1
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,759
Speaker 1: There's certainly been a lot of happening over the last

2
00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:04,960
Speaker 1: few weeks, the last few months, but one of the

3
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,880
Speaker 1: things that concerned a lot of people was hearing about

4
00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:12,520
Speaker 1: the terrible situation in Tonga. I know that so many

5
00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,040
Speaker 1: were watching and could see what was happening over there

6
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,640
Speaker 1: and feeling really very concerned, particularly if you have family

7
00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,880
Speaker 1: members or friends over in Tonga as a result of

8
00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,400
Speaker 1: that tsunami and the aftermath. Now joining me on the

9
00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,000
Speaker 1: line is a person who organized well, I think, with

10
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,800
Speaker 1: the community, a fantastic fundraiser and quite a bit of

11
00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,000
Speaker 1: money has been raised as a result of the efforts,

12
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,640
Speaker 1: and joining me on the line right now, I'm just

13
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,479
Speaker 1: trying to make sure I've got all these correct details.

14
00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:48,640
Speaker 1: Here is Reverend doctor Catalina ta Hafi, and good morning

15
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,080
Speaker 1: to you, doctor Catalina.

16
00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,400
Speaker 2: Hi there, hi Padi.

17
00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,160
Speaker 1: I apologize that I mispronounced your surname. Then are you

18
00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,160
Speaker 1: able to tell me again how I say it so

19
00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:59,640
Speaker 1: I can make sure I get it correct.

20
00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,399
Speaker 2: You did very well first time. To Halfy Williams.

21
00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:09,679
Speaker 1: To Halfy Williams. Oh, now, Reverend, are you able to

22
00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,600
Speaker 1: tell us a little bit more about those fundraising efforts

23
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,040
Speaker 1: that were held over the weekend.

24
00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:20,080
Speaker 2: Yes, of course, we had an amazing night with so

25
00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,360
Speaker 2: many people coming to support us. And I really want

26
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,480
Speaker 2: to mention especially our gratitude to the communities in Darwin,

27
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:36,360
Speaker 2: especially the Anti government and the Darwin City mayor. I'm

28
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,440
Speaker 2: sorry I can't get the right surname, but it's.

29
00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,760
Speaker 1: Yeah con Yeah, conbats Stars. Yeah.

30
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:47,880
Speaker 2: Yes. They pledged five thousand dollars and so we are

31
00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,440
Speaker 2: looking forward to collecting it, you know, in the next

32
00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,480
Speaker 2: day or so. And the Anti government has donated twenty

33
00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:59,360
Speaker 2: thousand dollars. Wow, that was just amazing. And the Tooman

34
00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:03,880
Speaker 2: community with support from you know, friends and family and

35
00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:10,560
Speaker 2: people around the Darwin uh you know town city, we

36
00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:16,200
Speaker 2: raise over ten ten thousand dollars. So we're looking at

37
00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:21,080
Speaker 2: the total of forty thousand from yeah, from the anti

38
00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,560
Speaker 2: Tonguan community and their friends you know, and supporters from

39
00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:26,800
Speaker 2: the Anti the top end.

40
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,560
Speaker 1: That is a fantastic effort. That's such a fantastic effort,

41
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,400
Speaker 1: and it really goes to show you how Territorians were

42
00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:40,120
Speaker 1: concerned about about Tonguan's and and I know there are

43
00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,720
Speaker 1: there are so many Territorians who have Tonguan family members

44
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,200
Speaker 1: and friends. How are how are they going in Tonga

45
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:48,760
Speaker 1: at the moment.

46
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,919
Speaker 2: Well, you know, we we know that the recovery effort

47
00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,480
Speaker 2: is starting, you know, to kick into gear. We know

48
00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,720
Speaker 2: that many like for us as individual times families, we

49
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,120
Speaker 2: are sending you know, foods, food, water and all of

50
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,840
Speaker 2: that in different tunnels. We've heard most of us have

51
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,800
Speaker 2: heard from our families. Those of us who have families

52
00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:17,680
Speaker 2: directly you know, impacted by the volcanic eruptions and the tsunami,

53
00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,680
Speaker 2: we finally heard from them. They're all well, but homes

54
00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,600
Speaker 2: are destroyed, so they're having to begin again from scratch.

55
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,160
Speaker 2: There's seen a lot of emotional stress in the Tongan

56
00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:34,120
Speaker 2: community in the top end, you know. So as a minister,

57
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,400
Speaker 2: I've had to do a lot of pastoral caring, you know,

58
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:43,320
Speaker 2: for my for my own folk and kin. But you know,

59
00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,920
Speaker 2: we we live in hope and Tongans are very you know,

60
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,400
Speaker 2: spirited people. So we don't want the eruption you know,

61
00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,240
Speaker 2: consequences to you know, keep us down. We're trying to

62
00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,560
Speaker 2: step up and do our own you know, respond, make

63
00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,840
Speaker 2: sure that we fulfill our responsibilities as Tongans overseas to

64
00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:04,680
Speaker 2: help folk.

65
00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:10,840
Speaker 1: I've got to say, yeah, it's been absolutely amazing. But

66
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,080
Speaker 1: Reverend what you said there about the Tongans being such

67
00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,520
Speaker 1: a spirited community, there is no doubt about that, and

68
00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,920
Speaker 1: I've experienced it firsthand. As a lot of our listeners

69
00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:25,400
Speaker 1: will know. My brother coaches the Tonguan International Rugby League team,

70
00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:31,680
Speaker 1: so we have a very close We absolutely love Tongua

71
00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,760
Speaker 1: and I know that when you know, when you see

72
00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:38,159
Speaker 1: the way that Tongans come together and and the way

73
00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:43,640
Speaker 1: that they support each other, it is absolutely phenomenal, such

74
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,640
Speaker 1: a beautiful, beautiful thing to experience and to see, and

75
00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,280
Speaker 1: I just think it's this is real, real testament to that,

76
00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,720
Speaker 1: the way that the community has now gotten behind Tongans.

77
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,520
Speaker 2: Yes, you know, and in times like this we put

78
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,560
Speaker 2: all kinds of you know, decide if there are anything

79
00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,280
Speaker 2: like that, and come together because the Tonguans are very spiritual,

80
00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,760
Speaker 2: very communal or spiritual culture and you know, and with

81
00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,720
Speaker 2: the support of amazing people in the top end, I

82
00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:18,520
Speaker 2: want to mention especially to the honorable Kate Warden from

83
00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:24,119
Speaker 2: the Multicultural Ministry Office. You know, she has been really

84
00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,480
Speaker 2: frontline helping and supporting us too. And Natasha Files you know,

85
00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,080
Speaker 2: the Minister for for Health, you know, and many of

86
00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,480
Speaker 2: the members of Parliament have been donating to us, so I,

87
00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,560
Speaker 2: you know, I want to convey our appreciation as a

88
00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,840
Speaker 2: Tongan community for all who have come up and support

89
00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,000
Speaker 2: us in this effort, you know, to help Tom out.

90
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,279
Speaker 2: But as you say, you know, we are very spirited people,

91
00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,360
Speaker 2: and I think it's because we we strongly believe and

92
00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:52,440
Speaker 2: hope in God.

93
00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:53,280
Speaker 1: You know.

94
00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,280
Speaker 2: If you know Tonguans, every time anything that happens, if

95
00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,560
Speaker 2: it's joyful, they go and pray and be thankful. If

96
00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,680
Speaker 2: it's said, they go and pray and be thankful, you knows.

97
00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:05,880
Speaker 2: I think that's part of it.

98
00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,560
Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, Now, Reverend, can you tell us what is

99
00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,880
Speaker 1: going to happen with that almost forty thousand dollars now

100
00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,159
Speaker 1: that's been raised and with the goods that have been donated.

101
00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:22,120
Speaker 2: Yeah, well good going through different you know channels. But

102
00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:26,560
Speaker 2: the money we are sending it, we've been collaborating with

103
00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,560
Speaker 2: the Tongu and High Commission in Canbra, yep because they

104
00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,040
Speaker 2: have established a relief fund under the direct mandate of

105
00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,279
Speaker 2: the Government of Tonga. And it's so all this money

106
00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,440
Speaker 2: is going to Canbra, to the Tongu and High Commission

107
00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,520
Speaker 2: Relief Fund and they have given us very you know,

108
00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:47,200
Speaker 2: clear promises because we care that all the money goes

109
00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,440
Speaker 2: directly to the people that need them in Tonga.

110
00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, oh absolutely, yeah, And.

111
00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,120
Speaker 2: That's been a conversation with the anti government officials as well,

112
00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,839
Speaker 2: you know, to make sure that what we are donating

113
00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,200
Speaker 2: and our effort at fundraising are going directly to the

114
00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,720
Speaker 2: people on the ground that need them. And so that

115
00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,320
Speaker 2: is the undertaking of the Song and Hate Commission and

116
00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,680
Speaker 2: the relief fund that they've established. So all this money

117
00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,679
Speaker 2: will go there from the anti Tongue and Darwin Tongan

118
00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,880
Speaker 2: community and their friends and support and anti government. Oh well,

119
00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:19,120
Speaker 2: yeah from the top end.

120
00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,680
Speaker 1: Well done to the tong and community here in DA

121
00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,360
Speaker 1: and for your fundraising efforts. And and I really my

122
00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,480
Speaker 1: heart goes out to you guys. Lots of love to

123
00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,440
Speaker 1: all of you, particularly with those of you with family

124
00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,720
Speaker 1: you know, who have been impacted in Tonga. And I

125
00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,600
Speaker 1: know that you know, there's so many people right around

126
00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,560
Speaker 1: Australia feeling really very concerned for our tongue and neighbors

127
00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,600
Speaker 1: and friends and wanting to make sure that you're all

128
00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:48,800
Speaker 1: going to be okay.

129
00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,000
Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much Katie for your support and

130
00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,200
Speaker 2: one or four point nine support. Please thank your audiences

131
00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,360
Speaker 2: for all the care and support. We've solved it truly

132
00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,560
Speaker 2: in the top end, you know. Wonderful to be part

133
00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:02,280
Speaker 2: of the top end.

134
00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, so much. Oh, no worries at all. Well, we

135
00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,120
Speaker 1: will talk to you again very soon. Let us know

136
00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:10,640
Speaker 1: if there are any updates. We really appreciate your time

137
00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:15,240
Speaker 1: this morning. I will thank you, thank you. That is

138
00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,760
Speaker 1: you two, that is Reverend doctor Catalina Tahafi Williams. There