I've met and who were able to tell me how they're going. And a big shout out to those basketballers who are going to Singapore this weekend, very impressed. Going to be watching them, I think that's just outstanding. You've got some pretty good basketballers here who are going to head over to Singapore. So that was nice and obviously, then at the Derby High School, I was able to meet the Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation, and I really hope I've said that right, but we've supported them to work with the high school to make sure we have a beautiful Junior Ranger program going, just so that our kids have an avenue through school around culture, around caring for Country, but also employment. And so that's really important to me to see our youth have and feel that they've got a strong future.
HOST: And what’s more better than Indigenous people being out on Country, looking after it?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: True. Proper. That's right, Brad. I love this job, I love the ability to be able to see what we can do to help our mob, especially our kids. I know it's really tough. We want to keep them out of these youth programs that get them into jail, and that's the activities that we don't really want to talk about, those negative activities, it’s important we have positive activities, like the ranger program, to keep our kids on track. We have the high incarceration rates of our mob right across the country and that really worries me and I want to see these programs help our families.
HOST: Yeah, my son wanted to be a ranger and it's nice to know that there are actually pathways to become one.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Yes, there are and that's also a way of keeping at school and helping our kids stay at school and in the end, they may not want to be a ranger, they might want to move on to become a doctor or a nurse or a teacher or something else, but the Junior Ranger program helps keep them excited about going to school each day. And a big shout out for those kids, especially I met Justin today, who gets on the bus every day to come from Pandanus and comes in and those extra travel times that these kids do and he's in year 12. And I think it's just absolutely inspiring to see a young man like him doing what he's doing and in his final year.
HOST: Yeah, I must say a big shout out to the KDHS and the Holy Rosary School crew. The Clontarf crews as well.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: There wasn't enough hours in the day to catch up with everyone, but I do commend every single teacher out there in the schools that you have in Derby and I certainly want to get back to see more of the schools here. The teachers, the work that they do with our kids, with all kids, good on you. Go strong, finish strong for this fourth term, and we'll all look forward to Christmas.
HOST: Definitely, I can't wait. But I must say, thank you for popping into the station here at 6DBY and paying us a visit so we can showcase what we do here. And this was not the end of it. You still got a big afternoon to do.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: That's right. There's more to do, but I'll leave you to it Brad. There's a lot more. I'm sure there'll be people lining up outside now wondering why I didn't go and visit them. But listen, a big shout out to everyone and to those of you who are listening, if I didn't get around to see you this time, please contact the local National Indigenous Australians Agency staff. They're terrific staff here. So contact them, and obviously contact my office as well. I will be back and I look forward to seeing you next time.
HOST: So, if anybody got any concerns or issues or things like that, they'd like to bring up with you, definitely get in contact with them?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Absolutely. That's my job. That's why I'm here. And I do travel across the country, Brad, to all our communities, try and get to as many as I can. Palm Island was the last place I was at, we're trying to roll out our food security policy, which is to reduce the cost of food in remote stores and we've rolled out about 100 stores across Australia at the moment, and there's about 13 here in Western Australia. So I want to really encourage that so that our families can buy foods at a cheaper price.
HOST: Just quickly, what are some of the big things coming up in the future that Indigenous people may have to deal with?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I think the big thing for me is making sure we've got jobs. We need to have jobs where people feel dignity in work, that they feel proud to get up each morning, that they look forward to going to work, that they're receiving an income that covers the amount of work they do, that they have superannuation, long service leave, sick leave, all the entitlements that work should provide. And that's a real goal for me, and we are trying to do that and roll that out across places like the Kimberley, so I'll keep you informed.
HOST: No worries, one of my best pieces of advice I give to people, find a job that you love.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Absolutely.
HOST: Then it's not a job, it's something that you go to every day.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Something that makes you get out of bed in the morning and make you feel real good.
HOST: Before we finish up, any special shout outs and thankyous or hellos to anyone?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Oh, look, just a big shout out to all the families in Derby, to all our organisations. It's been wonderful to spend time with you. Stay safe, look out for one another and be kind to each other, hey?
HOST: Thank you for visiting this beautiful part of the country, especially 6DBY and like you said, we hope to see you back.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Bauji barra.