I want to acknowledge and welcome, say thank you to the Arrernte people whose land we are standing on today. It's great to have the Prime Minister again in Alice Springs for the thirteenth time. I keep counting how many times the Prime Minister has come into Alice Springs. The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Lia Finocchiaro, Ebony and Dawn from Congress, but my important colleague from the member for Solomon from Darwin. So it is fantastic to have the Prime Minister here and the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. They'll make some announcements. But it's great to be standing and looking at this building which we've watched. And the first time I came here with the Prime Minister we stood on a concrete slab. So to see this building take shape and know that this is going to contribute to the health and the wellbeing of Central Australia, not just Alice Springs, but the whole of Central Australia, is fantastic. And it is an investment that this government, particularly the federal government, has been quite proactive. So without further ado, I will hand over to the Chief Minister.
LIA FINOCCHIARO, CHIEF MINISTER OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY: Thanks very much, Marion. And it is wonderful to be here in beautiful Alice Springs with the Prime Minister making a significant announcement for the Territory. We've been working really hard together to make sure that we secure a good deal for Territorians. And this week alone we've been able to work with our federal counterparts and the Albanese Government to secure one of the best health funding deals we've ever had for the Territory with a 30 per cent increase in the next 12 months funding, which puts us in line with the ACT, which is well and truly overdue. But of course, the remote Aboriginal investment funding of just shy of $843 million over six years. It's really important for Territorians to understand what this means for them on the ground and particularly for Aboriginal Territorians as we continue to invest in the bush. A big portion of this $843 million is around police investment in remote communities which supports all Territorians to live in a safer environment. We know that community safety is the number one priority of Territorians, no matter where they live. But this funding will go further than remote policing, which is critical. It will also support better health outcomes for Aboriginal people living in the bush, greater empowerment and decision making and of course, making sure that our remote communities are invested in. This is a significant point in time for the territory. We welcome the funding. It's been great to work with the Federal Government and of course, we've got APO NT here represented, and Congress as well. But we welcome the funding. It shows a good strong working relationship between both governments. And as we continue to work together to deliver the seven points that I've been working with the Federal Government on, we're really hopeful to secure more of that going forward. Of course, the Prime Minister came on board extremely quickly to secure CASA exemptions for our police here in Alice Springs. And we've been working with Marion and Malarndirri and Amanda Rishworth to work through some of the Centrelink changes we'd like to see made. We've stood up a working group between territory officials and federal officials, and certainly the Territory would do the heavy lifting around making sure we expand referral pathways to the Commonwealth for greater income management of people who are neglecting their children, particularly failing to send their children to school. So we look forward to working with the federal government to further secure those seven points. We've had a commitment in principle from the federal Coalition, but we continue to work in good faith. And today's announcement is a significant investment by the federal government in the territory around health and of course a remote Aboriginal investment. I'll now pass on to the Prime Minister who will explain more about this fantastic outcome for all Territorians.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well thanks very much, Lia, and it was terrific to have a good meeting with you this morning discussing the interests of the Northern Territory and working together to improve the lives of Territorians. I want to acknowledge my federal colleagues here, Marion Scrymgour and Luke Gosling, who are here. Also John Paterson from APO NT, who'll say some words as well. This is a great day for the Territory and it's particularly a great day for remote communities. On my first of three visits to Alice Springs as Prime Minister, we knew that a whole bunch of community based organisations were going to have their funding drop off a cliff on June 30 of that year. There wasn't ongoing funding, there wasn't that certainty. So you can't keep staff and build up that social capital that you need if you don't have that certainty. And that is why this six year agreement is so important going forward. Empowering Indigenous communities, providing additional funding for police services, for health, for education, for community and family services where people live, and empowering those local communities to work with government to deliver real solutions. I came here when it was just a slab on the ground and to see the work that Congress have done here that will give them as well the stability and certainty going forward is so important. This is a tripartite agreement that we've signed today. The funding coming from the Commonwealth, $842 million, is the largest investment in remote communities that we have seen for this service delivery. Over six years to deliver services all about building Australia's future and making sure that people in remote communities and First Nations people are not left behind. And we want to work constructively with the Chief Minister and the NT Government, but also with organisations like the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory, who will speak just after me. Australians want to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and we know that we're frankly not doing well enough. And no governments have done well enough, which is why so many of the indices that will be released next week simply aren't up to scratch. So this is about doing better. This funding will deliver essential services for remote communities, including policing, women's safety, children's health, education and alcohol harm reduction. It will increase funding for Aboriginal interpreter services and deliver new funding for community development. It will strengthen support for Aboriginal community controlled organisations and enable the transition of services from government to community controlled over time. It will establish service hubs that deliver programs and services designed and delivered in community by community. And it will include up to eight community development hubs, training and business hubs, to support communities to access employment opportunities. This will work with our remote jobs plan, replacing the payment for doing nothing plan with actual real jobs, paying real wages, delivering real training that will make such a substantial difference. That was a centrepiece of my speech at Garma last year. It will deliver 12 children and family centres. This is about making sure that every child enjoys the safety that every child should have as an inherent right. This is about backing up families and providing the funding to do so. It does mean that more than 570 local NT remote jobs are secured to deliver these programs, making such an enormous difference. And I'll just comment on a couple of other issues as well that are related. Firstly to, I met with the Chief Minister on Christmas Eve, as you do. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together at the commemorations that occurred for Cyclone Tracey - and that was an opportunity to go through the issues. With regard to Centrelink payments on alcohol free days, payment days are spread out of course, but alcohol restrictions of course are a decision for the NT Government, but we've backed in those decisions, including one of my visits to Alice Springs here. One of the three visits, I've made 13 visits here to the Territory. We are rolling out the new Remote Jobs Program with real jobs, and that's important regarding work and training programs. On performance audit on federally funded programs, we want to make sure that every single dollar from the Commonwealth goes to making a difference to people's lives. We have a range of audit processes in place. If things aren't working, we'll change them. We'll intervene to make sure that the dollars go to where they are anticipated, which is improving the lives of Territorians. So we have high expectations of organisations that deliver taxpayer funded programs. On royalties issues, the NT Government is of course having discussions directly with the Central Land Council. We've delivered the police drones, are in operation here. We changed the CASA regulations and that is making a difference, and the police certainly indicated that's the case. In the discussion I had with Lia this morning, she was really welcoming. We went through some of the examples of what that's happening. Regarding income management issues, we certainly accept the NT Government referrals for parents who neglect children to income management, and Minister Rishworth has made that very clear. The NT Government can refer adults to income management if there are any child protection concerns. And Lia and I spoke this morning about some of the regulations and changes that need to come from the Northern Territory in order to achieve those objectives. These are all important initiatives. We'll continue to work constructively. There shouldn't be any politics in this. This is about making a difference to people's lives. I know that that's Marion's approach, that's Luke's approach, and I know that that's the approach that the Chief Minister has as well. We want governments working seamlessly together to deliver outcomes. And speaking of which, I'll conclude with the $1.7 billion announcement that we made this week, just a couple of days ago now - it's been a big week. We completed the agreement just before WA went into caretaker. There had to be bilateral agreements with each of the states and territories to extend hospitals funding, and we increased it by $1.7 billion. The big winner of any state and territory in that announcement was the Northern Territory. Because they had fallen behind, they did need the additional funding that we're injecting. Northern Territory has gone from $430 million in this current financial year, up to $560 million. A 30 per cent increase in public hospital funding here in the Territory. In recognition that the Northern Territory deserves its fair share. We'll continue to work on all of those issues to deliver better outcomes for Territorians. But it's a proud day as Prime Minister. We have, the Closing the Gap speeches will take place in our National Parliament on Monday. I wanted to make sure though that we were here on the ground. The Commonwealth Government, with the NT Government, with Indigenous services here in the Northern Territory to make a difference. And on that note, I will call upon John to speak on behalf of Indigenous organisations here in the Northern Territory.
JOHN PATERSON, ABORIGINAL PEAK ORGANISATIONS CONVENOR: Thanks, Prime Minister. And let me thank the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister for coming today and signing this significant agreement that's going to have a huge impact and difference for Aboriginal communities and our constituents here today. Today was significant. As I said, the investment is welcomed by the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory. What this agreement demonstrates is that when the partners, along with the Aboriginal leadership get around the table to negotiate under those frameworks of the Closing the Gap National Agreement, we can achieve the outcome that we're all aspiring and wanting. Particularly for our constituents, the most vulnerable here in the Northern Territory, particularly in those remote locations. So we'll continue to work, and I'm sure the Chief Minister and Prime Minister will ensure that we get down to the nitty gritty, the nuts and bolts so to speak, to look at strategies and implementations about how we go about in achieving those outcomes that we prioritise in the agreement and get a better, hopefully, outcome for our communities. I'll leave it at that.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, and thank you for the work that APO NT do. We're happy to take some questions. I note Lia's got an appointment back in Darwin, so if there are questions for the Chief Minister, maybe first. But questions to either of us on this issue, firstly.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, is this an extension of the current funding agreement towards the NTRAI, $111 million that's been committed in the Federal Budget? And if so, was this agreement ever in doubt?
PRIME MINISTER: This agreement - no agreement is ever settled between the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, I assure you. What this is, is a new agreement. This isn't just an extension of what was there before. This has been worked through from the Commonwealth, from the NT Government, and with Indigenous organisations, with the peak organisations run by Aboriginal communities themselves. It's the lead up to the Closing the Gap statements that will take place next Monday. And it's based upon, okay, we've agreed on what the Closing the Gap pathways are, so I want to acknowledge that as well, the national peak organisations and the work that they do. They'll be in Canberra next week. But this is very much consistent with that.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what lessons have been learned from past government initiative and how is this different?
PRIME MINISTER: The big thing is building on is the Closing the Gap theme, and I might ask John to comment on this as well, because it was about empowerment as well. And making sure that it's not, you know, people in Canberra, or dare I say even people in Darwin, deciding what's best for people in Tennant Creek or Katherine or Alice Springs. Making sure that we get that Indigenous engagement is so important. So addressing, identifying where the challenges are, making sure that that's prioritised in terms of the makeup of this funding coming through. We've all been concerned about violence towards families and children, so a lot of the priorities are reflected in this funding agreement. But I might ask John and anyone else.
PATERSON: Yeah look, from my personal perspective, being an Aboriginal Territorian, born and bred here, been in the sector working with these issues at a national jurisdictional level for the last four decades. This process, this outcome, is probably one of the best and genuine meaningful outcomes that I've experienced in my working career. And what made that enable to come, you know, get this to this fruition with the funding envelope wrapped around, is because I personally believe it's because the involvement and participation by Aboriginal leaders here in the Northern Territory who know their business, know their communities, know the issues on the ground and getting that continual feedback from grassroots community and organisations that we have connections through the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory.
JOURNALIST: How will this agreement put power back In the hands of Aboriginal communities?
PATERSON: Absolutely. Well part of the agreement, you saw that there's going to be a process developed and designed about transitioning organisations and service providers to Aboriginal community control. And an example, good example is the Aboriginal health sector here in the Northern Territory. We've been doing this already. There's a reform policy that's transitioning Northern Territory Government clinics across the Aboriginal community controlled health boards. And we've been so successful in that. We're getting great results out of delivering primary healthcare to our mob in remote communities. And this is the model, this is working. So, why would we go and reinvent, come up with another complicated, sophisticated system and process and structures when we've already got something that's working and Aboriginal people are making decisions at that local community level?
JOURNALIST: Question for the Prime Minister. In 2023, there was a commitment of $250 million funding for Better, Safer Futures. We also had commitment for funding for remote housing. Is this building upon those or is this admitting that was getting poor results out of those previous funding?
PRIME MINISTER: Don't forget the schools agreement and the health agreement as well. This stands by itself. This is about Closing the Gap. That funding of $250 million for Central Australia was targeted just here in Central Australia. One of the things that has been difficult to find is there's funding there for additional community workers, for example. The funding is available. We need to find the people to fill those positions. Part of the lesson is to have that six year certainty which is established. I think Marion was going to jump in about the previous question.
SCRYMGOUR: Yeah look, I think the Prime Minister's right. I think this builds on, so there was $250 million which our Federal Government put into Alice Springs. If you go back and look at the journey that's happened here, we had the Northern Territory intervention many years ago. So, 10 years ago there was about $500 million that was put into the Northern Territory. Over that nine year period, by stealth, it was pulled out of the Northern Territory. So, the reinvestment through this Labor Government, has put the investment back into these remote communities where it's needed. You hear people in Alice Springs often say, you know, why are a lot of the remote communities and people coming from communities into Alice Springs, into Katherine, into Tennant Creek? Well, this is putting that investment. An important part of that announcement that the Prime Minister talked about was the jobs. Malarndirri McCarthy is the Minister responsible. 570 jobs is enormous for our remote community. So, this is the investment that our bush and our people need and it will be sustainable because it is beyond election cycles. So, it is taking the politics out of it and giving commitment and guarantee. And I want to praise, because I forgot to acknowledge, John Paterson from APO NT and also in his capacity as CEO of AMSANT, because the community controlled health sector has done a lot of work here and Aboriginal people recognise that brand and they are part of that brand and I think it's important because the community has control, not politicians either in Darwin or in Canberra.
PRIME MINISTER: Let's just take a couple more questions given the -
JOURNALIST: In the interest of time I'll make it a three part question -
PRIME MINISTER: Well, then I get to choose which part I answer, so -
JOURNALIST: Sure, so what extra programs will be funded through this agreement? And what are the eight locations of the local groups that you've announced and which Aboriginal community control children and family centres are getting the funds?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, regarding the eight jobs training and business hubs, they'll be worked out with the APO NT. That's part of the benefit here of what we're doing is establishing that long term framework, but engaging. It's not people in Canberra saying 'here's what you're going to do,' it's engaging with people on the ground that will make an enormous difference. And the new, additional funding, this is additional funding, to be very clear. This will be a line item when we hand down our Budget. You know, 12 children and family centres will make an enormous difference. And we're already doing - the measures that we're doing on dialysis and healthcare, the measures that we're doing on school funding, the measures that we announced in hospital funding is enormous as well. But this is the full suite of services, including policing that will make a difference as well for community safety, children's health, alcohol harm reduction. These are all things that have been worked out between the Commonwealth, the Territory and indigenous organisations through their peak organisations, Northern Territory.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Albanese, would you support a visit from the UN Special Rapporteur to inspect NT prisons?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven't given what UN people visit any thought, I've got to say. NT prisons are run by the Northern Territory Government. That's a matter for the Northern Territory Government.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what protections are going to be in place to stop cuts or delays in future funding? And also how will you make sure this isn't just another government promise that fades away?
PRIME MINISTER: Re-elect a Labor Government. Re-elect Marion Scrymgour as the Member for Lingiari, Luke Gosling as the Member for Solomon. That's how you stop the sort of cuts that we saw under the former government. And the approaches are very different. The approach of the former government was to have a budget where funding went down to zero on June 30th. That's not our approach. We're providing six years funding certainty in the Budget. But we do know that the Leader of the Opposition has said that there'll be cuts. But we also know that he said that they'll tell you what they are after the election. I don't think that's good enough. I think you're entitled to ask where the cuts will be. And that's before he has to find an additional $600 billion of funding, of cuts, in order to pay for his nuclear fantasy. Now, he has described, and senior members of the Opposition have described additional funding of over $300 billion as being waste. That's things like indexing pensions, it's payments like this. It's the support we've given to veterans. Luke Gosling's a great veteran standing next to me. It's outrageous that 60,000 people were in the queue to get entitlements that they were entitled to due to their service in uniform for our nation.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, why is this contingent on being re-elected? Why was this funding not committed to earlier? Why only a couple of months out from an election?
PRIME MINISTER: It'll be in our Budget. It'll be in our Budget. It's a six year plan we've negotiated out through the Northern Territory Government and through NT Government - but also with indigenous organisations themselves. And see this building here? That's Federal Government funding in partnership with Congress themselves. It's actually a great example of the Commonwealth partnering with an indigenous organisation here in Alice Springs to make a difference. Those walls and that concrete represent concrete gains that are being made forward, not because of the buildings, but because of what occurs in those buildings, which will be people who are committed to improving the lives of Indigenous people, through Congress, providing those health services directly. We have, from the first Budget that was handed down under my Government, had substantial announcements for Indigenous communities the whole way through. Whether it's this funding, the funding for schools in the Northern Territory, the hospitals funding, the $250 million Central Australia Plan. Each and every opportunity, we not only - we not only - it's not just about dollars, it's about making sure that those dollars improve the lives of people in communities here, whether it be in Darwin or in Alice Springs or in remote communities. Thanks very much.
