1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,560 Speaker 1: And joining me in the studio right now is the 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: Chief Minister of the Northern Territory for our first show 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty two. 4 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 2: Good morning to you. 5 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 3: So happy in new year. 6 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 2: I think you can. I think we can. 7 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: It feels a bit weird, but yeah, it's weird to 8 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: be back in here and I feel like I'm talking 9 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: to myself. But the phones are already starting to ring, 10 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: so obviously not very good. 11 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 2: Now, Chief Minister. There is so much to cover off on. 12 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: I know today is the first day of school, thousands 13 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: of Territory kids heading back into the classroom. I know 14 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: there's lots of parents who are going to be feeling 15 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: pretty worried about their kids contracting the virus. Is the 16 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: return of school going to be a super spreader. 17 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 3: I don't believe so. 18 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 4: Obviously, movement is transmission, and so there's gonna lost people 19 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 4: moving the next week or two. But would also be 20 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 4: naive to assume that if school was on kids and 21 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 4: parents wouldn't be moving. So yeah, movement, movement's going to 22 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 4: happen anyway. I think schools are some of the safest 23 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 4: places in the Northern Territory, highly regulated environments. 24 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 3: We can put rules and controls in place. 25 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 4: When we sat down and do the COVID return a 26 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 4: school plan, schools just said, well, here's our communical diseases plan. 27 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 4: They do this all the time, if that makes sense, 28 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 4: around measles or lice or stuff. So they were ready 29 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 4: to go. So I feel confident about schools being safe places. 30 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 4: What will be different and I think this will create 31 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 4: anxiety next week or two until parents get used to 32 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 4: it is we're going to let you know if a 33 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 4: kid at school has been positive and if your kid 34 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 4: has been a close contact or not. That will be 35 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 4: new information parents aren't getting at the moment across January. 36 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 4: So I think that will create some anxiety early days. 37 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 4: But schools will be, in my opinion, safe places. 38 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: I mean, have we reached a point though realistically around 39 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: the community. I think we've got five thousand odd cases 40 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory now where it should just be 41 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: a matter of if you get crook, if you've got symptoms, 42 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: get tested. If you're negative, continue about your life. If 43 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: you're not well, isolate at home. 44 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 4: That's right, And I think this is the phase that 45 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 4: down south of a transition to news so fales more 46 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 4: than most earlier than most I should say most people 47 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 4: who contract COVID will be okay. You know, it feels 48 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 4: weird to say well COVID, but it's sort of how 49 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 4: the doctor Hegey describes the well COVID. We have much 50 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 4: better treatments now in hospital as well. So if you 51 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 4: see our hospital numbers, you've got one twenty yesterday in 52 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 4: general emission, steroids and other things that we can do 53 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 4: any viral treatments coming and someone we can look after 54 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 4: people much better. So only three in the ICU and 55 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 4: only eight on oxygen. So what we can do and 56 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 4: how we can help people has improved significantly, so I 57 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 4: think last weight. Look, we're about four or five hundred 58 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 4: people in COVID at home, so we can manage people 59 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 4: well with COVID, if that makes sense. We still want 60 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 4: to make sure, because it is serious, especially for people 61 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 4: with comorbidit these, that we keep the level of COVID 62 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 4: at a rate which our hospital system can handle. 63 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 3: I feel we're currently landing that. 64 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 2: Why are we. 65 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: Wearing back to wearing masks outdoors again? To me, it 66 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: seems like overkill. 67 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, so it's a seven seven days and I'd rather 68 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 4: I hope you're right, you know, I'd rather I'd rather 69 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 4: you be proven right and I'm wrong on this one. Genuinely, 70 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 4: we had the expected spike as everyone came back from 71 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 4: inter state, so it could be correlation rather than the causation. 72 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 4: But we said those days we'd see in increasing cases. 73 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 4: We've got that increase in cases, and we said outdoors 74 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 4: obviously is less risky, safer than indoors, but we thought, 75 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 4: let's just, you know, as our abundance of caution, try 76 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 4: and do it we can to moderate spread. So seven 77 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 4: day outdoor mask mandate just to do that, and I've 78 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 4: got every expectation now were lifting some. 79 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: Pore Obviously on one hand, we're doing that. 80 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: On the other hand, though, well from tomorrow into state arrivals, 81 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: so no longer going to have to quarantine or. 82 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: Take three tests. So why go sort of so hard 83 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 2: on one thing and they're not so hard on the other. 84 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 4: I can absolutely see how the border's decision could be 85 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 4: interpreted as going back on COVID, if that makes sense 86 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 4: the right way of expressing it. But at the moment 87 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 4: we've got basically the same prevalence rate of COVID as 88 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 4: other jurisdictions, i e. Someone from this half Wales has 89 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 4: the same rate of COVID as someone from the Northern Territory. 90 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 4: So giving out basically three thousand rats a day, I 91 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 4: think from memory to people arriving at the airport it's 92 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 4: probably more than Actually you might as well walk the 93 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 4: streets have done and randomly handing out rats. There's no 94 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 4: reason now to just say to someone who is getting 95 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 4: off a plane a symptomatic and well, history rats, take 96 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 4: a rat. We want to now focus our care on 97 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 4: the symptomatic and the vulnerable inside in Northern Territory. Then 98 00:03:57,560 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 4: someone who's landing from this half Whales as well. 99 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: Okay, so I guess the thing that I'm grappling with, 100 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: and I know others are as well, is that you know, 101 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: you've got these really sort of strict conditions I everybody 102 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: having to wear those masks are the third vaccine mandate 103 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: indeed being announced over the course of the weekend. There's 104 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: no doubt that some of these things are having a 105 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: massive impact on business, for example, hospitality into we're out 106 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: over the course of the weekend speaking about that. So 107 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: if we're going so hard in some areas, then why 108 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: are we sort of you know, letting it rip in 109 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: other ways. 110 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 4: They put this way, because I don't think we are 111 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 4: letting rip. There's essentially three things we can do or 112 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 4: we're doing. One was moderating rate of incursion, the other 113 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 4: was moderating rate of spread, and the other is moderating 114 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 4: severity of case. Now that we have the same rate 115 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 4: of COVID in the territory is into state, moderating rate 116 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 4: of incursion essentially not not an issue anymore. Like we 117 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 4: just have the same mann of covid osmosis like we are. 118 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 4: So that one sets aside, then you've got moderating rate 119 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 4: of spread. We want to keep our curve flat and 120 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 4: our tail long, and that means that our health professionals 121 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 4: other than the front line can can deal with this. 122 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 3: It's a lot of hard work. 123 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 4: So when I say deal with it, not saying it 124 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 4: is tough, but basically keep it where it is. So 125 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 4: that's why we've got measures around moderating rate of spread, 126 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 4: mask rules, et cetera. Then you've got severity of case. 127 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 4: So for example, the art For example, we know for 128 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,799 Speaker 4: a fact the unvaccinated are more likely to be severely 129 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 4: impacted by COVID, so we're trying to reduce the risk 130 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 4: of the unvaccinated or the rate which the unvaccinated get COVID. Now, unfortunately, 131 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 4: I don't like saying this. I know Hotality and you 132 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 4: hate me saying this. Dotor Heggy has said Home and 133 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 4: Hotality are the two highest rest sittings for catching COVID. 134 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 4: So we've got to put some rules in around Hoteli. 135 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 4: I apologize to Hostali for saying that. I know that, 136 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 4: but that's why they sit there, and it's about reducing 137 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 4: the likelihood of a severe case in our hospital story. 138 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: So taking that into account, if that is indeed the case, 139 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: and we know that hospitality and some of our businesses 140 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: have been hit so incredibly difficultly, is there going to 141 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: be any kind of support packages for those businesses. 142 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 4: So let me put this way. We're talking and working 143 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 4: with those businesses, listening to them closely. We've done a 144 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 4: number of packages across the last two years. I never 145 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 4: say never, and where we're working very carefully on what 146 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 4: we may or may not be able to do to 147 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 4: help them or go to make sure it lands the 148 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 4: right spot. So, for example, if you look at the voucher, 149 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 4: the truths and voucher be simply say that's roll out 150 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,280 Speaker 4: another voucher. The advice I've had recently from tourism, and 151 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 4: this could be contested. It might be some tourism saying 152 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 4: they don't agree with this. But the recent advice I've 153 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 4: had is now that we've moved to a different border posture, 154 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 4: they wanted that money going to marketing. So we haven't 155 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 4: been marketing necessarily much in the territory in recent times. 156 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 4: We're doing things like the Territory voucher to get territorians 157 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 4: out whole day and in the absence of interstatus and overseas. 158 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 4: So that's the kind of thing I want to make 159 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 4: sure I put the right money in the right spots 160 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 4: to get the right results. So I'm getting essentially requests 161 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 4: to switch back into marketing again to help tourism. I'm 162 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 4: open to that. So it's not making sure we do 163 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 4: the right thing to give the right help. So we 164 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 4: are doing a lot of work at the moment with 165 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 4: industry because I agree with you it is tough at 166 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 4: the moment. It has been tough for two years, and 167 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 4: we've got to keep making sure we put the right 168 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 4: things in point I. 169 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: Reckon there's a lot of people listening this morning probably 170 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: feeling like you know like I do, where we're just 171 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: over it, and I know that we can't just all 172 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: of a sudden forget about COVID and go all right, 173 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: we're not bothering with anything. 174 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: But we're just over it. 175 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: We want to get back to being able to live 176 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: our lives, and I know that we've got to do 177 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: that cautiously, and no doubt you feel the same, like 178 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: you must just be over it. 179 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,559 Speaker 4: I feel so in doctor Heggey's device, and we haven't 180 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 4: got the doughty modeling experts that makes sense. So this 181 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 4: is not being it's not modeling upon which we necessary 182 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 4: basing decisions. We're clear about that. But we've had people 183 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 4: with then health look at the numbers and in their 184 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 4: belief we're approaching or past peak. That makes sense for 185 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 4: the territory for this current wave. If you look at 186 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 4: epidemological links and the way things work, you know peak 187 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 4: isn't halfway. Peak peaks much early in the halfway. We're 188 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 4: declining wastewater strength in dawn and our springs prior to 189 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 4: the return of parents to get back to school. So 190 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 4: we are probably going to hit a long tail if 191 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 4: we land this right, though you won't see much difference 192 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 4: between pre and post peak. The big difference about getting 193 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 4: post peak that's so important is you remove the risk 194 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 4: of that expensial growth. You know when you see cases 195 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 4: double and double and double. We want to get to 196 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 4: that spot and then it becomes you know, for all 197 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 4: intentsive purposes, it's a probably bad way of describing it 198 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 4: business as usual, and it's just saying you can absolutely 199 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 4: manage with our health system. That's where we're trying to 200 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 4: land at the moment, with obviously the fear that you 201 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 4: know you can hit that extential growth again to get 202 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 4: past peak. You know you've landed it in a place 203 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,119 Speaker 4: where the public health system, which would never take for granted, 204 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 4: our great public health system, can handle this. 205 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: So you reckon we are either at our peak now 206 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: or are about to hit peak. 207 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,199 Speaker 4: That's doctor Haggey's advice. Having run some numbers, I want 208 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 4: to put some heavy caveats on that. He's talked about 209 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 4: that about a week or so ago, I believe on 210 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 4: the record as well, so I'm not verbaling him. But 211 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 4: it is not being done by Dwity. That's just internal 212 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 4: work that I've personally looked at. It's it's not coming 213 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 4: to the sensive room for planning purposes. That makes sense. 214 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:52,839 Speaker 4: It's just he's thinking about where we sit on the 215 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 4: ependemological link chain, that we're heading towards post peak. The 216 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 4: wastewater signal strength supported that we're keeping a cloth sign it. 217 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 4: Though I plan for I prefer to plan for worst 218 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 4: case scenario area, I'm not planning for being post peak. 219 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 4: I'm looking at what do we do things get worse, 220 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 4: if that makes sense, What where do we shift resources? 221 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 3: How we manage things? 222 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 4: But right now we've got three in our ice for you, 223 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 4: eight in err on oxygen. I don't want that number, 224 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 4: if that makes sense, I brother zero and zero, But 225 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 4: that number is within what we can handle in the 226 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 4: hospital system. 227 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: And so do you think that right now, with this 228 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,199 Speaker 1: mask mandate that we've now got outdoors, with this third 229 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: COVID mandate, the shot that obviously you've announced, do you 230 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: think that the reality of this is that, post this 231 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: seven days of wearing those masks, that hopefully we've seen 232 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: the worst of it. 233 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 4: We want to see cases start moderating back towards the 234 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 4: four fifty a day. So we essentially have for about 235 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 4: three weeks a flat curve of four hund and fifty 236 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 4: a day that has over the last you know, four 237 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 4: or five days, come up to nine hundred off the 238 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 4: back of people coming back for it in time for 239 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 4: return of school. We want to see those numbers moderate 240 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 4: back down. We think we can see that across across 241 00:09:58,960 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 4: this week. 242 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 3: In the next. 243 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 4: Like a cliff won't go nine hundred and for fifty, 244 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 4: but we want to see it studying the head down, 245 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 4: I am very confident we can remove the outdoor mass 246 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 4: man date after seven days. We don't have a time 247 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 4: limit on the indoor mass mandate of because we know 248 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 4: that that's one reason why we were hitting that four 249 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 4: fifty and staying at four fifty. But we do want 250 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 4: to see the numbers head back towards full fifty. 251 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: All right, Paul and Humpty Doo wants to know why 252 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: with only two tragic deaths in the Northern Territory from COVID, 253 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 1: why are we still so heavy with the rules. 254 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 4: That's probably answered the question. We've only had two people die. 255 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 4: I don't like the word only. I mean that that's 256 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,719 Speaker 4: awful that two people have died, absolutely awful. I want 257 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 4: to see as few people die as possible, hopefully no more. 258 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 4: You know, That's what that's what we're working on. Tragically, 259 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 4: look at around the world, that's not going to be 260 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 4: no more. It's going to be some more. We've got 261 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 4: to do everything we can to delay to minimize the 262 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 4: rate of COVID and therefore the severity of case, so 263 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 4: that less people get hurt, either with long COVID. 264 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 3: Or tragically passed. 265 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 4: So two is you know, if you look around the world, 266 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 4: that's we're probably it's still trouble described death this way, 267 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 4: but we're probably still best in class for how we're 268 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 4: handling COVID At the moment. I want to remain best 269 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 4: in class. I want to see no one else die 270 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 4: in the nothern territory, and that's one reason why we're 271 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 4: trying to be as careful as we can. This is 272 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,839 Speaker 4: still not the flu. This is still a very severe thing. 273 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 4: It's just that more people now who get it are 274 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 4: more likely to be able to be treated at home. 275 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I've got to tell you, I was surprised at 276 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: how well I was with it, to be honest, and 277 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: I've obviously had two vaccines, so I we'll hold off 278 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: for a little while now before getting the third, just 279 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: until I you know, just until my immune systems sort 280 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: of back up to scratch and I'll see that your advice. 281 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, so it's been slightly different advice state to state, 282 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 4: but not the Higge's advice, I believe is four to 283 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 4: six weeks, and so maybe leaning towards the six weeks 284 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 4: of before. 285 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, And look, I know a lot of people are 286 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: still incredibly scared out there in the community and feeling 287 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 1: really worried about it. But I do think that we 288 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: need to get on with things. We need to get 289 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: on with life, and we need to try to make 290 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three better than what it's been the last 291 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: couple of years. Managing COVID Chief Minister. I will move 292 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: along because we know that right now one of the 293 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: biggest issues for a lot of Territorians is food supplies. 294 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: We know that they're incredibly low. On Friday, I went 295 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: into Kohl's. There was no fresh broadducee or meat at all. 296 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: Woolworths on Saturday morning, I went and did a bit 297 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: of searching around. They were in a similar situation. Same 298 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: again yesterday. Everyone's saying the same thing. 299 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 2: Now. 300 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: I know that local businesses are struggling in some ways 301 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: as well to fill those shelves. 302 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 2: This is as a result of flooding, and. 303 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: I understand that the shortage of staff in some of 304 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: those locations as well due to COVID has had an impact. 305 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: But what is your government doing to try and assist 306 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: to make sure that we've got a solution here. 307 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 3: So there's some compounding impacts. 308 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 4: He obviously COVID through distribution centers down south probably the biggest. 309 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 3: COVID contribution to this. 310 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 4: But then we had the flooding events and I think 311 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 4: it's going to take last of I seventeen days to 312 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 4: fix up the railway line, for example. Hopefully it's quicker 313 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 4: than that, but maybe it'll take longer. We had eight 314 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 4: road trains go across the Stuart Highway for food into 315 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 4: Alison Dark distribution centers. More importantly, post those road trains, 316 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 4: they've had to go inspect the roads to make sure 317 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 4: because the road trains are heavy, that there isn't being 318 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 4: more damage done to the road and we can allow 319 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 4: more transit through. There's also been a long re route 320 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 4: up and through the Barkley that's. 321 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 3: Been happening as well. 322 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,839 Speaker 4: We have as part of our EOC work sorry EMIT 323 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 4: Operations Center work, we have a dedicated logistics unit that 324 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 4: works on this all the time across two years. So 325 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 4: it's not like we just stood it that they're talking daily, 326 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 4: probably seven times a day, to distribution centers, freight companies, 327 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 4: infrastructure people at the moment, et cetera, looking at what 328 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 4: the STATU supplies are. The good advice is not for 329 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 4: fresh unfortunately, but the good advice is that we still 330 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 4: believe we've got food stocks in the territory that can 331 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 4: feed territorians. They're particularly remote and particularly in a number 332 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 4: of our stores who made wet season precautions because of 333 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 4: cyclones and stuff like that. We have got ability and 334 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 4: the Commission respectors yesterday if we do get worried to 335 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 4: press the emergency management button with the FEDS and look 336 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 4: at bringing in food to places that are needed. 337 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 2: Is that what they're doing. 338 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,319 Speaker 1: I mean in South Australia right now, I know that 339 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: Defense has been called upon to bring in some additional 340 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: food supplies. 341 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 2: Is that what you're looking at? 342 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 3: So that is a available option if needed. 343 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 4: But we're keeping a closer eye on stocks and the 344 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 4: current device into the EOC is you know, unfortunately it's 345 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 4: not going to help. 346 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 3: You in afresh. 347 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 4: I get the fresh, but there is enough foodstocks around 348 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 4: to manage, but we can have that button pressed any 349 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 4: time that we need to press that button. 350 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I get that there's enough food stocks around, 351 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: but I've had people messaging me over the weekend that 352 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: are in isolation. They've done their online orders. Obviously it's arrived. 353 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: They've got little kids, They've got no milk, none of 354 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: the essentials that they actually need to be able to 355 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: feed their children. 356 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 4: Okay, we'll obviously keep looking at that. We want people 357 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 4: to have their milk. I get with my little one. 358 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 4: He loves his weep bis in the morning. So we 359 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 4: are keeping a close close eye on everything, and that's 360 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 4: information in time. There's no rush, No that would our 361 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 4: advice to which will backpplied them or not supply them 362 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 4: in assistance. We're talking with them and they're telling us 363 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 4: that they're going okay, So we are having those conversations. 364 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 4: I'll follow back in to make sure that we're really 365 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 4: screwing it down on the supermarkets, to give us as 366 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 4: accurate advice as they can and make sure we are 367 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 4: getting that food out there. 368 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 369 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: Well, I think, like I said, it's something that's top 370 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: of mind for so many and we are going to 371 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: catch up with Louise Blato in just a few minutes 372 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: time to find out. 373 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 2: More about that. 374 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: Now. Finally, I do want to go to an issue 375 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: which never seems to subside, and that is crime in 376 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: Alice Springs well all over the territory. But Alice Springstown 377 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: Council has pend a letter to more than forty of 378 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: Australia's most influential politicians in a desperate plea for help 379 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: to take back control of spiraling rates of crime facing 380 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: the town. 381 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 2: Now. 382 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: The letter reads, currently every day residents are having their 383 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: businesses destroyed, cars stolen and smashed, houses broken into, and 384 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: are being assaulted walking to their cars from dinner. 385 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:58,239 Speaker 2: This is not an exaggeration. 386 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: Intruders are breaking into people houses, getting into young children's 387 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: bedrooms while they had their parents sleep. People no longer 388 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: feel safe in their homes. Chief Minister, I want to 389 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: ask you, how do you feel in a town that 390 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: you grew up in when residents say that they no 391 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: longer feel safe and they're at breaking point and are 392 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: essentially begging you for help. 393 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 3: It was a really rough January in Alice. 394 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 2: But it's been rough for so long in Alice. 395 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 4: We listened to business our last summer period about things 396 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 4: we can do proactively in Alison. We have a summer program. 397 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 4: We change it each year in response to feedback, response 398 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 4: to changing intelligence. 399 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 3: That makes sense. We wanted to. 400 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,359 Speaker 4: Have a dispersed youth program this summer. 401 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 3: We thought was good. 402 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 4: Business thought was good and that's sentially running events and 403 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 4: things like the town camps. Unfortunately, at the last minute, 404 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 4: and without ability for us to put in alternative plans, 405 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 4: Tang as a service provider fell over. 406 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 3: They couldn't do that alternate provision. 407 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 4: Unfortunately, the active measure we had in place for this 408 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 4: year some period didn't happen, and there was one week 409 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,439 Speaker 4: in particular and our Springs was really shit. There was sorry, 410 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 4: it was really bad. There were sixty breaks residential and commercial. 411 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 4: That's a big number. That's not a good number. Plus 412 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 4: motivy call. Thefts police have now made I get this 413 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 4: number right, thirty nine arrests and we have seen that 414 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 4: rate of crime drop. Not something there's no crime, but 415 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 4: I think we're ahead of that crime wave that was 416 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 4: happening now. But I absolutely do not dispute at all 417 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 4: that was a bad January for Alice Springs. 418 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: The way you must acknowledge though that this is like 419 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: for the people living there, it must be absolutely heartbreaking. 420 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: And I think that something, you know, something different obviously 421 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: needs to happen, because, let's be honest about it, We've 422 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: not just been talking about over this Christmas period. It's 423 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: something that we've spoken about now for years. 424 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 4: And what frustrats protein minor word. What frustrates means it's 425 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 4: something different. This year we had planned didn't happen. So 426 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 4: lots of work, when there's lots of consultation, lots of 427 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 4: prep work. We had the idea that we don't want 428 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 4: everyone constraining the CBD, for example. So last year, if 429 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 4: you think about it, whybe we had that hub in 430 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 4: the CBD. This year we're going to pivot into having 431 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 4: disputed things happening around Alice rather having all happening in 432 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 4: one spot and keep kids dispersed. That fell over at 433 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,199 Speaker 4: the last minute. So there's something different. We had planned 434 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 4: proactively to get ahead of it this summer, didn't. I 435 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 4: apologize for that. I found out too late to put 436 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 4: an alternative measure in place. 437 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: I would you. 438 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 2: Feel safe living there at the moment with your family? 439 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 4: Well, yes I would. I mean, I'll get that residence 440 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 4: there don't. But I love Alice. I talked to the 441 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,440 Speaker 4: police and everyone who's working their guts out down there. 442 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 4: I absolutely get all the concerns. But I mean, I've 443 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 4: bought an Alice. I've lived in Alice on an other 444 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 4: occasions and move back and forth. I'd live in Alice again. 445 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 3: I love Alice. 446 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: Is this I mean, does this actually demonstrate that the 447 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: changes to those bail laws haven't worked? No. 448 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 4: I think if you look at when we've caught a 449 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 4: kid and had the intervention, that has impacted, as I 450 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 4: understand it, the crimes occurring in our springs over this period. 451 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,239 Speaker 4: So I was thirteen youth arrested twenty six adults. From 452 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 4: the top of my head, the youth weren't out on 453 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 4: bail or the youth weren't So I don't think it's 454 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 4: I think, if anything, the youth laws are working this. 455 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 3: I don't think this is a reflection of youth laws. 456 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: Look, I guess you know the thing is it is 457 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,159 Speaker 1: something that you and I have spoken about on so 458 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 1: many occasions. We've had some really heated discussion about this 459 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: very topic. And the thing that I keep hearing from 460 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: locals is that they're really upset about the crime situation 461 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: from Darwin to Alice Springs. Is your government going to 462 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: look at doing anything differently for twenty for this year 463 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: to try and make a real impact in this space. 464 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 4: So we made Legsley Reform last year. I think probably 465 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 4: the biggest difference that will happen this year is for 466 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 4: two years the government has been stretched and that cocludes 467 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,400 Speaker 4: police like we have been working on COVID. I've got 468 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 4: four hundred and fifty staff dedicated just to COVID away 469 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 4: from regular duties basically across the two your government, So 470 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,640 Speaker 4: COVID will come to an end this year and we'll 471 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 4: be able pivot back into ordinary duties, if that makes sense. 472 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: Do you acknowledge that obviously COVID has had a big 473 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: impact and has actually mean that we've seen more crime in. 474 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 4: The territory on two things. I think COVID had an 475 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 4: impact on everything. But if you look specifically at domestic violence, 476 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 4: and this isn't necessarily about stretching of resources, we had 477 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 4: record lows for domestic violence and alcohol related violence. Some 478 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 4: were ten year lows, some were just never before seen loads. 479 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:30,879 Speaker 4: COVID then occurred and for some reason a flick, got 480 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 4: a switch got flicked and we've now got horrific DV 481 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 4: in ourcohol field of violence across the Anti Commission spoken 482 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 4: about this a lot. Initially it seemed to be related 483 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 4: to the supply of additional money in which I couldn't 484 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 4: I couldn't dispute like that money was important. Money's gone away, 485 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 4: violence has remained. 486 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 2: That's sleeping on the streets. 487 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 1: You know, absolutely everywhere you drive down the Stewart Highway 488 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: at the moment and there is beds. 489 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 4: We've got about triple the amount of people we would 490 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 4: normally having Dale and currently in Dawn. 491 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: It's pretty underla I mean, like what steps are going 492 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: to be taken pretty well immediately to try and rectify 493 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: some of these issues because it is, you know, at 494 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: the point where the community is pretty fed up. 495 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 3: So ancdotally in ours sorry in Darwen. 496 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 4: A couple of things, so one there's probably the feedback 497 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 4: on getting a desire for people who are currently in 498 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 4: town not to return home, about being worried about being 499 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 4: locked down in the remote community, and two remote comunities 500 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 4: saying we don't you know, you might have COVID during dark. 501 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 4: We don't want you to come back so we're having 502 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 4: the Return to Country programs currently not operating, If that 503 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 4: makes sense, it's an extent that we would certainly like 504 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 4: it too. We've got all our NGOs and that stretch 505 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 4: at the moment of how they deal with COVID is 506 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 4: a look at Baton Road that's there for the homeless shelter. Obviously, 507 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 4: people arrive, we test them, they test positive COVID. We 508 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 4: have a management plan around that so that stretches them 509 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 4: that'd be isolated while they're there. So we are going 510 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 4: through a wave of COVID that's going to have an 511 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,719 Speaker 4: absolute impact on a number of things. Unfortunately, that's having 512 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 4: an impact on the amount of people who are living 513 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 4: rough and down at the moment, and also the services 514 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 4: we have available to look after them, and also the 515 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 4: programs we all haven't place, like return to Country. Those 516 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 4: things just aren't switching the gear at the moment because COVID. 517 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 1: Chief Minister, we are unfortunately going to have to leave it. There, 518 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 1: so much to talk about. Always appreciate your time, thanks 519 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,199 Speaker 1: so much for being here with us, and we'll talk 520 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: to you again in a couple of weeks. That was 521 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 1: the Chief Minister Michael Gunner there and coming your way. 522 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 1: In just a couple of minutes time, we're going to 523 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: be speaking to Louise Belato from the Transport Association to 524 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,159 Speaker 1: find out how those trucks are tracking and when we 525 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,640 Speaker 1: can expect some more stock, hopefully on those supermarket shelves.