1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,559 Speaker 1: We know that the Northern Territory government announced that they'd 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: secured this direct Darwin London flight with Quantus. The flights 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: are going to mean that Territorians will be able to 4 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: join the flights in Darwin and fly non stop to London, 5 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: with the direct flight scheduled to start on the fourteenth 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: of November and run until at least April twenty twenty two. 7 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: Now the Chief Minister, Michael Gunner joins me in the 8 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: studio right now. 9 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Chief. 10 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 3: Okay, how you going very well? 11 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: Now? 12 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: I tell you this seems like a good announcement direct 13 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: flights from Darwin to London. But I've been getting messages 14 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: from listeners saying that they cannot book a direct flight 15 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: home to Darwin. 16 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 2: Is there actually a direct flight back if you travel 17 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 2: to London? 18 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 3: Yes, there is. 19 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 4: I've had some similar feedback and I don't know why 20 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 4: double confirm again this morning. That's definitely a return flight, 21 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 4: so I'm not sure why there's trouble booking. Maybe there's 22 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 4: so much demand at the London end that you have 23 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 4: having trouble gain the return flight, so. 24 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 3: That might maybe it is well. I can ask later today. 25 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 4: About what's going on behind the return flight booking issues, 26 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 4: but it's definitely a return. 27 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: So you don't have to go through Sydney or Melbourne 28 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: to get home. 29 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 4: My understanding is that there'll be London dal On flights. 30 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 4: That's half the reason behind what they've done here. So 31 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 4: I don't know why people are having trouble booking the 32 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 4: London Dalne flight unless it just simply goes to the. 33 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 3: Amount of demand. 34 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 4: And when I met with Alan Joyce a couple weeks back, 35 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 4: he did say there was a lot of pent up 36 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 4: demand at both ends, so it may be simply there's 37 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 4: a lot of people, probably mainly Australians at the London end, 38 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 4: wanting to go on that flight. 39 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: Now, I know that the big question on everybody's lips 40 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: at the moment is what is going to happen when 41 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: it comes to quarantining. We know that right now people 42 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: traveling from overseas or a hot spot, vaccinated or non 43 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 1: vaccinated have to quarantine at Howard Springs for fourteen days. 44 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: Will passengers now be able. 45 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: To quarantine at home for seven days if they are 46 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: double vaccinated with these flights? 47 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 4: So I'll take you through what the rules are now, 48 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 4: and then what we're trying to move towards so absolutely 49 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 4: right now, if you come in from overseas in the territory, 50 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 4: it's fourteen days quarantine at c Interfnational Resilience at that moment. 51 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 4: That's all repat for lights and booked through the Australian Government. 52 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 4: They will obviously be the same for the commercial flights, 53 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 4: at least initially. The Australian government's talking about November fourteen 54 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 4: being the date that these flights come in. Now, no 55 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 4: changes at our end or having to quarantine to a 56 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 4: double dose eighty and they stage that's looking like late November, so. 57 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: You will still have to quarantine at Howard Springs for 58 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: fourteen days. 59 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 4: At double dose eighty in the Northern Territory. So that's 60 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 4: obviously the national plan. Stage three or the next trigger 61 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 4: three or four happens at double dose eighty. At that 62 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,839 Speaker 4: point in time, we will absolutely move to domestic home 63 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 4: based quarantining. What we want to do obviously is move 64 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 4: international to the same footing. I can't say it will 65 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 4: be on the same date though they'd be great obviously 66 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 4: if it could be, but we want to get domestic 67 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 4: home quarantines sorted first and then the international internationals where 68 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 4: the greater risk is. 69 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 3: So we are looking. 70 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 4: At moving to fourteen days home quarantine and. 71 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 3: That will be for the international to US can give 72 00:02:58,600 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 3: you a date. 73 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: On the international Okay, So just to make it really 74 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: clear for those out there listening this morning who are thinking, 75 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: I would like to book these flights, I've got family 76 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: in London. I want to go to the UK to 77 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: see them, and then I want to be able to 78 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: come home. You will still at this point in time 79 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: have to quarantine at Howard Springs for fourteen days. 80 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 3: Yep. 81 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 4: So the dates probably here are very important for anyone 82 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 4: booking a flight. Dates are very important. The Australian government's 83 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 4: saying November fourteen for these flights commencing, we won't be 84 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 4: at double dose eighty then, so we'll be fourteen days 85 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 4: quarantine for everybody coming to the territory at Howard Springs, 86 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 4: So that includes domestic. When we go double dose eighty, 87 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 4: which we think will be late, no, never, maybe early December, 88 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 4: we'll be able to definitely go domestic home based quarantining. 89 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 4: We are working on international home based quarantining. I can't 90 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 4: guarantee it's the same date, but if you want to 91 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 4: have a home based quarantining option for international I play 92 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 4: wait a little bit before I booked, but if you're 93 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 4: comfortable going back into Howard Springs, then obviously. 94 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 3: Do that well. 95 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: So is this really the coup that we're hoping for 96 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: when it comes to tourism, because realistically, if you've got 97 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: people coming from London to the Northern Territory, they're still 98 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: going to have to go into Howard Springs for fourteen 99 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: days like they are right now. 100 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 4: We have these flights until April next year, so we're 101 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 4: obviously going to be making changes to our quarantine system 102 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 4: between now and April. We're working around changes happening in 103 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,239 Speaker 4: early December, so a couple weeks after the flight start. 104 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 4: So absolutely during the life of these flights there will 105 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 4: be a change in our quarantine arrangement. What I can't 106 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 4: give you is the dates for that. I think we'll 107 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 4: understand why we're still working to double dose eighty and 108 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 4: then we've got to make sure the home quarantining works. 109 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 4: If you go back in time to when we went 110 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 4: from home based quarantining to Howard Springs, we've made a 111 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 4: few changes to a quarantine arrangements. We had a ninety 112 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 4: nine percent compliants rate, which is extraordinary, but we set 113 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 4: that point in time that one percent. 114 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 3: Non compliance was too risky. This is before vaccines. 115 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 4: We're now looking obviously to move to a domestic home 116 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 4: based quarantining for double vaccinated And the other issue obviously 117 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 4: was it was resource intensive back then to how we 118 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 4: monitored home based quarantining. Now with the apps having developed 119 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 4: both the WA Good to Go app or the South 120 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 4: Australian app, between those, we've got access to good to 121 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 4: Go now, so we now have a less resource intense 122 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 4: model with people being vaccinated. So we're obviously significantly more 123 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 4: comfortable at moving to domestic home based quarantining, and same 124 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 4: case goes for international when we hit double those eighty, So. 125 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 1: From early December is when you're hoping that we'll hit 126 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: that double dose eighty and that will mean then that 127 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: territory and who travel over to London and come back, 128 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: they'll be able to quarantine at home potentially potentially will 129 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: that still be for fourteen days or will it be 130 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: seven days? 131 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 4: So at the moment we're going for fourteen days. I'll 132 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 4: take you through the New halth Wales they've gone from 133 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 4: fourteen days to seven. That's because the majority of their 134 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 4: people who test positive in their quarantine is in the 135 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 4: first seven that they still have people who test positive 136 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 4: in their second seven, but they're prepared to take that 137 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 4: risk because they've got free moving community transmission in the 138 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 4: in this. 139 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 3: Wales, so we don't have that honestly. 140 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,239 Speaker 4: So yeah, that's a guaranteed positive case in the community. 141 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 4: If you shorten it In New Half Wales, they don't 142 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 4: mind because it's part. 143 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 3: Of a bigger problem they've got down there. 144 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 4: We don't have any cases, so I can't take on 145 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 4: an absolute guarantee a positive case in the community. 146 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: So then when you talk about it from a tourism perspective, 147 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: what kind of positive impact is this realistically going to 148 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: have for us in the territory if people are still 149 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: having to quarantine at Howard Springs for fourteen days. 150 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 4: So I think first of all, we've seen that house 151 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 4: springs another turren to anybody. We brought those changes in 152 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 4: just recently because of that people seeing him to quite 153 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 4: light the idea of spending fourteen days at how Springs. 154 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 4: But we are going to be moving, obviously between now 155 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 4: and April to a different quarantine footing, so there will 156 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 4: be plenty of time here for us to take advantage 157 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 4: of this route. In my opinion, I just can't give 158 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 4: you the hard dates because based on the evidence and 159 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 4: the public health devices as opposed to an artificial But you. 160 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 1: Are confident that realistically, by early next year that we're 161 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: going to wind up in a situation where we will 162 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: actually be able to have tourists getting off that flight, 163 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: that direct flight into the community and able to actually 164 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: see the wonders of the territory. 165 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 4: And that's what all working towards for how we do 166 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 4: a COVID full stop. So it's not just about these tourists. 167 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 4: That's what we're trying to move towards with how we 168 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 4: manage COVID, and we're just doing it step by step 169 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 4: because the priory is still us be keeping territory and safe. 170 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 4: We're managed to keep COVID out of our community now, 171 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 4: which is quite incredible. When you look at New Zealand's fallen. 172 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 4: You know, New Zealand's now given up on COVID zero. 173 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 4: Then there's some position to Victoria, but we're managed to 174 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 4: keep it out. We've got everything we can to make 175 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 4: sure the territory and stay safe for as many days 176 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 4: as possible. 177 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: But moving forwards from early next year, you are hoping 178 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: that we're going to get to a point where we 179 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: will be able to keep this direct flight, and you're 180 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: going to be trying to work with Quantus to really 181 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: narrow down the way in which we're doing things. Because 182 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: I know that we're making these announcements about international travel 183 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: last week Quantus see Alan Joyce stress that Quantus did 184 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: not believe that seven days of quarantine was sustainable and 185 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: hope to see that reduced quite rapidly to seventy two 186 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: hours then removed entirely. 187 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: Will you be prepared to head. 188 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: Down that path by early next year in order to 189 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: make this sustainable? 190 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 3: Yep. 191 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 4: So the order of steps here in terms of safety 192 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 4: would be going from the Center National Resilience quarantine to 193 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 4: home based quarantining. Then there's question whether they look at 194 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 4: the length of quarantine or not, which what New Half 195 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 4: Wales has done, or you might even skip a step 196 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 4: or the next step after that anyway, is a testing 197 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 4: regime instead of a quarantine regime. That all depends on 198 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 4: the speed of the testing results and the number of 199 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 4: the volume people coming through. So that's all down the track. 200 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 4: I don't know get we're gone talking about that. We 201 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 4: jumped ahead of the home based quarantining, but that is 202 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 4: a potential outcome down the track. Is a testing regime, 203 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 4: so we've got it. We've got a lot of work 204 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 4: do before we get there. So don't people thinking that's 205 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 4: going to cerdinly h pop up before the end of 206 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 4: the year. 207 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 2: Okay. 208 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: The other thing is, obviously we're talking about the international flight, 209 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: but there's a lot of Assie is said of wondering 210 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: right now about being able to travel around the rest 211 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: of Australia. They might have family in Victoria or New 212 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: South Wales. What's going to be the situation for them. 213 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: Are you going to be moving sort of in lockstep 214 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 1: with that overseas sort of scenario here where they're going 215 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: to eventually be able to reduce the number of days 216 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 1: that they quarantine. 217 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 4: So with the domestic home based quarantining, that obviously will 218 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 4: definitely come in early just around them on that double 219 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 4: dose eighty. 220 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 3: That's we're definitely well on track for that. 221 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 4: So you can have the comfort of going into state 222 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 4: knowing you about a quarantine at home before Christmas. That's 223 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 4: what we're working towards. There's nothing that says that we're 224 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 4: not everything says we're. 225 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,719 Speaker 2: On track for that, but still for fourteen. 226 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 3: For fourteen days. 227 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 4: At this stage, obviously I keep talking and working with 228 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 4: Dot the Haggey and the others about whether length of 229 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 4: stay can be looked at. But remember the concent for 230 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 4: me is wals are making their change knowing there's a 231 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 4: guarantee case in the community in that second week, but 232 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 4: they don't mind because they've already got cases in their community. 233 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 3: It just takes the bulk of pressure off, all right. 234 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,319 Speaker 1: This we'd had quite a few messages come through over 235 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: the course of the weekend really, you know, questioning exactly 236 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: what the go is with this direct flight to London. 237 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: I know that there was one person who've messaged and said, 238 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: at the moment Quantus is offering London to Dubai to 239 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: Melbourne or Sydney to Darwin or Perth direct flight from London, 240 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: which they say they're not doing to Melbourne, Sydney or 241 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: Darwin to Brisbane. It doesn't make sense and it makes 242 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: the announcement on Friday quite miss leading. Plus there was 243 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: no mention of the fact that you need to steal 244 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: quarantine at how it springs for two weeks on return. 245 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 2: But just to really clarify. 246 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: That for our listeners this morning who are wondering at 247 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: this point in time, that is indeed still the case. 248 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: But your plan in moving forward is that we will 249 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: get to a point, hopefully early next year, where you're 250 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: not having to quarantine for fourteen days at how it springs. 251 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 3: That's right. 252 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 4: The rules that are in place right now and have 253 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 4: it in place for eighteen months, remain in place around 254 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 4: quarantine for international that remains the source of greatest risk. 255 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 4: We are working towards domestic home based quarantining. I can't 256 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 4: give you a date on international home based quarantining, but 257 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 4: very keen obviously once we move that domestic to match 258 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 4: those two things up, that's probably what I can give 259 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 4: you in. 260 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 3: The short term. 261 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 4: Longer term we will look at both the shortening of 262 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,839 Speaker 4: the days and the testing regime, but their longer term 263 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 4: answers don't do not book on the back of that book, 264 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 4: on the back of Center National Resilience in two weeks. 265 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 4: That's what is the rules right now. I'm not going 266 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 4: to mislead anybody. We are working though towards intentional home 267 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 4: based correct. 268 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: All right, Well, we know the vaccination rates and you've 269 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: touched on this very heavily, needing to get to the 270 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: eighty percent vaccination rates, But in some of our communities 271 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: they are incredibly low those vax rates. Some Central Australian 272 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: locations are at six percent and eleven percent. Some in 273 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: the Arnham region we don't actually even know how they're 274 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: sitting based on the government's on website. 275 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: Are the community is going to. 276 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: Be shut out to the rest of the territory when 277 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: you move down this path of allowing that home quarantine 278 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,839 Speaker 1: or reducing the level of time that you need to quarantine. 279 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 4: So we obviously know the quarantine rate in all of 280 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,079 Speaker 4: communities that we're running. So the MTG clinics where that's 281 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 4: blank on our reporting, that's where it's run by a 282 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 4: clinic that's not ours Nambrginal community controlled health clinic. We 283 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 4: don't have the individual community data, so we're presuming they 284 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 4: are a low VAX community unless we're advised otherwise. 285 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 3: We haven't been. 286 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:52,839 Speaker 4: So the majority of communities I'm worried about our in 287 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 4: Central Australia. If you look at the top end communities, 288 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 4: most of them are actually seventy percent eighty percent first stars, 289 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 4: the top end communities are actually remarkably good. The ones 290 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 4: I most worry about. You and the Moo Ali Kurg, 291 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 4: palumpa Es Central Australian communities. 292 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 3: I'll give you. I'll give you two stories, you and 293 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 3: the move. 294 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 4: We have vaccines in the clinics, so vaccines are all 295 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 4: that cliques by the way, so business as usual. You 296 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 4: can go into any vaccine basically any clink, basically get 297 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 4: the vaccine. But I've done six intense visits to you 298 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 4: and to move. On top of that, you to moves 299 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 4: at twenty percent. So for me, you and the moves 300 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 4: moving towards probably I don't want to presume this probably 301 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 4: gone towards a community that's saying no to the vaccine. 302 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 3: But we're not giving out. Obviously, we'll keep working on that. 303 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 4: Elliott has gone in recent times from around twenty percent 304 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 4: to thirty five percent, so they're responding to additional trips 305 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 4: and different work that we're doing there. 306 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 3: So each community is sponding a different rate. 307 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,199 Speaker 4: Now. For all I know, in a week or two 308 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 4: you and the moon might start jumping up that vax 309 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,439 Speaker 4: rate as well. But we're trying everything here in remote communities. 310 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 4: I think it's important that this is not seen as 311 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 4: a remote problem or oriviginal problem. No majority of communities 312 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 4: actually have got a high vax rate. Some communities don't 313 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 4: have a high vax rate, and it's more obvious in 314 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 4: the remote community because they're a disacreted identity, Like I 315 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 4: don't have the I can't give you some daling figures 316 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 4: that makes. 317 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 3: Out fru straight. 318 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: Are we going to do though, if we're like you're 319 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 1: talking about eighty percent vaccination rate and that really being 320 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 1: like a lynchpin for us in terms of that national travel, 321 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 1: also in terms of this international travel, what are we 322 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: going to do, Like if we've got communities that are 323 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: still at twenty percent and aren't wanting to get vaccinated. 324 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,559 Speaker 1: You've said that you've got people going out to those 325 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: clinics six times, there's vaccine in the fridge. 326 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 2: Are you going to lock them out? 327 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 4: So, if you remember, the only restriction we're looking at 328 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 4: changing at the moment is from centraf national resilience to 329 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 4: home based quarantining. We believe the more we look at it, 330 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 4: we can comfortably do that double dose eighty no matter 331 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 4: what rate the other communities are at, especially because they're 332 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 4: doing that when we get there if there's a question 333 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 4: of chance better choice, Right, if I get to double 334 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 4: dose eighty and you and the moves racing up the charts, 335 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 4: and we say, look, if we wait a week, they're 336 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 4: going to hit you know, I think people going and 337 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 4: stand waiting a week. But if it's chance better choice, 338 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 4: if it's looking like community have actively made a choice 339 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 4: in the fridge six seven, eight visits out there that 340 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:04,599 Speaker 4: they've essentially made a choice, then the questions of the 341 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 4: public health measures that we have in place. Potentially we're 342 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 4: working on that for late November. I've discussed by a 343 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 4: security zones on your show. 344 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 2: Yep. 345 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 4: I've done a lot of thinking and talking and with 346 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 4: others around that. Our concern is that they're resource intensive 347 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 4: and all the advice I've had, and this includes an 348 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 4: aaginal community child health sector, is the locals know how 349 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 4: to get around them. So you put them in place, 350 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 4: they're very expensive and they don't actually serve the purpose. 351 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 3: People are duck in town and back. 352 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 4: So I don't think it'll be I'm not ruling it 353 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 4: out still, but I don't think bio security zones are 354 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 4: going to be the answer unfortunately here. So we're working 355 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 4: with the landcouncil and others about what are the measures 356 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 4: that we have got in place. There are someone that 357 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 4: we can do with the land councils about you can't 358 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 4: visit a community lettul double vaxed or xxy. But it's 359 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 4: extremely difficult to think of public health measures that don't 360 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 4: cause more harm. 361 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: Meantime because right now, obviously it seems as though we're 362 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: really you know, we've reached this point in the community 363 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 1: at the moment, we're the large majority, you're choosing to 364 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: go out and get vaccinated, you know, based on those 365 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: quantus flights, based on visiting friends and family nationally. Some 366 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: people haven't seen their family for quite some time. We're 367 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: you know, we're waiting for all of us to get 368 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: to eighty percent, which is what you said in the past. 369 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: If we've got some locations, whether you're talking about a community, 370 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: whether you're talking about a regional area, that are choosing 371 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: to not get vaccinated, does the rest of the Northern 372 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: Territory have to stay shut down? 373 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 4: No, So I'm saying at double dose eighty at this stage, 374 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 4: we will make that change from quarantining at centrafnational resilience 375 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 4: or how it springs or the top facility to home 376 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 4: bas quarantine. 377 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 3: That's the only change. 378 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: How are we going to get to that eighty percent 379 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: if we've got communities, like you've said across the board 380 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: that we need to get to that eighty percent, So 381 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: how are we going to do it if, for example, 382 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: in Darwin we're at eighty percent, but in you and 383 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: to move the example that you gave earlier, they're still 384 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: at a very low percentage point. 385 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 4: Though the territory hits double dose eighty, that's that's the 386 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 4: trigger for the next st Asian National Plan. I said 387 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 4: we want to go there evenly if we could. It's 388 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 4: now looking like we may not go there evenly because 389 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 4: communities have made a choice, in which case it's about 390 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 4: what protections be put in place for that community. So 391 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 4: we're looking at hitting double dose eighty as a territory 392 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 4: late November, early early December. That's what we're working to 393 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 4: And at that point in time is now becoming more 394 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 4: evident that in all these remote communities. 395 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 3: We'll have the vaccine. 396 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 4: The fridge who have made multiple visits will have basically 397 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 4: given everyone a chance to get to get vaccinated. Now, 398 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 4: if that's not the case, if we still feel there's 399 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 4: a community where you know, I think this pill understand this. 400 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 4: You've got to give everyone a fair chance to get vaccinated. 401 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 4: If that remains the case, I think at this stage 402 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 4: is looking unlikely. Then maybe a week or two I 403 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 4: think people can understand that. But at this stage it's 404 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 4: looking like late November, early December everyone had the chance 405 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 4: to have gotten vaccinated. We've had the vaccine now since 406 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 4: what March this year, plenty of time, We've done intense visits. 407 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 4: We've got got it in the fridges. There's bookings available 408 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 4: right now. Bring up, make a booking. You can get 409 00:16:58,440 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 4: booked right now. 410 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: But essentially we are still if we go into state, 411 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: we're still going to have to do those two weeks 412 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: of quarantining and home at home, So we are still 413 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: even if we're double vaxed, we're not going to be 414 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: opening up as normal. It is going to certainly be 415 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: a situation where those communities, if they've chosen not to 416 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: get vaccinated, well, we're just going to have to see 417 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: what happens. 418 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 4: Well, we're working on public health measures for those individual communities. 419 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 4: I don't think there be many of them. Are going 420 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 4: to want to emphasize this, this non aboriginal thing or 421 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 4: a remote thing. Majority of Aboriginal remote communities actually have 422 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 4: a very good vax rate. So there's just some communities. 423 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 4: Just as there are some people within Darwin who are 424 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 4: saying no to the vaccine, there are some communities that 425 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 4: looks like are moving towards a no basis as a 426 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 4: community or a low vax basis, which, as we've always 427 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 4: said all along, people have the right to make this choice. 428 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 4: I can't physically grab someone and jad them with the 429 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 4: vaccine that they've got to make. The choice to be vaccinated. 430 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,360 Speaker 4: Is looking like a few communities will be going down 431 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 4: that path. 432 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: All right, let's move along because we know that the 433 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: health system right now is under enormous stress. The Nurses 434 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: Union says we need seventy nurses across Royal Darwin and 435 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: Palmerston Hospital. Our review has been launched into the Palmeston Hospital. 436 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: Do you have confidence in our health system right now? 437 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 3: Yes? 438 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 4: I think if I can just put some context in this, 439 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 4: what our health people are doing is remarkable. So they're 440 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 4: running everything as you would normally would for health demand 441 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:16,239 Speaker 4: in the Lawn territory. And on top of that, with 442 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 4: the impact of pandemic they're running the quarantine centers, the 443 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:23,199 Speaker 4: testing centers, and the vaccination program, which is an immense effort. 444 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:24,400 Speaker 3: So it's just a. 445 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 4: Huge effort by those people to give you some comfort 446 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:28,400 Speaker 4: about what we've done in health since we were elected 447 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 4: in twenty sixteen. We started with around six thousand, six 448 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 4: hundred people in the health system. It's now eighty two hundred. 449 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 4: We've recruited sixteen hundred people over the last five years. 450 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 4: The two big drivers of that were the Palmsan Hospital 451 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 4: and obviously the pandemic. We've recruited hundreds of people during 452 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 4: the pandemic. There's a couple of things happening right now 453 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 4: that will give us even more support into the health system. 454 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 4: A part of that, sorry, the two thousand people you 455 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 4: mentioned earlier, the national program. We're getting fifteen doctors out 456 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,199 Speaker 4: of that program. We've got forty nurses starting from a 457 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 4: domestic group group program. In a couple of weeks, I 458 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 4: believe I'll probably get your date for that, and when 459 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 4: we go to domestic home based quarantining, we will free 460 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 4: up pressure on CenTra National Resilience, and my understanding that's 461 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 4: approximately thirty thirty or so nurses in there that get 462 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 4: freed up as well. So there's a lot happening in 463 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 4: the health space. And obviously we're about to move from 464 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 4: this mass vaccination program because we get think eight percent 465 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 4: double dose. The vaccination program will start focusing more on 466 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 4: the booster shots and that I believe will be a 467 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 4: more straightforward program to run as well. So we're going 468 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 4: to get through some of the bulk of our issues 469 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 4: soon or the pressures soon. But obviously there might be 470 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 4: an increase in how we do the testing regime. 471 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 3: We'll work on that. 472 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: Are you concerned though about the way in which right 473 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: now the Palmerston Hospital is operating. We know that it's 474 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: very much You know that they're having to obviously juggle 475 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: rosters and juggle those beads. But you know, right now 476 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: we've obviously got a situation where at different times there's 477 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: been eight beads operating in the emergency ward at the 478 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:56,360 Speaker 1: Palmerston Hospital for example. 479 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 2: To you, is that adequate? 480 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 3: I've got two concerns. 481 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 4: I've got I am concenter about our health system have 482 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 4: been turned all the way through the COVID crisis because 483 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 4: of the pressure that gets put on our health people. 484 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 4: So been concerned all the way through about how we 485 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 4: manage that pressure. I'm also concerned about the national health system. 486 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 4: This is now our standing a gender item a national 487 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 4: cabinet is health capacity, as I think most territories appreciate. 488 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 4: I've got a personal story that goes around this. We 489 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 4: often have to go in a state for our health 490 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,199 Speaker 4: care needs. We're twe hudred and fifty thousand people. We 491 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 4: can't run everything we need here. We just physically don't 492 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 4: have the capacity to do it in the territory, don't 493 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:31,479 Speaker 4: have the volume of cases for people to maintain their 494 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 4: skill sets, et cetera. So we're heavily r on other 495 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 4: people's health systems. So at that national GENDERATA Meach cabineteting, 496 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 4: I'm looking at the other premiers about how they're managing 497 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 4: their health systems. They're own a similar pressure to ours, 498 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 4: Like all of us are dealing with pandemic plus plus 499 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 4: plus you know quarantine centers. 500 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,719 Speaker 1: Well, the difference is though we actually don't have COVID 501 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: in our community right now. And that's the big sticking 502 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: point I think for a lot of Territorians is that 503 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,719 Speaker 1: they are quite worried. You know, we know that Australia 504 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: is opening up. We're set to open to international travelers, 505 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: although they are going to have to quarantine. By the 506 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: sounds of it, our vaccine rates obviously are quite low 507 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: in some of those communities. I know that, you know, 508 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: for many people right now, they feel as though our 509 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: health systems at crisis point, and they're very concerned that 510 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 1: we are not going to be prepared should we end 511 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: up with COVID in the community. 512 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 4: We don't have in the community, but we have got COVID. 513 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 4: We've got highly trained professionals dealing with COVID, so the. 514 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 1: Pace we do end up with it in the community. 515 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 1: I know you've said yourself at a press conference, the 516 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: number of ventilators we've got that kind of thing are 517 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 1: very low. 518 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, I sort of reassure people though, with the beds 519 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 4: out at Howard Springs that's actually considered a hospitalization, the 520 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 4: level of care that we have at Center Finacial Residence, 521 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 4: so we deal have a lot of COVID patients out there, 522 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 4: and gain can take a lot of our COVID patients there. 523 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 4: The pressure that then goes onto the ICU systems being 524 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 4: low out of howd Springs, so we have got the 525 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 4: capacity to deal with COVID. There's no such thing as 526 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 4: a good outbreak. I've got asked at a press conference, 527 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 4: you know what kind of outbreak can we handle? In 528 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 4: my opinion, there's no such thing as a good outbreak. 529 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 4: There just isn't. We're obviously planning around the ICU beds 530 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 4: that we have down analys while we have got surge capacity. 531 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 4: I don't want to presume it or plan for it, 532 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 4: if that makes sense. I think it's better the plan 533 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 4: around our actual existing right now ICU system, and we 534 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 4: make a lot of decisions based around making sure there 535 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 4: isn't pressure on our health system. So you know, every 536 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 4: decision I made for eighteen months might sometimes look like 537 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 4: a falling on the tough side of something. It's about 538 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 4: making sure we do everything we can to keep COVID 539 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 4: out of our community. But we have got the ability 540 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 4: to scale up if we're quied. But we're making all 541 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 4: other decisions and plans around the existing ICA. 542 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 1: Reading between the lines there. I mean, we've had a 543 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: number of code yellows. Obviously we're in the situation that 544 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: we're in where we need additional doctors and nurses coming 545 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: into the Northern Territory. Reading between the lines there, if 546 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: we wind up in a situation like New South Wales 547 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: has been through or Victoria has been through, even if 548 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 1: it was per capita, we wouldn't. 549 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:46,120 Speaker 2: Be able to cype. 550 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 4: I don't want to ever say that about our health 551 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 4: system who've been quite remarkable. 552 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 2: We will so we're calling for obviously help. 553 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,719 Speaker 4: Yeah, and we would scale up like New South Wales has, 554 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 4: but we have had an amazing capacity to respond, not 555 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 4: just during this co emergency over eighteen months now, but 556 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 4: even with side clothes and other things. So having said that, 557 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 4: we have always relied on other people's health systems full stop, 558 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 4: pandemic or not. And this is nature of the size 559 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 4: of the territory and that's one reason why we have 560 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,680 Speaker 4: the National Cabinet formed it and one reason when we 561 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 4: have health capacity as a standing item. I'm discussing this 562 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 4: regularly the PM and other premier It's about how we 563 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 4: manage health nationally. 564 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 2: Are you asking for more funding? 565 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 3: We always want more funding. 566 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 4: So one of the things that got flagged the other 567 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 4: day and help all health minsisters you ananimously said it's 568 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 4: the minister hunt is that the way the health funding 569 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 4: works right now, you pay for the bed that's being 570 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 4: used right through ICU and you've got to sorry of COVID. 571 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 4: You've got to separate out your your hospital. You put 572 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 4: plastic sheets if that's a dirty side the hospital. This 573 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 4: is a cleaning soide you make all these changes. You're 574 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 4: keeping beds free just in case no one's in that bed, 575 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 4: so therefore it's not necessary activity. You're not they funded 576 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 4: for that bed, but you'll keep that bed free. The 577 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 4: argument is that the way health has currently been funded 578 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 4: by the federal government doesn't genuinely recognize the impact of 579 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 4: COVID and the step we've taken to plan and prepare 580 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 4: for COVID, so always take more funding. But I think 581 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 4: what we're all dealing with nationally is that there's a 582 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 4: supply problem. Like we've being these two thousand workers in. 583 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 4: We've had international border sharp but eighteen months, a supply 584 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 4: problem and a demand problem. On top of all the 585 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 4: normal health pressures. We've got quarantine centers, testing centers, vaccination clinic. 586 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 4: So it's quite incredible what health is doing. 587 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 2: We're going to have to move along very quickly. 588 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: One last topic that I do want to ask you 589 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 1: about is our school based constables. We've been in contact 590 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: with a number of schools who are seriously concerned about 591 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: the new school based policing model there. Obviously, the constables 592 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: are going to be out by the look of it, 593 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: and auxiliaries in. Does this go against your government's promise 594 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: before the last election to expand the program. 595 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 4: No, it's very much abou having school based officers in schools, 596 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 4: having that proactive, positive relationship with the school community. Personally, 597 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 4: I've always been on the opinion if you've got a 598 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 4: highly trained police constable who can do a whole range 599 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 4: of things like report to domestic violence, insidence, property crime, 600 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 4: deal with a traffic accident if you can, you want 601 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 4: them out the streets dealing that the police auxiliaries highly 602 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 4: trained as well, can absolutely do what they're required to 603 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 4: do in schools was do that those positive relationships be 604 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 4: in the classroom, do all that work, but without putting 605 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 4: the right people in the right. 606 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 2: Areas those schools. 607 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: So are seriously concerned about this change. They want the 608 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: constables in the schools and believe that fully fledged constables 609 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:17,640 Speaker 1: have a much greater impact on those schools. 610 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 2: Do you think that that auxiliary model is. 611 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: Going to be able to do the same thing. 612 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:23,479 Speaker 3: I absolutely think we'll do the same thing. 613 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 4: Also, mean more auxiliaries in more schools, so more people 614 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 4: in uniform in more territory schools, rale highly trained police, 615 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,120 Speaker 4: gospels or out dealing of property crime, domestic wile, incesidence, 616 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 4: road traffic accidents, et cetera. 617 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 3: So I think it's about putting the right people. 618 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 2: In the road. 619 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: Realistically, Though you were very critical of the COLP cutting 620 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: this program, aren't you just doing the same Well. 621 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 3: Hippy scrapped it. There was no one in a school anything. 622 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: Really, you're totally changing and it's a total rejigging for 623 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: those schools based on what they'd previously had. 624 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:50,159 Speaker 3: I don't accept that. I think it's a police officer 625 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 3: in a school. 626 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: Well, Chief Minister Michael Gunner, we are going to have 627 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: to leave it there. Thank you very much for your 628 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: time this morning. No doubt we'll talk again very soon