1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Yesterday on the show. Authorities had warned that residents in 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Tenant Creek well that a major bushfire could spread to 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: the town amid extreme fire conditions. Firefighters from the Northern Territory, 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: along with volunteers, we're working together to tackle that blaze, 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: and additional resources were expected to arrive yesterday to help 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 1: to prevent the fire reaching town. Now joining me on 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: the line is the member for Barkley, Steve Edgington. Good 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: morning to you, Steve. 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: Good morning, Cody, Good morning to all the listeners. 10 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: Now, Steve, how are things going this morning? Are you 11 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 1: in Tenant or are you out in one of the communities. 12 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 2: No, I'm in Tennant Creek this morning. I did cancel 13 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: my plans to come to Darwin on Monday for a 14 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 2: mining conference on remaining in Tennant Creek and monitoring closely 15 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 2: what's going on here. The current fire is roughly about 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: sixty kilometers to the east of Tenant Creek, and depending 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: on the wind over the next couple of days, if 18 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: it changes from a south eastily to an easterly, that 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: wind could push the fire directly towards Tenant Creek. 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: Steve, what's the feeling amongst locals? Is I'm assuming that 21 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: it's quite an anxious time at this point. 22 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 2: Well, it certainly is. And on Sunday there was a 23 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: fire very close to town, in fact, resulted in the 24 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: evacuation of one of the town camps called Krgaroo Camp, 25 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 2: which is just on the well it's Intennant Creek itself. 26 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 2: So there was a fire in scrubland there on Sunday afternoon, 27 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 2: and luckily we've got three water bombers based here in 28 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 2: Tennant Creek at the moment, they were able to quickly 29 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 2: extinguish that fire. But that caused a lot of anxiety 30 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: I think amongst residents that perhaps this fire is closer 31 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: and more dangerous in what it's looking at the moment. 32 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: So there was that period of time on Sunday, but 33 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: the authority's got on top of that very quickly. So 34 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: at the moment, what we're trying to do is reassure 35 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: tenants here in Tenant Creek that the fire is at 36 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: sixty kilometers away and we've got t's a hell of 37 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: a lot of people on the ground, and this morning 38 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: the defense force are here ready to get out there 39 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: and start working on the ground to put in additional 40 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: fire breaks around the town as we speak. 41 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: Steve, talk us through who is in town at the 42 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: moment when it comes to fighting that fire. I know 43 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: that you just said you're expecting the Defense Force to arrive. 44 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: Talk us through what's going on. 45 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, So at the moment, the Emergency Management Committee has 46 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,679 Speaker 2: stood up here in Tenant Creek, so that consists of 47 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 2: the police, Colleen Bremna, the head of Bushfires NT, she's 48 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: in town here at the moment. We've got all of 49 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 2: the government agencies working very closely together. There's a number 50 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: of Bushfires NT volunteers, Fire and Rescue Service. We've got 51 00:02:54,880 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 2: three aerial bomber water bombing aircraft here in Tenet Creek 52 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: at the moment. There's also two helicopters based here that 53 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: are doing some surveillance work right around Tenant Creek as 54 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 2: we speak. But the number of volunteers out and about 55 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 2: is just enormous at the moment. But we're going to 56 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: remember outside of Tenant Creek, Oatie, there's a number of 57 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: fires going on. It was really around over a week ago. 58 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 2: These fires started down near Epinara, which is southeast of 59 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: Tenant Creek, and that fire has now spread over ten 60 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: thousand square kilometers and it's moved in a northwesterly direction 61 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 2: from Epinara. It came up behind the Berkley Homestead on 62 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 2: the Barkley Highway. The Barkley Highway was closed on and 63 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: off for about three days. But the fire is now 64 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: north east of Tenant Creek on the brun Chili Station. 65 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: So at the moment, that fire has got a massive 66 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 2: front and having all of these people on the ground 67 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 2: working together is atastic. So I did do a quick 68 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: drive around this morning. The Defense Force have arrived. They've 69 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 2: got what I could see was two or three dozers 70 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: and a very large grater there, so they'll be out 71 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,479 Speaker 2: and about supporting all of the volunteers in Tenant Creek today. 72 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: Steve, you've been in Tenant for a long time, you've 73 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: lived there for a long time. Have you ever experienced 74 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: conditions like this before. 75 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: Look, we've had various conditions over the years, but I 76 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 2: haven't seen a fire in the Barkley this size before. 77 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 2: You know, as I said, ten thousand square kilometers. People 78 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 2: are telling me that that's roughly about three times of 79 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 2: the Australian Capital Territory. So we're talking about a massive 80 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 2: fire at the moment. And the impact they're going through 81 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 2: pastoral properties is just huge. So what I'm hearing at 82 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 2: the moment is that there hasn't been any loss of cattle, 83 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 2: but you know when a firelight that goes through a 84 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: cattle station, there's fencing yards, I've got no doubt that 85 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 2: there's been damage to property in those yards and you know, 86 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 2: touch wood. There's been no injuries that I'm aware of. 87 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: People are safe, but the commitment by people out on 88 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 2: the ground is just just amazing that. You know, I 89 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 2: came through Epinar and Kurundi on Sunday. There's also a 90 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 2: massive fire still down in the Canteen Creek Epinar area 91 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 2: and talking to Rebecca Saint at the Kurundi station, you know, 92 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: her husband has been out excuse me about out and 93 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 2: about for about five, five or six days, So it's 94 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 2: incredible the amount of work going on. You know, Ben 95 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: Satan and his team have been out there, you know, 96 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 2: for six or seven days fighting fires around that Canton 97 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 2: Creek area, putting in fire breaks. So it's not just 98 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 2: here in Tenant Creek, it's right around the Barkley. At 99 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 2: the moment, there's a fire up at Banker Banker, a 100 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 2: fire further west at Warrego, and I'm hearing that there's 101 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 2: further fires down near Barrow Creek and also southwest of 102 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: here at Willara, which is down towards the Tea Tree area. 103 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: So the amount of fires going on is enormous. 104 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. Look, we are going to catch up with bushfires 105 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: into as well just after ten o'clock this morning to 106 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: get a better understanding of how they are managing those 107 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: various fires that are burning at this point. Steve in 108 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: the township of Tenant Creek. Right now, I mean a 109 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 1: business is staying open. What's you know, what's kind of 110 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: going on around town. 111 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, look at the moment, businesses are open over the week, 112 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,119 Speaker 2: and there was a lot of smoke drifting through town 113 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: in the evening. You could see the smoke hays right 114 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 2: around Tenant Creek. This morning, the sky is clear. People 115 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 2: are out and about going about their daily business. But 116 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 2: a lot of the volunteers and business people have come 117 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: from local businesses here, So people on the ground are 118 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 2: actually volunteering their time. They're stepping away from their normal 119 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 2: day to day work to get out on the ground 120 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 2: and help them so that work. It's amazing what's going 121 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 2: on the commitment by these people at the moment. But 122 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 2: at the moment look at his business as usual. But 123 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: people are very mindful of where this fire is. And 124 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: as I said before, if the wind was to significantly change, 125 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: that fire would track towards Tenant Creek. So at the 126 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 2: moment fire mitigation, there's backburning going on. There's further firebreaks 127 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 2: putting in being put in as we speak, right around 128 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 2: the town. So the touch wood, we think that that 129 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 2: fire at the moment, it's on the other side of 130 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 2: what's called the Goss River YEP, fifty to sixty kilometers 131 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 2: east of Tenant Creek. So should that fire jump that 132 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 2: it could potentially cross some of those lines at the moment. 133 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: But well, tip it doesn't no more. 134 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, know more about the weather this afternoon. 135 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll certainly keep people up to date. Can I 136 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: just ask as well, Steve, I know what you've said 137 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: there is it is a bit of a watch and 138 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: weight scenario, and we'll have a better idea this afternoon. 139 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: But I know that there are people that sleep rough 140 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: as well in Tenant. Is there work sort of underway 141 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: to make sure that they've got somewhere safe to go 142 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: should things get a little, you know, get a bit 143 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: more dangerous. 144 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, there is work going on. The Emergency Management Committee 145 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 2: has been meeting regularly so at the moment, you know, 146 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,959 Speaker 2: there was an evacuation Sunday afternoon and the high school 147 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 2: has a very large hall, so we have evacuation centers 148 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 2: in Tenant Creek. Whilst it's a watch and weight at 149 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 2: the moment, certainly those agencies are prepared should there need 150 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 2: to be any evacuations or finding places of safety for 151 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 2: homeless people. So that works going on in the background, 152 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 2: people out in the field, but there's also people behind 153 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 2: the scenes doing that important work at the moment, so 154 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 2: through government and non government agencies all working together at 155 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:13,839 Speaker 2: the moment. 156 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 1: Well, Steve Edgington, I know that as the colp's member 157 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: for Barkley, your focus has well and truly been on 158 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: what is going on in the Berkley region at the moment. 159 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: But I just want to ask you very briefly about 160 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: something that we'd uncovered yesterday on the show. We were 161 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: joined on the show by the Deputy Chief Minister, Nicole Madison. 162 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: Now we know that the Chief Minister has indeed been 163 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: over in the US on a trip well, meeting a 164 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: various different defense officials on a trip which has cost 165 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: ninety two thousand dollars for herself and a staff member. 166 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: We uncovered on the show yesterday though through some questions 167 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: to the Deputy Chief Minister, that other public servants also 168 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: went on that trip. It has now been detailed that 169 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: it was two additional public servants. I don't know to 170 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 1: what cost at this point, but what's your reaction to 171 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: learning that? 172 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: Well? Look, look, I'm shocked, and I'm sure territorians are 173 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: thinking today. You know, whatever happened to these promises made 174 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 2: by the Labor Party to be open, accountable and transparent. 175 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 2: You know, there was a number of promises made back 176 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 2: in what twenty sixteen that all of these travel costs 177 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 2: would be reported upfront before the travel even goes ahead. 178 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 2: But you know, during the week we've heard of the 179 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: Chief Minister and I think one other staff member at 180 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 2: a cost of over ninety thousand dollars going overseas. But 181 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 2: now what we found is that the government hasn't actually 182 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 2: released all of the information that they've had their drip 183 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 2: feeding information, just like they normally do. And it's just 184 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 2: not good enough for Territorians expect an honest open and 185 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 2: accountable government and this is far from what people expect 186 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 2: it the moment, it's just not good enough. 187 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: Well Steve Edgington, the colp's member for Barkley, we really 188 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: appreciate your time this morning. All the very best. Please 189 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: keep us up to date with what is going on 190 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: in Tenant and we are thinking of everybody in the 191 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: Barkley region right now. I know it's incredibly difficult conditions. 192 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 2: Good on you, Katie, and hopefully we'll have more information 193 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 2: this afternoon and happy to speak more as the information 194 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 2: comes to hand. 195 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: Thanks Steve, we appreciate your time this morning.