1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: One area where there is a lot of concern as 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: well is Daily River, and as that flood recovery concern 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: deepens along the Daily there are fresh calls for the 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: Northern Territory government to step in with direct support for 5 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: privately owned tourism operators and residents outside the Niu township. 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line right now is Margaret 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: ray Taylor, the chair of the Daily River Community Development Association. 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: Good morning to. 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: You, Margaret, Good morning Katie, and good morning to everyone 10 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: listening this morning. 11 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: Lovely to have you on the show. Margaret, How are 12 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: things going at the moment from what you know in 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: the Daily region? I mean, you know, some of the 14 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 1: vision and photos we saw earlier in the week are 15 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: nothing short of heartbreaking. 16 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 2: It's a really devastating situation at the moment for those 17 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: who are familiar with the Daily River area. The river 18 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: is currently sitting at fourteen meters above the old low 19 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: level crossing, So if you sort of think of in 20 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 2: the dry season you're at ground level, there is fourteen 21 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 2: meters of water over that. Well, yeah, and just impacting 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: I guess, you know, obviously the community itself, but all 23 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 2: of the businesses around Daily outside of Nayu itself are 24 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 2: being really severely impacted. 25 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: So has anyone had I'm assuming no one's really even 26 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: had the chance to go in at this point to 27 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: check out that damage because the river levels, the water 28 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: levels are so high. 29 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 2: That's correct. Look, there are some efforts happening sort of 30 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 2: today and tomorrow by a few residents to go back in, 31 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 2: and I guess try and make further efforts to safe 32 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: good you know, plant and equipment and that sort of thing. Obviously, 33 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: the big concern at the moment is the tropical cyclone 34 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: noral but forecast at the moment to track across the catchment. 35 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: If that happens, there's going to be renewed river risers. Obviously, 36 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 2: this is the biggest slub that the Daily River area 37 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 2: has seen on record. And having been through it a 38 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 2: couple of times myself, you know, the cleanup and the 39 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 2: devastation is just not something that people who haven't been 40 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: through it, you know, can comprehend. 41 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: No, I totally agree with you. I think even when 42 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: you think about that level of water and you know 43 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: that amount, that sheer volume of water, it's hard for 44 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: any of us really to comprehend, you know, unless you've 45 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: been there and unless you've seen it for yourself. 46 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: Absolutely, you know. A few considerations are the current of 47 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: the water is so strong that on properties it leaves 48 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 2: meters deep trenches or sinkholes the size of swimming pools 49 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: through your property, which you can't repair. You know, you 50 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 2: sort of need heavy earth moving machine to repair that. 51 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: You can't bring that machinery in until the ground's dried 52 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 2: out because otherwise you get that machinery bolbed. The roads 53 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: will need to be inspected by the relevant departments to 54 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: make sure that they can handle perfect. 55 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: It's going to be a massive road to recovery. You know, 56 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: there's no other way to put it from your perspective 57 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: at the moment, as the chair of the Daily River 58 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: Community Development Association, what are you hearing from? You know 59 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: from well, they be your friends, you know, and fellow opera. 60 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 2: They are they are. It's a community of people, as 61 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 2: I said to your producer, you know, we've been through 62 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 2: flooding together previously, you know, COVID bushfires. It's your typical 63 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: small community of people who try and have each other's 64 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 2: backs during this time. You know, it is a devastating 65 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 2: time and that previously the twenty fifteen sixteen floods predominantly 66 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 2: affected my property only because of its location on the river. 67 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: And you know, we're not afforded the same government assistance 68 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 2: that other areas are afforded, and it really was relying 69 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: on mates to come out and help. You know, you 70 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: have to employ electricians to come out and offer certificates 71 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: of compliance to get the electricity turned back on. You've 72 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: then got fridges and freezers full of rotting food that 73 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 2: are major health hazards, white goods that have to be 74 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: disposed of, and basically just going through to see what 75 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: you can salvage. So this is what is going to 76 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: be faced once the river falls below major and it's 77 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: still a good meter and a half over that at 78 00:04:58,080 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 2: the moment. 79 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: Margaret, what kind of you know, like what kind of 80 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: assistance and what are you calling for from the Northern 81 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: Territory government at the moment. 82 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: Well, we'd like some assurances. I have contacted the relevant 83 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: ministers for Tourism, Fisheries, small business obviously the Chief Minister 84 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: and our local member Darren Young who's been trying to 85 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 2: advocate on our behalf a little bit. Just some assurances 86 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 2: that there will be assistants afforded these businesses to get 87 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: back on their feet. The tourism period is such a 88 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 2: short period of time. Every year we see a big 89 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 2: influx of interstate tourists come for the fishing, you know, 90 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 2: as well as the locals that come down. But realistically 91 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 2: you're looking at, you know, between April and May to 92 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: August September, so that's not a big period of time. 93 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: You're relying on the tourism dollar and the cleanup is 94 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: going to be a prolonged experience, you know, at this 95 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 2: point in time. Know one issue that I will raise 96 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: is at the federal government disaster recovery payment currently isn't 97 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: applicable to anyone outside of Mayu itself. Why the information 98 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: I've been given is is that the eligible area is 99 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 2: the au LGA, the local government authority, which doesn't include 100 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: Willianna Road, Western Loops Road, or Nana Road where the 101 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 2: inn is. So I've had business owners and residents that 102 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: are evacuated. There are very few people left in the 103 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 2: area who have tried to apply to you guys, because 104 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: we're not on the map, We're not included in that authority, 105 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: so that payment has been denied. We're not sure about 106 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 2: the local payments through the anti government that are available 107 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 2: through Family and Children's Services. People are still waiting to 108 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:57,239 Speaker 2: hear about that. But these are people's livelihoods, their incomes, 109 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 2: their homes. 110 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: And you're literally the water. 111 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. Correct. 112 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: It just seems like to me, I'm wondering is it 113 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: some kind of administrative era or what the go might be. 114 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: Look, you know, I would like to think that that's 115 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 2: the case and it will be rectified sooner rather than later. 116 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 2: But you know, at the moment, everyone's displaced. Unfortunately, all 117 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 2: of our Nayu residents are having their second stint in 118 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 2: Fosky Pavilion. You know, their infrastructure, their homes, the health clinic, 119 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 2: you know, all that essential services is underwater. And our 120 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 2: business are in the same situation. You know, their homes 121 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 2: are underwater, they are displaced, staying with friends or family. 122 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: I know some people are staying at our Williana School, 123 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: which the association owns. You know, so everyone's displaced, everyone's suffering. 124 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 2: We just need assurances that these small businesses that our 125 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 2: mum and dad run businesses. It's not your local big four, 126 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 2: it's families who some of them have been there for generations, 127 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 2: are going to need some assistance to get back on 128 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 2: their feat. 129 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: So Margaret, you know, if you could get one message 130 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: across to the Northern Territory and the federal government right now, 131 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: what is it? 132 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: Just please share some of the assistants that the community 133 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 2: is going to need with the people living around the 134 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 2: river as well. That would be my big request is 135 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: that I am going to assume that they will need 136 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:35,079 Speaker 2: perhaps defense force help like Catherine's feeling within the community, 137 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 2: and some of that help to these businesses would be invaluable. 138 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 2: If there were financial grants through tourism available just to 139 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 2: help out. Obviously, I've created a go fundme just to 140 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 2: try and cover We're looking at ten businesses at the moment. 141 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 2: The funds that we've got at the moment might equate 142 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 2: to about fifteen hundred dollars each. The cost of cleaning equipment, 143 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 2: you know, it's journey blasters, it's you know, heavy duty 144 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 2: mops and cleaning equipment you know that will be needed 145 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: to get the two foot of mud out of your residence. 146 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 2: You know, it's these little things. 147 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:21,359 Speaker 1: Oh mate, I really feel for you guys. It's heartbreaking 148 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: to hear you know, what's happened. But also the cleanup 149 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: that is going to be required. Look, we'll do our 150 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 1: best to make sure that your voice is heard. Can 151 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: you please keep in contact with us as well if 152 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: you do get any updately, and also be really really 153 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: keen to hear once you guys are able to get 154 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: into the community, into you know, like into your homes, 155 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: into your businesses and get a closer look at how 156 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: things are tracking. 157 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, I'm hoping to get a few further photos 158 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: today actually, but of course until the river drops below 159 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: major we don't have that. But I also urge listeners 160 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 2: if they I know, it's the cost of fuel and 161 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 2: the cost of living at the moment, everyone's doing it tough. 162 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 2: But if you have a spare five dollars even, you know, 163 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 2: the GoFundMe is live and every cent will help, you know. 164 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 2: The other issue is we don't we're not off at 165 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 2: insurance being on the river, and there's only so high 166 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 2: you can put everything. Once the river goes beyond record levels, 167 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 2: you know, it's yeah, it's bloody nothing you can do. 168 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, Margaret, thank you so much for having a chat 169 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: with us this morning, and we'll talk to you again soon. 170 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for your time, Thank you anytime. 171 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: Thank you