1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: It is twenty minutes after ten o'clock now. Last week, 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: about this time last week, last Monday, the government announced 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: that they would be trialing home quarantine with around one 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: hundred Territorians in an effort to really iron out I think, 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: you'd say, any of the concerns that we might have 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: when it comes to testing, making sure that we've got 7 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: the capability and capacity to do those seven tests that 8 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: are going to be required of travelers coming from interstate. 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: But there still seems to be a lot of questions 10 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: which remain unanswered at this point. And one of those 11 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: questions which very much remains unanswered is the number of 12 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: people that are actually undertaking this trial. Now joining me 13 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,959 Speaker 1: on the line is the opposition spokesperson for Health, Bill Yan. 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Bill. 15 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 3: Good morning, good morning to your listeners. 16 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: Now, Bill, I know that the opposition, the COLP opposition, 17 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: is certainly calling for some transparency when it comes to 18 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: the home quarantining trial which is currently underway. 19 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 2: What exactly do you want to say, Well, what. 20 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 3: We'd like in the Okada is, of course, and not 21 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 3: just as of course of Territorians. What's actually going on, 22 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 3: how many people taking part in the trial, how's the 23 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 3: trial going, Are they seeing any issues? How is it 24 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 3: actually working for them? But they're going to government doesn't 25 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 3: want to allow anybody to know what's going on, and 26 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 3: it all seems to be a huge, big secret and 27 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 3: they're not being transparent and open with Territorians. People want 28 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 3: to know what's going on. 29 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: Well, I know that when you talk about the number 30 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: of territori ins that are taking part, I thought it 31 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: had originally been flagged that there'd be one hundred people 32 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: taking part in this time quarantine trial. But from what 33 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: I can gather from other media reports, there really hasn't 34 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: been an answer to exactly how many are actually doing 35 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: it at this point. 36 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 3: No no, I said, it's a lot of people have 37 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 3: asked how many people are taking part and the governor 38 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: said is staying quiet and keeping all over the secrets, 39 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 3: saying they're release it at the end of the trial. 40 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:00,040 Speaker 3: I think at the end of the trial might a 41 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 3: little bit too late, Katie. We're supposed to kick off 42 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: here in our springs with the trial this week, and 43 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 3: thirty people down here that we've heard, no announcements. There's 44 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 3: nothing coming out of the public saying this is how 45 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 3: it's going. This is what we're seeing. I said, it's 46 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 3: it's like, let's keep everything a secret, but don't tell 47 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 3: territories and anything. We'll let them know when we may 48 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 3: have something to say, not when it's just general updates 49 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 3: just to see how things are going. It's crazy, not 50 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 3: good enough. 51 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: And so Bill, what exactly is the concern here with, 52 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: you know, with not knowing exactly how many people are 53 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: taking part and not having a bit more. 54 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 2: Detail about the home quarantine trial. 55 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 3: Well, I suppose at the end of the day, Katie, 56 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 3: it is a trial, and if we're trying the territory's 57 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 3: capability on doing home quarantining and the testing regimes, we 58 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: need to make sure that we've got sufficient people in 59 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 3: there doing it. There's no point doing the trial of 60 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 3: half a dozen people. If we're going to be running 61 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 3: this and running it properly, particularly with Christmas coming up 62 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 3: and borders opening up, we need to make sure we've 63 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 3: want the maximum amount of people in the trial as 64 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 3: possibly get. The test of the territory is capability and 65 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 3: capacity to actually do the trial, and if we've not 66 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 3: got many numbers, then any outcomes from that trial might 67 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 3: be flawed. 68 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I guess you wonder as well exactly how it's 69 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: going to work. In terms of that testing, it is 70 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: quite a high volume. Obviously, a participant needs to make 71 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 1: sure that they've been tested before they get on the 72 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: flight I believe, to come into the Northern territory. They 73 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: then have to complete a further six test. It is 74 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: a lot of tests. 75 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 3: Well, and it's the interesting part about it, PreK is 76 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 3: a lot of this has been policy on the fly. 77 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 3: Now the chiefs that come out and say, yes, you 78 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 3: have to be tested before you come to the territory. Okay, 79 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 3: that's fine, and then you've got a test in raising 80 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 3: once you get here. But then a day or two 81 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 3: later they come out and say, oh, once you get 82 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 3: to the territory, you have to get tests and return 83 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 3: a positive result before you can go into home quarantine. 84 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 3: So the gold past has shifted again. And then a 85 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 3: day or two after that, I think in the first release, oh, 86 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 3: you should be able to catch a cab to wherever 87 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 3: you're going. A day or two later that blows up 88 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 3: and is that the fact that now we're going to 89 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 3: have COVID ubers and COVID taxis that you'll have to 90 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 3: use to move around. So there's a lot of thought 91 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 3: and detail hasn't been I suppose considered. And this is 92 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 3: bread butter stuff. Can this is really really simple things 93 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 3: if you're looking at a testing regime and setting something 94 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 3: up that that just haven't been addressed. 95 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: Bill, I know that self tests, those rapid self antigen 96 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: nasal kits have become available from today in pharmacies across 97 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: Australia for testing of people aged eighteen years in older 98 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: colds and woolies have confirmed that they will stop the 99 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: tests as well as major pharmacies in all states except 100 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:57,799 Speaker 1: WA and South Australia. 101 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 2: I'm not one hundred percent sure at this. 102 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: Stage whether they are indeed going to be available or 103 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: accessible here in the Northern Territory, but do you think 104 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: we'll get to the point where that's the go where 105 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: you are still where obviously you know they're still expecting 106 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: those six tests, but we could utilize in some way 107 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: those home testing kits. 108 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 3: Well. We actually asked us during a brief in CADI 109 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 3: a little while ago with the Deputy Chief help Officer, 110 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 3: because they were using rapid engine testing out how it 111 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 3: springs there for a little bit and switched across the PCR. 112 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,799 Speaker 3: The PCR testing which is currently used is certainly more sensitive. 113 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 3: It can pick up COVID before you're actually show any 114 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 3: symptoms and before you're actually contagious and transmitting it. So 115 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 3: that's the upside of the PCR. But the rapid engine 116 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 3: testing will give you a quick response to do you 117 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: have COVID or not? And we need to ask about 118 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 3: that the rapid engine testing here for the testing regimes 119 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 3: and the territory at this side A deafinitly chief help 120 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 3: officer had said that they weren't considering it. They were 121 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 3: going to stick with the PCR testing. That's fine as 122 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 3: long as we've got the testing capability within our laboratories. 123 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 3: We keep getting told that we had, but really, when 124 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 3: the pressure is on, are we going to have it, 125 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 3: particularly for our springs, because I believe our testing has 126 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 3: to go from here to Darwin. Yeah right, you test here, 127 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 3: then it's going to go on a plane Darwin, and 128 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:25,919 Speaker 3: then it's going to get to the lab and then 129 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 3: you've got to get your result back. So that certainly 130 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 3: has a delay in the testing capability for us here 131 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 3: in Central Australia. 132 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a very good point and a point well 133 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: worth making, I reckon Bill, I wasn't aware of that 134 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: that those tests had to be sent here to Darwin. 135 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 1: And you wonder what kind of impact that could potentially 136 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: have if you've got someone, let's say, who's quarantining at 137 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: home with their family, but their family, as we know, 138 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: as part of this trial or as part of these tests, 139 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: isn't forced to actually stay at home. They're able to 140 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: continue about their daily routines. So you do wonder what 141 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: impact that delay to those testing results could potentially have 142 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: if any Yeah, what I's. 143 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 3: Like is that the people staying in the house, we're 144 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 3: allowed to move around. They're just going to comply the 145 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 3: testing regime. But I suppose one thing that the government 146 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 3: hasn't come out and said or answered to anybody is 147 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 3: what happened if someone on the home quarantine control test 148 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 3: positively COVID? What's their next step there? So that might 149 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 3: be something that they might be thinking about. They might 150 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 3: not have thought about, but certainly something they should be 151 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 3: considering in something that territories probably need to know as well. Yeah, 152 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 3: they're going to be moved to a quarantine facility well 153 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 3: out of home quarantine, particularly if they've been in contact 154 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 3: with family members. What's going to happen there. So these 155 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 3: are questions that people need to know their answers to it, 156 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 3: particularly coming up to Christians Pati. People want some certainty. 157 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 3: We need to know what's going on. 158 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, and questions well worth asking, Bill before I 159 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: let you go. We know that were we caught up 160 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: with the Lord Mayor of Darwin convat Scarlets just a 161 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: bit earlier this morning, following on from that incident at 162 00:07:56,320 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: the Greek church yesterday which allegedly saw the mayor you 163 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: opposition leader Leah Finorchiaro heckled and verbally abused at that 164 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: service at the Saint Nicholas Church in Darwin, CBD. Bill, 165 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: what was your reaction upon seeing I know that there 166 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: is Vision which is doing the rounds at this point, 167 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: what was your reaction to that situation? 168 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, Look, I've seen the Vision CADI and I've been 169 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 3: in contact with Leah, and look, Lee done an outstanding job. 170 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 3: She actually didn't, I suppose, didn't run away from those 171 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 3: tough questions. She stood there, she listened to the people. 172 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 3: Those people had legitimate questions. Lea's stood there and listened 173 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: to the people in a really, really tough situation is 174 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 3: something that the government's not doing They're hiding away from everybody. 175 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 3: They don't want to come out and have those tough 176 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 3: discussions and have those tough conversations with people. But credit 177 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 3: to Leah. She listened to people, she took what they 178 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 3: said on board. Really really tough situation and it's something 179 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 3: that no one ever really wants to be in. It's 180 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 3: always really difficult. And I said, I've had the same 181 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 3: issues over the last four or five weeks, and everywhere 182 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 3: you go you have really really difficult conversations with people 183 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 3: and you need to be able to listen to them, 184 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 3: listen to their points of view, provide what advice you can. 185 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 3: And Leah did that yesterday and credit to her for 186 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 3: doing that well. 187 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: Bill Yan, the member for Anama Jira but also the 188 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: opposition spokesperson when it comes to health, we really appreciate 189 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: your time this morning. 190 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 2: Thanks for having a chat with us. 191 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 3: Jeers Kattie, thank you, thank you.