1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,120 Speaker 1: On the line right now. 2 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 2: We promised her a little earlier this morning, and I 3 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,239 Speaker 2: do apologize that we're running so late. It's the CLP's 4 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 2: member for Catherine, Joe Hersey. Good morning to you, Joe. 5 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: On equal Joe. 6 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 2: I'm so sorry we didn't get you on earlier. I'm 7 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 2: not too sure what had happened, but I do apologize 8 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 2: and I appreciate your time. 9 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: Now. That's okay, Katie, No worries. 10 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 2: Now, Joe busy, Yeah, tell us how things are going 11 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 2: for you guys in Catherine at the moment. 12 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: So first of all, I'd just like to let everyone 13 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: know that all of the three testing stations are open today. 14 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: The board, the electronic boards around Catherine say two testing stations, 15 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: but all three are open today, which is the High School, 16 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: of the hospital, Giles Street and Catherine East, so they're 17 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: all open to testing stations. And obviously the vaccination hub 18 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: is open. But yesterday, after we heard the news that 19 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: we were definitely still in lockdown, that has left businesses 20 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: feeling a little flat and anxious about what the future holds. 21 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: You know, we've now what are we now eleven days 22 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: into being in lockdown. It certainly feels like longer than 23 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: eleven days, I can assure you. But you know, people 24 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: in people in business would like to get back to business. 25 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: But obviously we need the wastewater testing to be showing negative, 26 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: and we need everyone to be getting tested, and we 27 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: need you know, the cases to you know, not be 28 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: going up. 29 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 3: So I wait in. 30 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: Today to see what the future brings for us. You go, Joe. 31 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: Sorry going on before about Bingjari and rock Holes, there 32 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: have been I would have had two hundred plus emails 33 00:01:54,600 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: plus numerous people sharing absolute rubbish on Facebook that is absolutely, 34 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: categorically not true of what is happening at Binjari and 35 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: Rock Hole. I have spoken to police and people that 36 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 1: work in these areas, and everyone is being well looked after. 37 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: The only reason people are leaving is if they are unwell, 38 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: they need to go and isolate in an area that 39 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: is more suitable. And everyone is being looked after extremely 40 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: well by authorities and the you know, like the very 41 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: Catholic Hair Salvation Army, those kind of places town. They 42 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: are doing a very good job and everyone's working extremely 43 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: hard and working together. 44 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: And Joe, we did just catch up a little earlier 45 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: this morning with the Jarwin Association and John bursh I 46 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 2: had told us said it was completely untrue as well 47 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: that they are in contact every single day with family 48 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: members and people on the ground in Binjari and also 49 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 2: in rock Hole. He actually said that they're quite upset 50 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: by the false claims that are being made on social 51 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: media and in some places they're getting mad about it. 52 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 2: We also know that Whirley Whirley, the health service there, 53 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 2: has issued a statement on their Facebook page saying that 54 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,399 Speaker 2: the traditional owners. They've put a statement up there from 55 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 2: the Traditional Owners saying that people are very hurt by 56 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: the untrue comments being made in the media and social 57 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 2: media about their situation, and that support personnel and organizations 58 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 2: are providing support to Binjari and rock Hole. Jo, are 59 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: you quite angry that people who aren't even in Catherine 60 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: or in either of those remote communities are making this 61 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: garbage up. 62 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: Not only are they not in Katherine, Katie or in 63 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: the territory, some of them are from overseas. I actually 64 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: had a friend of mine message me from overseas about 65 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: what is going on in Catherine. It is absolutely not 66 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: true and in the community are quite set up with 67 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: this absolute garbage that people are peddling of the lives 68 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: because these people are being very well looked after. We're 69 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: all being looked after to the best of you know, 70 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: the ability of the authorities, and you know we all 71 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: need to look after ourselves as well. But it is 72 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,840 Speaker 1: absolutely not true. And yeah, people are people are fed 73 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 1: up with it, you know. And I'm applaud really for 74 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: putting that post up on their Facebook page. I did 75 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: share that, and I've said to you know, other people 76 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,119 Speaker 1: that I know down south, feel feel free to share 77 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: that far and wide. And I was talking to just 78 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: In the Price yesterday and she had gone up and 79 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: you know, she she'd spoken about it as well. So 80 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: you know, if as many people get on and share 81 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: the truth, you know, there's always an element in society 82 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: that will want to peddle lives and rubbish, and you 83 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: know it's we just need to let them know that 84 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: that's not true. And we're doing quite well under the 85 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: circumstances that we're hearing Katherine, and that you know, we 86 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: don't need any of that to make people feel any 87 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: more anxious than they already are. 88 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: Joe, before I let you go, we know that businesses 89 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 2: are certainly doing it tough for me being lockdown now 90 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 2: for quite some time. The Chief Minister had said yesterday 91 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 2: in that press conference that the reality was that there 92 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: will probably be either a lockdown or a lockout up 93 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 2: until December four. Business is being supported. 94 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 3: So the businesses are being supported by the financial assistance 95 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 3: from the government, but it doesn't really from what I'm hearing, 96 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 3: it doesn't really cover the losses that business. 97 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: You know, have already endured. And the other thing with 98 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: the payments to the staff of businesses is that doesn't 99 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: cater for the younger worker that like, you know, the 100 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: young school leader that's working at maccas and doing you know, 101 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: twenty hours a week or something like that. There's nothing 102 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: for that younger crowd to get any assistance either for 103 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: the loss of them because obviously yesterday we learned that 104 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: on the Caappy day here in Catherine, which was a 105 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: very busy day, there was staff there. So now they 106 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: are being tested and isolating. So therefore, you know, if 107 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: you had twenty hours a week, as some people some 108 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: of these juniors do have, then now they have nothing 109 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: and are less to isolate at home. 110 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 2: Well, look, I do think that there needs to be 111 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,679 Speaker 2: some support for them. And yeah, look I really hope 112 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 2: that there is some support provider, because it must be 113 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: difficult for them, particularly when you're talking about those casual 114 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 2: workers or those workers that aren't currently eligible for anything. 115 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 2: Do it makes it tough, doesn't it? 116 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 3: It doesn't. 117 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: It makes it really tough for business to carry on 118 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: when those casual workers, you know, are in isolation and 119 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: can't come in. 120 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 2: So we're going to have to leave it there because 121 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: we've got the A on the other line. We're going 122 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: to catch up with them as well. I really appreciate 123 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 2: your time and thanks for all the help that you've 124 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: given us over the last couple of weeks as well 125 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: throughout the situation that Catherine is in. All the best 126 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: to everybody in Catherine, no worries. 127 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: Katie, thank you, thank you. I'll keep you updated. 128 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 3: Thank you. 129 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: We appreciate it.