1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,800
Speaker 1: I've got the Education Minister Joe Hersey on the line now.

2
00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,640
Speaker 1: Now we're keen to have a discussion with Joe, and

3
00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:08,959
Speaker 1: she was keen to have a discussion with us as well,

4
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,719
Speaker 1: in fact, following on from the conversation that we'd had

5
00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,400
Speaker 1: a little bit earlier this morning with Selena Ubo in

6
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,600
Speaker 1: relation to those swimming lessons, particularly in remote schools, and

7
00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:23,520
Speaker 1: in terms of where it comes out of whether it's

8
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,560
Speaker 1: the budget of the school or what the go is.

9
00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,240
Speaker 1: Now I'm pleased to say that the Education Minister Joe

10
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,160
Speaker 1: Hersey joins me on the line.

11
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,160
Speaker 2: Good morning Joe, Good morning Katie, and good morning listening.

12
00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,120
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having a chat with us

13
00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:38,839
Speaker 1: this morning. I know it's a busy day with Parliament underway,

14
00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,000
Speaker 1: so we really appreciate it. Now, Joe, can you talk

15
00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,520
Speaker 1: us through in terms of these swimming lessons for kids

16
00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,159
Speaker 1: in remote communities, what is what's the go Will they

17
00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,000
Speaker 1: be able to do them or is it going to

18
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,200
Speaker 1: be a situation with some of those communities where potentially

19
00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:53,840
Speaker 1: they can't.

20
00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,120
Speaker 2: So that is a great question, Katie. And last week

21
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,080
Speaker 2: in Parliament I got asked a lot of quick es

22
00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:04,960
Speaker 2: by the Opposition and I know that the opposition leader

23
00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,280
Speaker 2: was on your program this morning, which is why I

24
00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,120
Speaker 2: thought I would just correct the record. So what I

25
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,120
Speaker 2: can say is that under no circumstances will schools be

26
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,640
Speaker 2: asked to fund the Swimming in Schools program out of

27
00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,280
Speaker 2: their school budget. This was an election commitment that we

28
00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,959
Speaker 2: took the election last year and to say that all

29
00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,759
Speaker 2: children from years one to six would be getting free

30
00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,920
Speaker 2: swimming lessons, and that's working out.

31
00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:29,080
Speaker 1: You know.

32
00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,479
Speaker 2: I mean in Casterrone, they have to be a little bit,

33
00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,120
Speaker 2: you know, doing it a little bit differently because we

34
00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,119
Speaker 2: don't have a pool at the moment, so they're using

35
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,720
Speaker 2: the Discovery parks, they're using the raft based pool. But

36
00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,160
Speaker 2: we know that in remote schools, you know, sometimes the

37
00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,800
Speaker 2: nearest pool is hours away and in those instances there

38
00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,720
Speaker 2: will be travel logistics in the support implementing this commitment,

39
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,960
Speaker 2: and so the Department is working along with the School

40
00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,600
Speaker 2: of Sport is actually working alongside Royal Life and the

41
00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,040
Speaker 2: school and you know, we have a lot of remote

42
00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,720
Speaker 2: schools and each situation is unique to them, so there's

43
00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,320
Speaker 2: a lot of work being done around doing the swimming

44
00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,919
Speaker 2: lessons in remote areas. Okay, but we have to be flexible,

45
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,040
Speaker 2: flexible with the models and options as I said for

46
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,440
Speaker 2: these remote schools. But you know, all students will have

47
00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,440
Speaker 2: the opportunity to learn important schools in water safety.

48
00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,120
Speaker 1: And so I guess for some of those schools though,

49
00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,040
Speaker 1: like the reality surely is that if you're you know,

50
00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,920
Speaker 1: in some of those more remote areas, wouldn't it be

51
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,919
Speaker 1: like a you know, cost prohibitive for then the school

52
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,119
Speaker 1: to be trying to work out how to transport them

53
00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,959
Speaker 1: to town if it's I don't know, like would you

54
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,680
Speaker 1: be bringing them up for two weeks worth of swimming lessons?

55
00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:47,800
Speaker 1: Like how might it work?

56
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,600
Speaker 2: So again in the Berkley for example, I think it

57
00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,880
Speaker 2: was the end of last year, there was four remote

58
00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,000
Speaker 2: schools that came as an excursion into Tenant Creek and

59
00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,839
Speaker 2: did their swimming lessons at the same time. But they're

60
00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,080
Speaker 2: all operational things that the schoolless for as I said,

61
00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,520
Speaker 2: will work through with Royal Life and with each remote

62
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,520
Speaker 2: school as to what best suits their needs. So you know,

63
00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,400
Speaker 2: obviously delivering school and I just want to clear up

64
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,079
Speaker 2: the funding things. So you know, for students, for example,

65
00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,440
Speaker 2: we go to school in Parap, they can just walk

66
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,440
Speaker 2: to the Parapp pool so each student is funded one

67
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,320
Speaker 2: hundred and fifty dollars per student for the swimming, so

68
00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,640
Speaker 2: eighty of that goes towards the cost of the swimming

69
00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,360
Speaker 2: lessons and seventy towards the transport. Now, obviously in PERAP

70
00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,680
Speaker 2: they don't need the transport, so that then can be

71
00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,320
Speaker 2: redirected to support the transport costs of students in remote schools.

72
00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,600
Speaker 2: So I just want to reiterate it will be worse off.

73
00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,080
Speaker 1: Okay, But so just to make that really clear in

74
00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,839
Speaker 1: my mind, if say for PERAP, for example, like where

75
00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,920
Speaker 1: they don't need the transport budget because they're able to

76
00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,440
Speaker 1: walk that part of their it would be redirected to

77
00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,160
Speaker 1: a school that does need some additional support around transport. Okay,

78
00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,200
Speaker 1: that's good to hear, Joe. Can I ask do you

79
00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,880
Speaker 1: know how many lessons they're getting for that for that

80
00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:11,240
Speaker 1: seventy dollars there?

81
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,560
Speaker 2: Oh, that is a good question. Normally, I mean I

82
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,120
Speaker 2: used to do this a long time ago, and they

83
00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:23,200
Speaker 2: normally have a either a week of an hour. This

84
00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:24,680
Speaker 2: is just off the top of my head, so I

85
00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,360
Speaker 2: have to confirm with you it was either a week

86
00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,880
Speaker 2: of an hour lesson or two weeks depend and They're

87
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,279
Speaker 2: all things that will be worked out with the school.

88
00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,760
Speaker 2: I know that, you know in Catherine, I think they

89
00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,719
Speaker 2: are having them for two weeks. I'd have to confirm

90
00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:40,640
Speaker 2: that I was.

91
00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,520
Speaker 1: I was literally just thinking I used to teach learn

92
00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,560
Speaker 1: to swim. I was saying this to our listeners earlier

93
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:51,160
Speaker 1: I taught learned to swim years Great, we might both politics.

94
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,720
Speaker 1: Joke might be a business venture anyway. And Natasha fhile

95
00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:55,760
Speaker 1: shoes to as well.

96
00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,680
Speaker 2: So this ad the whole swim school.

97
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,000
Speaker 1: But on a more serious note, I mean when you

98
00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,400
Speaker 1: look at you know, at the dollar value, that's more

99
00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:08,720
Speaker 1: what I was wondering, sort of how many lessons they

100
00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,320
Speaker 1: may or may not be getting. And even for then

101
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,279
Speaker 1: those remote schools, it might mean, like you've touched on,

102
00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,760
Speaker 1: if they come into town for the day, they might

103
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,359
Speaker 1: do a more intensive kind of two hour session or

104
00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,720
Speaker 1: something like that, meaning that they do still get that

105
00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,960
Speaker 1: lesson and they're able to work it in so that,

106
00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,520
Speaker 1: you know, so that the kids are still learning some

107
00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,160
Speaker 1: of the water safety you know, some of that water

108
00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:34,080
Speaker 1: safety messaging.

109
00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,479
Speaker 2: Yeah, correct, And they definitely won't be shortchanged in their

110
00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,159
Speaker 2: swimming lessons. And I know that those kids that came

111
00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,919
Speaker 2: into the Barkley region, they had their swimming lessons and

112
00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,600
Speaker 2: then they finish off with a bit of a swimming

113
00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,800
Speaker 2: carnival and they had a great day you know, doing

114
00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:52,880
Speaker 2: that and a great time. So there are all things

115
00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,560
Speaker 2: that you know, potentially I know last week I said,

116
00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,640
Speaker 2: you know, for example, at Shepherdson College, they don't have

117
00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,680
Speaker 2: a pool out there. So the department is working with

118
00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:09,240
Speaker 2: Royal Life to work out the best situation for them

119
00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:13,040
Speaker 2: and the best position for them as to how those

120
00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:17,080
Speaker 2: children do their swimming lessons. And if that means that

121
00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:21,360
Speaker 2: maybe they uh, you know, take in an excursion, when

122
00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,279
Speaker 2: they go on an excursion and come into town and

123
00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,240
Speaker 2: they do the swimming lessons, that might be something that

124
00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,720
Speaker 2: they that they look at, or if it's like you know,

125
00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,479
Speaker 2: a pop up pool in their area. That there's lots

126
00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,279
Speaker 2: of different options that are out there, and that is

127
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,000
Speaker 2: the role of the Royal Life and the School of

128
00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:41,320
Speaker 2: Sport that will be working with each remote school to

129
00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,640
Speaker 2: make sure that their swimming lessons are best suited to

130
00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:45,400
Speaker 2: their needs.

131
00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,400
Speaker 1: Well, Joe Hersey, I appreciate you having a chat with

132
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,520
Speaker 1: us about this this morning and letting us know exactly

133
00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,479
Speaker 1: what the situation is, hey, is there some legislation passing

134
00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:56,680
Speaker 1: this week as well or set to pass this week

135
00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,640
Speaker 1: around making sure that kids actually attend school.

136
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,280
Speaker 2: That was a legislation we enshrined the school attendance officer

137
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:10,360
Speaker 2: last week in Parliament, So that just means that, you know,

138
00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:15,000
Speaker 2: instead of the CEO giving a notice for the school

139
00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,320
Speaker 2: attendant's officers, the school attendant officer is now enshrined in

140
00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,440
Speaker 2: legislation and that's actually working really well. Those school attendant's

141
00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,600
Speaker 2: officers are doing a fantastic job right across the territory.

142
00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,800
Speaker 2: I've worked with you, Alice Springs, Katherine Palmerston dal and

143
00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,760
Speaker 2: seeing them out on the ground and it's going really well.

144
00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:38,240
Speaker 2: And it's about it's not about just finding people first off, Katie,

145
00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,880
Speaker 2: and I'd like to reiterate that to all territories that

146
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,600
Speaker 2: this is an educative approach that we need parents to

147
00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,520
Speaker 2: know and families to know, or whoever is in charge

148
00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,840
Speaker 2: of that young person, that it is about making sure

149
00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,160
Speaker 2: they know that it's actually against the law to not

150
00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,360
Speaker 2: send your child to school, and it's very important for

151
00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,400
Speaker 2: future territory that these children get to school to be

152
00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,160
Speaker 2: able to be educated. First and foremost, so that they

153
00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,800
Speaker 2: can be getting a job at the end of it.

154
00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,560
Speaker 2: And you know, we need kids to be at school.

155
00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,400
Speaker 1: Jo really quick one before I let you go. Last

156
00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,840
Speaker 1: night or in the early hours of this morning, in Catherine,

157
00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,840
Speaker 1: we know that there were multiple youths on the run

158
00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,720
Speaker 1: after allegedly driving dangerously through Catherine in a stolen car.

159
00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,360
Speaker 1: Police say the Toyota Highlucks was stolen about one forty

160
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,480
Speaker 1: this morning. About ten kids spotted hanging out of that

161
00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,000
Speaker 1: car and riding in the tray or. Authorities set up

162
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,240
Speaker 1: a tired deflation device on the Katherine Bridge. As I understand,

163
00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,280
Speaker 1: its stopping that vehicle. A short time later, three of

164
00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,360
Speaker 1: the youths were arrested. Seven of them managed to flee.

165
00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:49,320
Speaker 1: I mean, it's a terrible situation. Is crime out of

166
00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:50,840
Speaker 1: control in Catherine at the moment?

167
00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,680
Speaker 2: I don't think that it's out of control. But one

168
00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,720
Speaker 2: thing I would say is that we have had in

169
00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:03,199
Speaker 2: the last weekly I hate that word when you say

170
00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,120
Speaker 2: a spike, but there has been a few cars stolen.

171
00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,040
Speaker 2: I know there was two RTA cars stolen over the weekend.

172
00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:10,800
Speaker 2: I think they came back the next day and stole

173
00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,880
Speaker 2: another one. There's been you know, another business had a cart.

174
00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,199
Speaker 2: In fact, Katie, when I was home on the weekend,

175
00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,880
Speaker 2: we had intruders in our own yard that I called

176
00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,160
Speaker 2: the police on. So it is absolutely terrible that even

177
00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,800
Speaker 2: you know, just early hours of this morning that this

178
00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,280
Speaker 2: these youth are stealing cars and joy riding because at

179
00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:34,040
Speaker 2: the end of the day, that is extremely dangerous. But

180
00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,040
Speaker 2: that's why we are strengthening the laws. And you know,

181
00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,200
Speaker 2: we've got the Circuit Breaker team working with police, Territory

182
00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,040
Speaker 2: Housing Kolano, and we just need to make sure that

183
00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,600
Speaker 2: all these people are working together to best support these

184
00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,840
Speaker 2: young people. You know when they are pulled in by police.

185
00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,320
Speaker 2: I mean I did hear that a couple of those

186
00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,640
Speaker 2: people jumped off into the river. You know, this is

187
00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,840
Speaker 2: very by doing that they you know, somebody actually sent

188
00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:05,360
Speaker 2: me a video this morning about what happened, and you know,

189
00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,520
Speaker 2: it's concerning because it is dangerous for these kids. So

190
00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,080
Speaker 2: you know, not only could have they had an accident,

191
00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,640
Speaker 2: you know, once they careered off out of control in

192
00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:17,880
Speaker 2: the car, you know, it's dangerous for them to be

193
00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,120
Speaker 2: you know, fleeing from police as well. So you know,

194
00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,800
Speaker 2: I'm sure the police are doing their best in Catherine

195
00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,199
Speaker 2: to work through this at the moment.

196
00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, but then jumping in the river like that's dangerous

197
00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,280
Speaker 1: on a whole raft of different levels.

198
00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:37,040
Speaker 2: Correct, yea, not only dangerous for them, but it puts

199
00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,280
Speaker 2: the police in a position where you know, if they

200
00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,880
Speaker 2: have to go in and retrieve them, it's not good

201
00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:42,480
Speaker 2: for anybody.

202
00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,440
Speaker 1: No, you spot on hey just very quickly, somebody had

203
00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,840
Speaker 1: been in contact and said that there was either an

204
00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,559
Speaker 1: ambulance stolen or somebody had attempted to as well as Catherine.

205
00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:52,559
Speaker 1: Do you know if that's the case.

206
00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,200
Speaker 2: I'm not aware of that, Katie. I will follow up

207
00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,000
Speaker 2: on that, but I'm not aware of all.

208
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,079
Speaker 1: Good Joe Hersey, Minister for Education, I really appreciate you

209
00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,400
Speaker 1: having a quick chat with us this morning and just

210
00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,760
Speaker 1: clarifying the situation with those swimming lessons.

211
00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,800
Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, Thanks listeners and anytime

212
00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:12,240
Speaker 1: Thank you, thanks so much,