1
00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,680
Speaker 1: From hospitality these here in the northern territory of the CEO.

2
00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:06,040
Speaker 1: Alex Bruce, Good morning to you, Alex.

3
00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:08,959
Speaker 2: Hey Katie, So I don't know what's up in there.

4
00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,240
Speaker 2: Let's thanks all right? Now for Darwin? Hey, oh what

5
00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,120
Speaker 2: was that? Let's wash, Let's push for five G for Darwin,

6
00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:18,599
Speaker 2: get another round of protests.

7
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,720
Speaker 1: Well, Alex, obviously we're in the situation that we're in

8
00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,640
Speaker 1: at the moment when it comes to COVID. We are

9
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,479
Speaker 1: waiting for the Chief Minister to come out and do

10
00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,760
Speaker 1: that next press conference, hopefully between eleven and eleven thirty.

11
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,400
Speaker 1: Actually eleven thirty is what I'm being told is when

12
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,600
Speaker 1: it's going to happen. But Alex, at the moment we

13
00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,720
Speaker 1: here in Darwin, there's been no positive COVID tests in

14
00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,160
Speaker 1: our waste water at this stage. Yet we do still

15
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,680
Speaker 1: have the mask mandate in place. Is it a bit excessive?

16
00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,320
Speaker 2: Look if it's another donut day today, we think probably. So,

17
00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,480
Speaker 2: you know, the credit to Health Police. Those are original

18
00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,520
Speaker 2: NGOs that have been out there driving up the VAX

19
00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,480
Speaker 2: rates in the remote areas as well. It does seem

20
00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,680
Speaker 2: to be that the Catherine region is contained the outbreak

21
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,560
Speaker 2: there obviously we'll see what extra numbers are in that

22
00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,039
Speaker 2: region today. But if it's only that region, we do

23
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,760
Speaker 2: question why, you know, what is the health risk on

24
00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,160
Speaker 2: Groot Island right now from a high vaxed local regional

25
00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,680
Speaker 2: community population and the high vaxed mining workforce that are

26
00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:30,960
Speaker 2: over there. COVID's not going away. We're understanding that. You know,

27
00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,720
Speaker 2: we've probably got more lockdowns, lockout region by region to

28
00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,120
Speaker 2: live through for the next three four months. We're not

29
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,680
Speaker 2: too sure. No one will tell us if that's the case,

30
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,959
Speaker 2: when it's safe to reopen and just revert back to

31
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,120
Speaker 2: that underlying risk that is still there until we declare

32
00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:48,920
Speaker 2: that it's endemic and we're going to treat it like

33
00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,320
Speaker 2: we treat every other health outcome and approach. You know,

34
00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,720
Speaker 2: we need to be able to claw back business where

35
00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,080
Speaker 2: we can. The Chief did seem to open the door

36
00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,680
Speaker 2: to that pop stability yesterday, which we would very much

37
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,560
Speaker 2: see as a pragmatic outcome and a balance like it

38
00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,519
Speaker 2: is a juggling act, and we appreciate how far they

39
00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,799
Speaker 2: have managed to go so far over the past eighteen

40
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,800
Speaker 2: nineteen months. When you look around the country, we are fortunate.

41
00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,799
Speaker 2: But this isn't about profits. We've been opening our businesses

42
00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:22,760
Speaker 2: this week, many food and beverage restaurants, small licensed cafes.

43
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,400
Speaker 2: They've been opening their doors to lose money, but they

44
00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,480
Speaker 2: want to keep their staff. They want to keep ours

45
00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,760
Speaker 2: for the staff up. Otherwise they do risk losing those

46
00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,920
Speaker 2: essential workers to other industries and interstates. So it's just

47
00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,960
Speaker 2: a recognition that just because we're open and the lights

48
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,320
Speaker 2: are on, it doesn't mean that it's all hunky dory

49
00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:44,440
Speaker 2: and Alex.

50
00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,680
Speaker 1: What kind of impact does the situation that we're currently in,

51
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,000
Speaker 1: what kind of impact is it having on businesses at

52
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:52,480
Speaker 1: the moment.

53
00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,080
Speaker 2: I look, we're getting cancelations eighteenths and twenty first in

54
00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,000
Speaker 2: the late night sector. They just don't want to do

55
00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,400
Speaker 2: it on a weekend when masks. So if we'll get

56
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,120
Speaker 2: a lifted today, that would be good. People booking in

57
00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,679
Speaker 2: an accommodation around Darwin, you know, to come in for

58
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,640
Speaker 2: the weekend that we faced cancelations there in that restaurant

59
00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,800
Speaker 2: and cafe space. It's thirty percent drop in sales and

60
00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,680
Speaker 2: unfortunately a lot of them, their profit margins operate below

61
00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,519
Speaker 2: that level. So they're still paying their rent, they're still

62
00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,000
Speaker 2: paying all their bills, they're still paying their staff because

63
00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,040
Speaker 2: they do want to keep that connection and not lose

64
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,720
Speaker 2: those workers and not get any back. You know, there's

65
00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,040
Speaker 2: not a surplus of workers as you know, right across

66
00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,040
Speaker 2: industry sectors. So it is it is a challenge that

67
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,880
Speaker 2: you know, we're starting to look at Okay, well what

68
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,040
Speaker 2: do the next three or four months look like if

69
00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,160
Speaker 2: if we're going to be a bit triggered happy with the.

70
00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,680
Speaker 1: Masks, So do you reckon that we really need to

71
00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,600
Speaker 1: just re look at this and if we are in

72
00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,400
Speaker 1: a situation like we're in now where it does seem

73
00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,119
Speaker 1: to be contained in a particular area at this point

74
00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,680
Speaker 1: in time, and obviously time's going to tell in Catherine

75
00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:00,840
Speaker 1: and in Robinson River where it shouldn't see that blanket

76
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,360
Speaker 1: approach for the whole of the Northern Territory.

77
00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,200
Speaker 2: We'd hope. So you know, South Australia shut its border

78
00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,400
Speaker 2: with the entire ntee and the justification we're hearing from

79
00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,920
Speaker 2: them is that, well, you've acknowledged that there's an inherent

80
00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,760
Speaker 2: level of risk territory wide, and it's not just the

81
00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,440
Speaker 2: hassle of wearing masks up in the build up and

82
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,400
Speaker 2: how hot it is that that contributes to it, but

83
00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,200
Speaker 2: masks also indicate to the society there's something a little

84
00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,160
Speaker 2: bit additional in the risk profile right now. So we

85
00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:31,840
Speaker 2: know that COVID can come back, We know that we

86
00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,640
Speaker 2: can close our businesses down or enter a lockout environment,

87
00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,320
Speaker 2: you know, within a matter of hours, and that we're

88
00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,160
Speaker 2: living through that for the next few months. So we

89
00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,640
Speaker 2: just hope that, as the government had been in the past,

90
00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,840
Speaker 2: once it's safe to revert back to that underlying risk level,

91
00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,680
Speaker 2: the sooner the better in HIVAX communities.

92
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,000
Speaker 1: And look, I suppose some people listening might be thinking

93
00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,320
Speaker 1: to themselves, oh, well, isn't that hard for us to

94
00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,560
Speaker 1: wear a mask? You know? Are we being a bit

95
00:04:58,600 --> 00:04:59,240
Speaker 1: petty here?

96
00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,760
Speaker 2: Well it's twofold, though, so it's some people won't want to.

97
00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,520
Speaker 2: I know that I had a kid's kid's birthday party

98
00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,360
Speaker 2: in one of those indoor play centers, and I really

99
00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,360
Speaker 2: begrudgingly took my daughter along to that and sat there

100
00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,120
Speaker 2: for two hours wearing my mask. Well, I thought the

101
00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:18,920
Speaker 2: kids would be running a muck around to your feet,

102
00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:20,279
Speaker 2: you know, you're trying not to step on them. But

103
00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,400
Speaker 2: it was a ghost town. A lot of families are

104
00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,600
Speaker 2: clearly choosing I'll just stay at home in the aircorn

105
00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,640
Speaker 2: or put the kids in the backyard pool. So there

106
00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,760
Speaker 2: is that, and the other thing is that COVID tier

107
00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:36,320
Speaker 2: COVID tier community be scared, be afraid, wear a mask.

108
00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,560
Speaker 2: It's a visible sign that things aren't where they need

109
00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,000
Speaker 2: to be, and so there are people that are reluctant

110
00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,120
Speaker 2: to move out and about around society as much as

111
00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,200
Speaker 2: well and more.

112
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,040
Speaker 1: Broadly at the moment, how are things going following on

113
00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,200
Speaker 1: from the other mandate that we've spoken quite a bit

114
00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,040
Speaker 1: about in that vaccine mandate, so really coming into play

115
00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:01,640
Speaker 1: on Saturday last week.

116
00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,279
Speaker 2: We did lose some workers, but it wasn't it wasn't

117
00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,040
Speaker 2: higher than in that zero to five percent range that

118
00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,680
Speaker 2: I've had reported back through to me that I've shared previously.

119
00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,279
Speaker 2: The comment this week really was that we've seen on

120
00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:19,200
Speaker 2: exodus of staff as Sydney's reopened and with Melbourne now

121
00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,000
Speaker 2: you know, pretty much going healthful ever back to full

122
00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:26,320
Speaker 2: opening last night, that's been a bigger drain on the

123
00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,640
Speaker 2: workforce up here and they're not being replaced by anyone

124
00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,160
Speaker 2: while our boarders are still up in the air. So

125
00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,919
Speaker 2: you know, the I think the chiefs said yesterday that

126
00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,799
Speaker 2: we had our third best vaccination day. Well done everyone

127
00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:41,760
Speaker 2: that's done that, and all the hard work that the

128
00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,400
Speaker 2: police and health and frontline are doing to achieve that.

129
00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,200
Speaker 2: I know that those extra percentages are getting tougher and

130
00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,520
Speaker 2: tougher to get. It's just the nature of the beast.

131
00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,960
Speaker 2: But you know, with that, then once we've contained this

132
00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,800
Speaker 2: Catherine thing and got rid of the masks, how quickly

133
00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,119
Speaker 2: can we get our borders normalized and open?

134
00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,520
Speaker 1: Well, that's what we're we're all wondering. I reckon, Alex,

135
00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:03,000
Speaker 1: how quickly do you think?

136
00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,359
Speaker 2: Well, the chiefs dangled out eighteenth of January, but with

137
00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,000
Speaker 2: an asterix, and you'll get back to us with a

138
00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:15,040
Speaker 2: firmid date. Would love to be in alignment with Brisbane

139
00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,800
Speaker 2: and Queensland and our competitors over in Cans And you

140
00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,280
Speaker 2: know they're taking Christmas bookings because their borders are open

141
00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:27,000
Speaker 2: to double vaxed COVID tested negative travelers from Sydney and

142
00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,680
Speaker 2: Melbourne from the eighteenth of December. So, yeah, why don't

143
00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,920
Speaker 2: we pull up our focks. We've done a phenomenal effort.

144
00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,000
Speaker 2: Territoriums deserve to have the same equity come Christmas time

145
00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:36,920
Speaker 2: as others.

146
00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,400
Speaker 1: Yeah, look, I think that we've got to realistically think

147
00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,760
Speaker 1: about how it is going to happen, exactly what date

148
00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,440
Speaker 1: it's going to happen, to provide some certainty for absolutely everybody.

149
00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,560
Speaker 1: But also, you know, so many people have rolled up,

150
00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,840
Speaker 1: these thieves and done what's been asked of them. So

151
00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,440
Speaker 1: when are we going to sort of see, you know,

152
00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,760
Speaker 1: see that freedom again after being double dosed?

153
00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,160
Speaker 2: That's it. And because of the workforce mandate, because of

154
00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,840
Speaker 2: Darwin's lockout and Catherine's previous lockdown and then this week

155
00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,679
Speaker 2: with masks territory wide and Catherine and Robinson Rivers lockdown again,

156
00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,920
Speaker 2: this has driven the vax rates up, so surely that

157
00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,280
Speaker 2: eighteenth of jan looks like that's probably a bit slow.

158
00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:19,760
Speaker 2: Now if this is meant to be linked to our

159
00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,320
Speaker 2: vaccination rates, and our vaccination rates are better than what

160
00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,240
Speaker 2: was projected, let's go for eighteenth December and have a

161
00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,120
Speaker 2: happy Merry Christmas.

162
00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,600
Speaker 1: Yep, well, we will have to leave it there. Alex

163
00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,000
Speaker 1: Bruce of hospitality here in the Northern Territory. Always good

164
00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:35,959
Speaker 1: to catch up with you. I appreciate your time.

165
00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:37,760
Speaker 2: Cheers Katie all the day.

166
00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:38,280
Speaker 1: Thank you