1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,279 Speaker 1: I'm very pleased to say that I've got a special 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: guest in the studio today. Now, she's someone who's spent 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:10,159 Speaker 1: several decades in the public service, most notably leading some 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: of the Northern Territori's frontline services, with an extensive career 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: in emergency management, which has seen her lead the response 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: to a number of significant events locally as well as interstate. Now, 7 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: since twenty sixteen, she's been the executive director of Bushfire's NT, 8 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: and earlier this year she was appointed the acting Commissioner 9 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: of the NT Foreign Emergency Services while current Commissioner Andy 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: Wharton embarked on a sabbatical overseas. But well after tomorrow, 11 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Colleen Bremner will hang up her hat and ride off 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: into the retirement sunset, and she joins me in the studio. 13 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 1: Good morning to you. 14 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: And good morning Katie. 15 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 3: Congratulations, Thank you very much. I've been it's been a 16 00:00:58,520 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 3: long time coming. 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: Well, it's been an illustrious career. It's you know, how 18 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: many years twenty seven? 19 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, this, yes, it has been twenty seven, this stint 20 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 3: in the public service. I only came for a year 21 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 3: to work in the early childhood area and managing children's services. 22 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 2: And it was a twelve month stint. I used to 23 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: run a child CIA center before that. 24 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: Yep. 25 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 2: And yeah, just be careful what you accept, isn't. 26 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: It be careful what you do. Except one year it's 27 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: turned into twenty seven. 28 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 2: It has, it has. 29 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: How did that happen? How did you end up on 30 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 1: this road and you know, in the Northern Territory for 31 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: such a long period. 32 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 3: Well, I'm born in the territory. Yeah, so you know, 33 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 3: obviously a Territorian. But the reason I went into government 34 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 3: was just for twelve months to I suppose to drive 35 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 3: some do some stuff like drive improvements to child care 36 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 3: and the rest of it and some of the standards. 37 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 3: So twelve months it was you know, one of she's 38 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 3: now a girlfriend, but one of my friends was going 39 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 3: on maternity leave. 40 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 2: So it was a great opportunity. 41 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: And yeah, but when you're in a larger organization and 42 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 3: you know, you get elections, governments change, you get you 43 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 3: know what they call machinery, government changes, work changes. So 44 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 3: it continued to you know, things you didn't get bored. 45 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 3: Just when you think and you're getting bored, something would 46 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 3: happen and you'd have a new challenge. 47 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: So something changes and you end up down another path. Well, 48 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: yours has been, you know, like you've You've done lots 49 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: of different roles within government over that period of time, 50 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: haven't you. 51 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: I have. 52 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 3: And I was thinking, just went out for dinner the 53 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 3: other night and talking to some of my colleagues, and 54 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 3: I said. 55 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 2: You know, the Internet wasn't around when I started. People. 56 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 3: You know, my intro was on the desk way back 57 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 3: in the day when I was a nurse. I don't 58 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 3: know if you can say, but you know, we used 59 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 3: to sneak smokes in the in the they used to 60 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 3: have what was it waiting that the laundroom. I don't 61 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 3: have lund rooms anymore. You certainly don't have smoking. It 62 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 3: can't even do that on the grounds. And I'm one 63 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 3: of those. I'm one of those terrible retired smokers anyhow, So. 64 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: Things certainly changed, no doubt about that. 65 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 2: Colling. 66 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: While you might be acting Commissioner holding that role and 67 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: the executive director, are you the first woman, the first 68 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: woman to lead those two agencies. 69 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 3: Look, I think previously Fleur might have done it for 70 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 3: a week, you know, from him and to some time 71 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 3: ago and bushfires and te possibly again that was that 72 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 3: was another acting gig was offered an opportunity with an 73 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 3: outgoing executive director, and so I think I was the 74 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 3: first woman certainly, And the last ten months as the 75 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 3: Foreign Emergency Services, well it's only been two commissioners really, Andy. 76 00:03:57,560 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 3: I was very welcome to have him back, just quite 77 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 3: and and myself. So that's been an amazing that's been 78 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 3: an amazing time as well. 79 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: Colleen. 80 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: You don't strike me as someone who would have ever 81 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: let your gender get in the way of you doing anything. 82 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: No, no, absolutely not. It wasn't. I mean, that's the 83 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: that's the beauty of the territory. 84 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 3: And I you know, one of the one of the committees, 85 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 3: one of the national sort of committees that I was on, 86 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 3: is the Women's Champion of Women's Champions of change in 87 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 3: Emergency Services. And I don't need to be on that, 88 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 3: you know, why do we need to be on that? 89 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 3: My boss was, you know, the CEO was a female 90 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 3: at the time. It was Eva Laula was our minister. 91 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 3: Now we've got you know, the chief Minister as a woman. 92 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 3: I said, we don't have those issues in the Northern 93 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 3: Territory that I certainly that I've come across. In fact, 94 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 3: you might know Tony Fullow. He would say it was 95 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 3: the last man standing, you know, surrounded by women. 96 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 2: So yeah, So I think that's the. 97 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 3: Beauty of the territory and one of the reasons, one 98 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 3: of the many reasons I still in the territory and 99 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 3: had my career and my daughter has stayed as well. 100 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 3: It's just there's opportunity, opportunity, but not even just for women, 101 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 3: for anyone who wants to give it a go. 102 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: I totally agree with you, and I think that's one 103 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: of the things that we maybe don't sell ourselves as 104 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 1: well about. You know that we could that there's so 105 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: many opportunities in the Northern Territory that you might not 106 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: get somewhere else. And you've probably seen some of those 107 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: opportunities more than most in the roles that you've held. 108 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: I mean, you've you've led agencies throughout some of the 109 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: more difficult times that we've had as well in terms 110 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,239 Speaker 1: of weather events. What have been some of your highs 111 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: and lows? 112 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: There was a big side there so been. You know, 113 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 3: you do a lot of planning. Back in one of 114 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 3: the jobs I had, which was the Director of Security 115 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 3: and Emergency Recovery and Chief MENS and one of the 116 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 3: when I came into that job again, another acting job, 117 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 3: which then turned into quite a number of years. Again, 118 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 3: what I what I decided to do was to think 119 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 3: about some of those things that kept me up at night, 120 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 3: you know, when you do emergency management what and so 121 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 3: I was able to sort of start some. 122 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 2: Projects around how you might do it. 123 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 3: And that was like looking at some of some of 124 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 3: the first some of the early thinking around if you 125 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: got a cyclone and it was bouncing around the remote communities, 126 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 3: an incident controller has to make a decision about whether 127 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 3: to an evacuate a community early enough or to make or. 128 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 2: Say stay in place. 129 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 3: So to do that you need to have you need 130 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 3: to provide them with some evidence or some information to 131 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 3: make those decisions. They're really their life and death situ. 132 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 3: So they were some of the things that concern me. 133 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 3: So we did some early early work on that and 134 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 3: it was really it was really useful. I used to call, 135 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 3: you know, the community of warral Wee our platinum frequent 136 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 3: flyers because every time, you know, when we got LAMB 137 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 3: cyclone Monika, they would be the community would be evacuated 138 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 3: because there was at that time nowhere suitable for the 139 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 3: community to to safely to safely shelter shelter Ye correctly, yeah, correct, So, 140 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:14,239 Speaker 3: and so you have to get them out early because 141 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 3: you can't wait for the winds to come because they're 142 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 3: an island. 143 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 2: You can't fly a plane in winds. 144 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 3: So it was really good to see this last this 145 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 3: last cyclone that they could stay in their community in shelter. 146 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 3: So that was one of the things that we worked 147 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 3: for and put on the plan as warr we needs 148 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 3: to have a shelter so they could stay. 149 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: And so, yeah, it must feel good like knowing that 150 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: some of those changes are your. 151 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,119 Speaker 2: Legacy, yes, well mine and many others. 152 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, but you know you've been a big part of 153 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: that and a big part of you know, making sure 154 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: that Territorians have got something like that. Like you said, 155 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: you know, it's a big team effort, people working together. 156 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: But you must feel pretty proud of that. 157 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is great to see and even you know 158 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 3: this this last cyclone. Yeah, I didn't actually have a 159 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 3: thing to do with cyclone Feena, because Andy made it 160 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 3: out of you know, call out of the big freeze 161 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 3: just in time, and and so you know, he stepped 162 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 3: in and that just provided some leadership in the organization 163 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 3: all the way through. So I was a member of 164 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 3: the public back home, you know, but we had our generator, 165 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 3: we had our stuff cleared and all. 166 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 2: Good to go. 167 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 3: But it was good to see how well everybody did. 168 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 3: And there is a there is a change of guard 169 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 3: in the territory in relation to you know, in many positions, 170 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 3: because we're getting on. 171 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: Well, it's time for you to enjoy your life. You know. 172 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: I know you've enjoyed your work life. I have, but 173 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: you want to be able to enjoy retirement. You know, 174 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: while you're able to get out there and do what 175 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: you want to do, what's on the what's on your 176 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: agenda in retirement? 177 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: Well, i'll tell you. 178 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 3: If you're the caretaker of the bees Creek Primary School, 179 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 3: a few weeks ago, you would have seen a a 180 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 3: prato with a small caravan trying to reverse down a 181 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 3: road and park into car parks. As I was trying 182 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 3: to learn how to tackle this new challenge. So yeah, 183 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 3: my mum and some of my family still live in 184 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 3: Tennant Creek, so I will be before Christmas starting off 185 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 3: the journey towing the caravan. 186 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 2: So I think I'm good to go. 187 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: Good on you, you reckon, You've practiced. You're reversing and 188 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: you're alright with it. 189 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 3: Well, no, my cousin said, you're not. Many people have 190 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 3: to reverse a caravan or down a whole road. You know, 191 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 3: you can do a couple of times. It's probably as 192 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 3: bad as good as I'm going to get. 193 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: Oh, Colleen, what are you going to miss the most? 194 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 2: I don't know. 195 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 3: I've been thinking about sometimes. You know, you look out 196 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 3: the window in your backyard. You know, I live on 197 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 3: acredge in it, and it looks fantastic this time of year, 198 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 3: and we're so lucky to have rain in November. I 199 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 3: don't know how many you know, I just hated it 200 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 3: when the country gets so parched, and of course it's 201 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 3: still really dry and it's hot, and the fires continue 202 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 3: now in the rural area, it's so green. What I'll 203 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 3: miss probably is is the people. Yeah, And then I think, 204 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 3: oh gosh, Now I'm going to be just a resident, 205 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,679 Speaker 3: not someone leading a leading a division, or or providing 206 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 3: that sort of influence over how or direction for an agency. Now, 207 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,559 Speaker 3: as I said to the Chief Minister at a recent event, 208 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 3: I'm going to become a keyboard worried and you're probably 209 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:33,239 Speaker 3: a pest. 210 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: Bring us whenever you want to, I'll tell you. 211 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 2: What it's really like. 212 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: You can text us or ring us. Colleen, When do 213 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: you finish? Do you finish well? 214 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 3: I'm going to finish today, so nothing more x than 215 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 3: an ex commissioner. The cyclone has changed a lot of 216 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 3: the meeting dates and stuff that we had, and of 217 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 3: course there's still recovery going on, you know, obviously the 218 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 3: still clean up and I'm looking eating the window and 219 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 3: there's still trees down and the rest of it. So 220 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 3: I'm going to finish up this afternoon, but I'll come 221 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 3: back and catch up with a crew for a party 222 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 3: next week. 223 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 2: But I don't need to be at work for that. 224 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: Sure got on you. I wish we had a bottle 225 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 1: of champagne for you, Colleen. 226 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 2: I know I say this still time. 227 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: Maybe someone can drop one off. Colleen Bremner, congratulations on 228 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: an incredible career. You're a wonderful Territorian and I really 229 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: appreciate all the time that you've given me over the 230 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: years on the show. So thank you so much for 231 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 1: speaking with this this. 232 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 2: Morning, and thank you Katie. It was my pleasure to 233 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 2: come in. Thank you