LISA MILLAR, HOST: Let's go to federal politics and the last parliamentary sitting fortnight before the winter break. Today begins with the Government very keen to ensure the path of its legislation for the Indigenous Voice referendum. Now, of course, the Government doesn't have a majority in the Senate, but the opposition has indicated that it will support it to get it through. But it's still going to have to convince Australians to vote yes, because there's a new poll suggesting that support has slipped below a majority.

WOOLF: Big announcement made yesterday by the Federal and Territory governments to support community led place-based approaches to justice reinvestment. At the Joint Council on Closing the Gap meeting, which happened here in Darwin. Now, as part of its landmark $81.5 million First Nations justice package, the Albanese Government is going to be assisting 15 communities that have expressed interest in designing and developing early stage justice reinvestment strategies.

ANDY PARK, HOST: Well, 15 remote communities across the country will receive support as part of an $81 million fund for community led initiatives, which the federal government says will help reduce the incarceration rate for First Nations Australians. A wicked problem if there ever was one. The announcement came earlier this morning ahead of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap meeting in Darwin. Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said working with communities can lead to better outcomes.

The Albanese Labor Government is establishing a new $18 million capital works fund to build new and improve existing boarding facilities in Central Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote Northern Territory communities.

The Central Australia Boarding Response Fund comes after the review of boarding school options in Central Australia announced last October by the Federal and Northern Territory governments.

NT MINISTER SELENA UIBO: It's great to be here on Larrakia Country, as the Northern Territory is the host jurisdiction for the National Close the Gap Joint Council. It's really fantastic to be joined by federal and parliamentary colleagues from across the country, as well as our Coalition of Peaks, which are the peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations working on the action that is needed to close the gap for First Nations disadvantage across Australia. As the Northern Territory host Minister.

NT MINISTER SELENA UIBO: It's great to be here on Larrakia Country, as the Northern Territory is the host jurisdiction for the National Close the Gap Joint Council. It's really fantastic to be joined by federal and parliamentary colleagues from across the country, as well as our Coalition of Peaks, which are the peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations working on the action that is needed to close the gap for First Nations disadvantage across Australia. As the Northern Territory host Minister.

ALEX BARWICK, HOST : There seems to be some division within the Country Liberal Party over who is against a voice to Parliament and who is open to hearing a bit more or maybe even letting members decide for themselves. Over the weekend, the CLP membership voted through a motion against The Voice, but this came just days after the CLP parliamentary wing decided to abstain from voting in Territory Parliament for support of the voice, saying they wanted more detail.

KARVELAS: Federal politicians have flown into Alice Springs as the town embarks on a new chapter of alcohol reform. New liquor ban laws are set to be introduced in NT Parliament next week. That's six months after they suddenly were lifted. Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy joins me now from Alice Springs. Welcome to the program. Now it's been more than a week since the Government received Dorelle Anderson's report and days ago the NT Government reinstated alcohol bans. How different is the situation on the ground now?

DAVE MARCHESE, HOST: Senator, firstly, the big news out of Canberra today, as we just heard, Senator Lidia Thorpe has quit the Greens over divisions on the Voice to Parliament. She's been really critical of pursuing a voice before treaty. We're still waiting to see if the Greens are going to commit to supporting the voice in the referendum. Do you think that's more likely now Lidia Thorpe isn't in the Greens.

GREG JENNETT, HOST: Well, our first guest today will be involved in that (referendum) working group meeting tomorrow. And like Natasha Fyles, Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy is on the move to take part. She's Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Malarndirri McCarthy joins us live now from Sydney. Very important round of talks, Senator. Can I ask exactly what we should expect to come from what I understand to be one of the presumed to be one of the final meetings of the working group?