WEBVTT - The Covid 19 Prison Crisis

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<v Speaker 1>Just before nine o'clock last night, the jury returned guilty

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<v Speaker 1>verdicts against all three defendants.

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<v Speaker 2>It was absolute shambles, to tell you the truth, just

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<v Speaker 2>absolutely really.

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<v Speaker 1>Put the blood on who's clothing the day after the

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<v Speaker 1>alleged to Tonahallow mud bank and it fits through a river.

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<v Speaker 2>Basically, I think most of the people are used to

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<v Speaker 2>me are good people.

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<v Speaker 1>I think a really important question we need to ask

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<v Speaker 1>is how many Indigenous prisoners in Australia are innocent.

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<v Speaker 2>This is Curtain, a podcast where we pull back the

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<v Speaker 2>blinds to shine a light on the darkest parts of

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<v Speaker 2>our justice system and ask who are the victims. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>Amy Maguire and.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Martin Hodgson, a senior advocate for the Foreign Prisoner

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<v Speaker 1>Support Service. And a warning this series contains the names

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<v Speaker 1>of deceased peoples and has distressing content that might upset

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<v Speaker 1>some listeners.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome to a special episode of Curtin the podcast. This week,

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to be providing vital information about the coronavirus virus,

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<v Speaker 2>particularly as it relates to those in prison, people who

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<v Speaker 2>work in prison, and the drastic need to immediately get

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<v Speaker 2>as many people out of the prison system as possible,

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<v Speaker 2>Those who don't need to be in there need to

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<v Speaker 2>be bailed out immediately. As many of our listeners will

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<v Speaker 2>be aware, a huge percentage of the prison population in

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<v Speaker 2>Australia are on remand that means they have not been

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<v Speaker 2>convicted of a crime. And as many doctors and human

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<v Speaker 2>rights organizations are pointing out, being in prison during a

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<v Speaker 2>pandemic like the coronavirus is literally a death sentence. The

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<v Speaker 2>people who are under a misapprehension that a prison might

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<v Speaker 2>be an isolated place to be that's completely incorrect. Not

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<v Speaker 2>only are the conditions very poor in almost every prison

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<v Speaker 2>in the world, and I should say just today in

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<v Speaker 2>the United Kingdom, a prisoner has died of coronavirus. There

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<v Speaker 2>is people and staff going in and out of prisons

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<v Speaker 2>every day with no control over who could or could

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<v Speaker 2>not be taking the virus inside the prisons. There's also

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<v Speaker 2>very poor hygiene standards in the prisons. This is not

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<v Speaker 2>because of the prisoner's lack of trying, but because of

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<v Speaker 2>basic lack of soap and running water. They can't even

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<v Speaker 2>wash their hands. It's also impossible in a prison environment

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<v Speaker 2>to reduce contact and do what the rest of us

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<v Speaker 2>are calling social isolation, people are in close quarters, and

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<v Speaker 2>as we've seen on cruise ships, this is a recipe

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<v Speaker 2>for disaster. Now, not only should people who don't need

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<v Speaker 2>to be in prison not be there and not be

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<v Speaker 2>subject to a huge increase of risk of contracting the

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<v Speaker 2>deadly coronavirus as we've seen cruise ships, these petri dishes

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<v Speaker 2>of this virus where it is allowed to congregate and spread,

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<v Speaker 2>become deadly for the entire community. You cannot simply shut

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<v Speaker 2>up a cruise ship, and you can't do the same

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<v Speaker 2>with a prison. It will get out and it will spread.

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<v Speaker 2>So the better we control this, the better it is

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<v Speaker 2>for the entire community. This affects absolutely everyone and so

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<v Speaker 2>we all need to be invested now. The Coalition for

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<v Speaker 2>the Human Rights of Imprisoned People in Australia have put

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<v Speaker 2>out a lengthy press release about this issue. That coalition

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<v Speaker 2>includes Sisters inside Flat Out Ink, Fitzroy Legal Service and

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<v Speaker 2>Prisoner's Legal Service in Queensland. Amanda George from Flat Out Ink,

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<v Speaker 2>an advocacy in housing service for women leaving prison in Victoria,

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<v Speaker 2>says it's not a matter of if, but when there'll

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<v Speaker 2>be an outbreak of COVID nineteen in Australian prisons, but

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<v Speaker 2>she says locking out visitors will not prevent it. Thousands

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<v Speaker 2>of correctional staff, healthcare workers, contractors and others go in

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<v Speaker 2>and out of prisons every day. She points out family

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<v Speaker 2>visitors are essential to the mental and physical health of prisoners,

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<v Speaker 2>but we do need to get as many prisoners out

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<v Speaker 2>of Australia's overcrowded prisons as possible. People who don't need

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<v Speaker 2>to be incarcerated shouldn't be there during this epidemic. Everyone

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<v Speaker 2>who can be bailed should be bailed. Everyone who can

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<v Speaker 2>be paroled should be paroled. Everyone who can get medical

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<v Speaker 2>or compassionate leave should be granted leave. They also need

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<v Speaker 2>homes to go to so they can protect themselves and

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<v Speaker 2>their families. Seventy seven percent of people being sent to

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<v Speaker 2>prisons today are not even sentenced, she said. They are

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<v Speaker 2>waiting for their day in court, and with this pandemic,

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<v Speaker 2>who knows when they will get that And that's a

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<v Speaker 2>really important point that's being raised there with courts being

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<v Speaker 2>shut down and so many people in our prison system

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<v Speaker 2>not having been found guilty yet, these are innocent people.

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<v Speaker 2>Who knows when they will get that day in court?

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<v Speaker 2>And inside they are sitting ducks. They do not need

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<v Speaker 2>to be there for their own health, for the health

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<v Speaker 2>of their family, for the health of all the workers

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<v Speaker 2>in the prison system, and for the well being and

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<v Speaker 2>health of the general community. Most Australian prisons are operating

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<v Speaker 2>above their capacity, which Miss George says Western Australian prisons

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<v Speaker 2>are more than thirty percent over capacity. This means two

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<v Speaker 2>or three prisoners in cells designed for one, overstretched health

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<v Speaker 2>and medical service and a tinderbox environment. So we have

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<v Speaker 2>to act now. Many other countries, including China, Italy and Iran,

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<v Speaker 2>have scrambled to address this threat. Many have acted too

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<v Speaker 2>late and it is caused the worsening of this pandemic.

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<v Speaker 2>As I say, this affects absolutely everyone. The elderly and

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<v Speaker 2>immunocompromised prisoners should be given medical leave immediately. About six

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<v Speaker 2>percent of the prison population are over the age of sixty.

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<v Speaker 2>The older prison population is among the most vulnerable to

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<v Speaker 2>severe complications from COVID nineteen. Aging people who are released

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<v Speaker 2>after serving long sentences have a recidivism rate close to zero.

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<v Speaker 2>Miss George points out now what this Coalition for the

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<v Speaker 2>Human Rights of Imprisoned People in Australia. Are call are

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<v Speaker 2>a list and I will run through them now. And

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<v Speaker 2>this is pointing out what would drastically improve this situation.

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<v Speaker 2>All people living and working in prisons must have access

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<v Speaker 2>to health and medical services. Symptoms need to be addressed quickly,

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<v Speaker 2>not once a week or twice a week. They must

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<v Speaker 2>have access to soap and running water to wash their hands.

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<v Speaker 2>Soap should be provided at no cost, i e. It

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<v Speaker 2>should be taken off the list of items only available

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<v Speaker 2>for purchase from prison canteens. And hand sanitizer must be

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<v Speaker 2>removed from contraband lists and made readily available to all bathrooms. Laundry,

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<v Speaker 2>eating and all common areas must be cleaned after each use.

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<v Speaker 2>Prisoners must have access to accommodation that enables them to

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<v Speaker 2>selfide if they so choose accommodation, and facilities with poor

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<v Speaker 2>air circulation need to be improved immediately. Access to fresh

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<v Speaker 2>air and exercise is vital to health. Ban on family

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<v Speaker 2>visits and reductions in prison programs will be counterproductive. All

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<v Speaker 2>efforts must be made to keep prisoners connected with family, community,

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<v Speaker 2>and engaged in activity that promotes mental and physical health. Finally,

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<v Speaker 2>phone calls to friends and family should be free. They

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<v Speaker 2>are very expensive in austral prisons and inaccessible to prisoners

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<v Speaker 2>without money, and video conferencing facilities should be made available

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<v Speaker 2>for remote visits, especially to prisoners with children and elderly

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<v Speaker 2>or vulnerable relatives that they're worried about. And for more

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<v Speaker 2>information on what I've just discussed, you can contact Amanda

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<v Speaker 2>George at Flat Out Ink on two one seven nine

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<v Speaker 2>one eight zero three, that is two one seven nine

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<v Speaker 2>one eight zero three and this information will also be

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<v Speaker 2>added to the curtain of the podcast website. Now that

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<v Speaker 2>goes to the next question of what can actually be done.

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<v Speaker 2>As we're seeing there's many people on social media and

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<v Speaker 2>in the news right around the globe pointing out this

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<v Speaker 2>issue and that people need to be released immediately, but

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<v Speaker 2>simply calling for it won't make it happen. So this

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<v Speaker 2>is where we need people to step up and make

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<v Speaker 2>it possible. Luckily, in Australia, two such organizations are doing

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<v Speaker 2>exactly that, their Prisoner's Legal Service in Queensland and Sisters Inside.

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<v Speaker 2>Now this is some information those two organizations working together

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<v Speaker 2>have provided to us. They state the following categories of

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<v Speaker 2>people in prison are particularly vulnerable to COVID nineteen, people

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<v Speaker 2>with compromised immune systems, such as people who have cancer,

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<v Speaker 2>elderly people, aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, peoples who obviously

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<v Speaker 2>have higher rates of chronic illness, and people who already

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<v Speaker 2>have chronic medical conditions. Pair Less and Sisters Inside point

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<v Speaker 2>out that there are four categories of people they may

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<v Speaker 2>be able to assist during the COVID nineteen pandemic and

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<v Speaker 2>who are particularly vulnerable. So if you have friends or

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<v Speaker 2>family in this situation, please play close attention. Or if

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<v Speaker 2>you're a prisoner inside and this applies to you, please

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<v Speaker 2>listen so you can know which category you're in and

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<v Speaker 2>how you can be helped. The first is people with

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<v Speaker 2>parole applications lodged already, and what the PLS is saying

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<v Speaker 2>is they can request the parole board fast tracked consideration

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<v Speaker 2>of release, so that's what they'd be working on on

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<v Speaker 2>your behalf. The second category are people who are eligible

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<v Speaker 2>for parole but who have not lodged applications, so both

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<v Speaker 2>PLS and Sisters Inside can help those people to get

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<v Speaker 2>those applications lodged and request it be fast tracked. The

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<v Speaker 2>third category is people with parole suspensions and cancelations. Again,

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<v Speaker 2>PLS and Sisters Inside can request the Parole Board urgently

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<v Speaker 2>lift suspension or cancelation. Anyone with a cancelation should immediately

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<v Speaker 2>lodge a new application Category four people who are not

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<v Speaker 2>eligible for parole for example future parole eligibility or cord

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<v Speaker 2>ordered parole release dates. What PLS and Sisters Inside say

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<v Speaker 2>is we may be able to help with lodging an

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<v Speaker 2>exceptional circumstances parole application and request it to be fast tracked.

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<v Speaker 2>They go on to say, it is unlikely that every

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<v Speaker 2>person who is vulnerable to COVID nineteen will be considered

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<v Speaker 2>suitable for a lease. However, given the unprecedented health risks

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<v Speaker 2>particular people face, we want to hear from people who

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<v Speaker 2>are in prison and vulnerable to COVID nineteen that's the

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<v Speaker 2>coronavirus to assess if we can try and get them

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<v Speaker 2>out on parole. For people in prison, the Prisoner's Legal

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<v Speaker 2>Service can be contacted on the Prisoner URNTA phone system

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<v Speaker 2>as follows those in Capricornia Townsville CC or Lotus Glenn

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<v Speaker 2>CC between the times of nine am to eleven am

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<v Speaker 2>and twelve pm to two pm on Thursday. I'll make

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<v Speaker 2>sure All this information is on the curtain the podcast

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<v Speaker 2>website all other centers in Queensland including BCC, AGCC, Wolston Woodford, MCC,

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<v Speaker 2>SQCC and BWCC. The day is Tuesday and the times

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<v Speaker 2>are nine am to eleven am and twelve pm to

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<v Speaker 2>two pm. I'll point out that the Prisoner's Legal Service

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<v Speaker 2>has recruited extra volunteer lawyers to assist with answering the calls,

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<v Speaker 2>and they're particularly worried about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island

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<v Speaker 2>are prisoners and also as we know, women who are

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<v Speaker 2>particularly vulnerable in the prison system, and that's where we

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<v Speaker 2>know about the great work of Sisters Inside. And for

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<v Speaker 2>those who don't know, you can go on to the

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<v Speaker 2>Sisters Inside website and I'll give you the address, which

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<v Speaker 2>is Sisters Inside dot com dot au. Or for those

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<v Speaker 2>on Twitter, you might like to contact Debbie Kilroy at

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<v Speaker 2>deb Kilroy. That's her Twitter handle, and that applies both

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<v Speaker 2>to people who may be seeking further help and information

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<v Speaker 2>or for those who wish to donate. And as many

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<v Speaker 2>listeners will know, Debbie has a GoFundMe page that assists women,

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<v Speaker 2>particularly vulnerable women, but all women leave prison as soon

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<v Speaker 2>as possible, and as you will have seen in the media,

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<v Speaker 2>that's particularly related over the last year to people in

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<v Speaker 2>prison purely for outstanding fines, and this is an unacceptable situation.

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<v Speaker 2>We have young mothers, old women, those who have tried

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<v Speaker 2>to escape domestic violence and family violence, who, as we've

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<v Speaker 2>pointed out in this podcast, have called the police for

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<v Speaker 2>assistance and then rather than their abusive partner be arrested,

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<v Speaker 2>they have been taken to prison for unpaid fines. Now

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<v Speaker 2>this is disgraceful at any time, but at the height

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<v Speaker 2>of a global pandemic the likes of which the world

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<v Speaker 2>has not seen for more than one hundred years, this

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<v Speaker 2>is unconscionable. So I'd also urge people to contact their

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<v Speaker 2>local mp both state and federal, the justice ministers and

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<v Speaker 2>attorney generals in every state and territory, and their premiers

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<v Speaker 2>and chief ministers, and demand that the requests of organizations

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<v Speaker 2>like Prisoner's Legal Service and Sisters Inside be listened to.

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<v Speaker 2>This is being done for everybody's well being, as has

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<v Speaker 2>been pointed out by doctors around the globe during a

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<v Speaker 2>global pandemic, we are all in this together, and if

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<v Speaker 2>we place the most vulnerable at further risk. Not only

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<v Speaker 2>are we dressed breaching their human rights. Prison in Australia,

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<v Speaker 2>prison anywhere is not supposed to be a death sentence,

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<v Speaker 2>but we're also placing our community at greater risk. As

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<v Speaker 2>I've pointed out, the cruise ships have been one of

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<v Speaker 2>the largest causes of the spread of this virus. So

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<v Speaker 2>too of events like weddings where people are in close

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<v Speaker 2>proximity and in large groups in a single building. Now

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<v Speaker 2>imagine a prison that's overcrowded, without any hand sanitizer, and

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<v Speaker 2>with many prisoners unable to access even the most basic

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<v Speaker 2>thing like soap and running water. So once again, to

0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:51.640
<v Speaker 2>contact Sisters Inside. That's Sisters Inside dot com dot Au.

0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:54.720
<v Speaker 2>I'll also give you their phone number, which is zero

0:16:54.920 --> 0:17:00.360
<v Speaker 2>seven three eight four four five zero six six. Now,

0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:04.560
<v Speaker 2>for Aboriginal and Terres Strait Islander people right around the country,

0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:10.000
<v Speaker 2>if these organizations are not operating in your area, please

0:17:10.080 --> 0:17:15.880
<v Speaker 2>contact your local als your Aboriginal legal service. For all

0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:22.720
<v Speaker 2>other people, please contact Legal Aid. So each state will

0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:25.359
<v Speaker 2>have a phone number. If you just put Legal Aid

0:17:25.920 --> 0:17:29.439
<v Speaker 2>and your state or territory into Google, those phone numbers

0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.879
<v Speaker 2>will come up. If for whatever reason, you are not

0:17:33.520 --> 0:17:39.040
<v Speaker 2>treated appropriately by either Legal Aid, the Aboriginal Legal Service,

0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:43.760
<v Speaker 2>or by your Attorney General or Justice Minister, or by

0:17:43.800 --> 0:17:50.080
<v Speaker 2>corrective services. Then please contact me at curtainthe Podcast at

0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:57.479
<v Speaker 2>gmail dot com. That's Curtainthepodcast at gmail dot com. You

0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:04.000
<v Speaker 2>can also contact me via twet at Martin g Hodgson. Now,

0:18:04.000 --> 0:18:07.919
<v Speaker 2>I'll make sure all this information is available on the

0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:11.679
<v Speaker 2>Curtain the Podcast website and will also be sharing it

0:18:12.080 --> 0:18:15.359
<v Speaker 2>on Twitter and it should be relatively easy for you

0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:20.080
<v Speaker 2>to find. Now for those who are specifically mentioned in

0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:23.280
<v Speaker 2>what I laid out as to what Prisoner's Legal Service

0:18:23.320 --> 0:18:27.719
<v Speaker 2>can assist with, remembering that's the four parole categories, I

0:18:27.800 --> 0:18:33.400
<v Speaker 2>have some email addresses that you can contact directly at

0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:38.080
<v Speaker 2>Prisoner's Legal Service. That will be Katrina Davidson. Her email

0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:44.720
<v Speaker 2>address is Katrina at pls QLD for Queensland dot com.

0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:50.600
<v Speaker 2>For Sisters Inside, that's Katie Katie at Sisters Inside dot

0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:57.520
<v Speaker 2>com dot AU. For people who'd like to contact Prisoner's

0:18:57.600 --> 0:19:00.440
<v Speaker 2>Legal Service, they can do that through their wind site

0:19:00.440 --> 0:19:09.159
<v Speaker 2>as well at www dot pls QLD dot com. Now,

0:19:09.440 --> 0:19:12.840
<v Speaker 2>I'd like to mention that all the organizations I've mentioned

0:19:12.840 --> 0:19:18.360
<v Speaker 2>today except donations, and they need your financial support. This

0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:23.120
<v Speaker 2>work simply cannot be done without it. So if you're

0:19:23.119 --> 0:19:26.320
<v Speaker 2>not someone who has a family member you can be assisting.

0:19:27.040 --> 0:19:29.600
<v Speaker 2>If you're someone who's not able to assist in the

0:19:29.800 --> 0:19:34.520
<v Speaker 2>legal aspects of these cases or assisting in the parole process,

0:19:35.240 --> 0:19:38.240
<v Speaker 2>then what you can do, and what is most beneficial

0:19:38.280 --> 0:19:43.000
<v Speaker 2>above all, is to donate to these organizations. There's donate

0:19:43.040 --> 0:19:46.040
<v Speaker 2>buttons on all their websites as I've listed, and again

0:19:46.160 --> 0:19:51.480
<v Speaker 2>they will be on Curtain thepodcast dot com and you

0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:55.840
<v Speaker 2>can support their vital work. Also, remember that at DeBie

0:19:55.880 --> 0:20:00.479
<v Speaker 2>Kilroy on Twitter has a link to the go fundme

0:20:00.600 --> 0:20:05.880
<v Speaker 2>page that helps women ride around Australia, particularly vulnerable women,

0:20:05.920 --> 0:20:10.359
<v Speaker 2>and we've seen tragic stories highlighted one time after another

0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:14.480
<v Speaker 2>by deb and her workers of women who have been

0:20:15.200 --> 0:20:19.680
<v Speaker 2>victims of all kinds of horrific abuse, domestic and family violence,

0:20:20.119 --> 0:20:25.520
<v Speaker 2>shocking treatment by police, shocking treatment by corrective services. They've

0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:31.760
<v Speaker 2>been successfully released by Sisters Inside through their programming that

0:20:31.800 --> 0:20:36.080
<v Speaker 2>you can help fund through their go Fundme page. The

0:20:36.080 --> 0:20:41.760
<v Speaker 2>Prisoner's Legal Service is a fantastic organization. Solicitor Helen Blaber

0:20:42.160 --> 0:20:45.800
<v Speaker 2>is one of the most experienced and exceptional legal operators

0:20:45.840 --> 0:20:49.160
<v Speaker 2>in this country and she is able to help all

0:20:49.240 --> 0:20:54.000
<v Speaker 2>those who fit into the categories we've mentioned with their

0:20:54.040 --> 0:20:57.960
<v Speaker 2>parole applications with her team of staff, and once again

0:20:58.000 --> 0:21:02.320
<v Speaker 2>she's had enormous success throughout the years and very recently

0:21:03.119 --> 0:21:07.080
<v Speaker 2>on helping the most vulnerable people and right now, in

0:21:07.119 --> 0:21:12.040
<v Speaker 2>a global pandemic that means almost everybody in the prison system.

0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:13.920
<v Speaker 1>Now.

0:21:14.000 --> 0:21:18.000
<v Speaker 2>One thing I would like to also add. In Australia,

0:21:18.040 --> 0:21:21.879
<v Speaker 2>we have a large migrant population and we also have

0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:25.840
<v Speaker 2>a large population of people who travel around the globe.

0:21:25.960 --> 0:21:30.960
<v Speaker 2>As a result, we see Australians imprisoned overseas. For those

0:21:30.960 --> 0:21:33.720
<v Speaker 2>who have been following the podcast for the number of

0:21:33.800 --> 0:21:37.200
<v Speaker 2>years that it's been on, you'll know my main area

0:21:37.240 --> 0:21:42.960
<v Speaker 2>of work is with Foreign Prisoners dot com. We help

0:21:43.119 --> 0:21:47.400
<v Speaker 2>not only Australians, but all people imprisoned in countries other

0:21:47.440 --> 0:21:51.800
<v Speaker 2>than their own, and all people imprisoned around the globe

0:21:52.160 --> 0:21:56.840
<v Speaker 2>whose human rights are being violated. If you have a

0:21:56.880 --> 0:22:00.520
<v Speaker 2>family member in this situation who is at increase risk

0:22:00.720 --> 0:22:05.280
<v Speaker 2>because of the coronavirus pandemic, if you have an Australian

0:22:05.320 --> 0:22:08.919
<v Speaker 2>family member who is in an overseas prison who is

0:22:09.000 --> 0:22:12.480
<v Speaker 2>not getting the basics that they need to keep themselves

0:22:12.480 --> 0:22:16.520
<v Speaker 2>safe from this virus. You can contact me either through

0:22:17.400 --> 0:22:23.280
<v Speaker 2>www dot Foreign Prisoners dot com or directly at my

0:22:23.440 --> 0:22:28.280
<v Speaker 2>email address Martin dot Hodgson h O d G. S

0:22:28.359 --> 0:22:32.600
<v Speaker 2>O N at Foreign Prisoners dot com. You can also

0:22:32.720 --> 0:22:37.760
<v Speaker 2>find me on Twitter at Marting Hodgson. Again, I'll make

0:22:37.840 --> 0:22:41.240
<v Speaker 2>all these links available. I'll also share it through the

0:22:41.320 --> 0:22:44.720
<v Speaker 2>Curtain the podcast social media platforms which you can find

0:22:44.800 --> 0:22:48.680
<v Speaker 2>on Twitter and Facebook, so that all this information will

0:22:48.720 --> 0:22:52.640
<v Speaker 2>be at your fingertips. So not only am I encouraging

0:22:52.680 --> 0:22:56.560
<v Speaker 2>you to spread this information to all vulnerable peoples, particularly

0:22:56.560 --> 0:23:00.159
<v Speaker 2>the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and when and

0:23:00.359 --> 0:23:07.480
<v Speaker 2>impacted by domestic violence and family violence, poverty, and other

0:23:07.560 --> 0:23:11.240
<v Speaker 2>issues that are impacting on their lives, like serious medical

0:23:11.280 --> 0:23:15.359
<v Speaker 2>conditions that make them particularly vulnerable at this time, I

0:23:15.440 --> 0:23:18.879
<v Speaker 2>want you to spread this to everyone. If we're going

0:23:18.920 --> 0:23:20.919
<v Speaker 2>to do what the government says and all be in

0:23:20.960 --> 0:23:24.600
<v Speaker 2>it together, then we have to bring every single member

0:23:24.640 --> 0:23:28.560
<v Speaker 2>of our society with us on this journey as we

0:23:28.680 --> 0:23:33.600
<v Speaker 2>seek to survive this global pandemic and ensure that as

0:23:33.720 --> 0:23:38.280
<v Speaker 2>few people as possible not only contract the virus, but

0:23:38.440 --> 0:23:42.160
<v Speaker 2>die from the virus. Thousands of people are already dead.

0:23:42.600 --> 0:23:46.679
<v Speaker 2>We need to act immediately, so please spread this information,

0:23:47.400 --> 0:23:50.800
<v Speaker 2>share the podcast, and if you have any questions about

0:23:50.840 --> 0:23:53.639
<v Speaker 2>what we may be able to do to help, or

0:23:53.680 --> 0:23:56.080
<v Speaker 2>you need to be put in touch with an organization

0:23:56.240 --> 0:23:59.960
<v Speaker 2>that can help you, please feel free to reach out

0:24:00.600 --> 0:24:03.399
<v Speaker 2>on any of the platforms that I've mentioned and we

0:24:03.480 --> 0:24:07.080
<v Speaker 2>will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible. Now, finally,

0:24:07.160 --> 0:24:09.560
<v Speaker 2>I do want to mention that Kurt and the podcast

0:24:09.680 --> 0:24:12.840
<v Speaker 2>will be back this year, will be coming back with

0:24:12.960 --> 0:24:18.000
<v Speaker 2>not only some amazing news, but more information on what

0:24:18.119 --> 0:24:22.040
<v Speaker 2>is happening in Australia's prison system, on the cases that

0:24:22.160 --> 0:24:26.920
<v Speaker 2>obviously you've been following, that of Kevin Henry, Derek Bromley,

0:24:27.920 --> 0:24:31.880
<v Speaker 2>Miss Marr and the many others that have been raised

0:24:32.200 --> 0:24:36.160
<v Speaker 2>in this podcast. But for now, we need to focus

0:24:36.200 --> 0:24:39.679
<v Speaker 2>on this global pandemic. The coronavirus has to be our

0:24:39.760 --> 0:24:43.240
<v Speaker 2>number one concern and I hope as you're listening this

0:24:43.359 --> 0:24:47.720
<v Speaker 2>is finding you, hopefully at home safe and we want

0:24:47.760 --> 0:24:50.479
<v Speaker 2>to send a special thank you to all the health

0:24:50.600 --> 0:24:54.680
<v Speaker 2>and medical professionals in Australia and around the globe who

0:24:54.720 --> 0:24:57.960
<v Speaker 2>are keeping us all well looked after and doing their

0:24:58.040 --> 0:25:01.360
<v Speaker 2>absolute best to treat as as many people as possible,

0:25:02.240 --> 0:25:04.480
<v Speaker 2>and we also want to thank all those in our

0:25:04.520 --> 0:25:07.959
<v Speaker 2>community who we know always go above and beyond the

0:25:07.960 --> 0:25:10.800
<v Speaker 2>call of duty at a time of crisis to look

0:25:10.840 --> 0:25:14.119
<v Speaker 2>after the most vulnerable amongst us and make sure that

0:25:14.160 --> 0:25:17.320
<v Speaker 2>they're safe, that they have food and water and all

0:25:17.400 --> 0:25:21.280
<v Speaker 2>the essentials that we need. Not everyone has the privilege

0:25:21.320 --> 0:25:25.360
<v Speaker 2>of simply sitting at home and watching Netflix. If you do,

0:25:26.040 --> 0:25:28.560
<v Speaker 2>then we hope you're well and we hope you will

0:25:28.680 --> 0:25:32.760
<v Speaker 2>use some of your time to share this information. That's

0:25:32.800 --> 0:25:36.600
<v Speaker 2>it for this special episode of Curtain the podcast. Once again,

0:25:36.720 --> 0:25:39.680
<v Speaker 2>Please share it as far and wide as you possibly can,

0:25:40.720 --> 0:25:44.040
<v Speaker 2>and we'll be back with a further update and more

0:25:44.119 --> 0:25:50.720
<v Speaker 2>information as this pandemic continues to unfold. Please stay safe, isolate,

0:25:51.760 --> 0:25:56.160
<v Speaker 2>practice social distancing, and wash your hands. Wash your hands.

0:25:56.760 --> 0:25:57.439
<v Speaker 2>Wash your hands.