1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,560 Speaker 1: Now now on Sunday, we know that that emergency was declared 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: for parts of the Barklay and Central Australia due to 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: the impacts of a tropical low, with severe weather conditions 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: expected to pose risks to communities and infrastructure. Now, at 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: the time, the Chief Minister had said the declaration would 6 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: ensure that all necessary resources could be mobilized quickly to 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: support affected communities. Now joining us on the line is 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: the Mayor of the Barkley Regional Council, Sid Vashis. Good 9 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: morning to you, Sid. 10 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, Good morning to the listeners. 11 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: Great to have you on the show. Now, Sid, how 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: have things been around the Tenant Creek in the broader 13 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: Barkley area with this tropical low and with all this 14 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: wet weather. 15 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: About Katie, The tropical law has shifted a bit further 16 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: down south. We've had some old showers in the last 17 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 2: couple of days, but now the four because I shifted 18 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 2: to recovery efforts. It was a welcoming announcement by Leofanocciato 19 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: and the federal government, which is something that the Council 20 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: had been lobbing for. We were calling it an event. 21 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 2: I said this to the natural disaster and the council 22 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: to enable us to actually get the disaster recovery funds 23 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: or the community the pastor lists of the individuals who 24 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: had been impacted by this event. So that was a 25 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,839 Speaker 2: welcoming announcement. So now the focus has shifted to assessing 26 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 2: the requirements of emergency funding to help maximize the recovery 27 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 2: of our communities, you know, and our focus mainly at 28 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: the moment is on a critical public infrastructure, that being 29 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: the roads and the cost of reinstatement and repairs and 30 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: sold at the moment. 31 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: Like, yeah, how's all that going in terms of the 32 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: isolation and the damage to the roads. 33 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: The challenge is that we cannot access our communities at 34 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 2: this stage. There's still water on the road and it 35 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: is not recommended. In some of these communities that you travel. 36 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: There was water pooling on like for instance, in Alperol 37 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 2: and the eastern most community, you know, there was reports 38 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 2: of up to six hundred millimeters of rain, you know, 39 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: and the the community got flooded in the Georgina River 40 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: came up and there's been water sitting on the road 41 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 2: for more than four days and obviously got to the 42 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: road base and it's destroyed our roads. Sadly, I've been 43 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: on the media recently where I've actually said eighty five 44 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: percent of our roads have been impacted by this event. 45 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: And it's a very costly exercise for a council out 46 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: size which is huge by a land side, but financially 47 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: we're very poor and we need that support, financial support 48 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 2: from government. 49 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: So see, what exactly do you guys need. What does 50 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: the Berkeley Regional Council need at this point in time? 51 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: And the people of the. 52 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 2: Barclay absolutely I had a very emotional couple in here 53 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: visiting and just northwest of Tenant Creek there's a station 54 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: called Blue Bush Station which has been completely inundated with 55 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: rain of up to two hundred millimeters. The community that 56 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: outstation is now flooded. The family cannot go and live 57 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: or access the community. There's been damaged. They're worried about 58 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: the stock. Similar to that, there's past lists all around 59 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 2: the Barclay. You're working through the damage and what actually 60 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: will cost. It's going to be very costly exercise to 61 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: all parties involved. There's some support from the Government's financial 62 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 2: support is what the council needs right now, and this 63 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: is what we're working through at this stage, Kerry and 64 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 2: will continue to work with both governments. It's a and 65 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: both governments have been really good in the efforts. The 66 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 2: Emergency Operations Center has been terrific. We have confidence in 67 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 2: the emergency Committee and the recovery teams have been in 68 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 2: contact with most residents, you know, and that's been really 69 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: when you live out remote, enabling contact with all members 70 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 2: our residents can be incredibly hard work and I commend 71 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 2: our emergency controllers for doing so and making sure that 72 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 2: that there's no life lost. That's the first most important thing. 73 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: And now that then comes the food supply, the road 74 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: closures and ensuring that the food security is not an issue. 75 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: And look that there's been good efforts made. There's some 76 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: learnings on this event as well, and we'll continue to 77 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 2: work with the government on this. 78 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: And so at this point in time, you know, does 79 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: everybody have food? Does everybody have what they need? 80 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: There's confidence from the advice that we've got. Yes, there's 81 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 2: companies who have been ensuring that there's actually our food 82 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 2: security unit who's actually responsible, who's in regular contact with 83 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 2: all our communities and outstation ensuring that there's plenty of food. 84 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 2: So usually you operate on a six week to eight 85 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: week stock level and that stock level hasn't perished in 86 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 2: a way. So and there's shoppers ready to fly in 87 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 2: the fresh food and milk and dairy products and they 88 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 2: have done that in some of our communities. 89 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: So see what's next, Like, what are the next steps 90 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: from your perspective at this point in time, you know, 91 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: from what you're saying, most are okay, but what are 92 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: the next steps from your perspective? 93 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 2: Uh, there is a collective effort in doing the assessments. 94 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: And now in the recovery stage, we need to work 95 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 2: out the damage and get right to the governments of 96 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 2: for our supply for the disaster recovery funds, and we 97 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 2: already have challenges in getting contractors on the ground. Now 98 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: we will need a collective effort to ensure that there's 99 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 2: people on the ground who are actually repairing our roads 100 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 2: providing the access to our communities. Otherwise what could happen 101 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 2: is we can we can potentially have three months or 102 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 2: six months these communities not have access to bigger townships 103 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: or getting in and out of the community is the 104 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 2: mobility is critical peace in this and getting the freight 105 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 2: trucks in and out of the communities. So that's that's 106 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: our focus right now, Keady, And this is something that 107 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 2: we'll continue to do. 108 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: So well, look, we'll continue to talk about it. I 109 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: know that on the week that was on Friday, you 110 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: have indeed got Steve Edgington on the show. So we'll 111 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: talk a little bit more about it, Sid before I 112 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: let you go a couple of quick ones in terms 113 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: of the rain radars. I mean, that's something we've been 114 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: talking about a bit over the last couple of weeks 115 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: in some areas, you know, not actually having you know, 116 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: a radar, in others not working correctly. How is it 117 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: in your region and are there any particular areas of concern? 118 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Katie, you know you might be on top of this, 119 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 2: but we don't have a weather radar. So when this 120 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,679 Speaker 2: critical rain event was occurring, you've gone the public access 121 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: on the bomb webside of you're of meteorology, and you 122 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: see this clear sky intent a clique you know, real 123 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 2: time event data sets that is. 124 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: Wild said, you know, like it blows my mind that 125 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 1: for a whole town, that's what you're seeing on the 126 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: rain radar while it's absolutely belting down. 127 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: It is a critical community safety infrastructure, which was promised 128 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 2: almost eight years ago. It's something that needs to happen. 129 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: I've been working very closely with Marrying scrim John MALLENDERI 130 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 2: and we've got some positive announcements in the making here 131 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 2: at the MOLD, which is good news. And until there's 132 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: shovel on the ground and this radar's going up, I'm 133 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: very skeptical of just making such declarations just yet, but 134 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 2: there's some hope. I remain hopeful, and I believe the 135 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 2: update from the Bureau has been with the side agreements 136 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: in place and the installation of the radar and the 137 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: we're looking still twelve to eighteen months till the radar 138 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: is up in Live. 139 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, well look, we'll continue to have discussions about that too. Now, Mayor, 140 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: before I let you go, a terrible situation that we 141 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: spoke about yesterday on the show, the assault of a 142 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: female member of staff is one of the schools by 143 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: a fifteen year old boy. What was your reaction when 144 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: you heard about this? 145 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 2: It is not okay, It is not okay to turn 146 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: up to work. We're you're actually supporting education, providing support 147 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 2: to these young kids for them to have a better 148 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 2: life ahead of them. You know, it is not okay 149 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 2: to get assaulted at work. I met with the leadership 150 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 2: of that particular school yesterday and sadly they did have 151 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 2: another event yesterday which has raised some flags and the 152 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: Critical Incident Team from Education Department is providing some good 153 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 2: support to the school and our teachers. And we really 154 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: need to start focusing on trauma informed education and even 155 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 2: ensuring that there's supports provided to the school when there's 156 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 2: issues like behavioral management. Our teachers are not turning up 157 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: to school to be behavior managers, you know, this is 158 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 2: where you need to have support and resources that provide 159 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 2: such behavior management experts assisting the schools and the teachers 160 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 2: need to edge and teach our kids rather than just 161 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: get distracted and just focus on other things. 162 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: Sid We're about to catch up with the Executive Director 163 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: of Schools and Regions with the Department of Education and Training. 164 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: I mean, is there anything that you would like to 165 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: see specific happening in the Barclay region at this point 166 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: in time, Katie. 167 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: The Historically there was something called Cargaru School which was 168 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: opened up to support kids who are of high needs 169 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,359 Speaker 2: and kids that actually need some more focus and resources 170 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:39,199 Speaker 2: and time and where is it, what happened to it? 171 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 2: Why aren't we looking at behavioral key underlining issues for 172 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 2: our youth who need that support. What has happened to that? 173 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 2: What are you doing with it? And what are the 174 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 2: future plans? How are we going to support our primary 175 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: school and high school students? 176 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: See before I let you go, how are things going 177 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: around some of the issues that you've been dealing with 178 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 1: as well in recent weeks and months. With crime, it. 179 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: Was we had sadly a huge sparking crime late last 180 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: year and it was welcoming intervention from the Chief Minister 181 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 2: and the support provided and operational Ludlow which provided these 182 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 2: extra resources on the ground. And when there's visibility of police, 183 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 2: that just goes to show that there's a direct correlation. 184 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 2: In the report is crime statistics in December twenty twenty 185 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 2: five KT you know which which shows the crime has 186 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 2: dropped and everything, whether it's yoursaults or but you still 187 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 2: cannot there's still concerns from the residents. The crime remains 188 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 2: an issue. Our council God has been a vandalized subject 189 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 2: to antisocial behavior the council offices and we once again 190 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 2: early this year we're a victim of crime, you know, 191 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 2: and issues like councils are not eligible for be secure. 192 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 2: So we want to build these fences, we want to 193 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 2: have this proactive approach and have cameras, but we don't 194 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 2: have those access to those grants. And these are critical 195 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 2: community safety infrastructure that the council needs as well. So 196 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 2: if there's a conversation that can be held where councils 197 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: can become eligible for bit secure, yeah, that'll be a 198 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 2: huge one for us. 199 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I reckon, that's ayah, A fair discussion to have SID. 200 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: We'll have to leave it there. Really great to catch 201 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: up with you this morning. I appreciate your time. Thank you, 202 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: Katie go well, thank you, thanks so much for your time.