1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,440
Speaker 1: So we know that seven territory base not for profit

2
00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:06,520
Speaker 1: organizations have been granted funding for ten projects under a

3
00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:10,200
Speaker 1: recreational fishing grant scheme. Now joining me on the line

4
00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,560
Speaker 1: is the Minister for Recreational Fishing, Paul Kirby. Good morning

5
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:13,840
Speaker 1: to you.

6
00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,200
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. How are you going? Yeah, very well.

7
00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:19,960
Speaker 1: Now Minister, we know that this scheme and obviously funds

8
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:24,960
Speaker 1: projects which lead to new recreational fishing opportunities. Is this

9
00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,160
Speaker 1: through infrastructure or experiences? How exactly does it work?

10
00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:31,360
Speaker 2: So it comes out of.

11
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:35,000
Speaker 3: That fifty million dollar recfishing fund that we put out

12
00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,600
Speaker 3: a number of years ago. It's something that we have

13
00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,960
Speaker 3: done and happy to commit to as many years as

14
00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,080
Speaker 3: we possibly can. Is over three hundred thousand dollars and

15
00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,920
Speaker 3: it goes into either the Amateur Fisherman's Peak, Body Fan

16
00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:53,640
Speaker 3: or it goes directly into the Darwin, Parmesan Katherine Game

17
00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,400
Speaker 3: fishing clubs. They all put applications forward around the junior

18
00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,959
Speaker 3: clinics and different programs that they would like to run

19
00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,160
Speaker 3: and we're more than happy to sign them off.

20
00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,160
Speaker 2: Forgets kids either on boats or down at the water

21
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,120
Speaker 2: having some fun, or it gets like.

22
00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,880
Speaker 3: With one of the big programs. We've got the Palmerston

23
00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,959
Speaker 3: Lakes to help improve the water quality so that.

24
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:14,640
Speaker 2: When we put barer in and I've got a better

25
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,480
Speaker 2: chance of surviving. And it just gets kids wedding a

26
00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,760
Speaker 2: line and having fun and learning about the recreation on

27
00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,240
Speaker 2: the fun side of going fishing.

28
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,199
Speaker 1: Well, I think everyone in the territory loves the spot

29
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,400
Speaker 1: of fishing, no doubt about that. How fast are these

30
00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,679
Speaker 1: programs sort of going to come into effect.

31
00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:39,360
Speaker 3: Well, some of them, like our repetitive programs, like what

32
00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,640
Speaker 3: the fishing clubs run. So the last year we were

33
00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,560
Speaker 3: too Laylor down to the Barrow Classic, the Junior Barow Classic,

34
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:51,680
Speaker 3: and part of that is teeming up with different local

35
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,960
Speaker 3: supplies to offer the kids a Roden Real combo pack.

36
00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,000
Speaker 3: But when they turn down there there was about one

37
00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,600
Speaker 3: hundred Rodden Real packs that we gave in conjunction with Craigs.

38
00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:06,120
Speaker 3: It was a great initiative and that'll happen again this year.

39
00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,720
Speaker 3: And also like one's like the Parmesan Game Fishing Club,

40
00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,760
Speaker 3: they do a wonderful day it's called the Buddy but

41
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,079
Speaker 3: it's the kids special needs that wouldn't traditionally get the

42
00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,160
Speaker 3: chance to get out on the water, and also people

43
00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,040
Speaker 3: donate their time and their boats and skipper and take

44
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,799
Speaker 3: kids out that wouldn't normally get the chants and if

45
00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:27,800
Speaker 3: they get out and catch a fish that they are

46
00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,639
Speaker 3: absolutely ecstatic. Even if so don't catch a fish, they've

47
00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,200
Speaker 3: had a great day out on the water. So they're

48
00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,040
Speaker 3: really some great community based initiatives.

49
00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,760
Speaker 1: Yeah, they look that way. I mean, like you said,

50
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,639
Speaker 1: there are the Parmesan Game Fishing Club, the Darwin Game

51
00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,320
Speaker 1: Fishing Club and the Catherine Game Fishing Club, so they

52
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,359
Speaker 1: have those junior fishing clinics and kids fun days, and

53
00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,320
Speaker 1: I think that that is a really good idea because

54
00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,840
Speaker 1: not everybody in the territory has a boat. Everybody wants

55
00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,720
Speaker 1: to have one, but not everybody has one, and it

56
00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,239
Speaker 1: is really important that the kids are still able to

57
00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:58,800
Speaker 1: sort of get out there and fish.

58
00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,960
Speaker 3: Certainly. And there is actually a land based fishing book

59
00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,400
Speaker 3: that a fan have received some funding to go in

60
00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,600
Speaker 3: to reprint that out, so that for people like us

61
00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,320
Speaker 3: that want to take the kids fishing every now and

62
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,360
Speaker 3: again but might not have a boat, there's a really

63
00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,840
Speaker 3: good put that explains where you can easily go in

64
00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,320
Speaker 3: your vicinity and where you've got the best chances of

65
00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:23,760
Speaker 3: catching something, so that will be a big help for

66
00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,280
Speaker 3: people traditionally get out fishing and all these initiatives with

67
00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,919
Speaker 3: this bit of funding means that it's free for the kids,

68
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,839
Speaker 3: so it makes it a great opportunity for the kids

69
00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:35,040
Speaker 3: to get out and enjoy finishing.

70
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,160
Speaker 1: Now, Minister, we just caught up with Daniel Rochford, the

71
00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,400
Speaker 1: CEO of Tourism Central Australia, and he spoke about about

72
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,360
Speaker 1: the government, the territory government and also the federal government

73
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,080
Speaker 1: well relaunching or reaching an agreement. I guess you'd say

74
00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,880
Speaker 1: to fund the second round of the Tourism Survival Fund

75
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,200
Speaker 1: and also the Visitation Reliant Support Program, with payments under

76
00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,080
Speaker 1: both those programs set to triple. I mean, this is

77
00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:05,040
Speaker 1: absolutely essential for some of our tourism operators right now,

78
00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:05,440
Speaker 1: isn't it.

79
00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:07,520
Speaker 3: Yeah, certainly.

80
00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,560
Speaker 2: Look, we've tried to put some really good packages together

81
00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,840
Speaker 2: for all businesses across the territory. Because everybody is suffered

82
00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:20,160
Speaker 2: through COVID. Tourism have suffered harder than a lot or

83
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:22,440
Speaker 2: harder than most in a lot of areas. We know

84
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,240
Speaker 2: that the vouchers in the top end have had a

85
00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,880
Speaker 2: really good effect. They haven't had as much an effect

86
00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,160
Speaker 2: in the Southern region, and we know that they did

87
00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,640
Speaker 2: lose a lot of capacity and a lot of visitation

88
00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:38,280
Speaker 2: and through Melbourne and Sydney locking down. So how the

89
00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:43,040
Speaker 2: is their traditional quiet time to repurpose or revamp some

90
00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,719
Speaker 2: of that funding, to give them an opportunity to access

91
00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,240
Speaker 2: some of that will just hopefully help people get through

92
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,480
Speaker 2: this quiet time over the very hot summer period down there,

93
00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,000
Speaker 2: and hopefully they'll be able to rebound again into where

94
00:04:55,160 --> 00:05:00,760
Speaker 2: next year. Look at a relentless advocacy is for his

95
00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,279
Speaker 2: industry and yeah, we've been really happy to help.

96
00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,440
Speaker 1: Yeah, and look he's looking forward obviously and really hoping

97
00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,800
Speaker 1: that they're able to rebound and rebound strong. One of

98
00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,279
Speaker 1: the concerns that he's raised, and I know that it's

99
00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,279
Speaker 1: been something that is on the agenda. I would think

100
00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,280
Speaker 1: of the Northern Territory government at the moment, is that

101
00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:25,000
Speaker 1: staff shortage that they are anticipating comes sort of March April.

102
00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,320
Speaker 1: I know that Tourism Central Australia probably aren't the only

103
00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,599
Speaker 1: ones there, certainly are other industries who are concerned about

104
00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,080
Speaker 1: that staff shortage, But is there some work underway to

105
00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,920
Speaker 1: try to fill some of those jobs. You know, not

106
00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,039
Speaker 1: only I guess in tourism, but also some of those

107
00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:43,440
Speaker 1: hospitality jobs as well.

108
00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, as you meant, Katie, is probably not just some

109
00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,680
Speaker 2: other industries. It's just about every industry that we talked to.

110
00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,520
Speaker 3: We've heard about hot demiling, some of those places not

111
00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,600
Speaker 3: being able to open, even in the top end as

112
00:05:57,680 --> 00:05:59,600
Speaker 3: long as they were white too, because they just need

113
00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,600
Speaker 3: to give their staff arrest. That was conversations that we

114
00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,040
Speaker 3: had as recently as yesterday down in ten and Creep.

115
00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,160
Speaker 3: Sometimes when you're in a smallscendi, you think, you know,

116
00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,400
Speaker 3: it's just us that are suffering here, but trying to

117
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,840
Speaker 3: explain to people that it's something we're working on across

118
00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,320
Speaker 3: the board. We've got more trainees and apprentices in the

119
00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,760
Speaker 3: Norton Territory now than we ever had before, and with

120
00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,920
Speaker 3: things like the work Stay play and how we repurposed

121
00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,440
Speaker 3: and redesigned that. It's like when we needed to get

122
00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,960
Speaker 3: some people down to the hotels in our springs, we

123
00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,640
Speaker 3: got those overseas workers in to help out with the

124
00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,560
Speaker 3: mango industry. Like that, Sometimes there's leaders you can pull,

125
00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,680
Speaker 3: but you can help out with. We certainly know that

126
00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,600
Speaker 3: there's going to be some complexities next year when everybody's

127
00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,520
Speaker 3: looking at for labor and will continue to help out

128
00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,839
Speaker 3: as much as we possibly can, but hopefully these reallocations

129
00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,160
Speaker 3: of this fund help people get through to be able

130
00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,400
Speaker 3: to be in a position where they can rebound next year.

131
00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:57,880
Speaker 2: Yeah.

132
00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,440
Speaker 1: And so then when you do talk about the works play,

133
00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,360
Speaker 1: for example, is there any plans you know from early

134
00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:07,320
Speaker 1: next year to change things or maybe make it even

135
00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,080
Speaker 1: more appealing for people to move to the Northern Territory

136
00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,200
Speaker 1: to work, whether they are from interstate or even trying to,

137
00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,600
Speaker 1: you know, to bring some some of those you know,

138
00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,520
Speaker 1: some of those people from overseas that we ordinarily would

139
00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,080
Speaker 1: have filling some of those bar jobs, hospitality jobs, tourism jobs.

140
00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,520
Speaker 2: We'll be interesting one with this new strain of virus,

141
00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,440
Speaker 2: how quickly that's spreading overseas at the moment, what effect

142
00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,880
Speaker 2: that has for international travel. We've seen just recently some

143
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,240
Speaker 2: students start to return to other states in the last

144
00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,040
Speaker 2: few days. And obviously international students are a big part

145
00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,240
Speaker 2: of the labor market in the top end as well

146
00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,680
Speaker 2: as Central Australia. So we'll certainly keep an eye on that.

147
00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:50,480
Speaker 2: Will certainly be.

148
00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,080
Speaker 3: Sitting really early in the new year and going through

149
00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,840
Speaker 3: all of that allocations, and we'll be trying to leave

150
00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,080
Speaker 3: as much as we possibly can. I know that we

151
00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:05,000
Speaker 3: had around five hundred applications for that works day play initiative,

152
00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,040
Speaker 3: and like I've said to people in the top end,

153
00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,040
Speaker 3: we would have loved to have had thousands.

154
00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:10,240
Speaker 2: But if you said at the start of the.

155
00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,120
Speaker 3: Dry season it was going to be an extra five

156
00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,400
Speaker 3: hundred people to plug into those industries that were really short,

157
00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,320
Speaker 3: then people would have been reasonably happy with that. And

158
00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,520
Speaker 3: we'll certainly be looking at doing everything we can to

159
00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:21,720
Speaker 3: help into next year as well.

160
00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,040
Speaker 1: Hey, a very quick question from one of our listeners.

161
00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,840
Speaker 1: Can you please ask Kirby how repairs at the East

162
00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,520
Speaker 1: arm boat ramp are going, as it was stated a

163
00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,480
Speaker 1: couple of months ago that they'd be completed by mid December.

164
00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:36,240
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a really good question.

165
00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,960
Speaker 3: I haven't had an update on that in the last

166
00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:40,959
Speaker 3: week or so, so we will look into that. I

167
00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,880
Speaker 3: know they were waiting on some equipment to come from

168
00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:45,400
Speaker 3: in the state, and as we know, some of those

169
00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,800
Speaker 3: supply chains have taken a bit longer now than they

170
00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,040
Speaker 3: used to, so I we'll check into that and I'll

171
00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:51,640
Speaker 3: get straight back to you so we can answer that

172
00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,559
Speaker 3: for people, Katie, that would be awesome.

173
00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,280
Speaker 1: Well, Paul Kirby, the Minister for Recreational Fishing, also for

174
00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,000
Speaker 1: small business. Appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much

175
00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:00,800
Speaker 1: for chatting with us.

176
00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:02,960
Speaker 3: Thanks very much, Katie.

177
00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:03,480
Speaker 1: Thank you