1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,200
Speaker 1: Joining me on the line is the Treasurer of the

2
00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:08,600
Speaker 1: Northern Territory. He's also the Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure

3
00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,280
Speaker 1: and various other things. Bill Yan, Good morning, Bill.

4
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,480
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning to everybody in the

5
00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:14,960
Speaker 2: top end.

6
00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,040
Speaker 1: Now, Bill very keen to talk about the situation with

7
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,160
Speaker 1: the wet weather impacting our road network. But mate, first off,

8
00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:24,880
Speaker 1: what do you make of this, You know, this discussion

9
00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,720
Speaker 1: about whether there should be a protest allowed on Friday.

10
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,360
Speaker 1: The Speaker has said that it can't happen that it is,

11
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,600
Speaker 1: you know that she's got to keep safety really front

12
00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,920
Speaker 1: of mind. What do you make of it all?

13
00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,280
Speaker 2: Oh, look, this is the Speaker's call and she's made

14
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,320
Speaker 2: the decision based I think on what's This is quite

15
00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,120
Speaker 2: ceremonial and it all happens at the front of Parliament

16
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,040
Speaker 2: House and then then it all comes in. So I

17
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,440
Speaker 2: think the speakers made the right call to maintain some

18
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,600
Speaker 2: decorum around what's going to take place on for that

19
00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,920
Speaker 2: function on Friday. There's other places if those people want

20
00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:03,200
Speaker 2: to road desk can go and that's their choice. But

21
00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:05,960
Speaker 2: I think I agree with a lot of the people

22
00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,000
Speaker 2: who are calling in and texting and I think everyone's

23
00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:09,640
Speaker 2: just over let's just get on with it. Give the

24
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,200
Speaker 2: guy a crack, said, he'll prove his worth in the position.

25
00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,320
Speaker 1: I guess time will tell, Bill, it always does. Now,

26
00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,319
Speaker 1: I want to talk to you about the situation that

27
00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:22,600
Speaker 1: we've seen across Central Australia. There's been a real bracing

28
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:27,200
Speaker 1: for heavy rain and that tropical low had lingered earlier

29
00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,000
Speaker 1: in the week. What's the latest from what you are hearing.

30
00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,800
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think down our way we've had more rain

31
00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:35,520
Speaker 2: and the new mob up here on the top end,

32
00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,800
Speaker 2: I suppose we've had a lot of a road network

33
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,400
Speaker 2: cut as it does like the desert's not really set

34
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,000
Speaker 2: up for a huge amounts of rain like the top

35
00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,640
Speaker 2: end is, so we've seen a lot of the dirt

36
00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,120
Speaker 2: roys cut out the communities. We did see the Stuart

37
00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,960
Speaker 2: Highway closed around Whitecliffe well on Sunday afternoon. It was

38
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,760
Speaker 2: back open again Monday morning. So the upside is for

39
00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,120
Speaker 2: us is that it rains pretty heavy, the rivers come up,

40
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,680
Speaker 2: they go down pretty fast. But now we've just got

41
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,720
Speaker 2: to get back out and deal with the damage on

42
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,160
Speaker 2: the network, particularly on those dirt roads. We got pretty

43
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,000
Speaker 2: lucky in Alice, we had that flash flood a couple

44
00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,560
Speaker 2: of weeks back which ripped through town and everyone was

45
00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,080
Speaker 2: bracing themselves. But that big low sort of was north

46
00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,880
Speaker 2: of Alice and then went east, so we got some

47
00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,880
Speaker 2: steady rain out of it, and the river continued to flow,

48
00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:27,120
Speaker 2: but nowhere near the levels that we'd seen previously, So

49
00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,120
Speaker 2: that was of think a bit of a bonus for us.

50
00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,919
Speaker 2: But it's tough out the bush with these rain events

51
00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,239
Speaker 2: that happens on a reasonably regular basis is that we

52
00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,639
Speaker 2: get a lot of really really heavy rain in a

53
00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,280
Speaker 2: short period. Creeks and rivers come up, cut things off

54
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,079
Speaker 2: and then they go down. But up in our barkley

55
00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,520
Speaker 2: are they copped it pretty bad up there?

56
00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,440
Speaker 1: So Bell tell me how the key freight routes, including

57
00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,079
Speaker 1: the Stuart Highway, those rail links through Central Australia, how

58
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,600
Speaker 1: are they all holding up under the current conditions.

59
00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,960
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, our rail link to South Australia has remained

60
00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,480
Speaker 2: intactus have we had that closure briefly at wychelif Weello

61
00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,160
Speaker 2: or the Stewart high But I'm more worrying somewhat is

62
00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,720
Speaker 2: there was issues on the railing South Australia. So our

63
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:14,080
Speaker 2: rail comes up through there and it was also a

64
00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,480
Speaker 2: blueve affecting Western Australia. So I know they work pretty

65
00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,880
Speaker 2: hard to get that repaired and up in operation because

66
00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,480
Speaker 2: that rail link not only supplies us but creates that

67
00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,400
Speaker 2: link to Western Australia. So there's some of the things

68
00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,360
Speaker 2: out of our control. But I don't know that the

69
00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,360
Speaker 2: South Australian government are working very very quickly in managing

70
00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,800
Speaker 2: that to make sure that rail link stays open. So

71
00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,160
Speaker 2: we haven't seen we haven't seen a cut. I don't believe,

72
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,240
Speaker 2: and I'm not one hundred percent shortage, Cadie, but I

73
00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,720
Speaker 2: think the Barkley Highway there may have been some short closure,

74
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:45,560
Speaker 2: but it remained open too. Yeah.

75
00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,640
Speaker 1: Right, Well, we're going to catch up with Louise Blato

76
00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,280
Speaker 1: in a few minutes time as well to talk a

77
00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,400
Speaker 1: little bit more about the impact that it may be having,

78
00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,960
Speaker 1: you know, on those trying to transport goods. But from

79
00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,200
Speaker 1: your perspective at the moment, you know, do we need

80
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,400
Speaker 1: any contingencies in terms of supplies or anything or is

81
00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,320
Speaker 1: everything still pretty good? It's all flowing along at this stage.

82
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,960
Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I think everything's pretty good, Katie. I said

83
00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,880
Speaker 2: there was a peace on the rail in South Australia.

84
00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,240
Speaker 2: The road link remains open. It's not like we had

85
00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,800
Speaker 2: those number of years ago where we lost the Stuart

86
00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:22,800
Speaker 2: Highway link across the board and then we also lost

87
00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,560
Speaker 2: the rail link at the same time, so that was

88
00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,359
Speaker 2: like that perfect storm. I think that really affected the

89
00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,560
Speaker 2: territory and we've seen empty supermarket shelves and things like that.

90
00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:33,919
Speaker 2: We're not going to see that this time.

91
00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,159
Speaker 1: I'm very pleased to hear that we all like to

92
00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,599
Speaker 1: be able to get our groceries as needed. Bell Hey.

93
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,880
Speaker 1: In terms of the damage, In terms of the damage

94
00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:43,840
Speaker 1: that we may have to some of those roads, I'm

95
00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,479
Speaker 1: assuming that it's probably a bit early to tell sort

96
00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,800
Speaker 1: of how extensive or what work might be required to

97
00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:50,719
Speaker 1: repair some of them.

98
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,000
Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, as soon as we can get teams out

99
00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:54,600
Speaker 2: on the roads, we will have them out there looking

100
00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,160
Speaker 2: at that damage and then working really quickly to fix

101
00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,640
Speaker 2: that the impacted area so that we can get things moving.

102
00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,480
Speaker 2: We might not have rags of smooth as beautiful as

103
00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,800
Speaker 2: everyone would like, but the areas that are affecting travel

104
00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,640
Speaker 2: that we can't get through, they'll be targeted first. We've

105
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,200
Speaker 2: done that on the Centuries Radio other week. Funnily enough,

106
00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,680
Speaker 2: we got out there. It was affected pretty badly after

107
00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,120
Speaker 2: that storm a few weeks back, so we've got greater

108
00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,840
Speaker 2: as on an ASAP it's to be able to get

109
00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,040
Speaker 2: people in and out of that community. A week and

110
00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:23,600
Speaker 2: half later we got a.

111
00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,080
Speaker 1: Rain again, so it makes it difficult.

112
00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:27,159
Speaker 2: It's just one of those things.

113
00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,359
Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt. Hey, I do want to ask you.

114
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,920
Speaker 1: We got an email from a listener yesterday. It's fairly extensive,

115
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,479
Speaker 1: so I won't take you through the whole thing. But

116
00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,640
Speaker 1: Allison had been in contact with us and said, high Team,

117
00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,960
Speaker 1: I've got family in the southern Berkley district heavily affected

118
00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,560
Speaker 1: by recent rain events. Not having a radar to assist

119
00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,800
Speaker 1: with logistics planning an emergency response or even though if

120
00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,600
Speaker 1: the rain is coming over the hill after having your

121
00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,880
Speaker 1: house flooded, it is distressing. No one can control the weather,

122
00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,920
Speaker 1: but relying on inadequate information to plan for supply chain

123
00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:04,320
Speaker 1: security to DAR seems shortsighted, and Allison says, I understand

124
00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,680
Speaker 1: the COLP support the radar, but despite lobbying by much

125
00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:13,360
Speaker 1: more influential organizations and people than her, nothing's happened. What's

126
00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:18,000
Speaker 1: your understanding here, Minister, in terms of you know this

127
00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,400
Speaker 1: this radar, it's something we spoke about a couple of

128
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,599
Speaker 1: weeks ago as well. It seems to be having a

129
00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,680
Speaker 1: real impact on you know, on those people in the area.

130
00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:28,960
Speaker 2: Yeah, we look, we need that radar back in ten

131
00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,320
Speaker 2: three for a number of reasons. It's not just the

132
00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,880
Speaker 2: weather events. The radar, like if you if you put

133
00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,640
Speaker 2: the Doppler radar in my understanding is also then helps

134
00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,760
Speaker 2: with fire events because they can track wind and win movements.

135
00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,560
Speaker 2: So it's pretty key to that Barkley region and having

136
00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:46,240
Speaker 2: it ripped out of there years ago just didn't make

137
00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,200
Speaker 2: a lot of sense. So I think we're working to

138
00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,599
Speaker 2: make sure that the land's available for where it's got

139
00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,599
Speaker 2: to go. I'm my understanding this work being done with

140
00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,200
Speaker 2: the Commonwealth with camera to make sure that this happens.

141
00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,960
Speaker 2: So it's got to happen. We needed to happen as

142
00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,479
Speaker 2: soon as we possibly can, not just for weather revenge,

143
00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,280
Speaker 2: but also for those for we reckons.

144
00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,080
Speaker 1: That the problem is that negotiations or her understanding is

145
00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,000
Speaker 1: that the negotiations with the TOS and the CLC might

146
00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:11,520
Speaker 1: have stalled.

147
00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,720
Speaker 3: Is that the case, I'm not sure, kay, I'm not

148
00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,040
Speaker 3: really across that, but I know, we need to get

149
00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:18,520
Speaker 3: the land and put the thing on and we need

150
00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,000
Speaker 3: to get up and running as soon as we can.

151
00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,920
Speaker 2: Well, that's key, and it's key for the people of

152
00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:23,440
Speaker 2: the Barklay.

153
00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:23,800
Speaker 3: Well.

154
00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,120
Speaker 1: Look, we've got Marian scrimdaw on the show tomorrow, so

155
00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,920
Speaker 1: maybe we'll ask her about it as well. I feel

156
00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,360
Speaker 1: like it's one of these things that we've got to

157
00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,240
Speaker 1: be team Territory about. We're all going to have to

158
00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:32,720
Speaker 1: get together and try and make it work.

159
00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:37,560
Speaker 2: Absolutely, kay. We need that doppl raator back there at

160
00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:38,800
Speaker 2: Barkley for a number of things.

161
00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,200
Speaker 1: Hey, Bell, a couple of quick ones. I know yesterday

162
00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,920
Speaker 1: some good news. You know, we've all been pushing for

163
00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,119
Speaker 1: this cap to lift when it comes to the five

164
00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,600
Speaker 1: percent deposit scheme for first home buyers, and well the

165
00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,640
Speaker 1: federal government did at six hundred thousand to seven hundred

166
00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,480
Speaker 1: and fifty. Now the Minister had confirmed on the show

167
00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,800
Speaker 1: with Us yesterday, Claire O'Neil that it is going to

168
00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,440
Speaker 1: also include Parmerston and Litchfield.

169
00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,960
Speaker 3: Is that your understanding, Yeah, Look, this is great news

170
00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:06,239
Speaker 3: for Territorians, Katie.

171
00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,240
Speaker 2: Look, we first started making noise about this back in October.

172
00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,080
Speaker 2: We just want to be treated the same as the

173
00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,120
Speaker 2: rest of the country. All the other capital city's got

174
00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,440
Speaker 2: an uplift to eight hundred and fifty. There was no

175
00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,040
Speaker 2: change the territoriest cap particularly for Darwen at six hundred.

176
00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,880
Speaker 2: So we straightaway got on to Claire o'neel about that.

177
00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,240
Speaker 2: And here's a great thing, Katie. It's not just for

178
00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:30,560
Speaker 2: Darwin Palmerston. I think when they drew the map. I've

179
00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,480
Speaker 2: just had a look at it before getting on air

180
00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,640
Speaker 2: with you. It's like Humpty Do is the center of

181
00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:40,520
Speaker 2: the universe. They started there under a circle, so four

182
00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,560
Speaker 2: eyes hampy Do residents, you're the center of the map.

183
00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,600
Speaker 2: So it includes Palmerston, Darwin and those rural arees around

184
00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:51,319
Speaker 2: Humpty Do and out through that area, so right down

185
00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,360
Speaker 2: to a Kasha, I believe. So it gives the opportunity

186
00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:59,880
Speaker 2: for it's the wider I think they call it Darwin Region,

187
00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,520
Speaker 2: to be able to take advantage of that increasing grant.

188
00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:06,000
Speaker 2: So that's that's great news, and that back's in our

189
00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,560
Speaker 2: the thirty and fifty thousand of the homegrown grants that

190
00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,520
Speaker 2: we're doing. People will be able to access new home

191
00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,680
Speaker 2: buyers at five percent. That seven hundred and fifty thousand

192
00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:15,800
Speaker 2: dollars from the Commonwealth.

193
00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,480
Speaker 1: It is good news, Bill. I can hear our rural

194
00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,839
Speaker 1: listeners this morning saying they already knew they were the

195
00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,480
Speaker 1: center of the universe. It's us townies that think we are.

196
00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:25,960
Speaker 1: I know.

197
00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:30,160
Speaker 3: I've got Jared Mayley and Andrew mckayruy remind me on

198
00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,680
Speaker 3: numerous occasions that the rural area is the center of

199
00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:38,520
Speaker 3: the universe, place and it is everything all top end

200
00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:39,720
Speaker 3: and nts.

201
00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,960
Speaker 1: Yeah, young, Before I let you go, an interesting one

202
00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,920
Speaker 1: out of Alice Springs overnight, the Alice Springstown Council obviously

203
00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:53,560
Speaker 1: voting to no longer have a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day.

204
00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:54,400
Speaker 1: What do you make of that?

205
00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:59,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, look, okay, this I'm really disappointed about this because

206
00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:03,599
Speaker 2: I've been to our lot of citizenship seramaders on Australia

207
00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,760
Speaker 2: and to understand what it means for those people who

208
00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,160
Speaker 2: are gaining their citizenship and getting it on Australia Day

209
00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,520
Speaker 2: in all of Springs in Central Australia. A lot of

210
00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,040
Speaker 2: people probably don't understand that. So I think it's a

211
00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,240
Speaker 2: little bit selfish on those members who have supported this,

212
00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,920
Speaker 2: because I think it's all about them, it's not about

213
00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,240
Speaker 2: the community. I don't think they probably took into account

214
00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,319
Speaker 2: what it means to those people who are becoming citizens

215
00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:34,360
Speaker 2: in Central Australia anyway. I'm really really disappointed in that.

216
00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,320
Speaker 2: I feel sorry for all those people, all those residents

217
00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,760
Speaker 2: in our community or getting their citizenship that won't be

218
00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:44,120
Speaker 2: able to do that on Australia Day anymore. It's very

219
00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,000
Speaker 2: very sad for them.

220
00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,640
Speaker 1: Well, Bill Yan, the Northern Territories Treasurer also the Minister

221
00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,160
Speaker 1: for Logistics and Planning, always appreciate your time. Thank you

222
00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:54,640
Speaker 1: very much for having a chat with us.

223
00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,120
Speaker 2: Cheers, K Do you have a great day you too,

224
00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:57,760
Speaker 2: Thank you