1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Now, as you've heard throughout this morning, there are some 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: really well atrocious claims which are being made on social 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: media about people being held down and vaccinated against their 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: will and children being taken away from their parents by 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: members of the ADF, claims which have been entirely hosed 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: down by both the Jarwin Association this morning on the 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 1: show and of course Whirly Whirly, who have taken to 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: social media to say that traditional owners of Binjari and 9 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,480 Speaker 1: Rock Hole are very hurt by the untrue comments being 10 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: made in the media and on social media about their situation. 11 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: But joining me on the line right now is Colonel 12 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: Tim Rutherford, the commander of Operation COVID Assist here in 13 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory. Good morning to you, Tim. 14 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: Hey, good morning Katie. 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning. Tim. There 16 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: are some pretty outrageous accusations being made on social media 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: that people in Rock Hole and also been Jari being 18 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: forcibly vaccinated, had also taken against their will to Howard 19 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: Springs quarantine. Firstly, Tim, are people being forcibly removed from 20 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: the community? 21 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 2: No? 22 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: Now, then, who is being taken to Howard Springs at 23 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: the moment. 24 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, So Katie, what the ADS role inside of Binjari, 25 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 2: Rock Hole and the Catherine region of the moment is 26 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: to help the residents to get to the testing facilities, 27 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: to help the local services with the delivery of food 28 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 2: and some of the essential items because they can't leave 29 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 2: their home, and to support the empty police with some 30 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 2: of the checkpoints that they've got around. Again, it's all 31 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: intended to keep the community of Binjari and Rock Hole safe. 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: So we're not transporting anybody up to how it springs. 33 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: That's on the other services. We're just moving people to 34 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,279 Speaker 2: the testing facility and. 35 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: So taking them to the testing facilities, are people being 36 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: held down and forced to have a vaccine? 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: No, not at all. That's not something that the ADF 38 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: for or the government whatever do And I think those 39 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: sorts of lies and misinformation that's circulating are coming from 40 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: no doubt issue motivated people, but they're not representing the 41 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 2: community or the region at all. Well, so I think 42 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: we should see it for what it is. 43 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: And Tim, look, I almost feel a bit silly asking 44 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: because we've obviously had really seen their statement from traditional 45 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: owners also spoken to Jarwin who have said that this 46 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: is totally untrue, but I'll ask the questions because I 47 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: know that people want the masked. Are any children being 48 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: taken away from their parents? 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: No? No, that's silly too. I who appreciate you've got 50 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 2: to ask the hard questions and that we can put 51 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: that one to bit tim. 52 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: Are you guys are the hard working idea of personnel 53 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: that are there making sure that people are being are 54 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: given food, making sure that they're able to get to 55 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: those testing facilities. Are you frustrated by some of these 56 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: mistruths that are being peddled online? 57 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, look I am. I'm personally disappointed because the people 58 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: who are sort of spreading these lives and the misinformation 59 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: out there, they're not from the area, and they're not 60 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: not representing the views of the community or the olders 61 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: in their community. And you know, they folk. No one 62 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: likes to hear lies told about them, but they've left 63 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 2: their homes their families to go and help out the 64 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 2: community and need. So it's always disappointing to hear people 65 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: come under attacked by people who aren't there and accusing 66 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 2: them the things that they aren't doing. The Air Force 67 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 2: base at Tendaal and our aviators, they've been about eighty 68 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 2: years that's got good and deep connections. We've Binjari in 69 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 2: rock Hol, our team from Norfes who've got a base 70 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,839 Speaker 2: in Casher and they've been there for about eighty years 71 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 2: as well, again deeply connected to the community and atmospherics there, 72 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 2: so everything they'd do is in concert with the elders 73 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: and the community leaders' expectations. And when we've heard from 74 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: those elders and community leaders like we had in the 75 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 2: last twenty four hours, we've hosed down all of these 76 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: mistruths that are starting to circulate social media. So I 77 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 2: really appreciate that people are coming to our defense because 78 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: our role there is to support the services to help 79 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 2: the community meet. Because we're about protecting country, We're about 80 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: protecting communities across Australia. It's what we do. 81 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: Tim tell us how many personnel have you got out 82 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: on the ground in the likes of Catherine and indeed 83 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: Binjari and rock Hole at the moment, and talk us 84 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: through a bit more of what they are doing. 85 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 2: So we've got about sixty five people there. It's a 86 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: round number because we're putting a few more down there 87 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 2: today just to help the police with some of their 88 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 2: checkpoint efforts, but there are three tasks that the police 89 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: have asked that to help out with. We're helping get 90 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: the residents from the communities back into Catherine so they 91 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 2: can be tested. We can just understand you know, how 92 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 2: widespread and the COVID, the ears, and when it's safe 93 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 2: to lift Catherine out of lockdown. Obviously, with the people 94 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: who are in lockdown, they can't access the food that 95 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 2: they need and some of those essential items to survive. 96 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: So we said absolutely, we're a big military, We've got trucks, 97 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: we've got people, we can help with that, and we are. 98 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: So we've got another team down there who are just 99 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 2: doing delivery services of food and the essential items. And 100 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: then that final piece I mentioned, which is just supporting 101 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: the police on the checkpoints. Everything we do, it's the 102 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 2: police's lead and we're just there to back them up 103 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: with a few extra people because they've been stretched in. 104 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 2: The Antipolice have been doing a fantastic job up in 105 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 2: the territory keeping us safe throughout this whole pandemic, and 106 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: you know they're stretched in. We appreciate that and if 107 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: we can help, you know, we'd really like to. 108 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: And Tim with the ADF personnel that are on the 109 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: ground at the moment. Are they people that are usually 110 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: based here in the territory or have some of them 111 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: had to come from other parts of Australia. 112 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 2: No, they're all Territorians. In fact, we try to use 113 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: the local teams wherever we can, so the bulk of 114 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 2: the team that is supporting this tasket at the moment 115 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: have come from Kyindall with our aviators there and some 116 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 2: of the North Force folk from Catherine. We've had to 117 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: bring a few more down from Darwin and Robertson Barracks 118 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,359 Speaker 2: just to serge numbers, and we've got a few extra 119 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 2: trucks and things up here which needs to serve some 120 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 2: of that support. But all Territorians well. 121 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 1: Tim Rutherford, the Colonel and the commander in charge of 122 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: Operation COVID assist here in the Northern Territory, I really 123 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: appreciate your time and I think that you know, the 124 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 1: large majority of Territorians also appreciate the work that the 125 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,679 Speaker 1: IDEA is doing at the moment to try and support 126 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: the community, as you've seen, making sure that people have food, 127 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: making sure that they're able to get to those testing 128 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: facilities and do what they need to do. And like 129 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: I said, I think the large, large majority of the 130 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: community are grateful for that assistance. 131 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie. I really appreciate your support and the support 132 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 2: of your listeners as well. You know, everyone wants to 133 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: see the lockdown end so they can get back to 134 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: our lives, and so you know, the teams out there 135 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 2: that are helping us along the way, I really appreciate it, 136 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 2: so from me, thanks very much.