Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and other remote towns across the Northern Territory have endured the failures of this government's policy agenda, with child sexual abuse, assaults and property damage a daily occurrence in many remote communities. In response to growing community concern, and considerable pressure from the general public, the Prime Minister finally visited Alice Springs recently, with less than four hours on the ground. Can the minister advise why the Prime Minister thought it was acceptable to be a FIFO PM in Alice?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

or WONG (—) (): I'm disappointed that Senator McKenzie, on an issue such as we are seeing in Alice Springs, would choose to make such a light-hearted quip in that way. We all know—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why didn't you listen to Indigenous voices in the parliament?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where was Morrison last year?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators! Please continue, Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just on the visit, first, before I go to the more substantive issue, which is the intergenerational disadvantage, the violence and what we are seeing on the ground in Alice Springs. I am advised that the Prime Minister had planned to visit Alice Springs in December, but—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We were calling on him for weeks!

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Eight months after requested—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He contracted COVID, and so that was delayed. Obviously, the next opportunity he was able to visit was 24 January. Minister Burney has visited Alice Springs on a number of occasions and, of course, we are quite blessed in the Labor Party to have Senator McCarthy, the member for Lingiari and many others who engage very closely on these issues.

It is the case that yesterday, the Prime Minister, as you know, announced additional support for the Northern Territory. And it is the case that the Stronger Futures program ended under you with no plan. So it is interesting that in this place you wish to come in here and play partisan politics on an issue where you dropped the ball at the end of the Stronger Futures program—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Wong, your time has expired. I'm going to call Senator McKenzie for her first supplementary question.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before the election, the Prime Minister said:

If I'm Prime Minister, I won't go missing when the going gets tough—or pose for photos and then disappear when there's a job to be done.

Can the minister advise the Senate why the Prime Minister spent three nights at the Australian Open, posing for photos, and not a single night in Alice Springs?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's interesting that Senator McKenzie chooses to remind everyone of what Mr Morrison was like! But what I would say is this—first, on the tennis. I hope that you are very careful about who on your side has gone to major sporting events, because I can say to you that I remember a lot of Liberal Party ministers with a lot of good hats at the Melbourne Cup and other things!

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance, Madam President: the minister was asked about time in Alice Springs talking to local communities and addressing the crisis that's unfolding there, not—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, and I would ask for silence.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order! I had difficulty hearing Senator Wong because of all of the interjections. Senator Wong—and I will listen closely.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Were that you did ask me that question, Senator McKenzie, because I would have treated that question with some respect. But, no, you want to make a partisan point. You want to make a partisan point about the tennis. Let me say this: stronger futures ended in July 2022. There was no plan on the part of the previous government to manage the transition. We have listened to community and we have provided additional resources to— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a second supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Community leaders have warned that the serious crime wave affecting the Northern Territory communities has the potential to spread to other remote communities across Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia with the government's abolition of the cashless debit card. When will the Prime Minister visit those other communities where the CDC has been abolished?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm asked now about the CDC. I would make a few points. First, in relation to what we are seeing in the Northern Territory, it is distressing, it is deeply worrying and it is devastating for communities, and that's why we're acting. That is why we're acting. That is why the Prime Minister, after consultation with the Northern Territory government and after consultation with Ms Dorrelle Anderson, has made a decision with the support of the cabinet to provide $250 million worth of additional funding for support. It is a reminder of how much all governments need to do to address the intergenerational disadvantage which we are seeing. (Time expired)