1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: We know that there's quite a bit happening at the moment, 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: particularly with Parliament sitting, and the installation of full length 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: protection screens on public buses in the Northern Territory is 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: set to be fast tracked. Now. It comes after a 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: space of recent assaults on Darwin bus drivers, including one 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: being kicked in the head and another threatened with a 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: knife in lad Miller. Now we have just heard from 8 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory Police that one of those incidents where 9 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: we're sitting the vision from yesterday where a bus driver 10 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: was assaulted from all the way back in September, the 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: sixteenth of September, as I understand it now, somebody has 12 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: been charged in relation to that. But I've got to 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: tell you some of that vision that we've seen is 14 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: absolutely appalling. The fact that people are having to deal 15 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: with that kind of behavior while trying to earn a 16 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: living is woeful. At a press conference yesterday, the Minister 17 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: for Transport and Infrastructure, Bill Yan said the department is 18 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: working with CDC and contractors to fit protect screens on 19 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: all buses by mid November. Now. It is something that 20 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: the Transport Workers Union has long been pushing for and 21 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: they had a petition that did get signed by more 22 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: than one hundred people presented to the Northern Territory Parliament, 23 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: as I understand it, calling for that change a little 24 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: while back. Now the Union's Barry Norton joins me in 25 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: the studio. Good morning to you. 26 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 2: Barry, Good morning Katie. 27 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning. Now, I 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: understand that there has been some pretty serious incidents of 29 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: late involving attacks on bus drivers. Talk me through some 30 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: of what you guys are having to deal with on 31 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 1: a day to day basis. Would it be. 32 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: Possible just to give a shout out to all of 33 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: the bus driver of course, all these people who are 34 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 2: working in challenging conditions. That's the bus drivers and the 35 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 2: transit officers. Let's not forget them at all because they 36 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: do great work, and also the traveling public who are 37 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: quite often subject to these sort of ugly incidents. But yes, 38 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: there was a petition that was handed into the Minister 39 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: approximately two or three weeks ago. It had over one 40 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: hundred signatures on it from bus drivers from the company 41 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: and he was very receptive to the idea and since 42 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 2: then he's made every sort of movement towards getting these 43 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: things done. 44 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, how big a difference will those screens make? Do 45 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: you reckon, Barry? 46 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 2: Well, I can assure you the two recent sort of incidents, 47 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 2: one way the guy climbed over the top and kicked 48 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: one of the drivers in the head, and the other 49 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 2: one just the other day where he leant over the 50 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 2: top and tried to stab the driver with the kitchen knife. 51 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 2: If those improved screens had been there, those two incidents 52 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: wouldn't have happened, and we wouldn't be sitting here, standing 53 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 2: here and talking about. 54 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: Talking about it. And you know, when you think of 55 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: it like that, and you think of the fact that 56 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: you know it's literally just somebody going to work and 57 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: having to deal with that, it's absolutely woeful that vision. 58 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: I think for anybody to see that, if that was 59 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: a family member or a friend of yours, it'll break 60 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: your heart. 61 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 2: It is. And this always comes back to the fact that, 62 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,679 Speaker 2: as you pointed out at the beginning, this is our 63 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: campaign has been going on for something like six years 64 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 2: to get these improvements in and then actual fact, the 65 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: whole thing is very very simple for us. It's prevention. 66 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 2: If we had those screens in full length screens fit 67 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: for purpose, these things wouldn't happen. The two instances that 68 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: we saw recently that were on Facebook and advertised, Yes, 69 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: they are the extreme incidents, but they are also incidents. 70 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 2: There's been such an escalation over the years. But I mean, 71 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 2: we've also got to mustn't forget things like spitting and 72 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: verbal abuse and punching of the windows and things being 73 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: thrown over the top. There's all sorts of things. And again, prevention, yeah, 74 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 2: very simple, it's preventable. No one can get to the driver. Yep, 75 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: these things can't happen. 76 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: Do you know how many of those buses need to 77 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: get those screens installed? Like, do we have a number? 78 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 2: There are somewhere in the region of seventy nine buses 79 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 2: that would need these screens fitted. I believe there's somewhere 80 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 2: up around the forty perhaps a few more that are done. 81 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: So let's say fifty percent plus a're fitted. 82 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: And I mean to me, it doesn't seem like a 83 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: difficult thing to do. Maybe I'm wrong, but you would 84 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: think that it would not be a difficult thing to do. 85 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: But how quickly do you reckon we're going to have 86 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: those screens installed to make sure that drivers are safe? 87 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 2: Well, I know that the Minister is now trying to 88 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: expedite this whole process, and I think a timeline now 89 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 2: has been drawn for the middle of November. I don't 90 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 2: know if that's achievable at all. There was a timeline 91 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,359 Speaker 2: for middle of December. But I do know that the 92 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: Minister is doing a lot to expedite this process. 93 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: And I mean, do you have concerns for some of 94 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: those drivers in the interim? 95 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: Of course you do, Katie. If you're not provided with 96 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 2: these improved screens, as we've seen, anything can happen. So 97 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 2: maybe this afternoon we have the next incident. Who knows. However, 98 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 2: our understanding is that if a bus goes out without 99 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 2: one of these improved screens, they will have a security 100 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 2: guard or a security person on. So hopefully that would 101 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 2: be a deterrent to anybody who. 102 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: Wants to do something like how often would you say 103 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: drivers are being assaulted? 104 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 2: Yeah? Daily? 105 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: Wow? 106 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 2: Not to this extent. It depends on what you term assault. 107 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 2: Spitting is an assault and is considered an assault. It 108 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: is disgusting that happens on a regular basis. I can't 109 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 2: say how many times, but I do know there have 110 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 2: been five spitting incidents in the last week, abuse, abuse 111 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 2: of people being insulted. It is a daily basis. So 112 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: these guys are going out, they don't know whether they're 113 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: going to have a good day or a bad day. 114 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: I just think it's appalling. You know, I've gone of 115 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: the days where you know, people get on a bus 116 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: and you not have to worry about that kind of thing. 117 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: I just I find it appalling that people treat other 118 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: humans in that way, and you know, and abuse people 119 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: while you're trying to do your job, spit on people 120 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: trying to do their jobs, and worse still, you know 121 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: those really violent incidents that we've now all seen the 122 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: vision from it is appalling, and I think it's a 123 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: good move to see that these screens are going to 124 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:56,239 Speaker 1: be installed and certainly hopefully that does keep people safe. 125 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: But we need to see a behavior change from people 126 00:06:59,040 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 1: as well. 127 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 2: Yes, of course we do, of course we do. How 128 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 2: you achieve that, I don't know. But I think also 129 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 2: the fact that we need more and more transit officers 130 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 2: because when a transit officer gets on a bus, trust me, 131 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 2: it quietens down the situation. Should there be a situation 132 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: and their called yep, they will get on the bus 133 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: and it stops everything. Yeah, same as when the police 134 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: get on as well. It is normally the transit officers 135 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 2: that get on when there's trouble, and occasionally the police 136 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: are called out if it's extreme. But the fact that 137 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 2: would go a long way to ensure that. And let's 138 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: face it, as you pointed out, someone gets on a 139 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 2: bus to go to work, what they want to do. 140 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: They want to get on the bus twenty minutes later, 141 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 2: they want to get off. They don't want to go 142 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 2: home with a story about what happens, or arrive at 143 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 2: work with I saw something. 144 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: Like that exactly. That's exactly right, well, Barry, I really 145 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: hope that this change means that our drivers can feel 146 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: safer in the workplace. Like you said at the start, 147 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 1: a big shout out to all those drivers hopeful a 148 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: few of them are listening to the show this morning 149 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: and good stuff and yeah, look, I hope that it 150 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: does help them or go some way in terms of 151 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: making them feel more safe and secure when they go 152 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: to their jobs. 153 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: Thank you, Casey. And getting this message out across Darwin 154 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 2: is important as well. That I think the people of 155 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 2: Darwin understand exactly what's going on, and also they have 156 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 2: an opportunity to raise their voice with their local MPs 157 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 2: or with the ministers. 158 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, Barry Norton. We really appreciate your time this morning. 159 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining me and good to meet 160 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: you in person. 161 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 2: Great thank you, Erbie, thanks so much.