1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,279 Speaker 1: Very good morning to you all. It's Thursday, the twentieth 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: of jan We are creeping slowly to that Friday. It's 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: going slowly, but we're nearly there. Today we're talking you 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: through what has happened in Tongue up, but before that, 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: running you through the day's headlines. Sam, what's making news today? 6 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: The new South Wales, South Australian Act and Victorian governments 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 2: have all announced they will allow people to receive a 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 2: COVID booster shot at state run vaccine clinics three months 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 2: after their second dose instead of four months. About five 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 2: point three million Australians have already received a booster. 11 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: Are you one of them? 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 2: I am one of them, which represents about half of 13 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: those who are eligible. 14 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: The federal government announced yesterday that it'll rebate visa application 15 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: fees for international students and backpackers. The PM got up 16 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: yesterday and announced that the rebate will apply to students 17 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: who arrive in the next eight weeks and backpackers who 18 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: arrive in the next twelve weeks, meaning that the cost 19 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: of applying for the visa will be picked up by 20 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: the government. And it's around that six hundred, six hundred 21 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: and fifty dollar mark. The government says the policy will 22 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: help fill critical work shortages, including in healthcare, aged care, 23 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: agriculture and hospitality industries. 24 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 2: A man has been charged with the murder of a 25 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: nine year old girl who had been missing for a 26 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 2: number of days in the Blue Mountains. Police say they 27 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: found the body of the child in a barrel in 28 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: the Colo River area near the Blue Mountains. 29 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: The good news is that the US government has finally 30 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: launched a website for citizens to order free COVID nineteen 31 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: rapid tests from The website became the most popular government 32 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: site within hours of its launch, and now each household 33 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: can order up to four tests. The government does plan 34 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: on distributing one billion free rapid tests. 35 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: If you looked out at Sydney Harbor yesterday, you would 36 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: have seen the HMAS Adelaide departing Garden Island in Sydney 37 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 2: bound for Tonga. They're going past Brisbane where they'll pick 38 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: up more supplies and they're headed to provide disaster relief 39 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: and assistance to the tiny Pacific nation following a massive 40 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 2: volcanic eruption over the weekend. We're going to quickly take 41 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: you through what exactly happened over the weekend in Tonga, 42 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: but I really want to focus in on the aid 43 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 2: effort because it has some really unique qualities that are 44 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 2: worth discussing. Briefly. 45 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: What happened is that over the weekend an underwater volcano 46 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: eruption occurred in Tonga. As a result, there was a 47 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: tsunami that followed this eruption and most communication was cut 48 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: off in the nation. It's expected that the communication will 49 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: be unavailable for weeks after the eruption damaged an under 50 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: sea cable that supplies the nation with internet, and that 51 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: is via Fiji. As the days have gone on, we've 52 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: started to get more of a picture as to what 53 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: happened over the weekend, and witnesses in Tonga claimed that 54 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 1: the eruption shook the earth for multiple minutes and sounded 55 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: like thunder. We've seen photos of ash falling from the 56 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: sky and from an aerial view, it's basically just gray 57 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: and brown all across the nation. 58 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: Yesterday, the Tonguan government released its first official statement since 59 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: the incident. The statement clarified that there were three fatalities 60 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 2: recorded and a number of injuries, but it's expected that 61 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: we'll know more about the impact on some of the 62 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: really small communities on the periphery islands in the coming 63 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 2: days and weeks. The discussion now is about aid and 64 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: as I said to you at the beginning of the pod, 65 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: you know, we've got a number of ships coming from 66 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 2: Australia and New Zealand. But there are a number of 67 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 2: complex factors that are going to impact the aid effort. 68 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: The key one to think about is COVID nineteen. Tonga 69 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 2: has largely steered clear of the pandemic and there are 70 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: some concerns that the influx of foreign aid workers and 71 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 2: supplies could actually cause more problems than they are trying 72 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: to solve. This was the sentiment from Sophie Ford from 73 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 2: the Australian Red Cross, who said to that effect, we're 74 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: really mindful that our responses doesn't bring any more problems. 75 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 2: The Australian Red Cross said they were aware of the 76 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 2: isolation measures in the country that indicates that if you 77 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 2: arrive in Tonga you have to isolate for up to 78 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: three weeks and goods need to be quarantined for days. 79 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: But there are some really pressing issues in the country, 80 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: namely the provision of clean drinking water, which may have 81 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: been contaminated by the ash cloud resulting from the volcano. 82 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: The materials will also include temporary shelter and some really 83 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 2: important tools that should re establish the communications network that 84 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 2: as of now is down across the nation. So to 85 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 2: focus in on that COVID nineteen aspects, Tonga only recorded 86 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 2: their first case of COVID in October twenty twenty one 87 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 2: and they're one of the last nations on the planet 88 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 2: to be COVID free. Right now, there is no omicron 89 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 2: in the country. The position taken by the Australian Red 90 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 2: Cross is backed up by the United Nations, who said 91 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: that as they begin to send aid, a lot of 92 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: that aid will be conducted via remote operation and it 93 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: might not be able to send personnel to the island. 94 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 2: A representative of the United Nations based in the Pacific 95 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 2: said that Tongue has been very cautious about opening their borders, 96 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,239 Speaker 2: like many Pacific islands, and that's because of the history 97 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: of disease outbreaks in the Pacific which has wiped out societies. 98 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: Australia's Foreign Minister Maurice Paine spoke about the provision of 99 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: aid from Australia to Tonguy yesterday. 100 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: Have A listened to ensure that we are providing all 101 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: the support. 102 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 2: That Australia possibly can, working closely without Pacific partners to 103 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 2: ensure that we support the people of Tonga. So here's 104 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 2: where we're at. The naval ships that have left Sydney 105 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 2: will take five days to travel from Australia to Tonga, 106 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: and an international mobile phone network provider has set up 107 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 2: a temporary system on Tonga's main island using technology from 108 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 2: the University of South Pacific's satellite dish to establish a 109 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 2: temporary solution until the underwater cables, which are going to 110 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 2: take four weeks to be repaired, are fixed. This means 111 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: the telecommunications systems operating in the country is going to 112 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 2: be a ten percent of its usual capacity. The other 113 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: key factor for aid workers and locals is that there 114 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: are fears of more eruptions from the volcano, so everyone's 115 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 2: keeping a close eye on the activity under the water. There. 116 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 2: SBS Australia actually put together a really good guide of 117 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: how we can help here in Australia and the organizations 118 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 2: they highlighted were the Red Cross, Care, Save the Children 119 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: and UNISEF. Will put those links in the show notes 120 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 2: of this podcast. 121 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: That wraps up our Thursday pod of the daly Ods. 122 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: Thanks as ever for joining us. If you are interested 123 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: in any developments throughout the day, head over to our 124 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: Instagram at the dally Os. It's where over three hundred 125 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: and ten thousand Aussies get their news every day, and 126 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: we'd love to have you over there. Happy Thursday.