1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Joining me live on the line from Alice Springs. It 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: is the colp's member for Braitlan, Josh Bergoine. 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 2: Good morning to your minister. 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, Good morning to you listeners. 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Now great to have you on the show this morning. 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: We know that all eyes indeed on Alice Springs. The 7 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: Todd River has burst its banks. The police and emergency 8 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: services has been kept incredibly busy rescuing people from the. 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 2: Roofs of cars. 10 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: A bit earlier this morning, there was still a woman 11 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: clinging to a tree. Josh, how are things looking at 12 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: the moment. 13 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, Katie, I've just stepped out of the emergency operations, 14 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 3: so that's been stood up here in Alice Springs, and 15 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 3: I just want to start by saying a huge thank 16 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 3: you to all the emergency services that have been working 17 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: quite literally since about three four am this morning, trying 18 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 3: to ensure that Territorians are safe where we are as 19 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 3: it sits now is obviously we still had that woman 20 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 3: in the middle of a Todd River clinging to that tree. 21 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 3: It's really difficult for emergency services to reach her at 22 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 3: the moment because the flood levels are still so high. 23 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 3: They were also reported early this morning another two people 24 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 3: that have been reportedly pulled from the river, so that's 25 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 3: really good to know that there are two people that 26 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 3: were in floodwaters that have now been rescued. But obviously 27 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 3: also in regards to schools, there's been a lot of 28 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 3: talk in regards to schools this morning. The schools are 29 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 3: still open to essential workers, so anyone that has to 30 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 3: go to work today, absolutely fine for you to drop 31 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 3: your kids off. Your kids will not be turned away. 32 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 3: But the clear message from the Department of Education is 33 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 3: obviously some teachers are finding it difficult to get into 34 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 3: work this morning, so the lessons for the day are 35 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:37,320 Speaker 3: going to be altered and they're just going to be 36 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 3: making sure that they're looking after those kids. So no 37 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 3: kid will be turned away. But really important just to 38 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 3: understand it's going to be a little bit different today 39 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 3: to normal. And we also had, which is quite unusual, 40 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 3: the gap. So the actual the only way to travel 41 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 3: from the south of town to the north of town 42 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 3: is closed for number of hours this morning due to 43 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 3: the high level of the Todd River. That's now been 44 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 3: opened in both directions, so that was really good to see. 45 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 3: Emergency services were able to make sure people were safe 46 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 3: and not driving through floodwaters. But as it receded, were 47 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 3: able to open that major arterial, the Stuart Highway, so 48 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: people can get from south to north. 49 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: If you have just joined us, we're on the line 50 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: with Josh Burgoyne, who is indeed the local member there 51 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: in Alice Springs. Josh, can you paint a bit of 52 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: a picture for us in terms of how the Todd 53 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: River is looking at the moment. You know, a lot 54 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: of our listeners up here in the top end, but 55 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,519 Speaker 1: plenty of us have been in Alice Springs, maybe lived 56 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: in Alice Springs, spent a heck of a lot of 57 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: time there. 58 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 2: How's it looking? 59 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 3: Yeah? Absolutely, I just went for a drive before making 60 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 3: sure that I was keeping away from many floodwaters. There 61 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 3: are a number of buildings that have actually been flooded 62 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 3: along the Todd River. That's how high the floodwaters have got. 63 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 3: When you actually drive through the middle of town, you 64 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 3: can see the council lawns and just how high the 65 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 3: water got. It came right out over the road out 66 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 3: of the river and has quite literally inundated some low 67 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 3: lying parts beside the river. So it has come up 68 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 3: really quickly. There was a security guard. I was just 69 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 3: speaking to a local security firm who went out to 70 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 3: the telegraph station to do a security check, and as 71 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 3: he's coming back, didn't realize that the river that he'd 72 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 3: just gone through five ten minutes ago would come up 73 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 3: about half a meter and actually got stuck himself. And 74 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 3: he's luckily with the rangers now out at the telegraph station. 75 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,119 Speaker 3: But it just goes to show how quickly the floodwaters 76 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 3: have risen overnight and it has caught a number of 77 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 3: people out. 78 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: Josh in terms of the lady that is still clinging 79 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: to a tree in the Todd River, in that swollen river, 80 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: what's the go How come they're not able to rescue 81 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: her at the moment. 82 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: Obviously it's too dangerous. 83 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, It's really hard to describe, but imagine floodwaters 84 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 3: that are essentially going like rapids that the emergency situation 85 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 3: currently with that woman is down near the gap. So 86 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 3: whilst there are other sections of the river that are dropping, 87 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 3: the water really does meet I guess a point where 88 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 3: where it has to squeeze through the gap in our town, 89 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 3: and that is still where the floodwaters are very high. 90 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 3: There's a number of creeks that divert urge at that location, 91 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 3: so the floodwaters are still very high. So whilst I've 92 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 3: been informed that the woman is on a on a 93 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 3: sand bank, clinging to a tree in the middle of 94 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 3: the river, it is just impossible for emergency service workers 95 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 3: to currently reach her because on either side you've got 96 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 3: two meters of floodwater, but they simply cannot traverse and 97 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 3: even if you had a boat, it would be extremely 98 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 3: difficult and extremely dangerous to try to effect a rescue 99 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 3: at the moment with those floodwaters flowing so fiercely. 100 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's I mean, it's incredible stuff. What are we 101 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: expecting today in terms of that weather, like are you 102 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: are you guys anticipating. 103 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: More wet weather and what is the go with the river? 104 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 1: Are you expecting those floodwaters to rise further? 105 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 3: So it's really important that everyone understand at the moment, 106 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 3: the rivers are dropping and that is a very positive 107 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 3: thing that we're hearing. Unfortunately, we've just been speaking with 108 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 3: the Bureau of Meteorology. It is a very dynamic weather situation, 109 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 3: that's their word. So that if we do have any 110 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 3: further rain, it will that that river could rise, and 111 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 3: that's obviously. Now everyone's probably number one concern is that 112 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 3: we want to we don't want to panic anyone. The 113 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 3: Todd River is receding as we speak. There's still an 114 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 3: emergency situation underway, wanting to rescue that woman who's still 115 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: in the Todd River. But obviously any further rain at 116 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 3: this time. I'm currently standing outside. It's not raining at 117 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 3: the moment, but it is. It is still cloudy and 118 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 3: there's a lot of people know Alice Springs. If it 119 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 3: rains up north where the catchment is, that actually is 120 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 3: what depicts whether that river rises or not. 121 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 122 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: Well, Josh Burgoyne, the COLP member for Braitlan Minister for 123 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: various portfolios, really appreciate your time this morning. We'll have 124 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: to leave it there, but please do keep in contact 125 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: with us. 126 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 3: Thank you very much for letting me give you an 127 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 3: update case. 128 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thanks Josh,