1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line is Sarah Cook, the president 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: of the Isolated Children's Parents' Association. 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Sarah. 4 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie. Thanks for having me. 5 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 2: Sarah, thank you so much for your time this morning. 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Are you able to tell us how many territory kids 7 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: are sort of trying to get back into the Northern 8 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: Territory at the moment, now that school's finished, who've been 9 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: at boarding school? 10 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 3: We still have I actually don't know the exact numbers, 11 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 3: but I'm still receiving case studies. So early this morning 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 3: I received a couple of text messages of people saying 13 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 3: the children I've bought their faars forward because and particularly 14 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 3: university students, I've bought their faars forward. We're trying to 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: avoid the twentieth of December. But Katie, if this is 16 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 3: a flow on effect for weeks and weeks, not only 17 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 3: do we have boarding school children who are mostly home 18 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 3: and university students who are still coming home but going 19 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 3: into January, will then have a new problem, and that 20 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 3: is governesses or home tutors coming into the territory, mostly 21 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 3: from interstate because it's very difficult to find these types 22 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 3: of people in the Northern Territory. And who will go 23 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 3: out to remote cattle stations to deliver the education for 24 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 3: primary school students. So yes, we still have boarding students coming. 25 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 3: People are madly scrambling to change whatever plans that they can. 26 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 3: University students that's another level of problems. And then home 27 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 3: tutors coming into the territory in January, and. 28 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 2: It's sort of caught everybody by surprise. Sarah. 29 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: You know, we were all thinking that come December twenty 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: that it was going to become easier. We certainly didn't 31 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: anticipate that it was going to become near impossible for 32 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: those in regional and remote areas. 33 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 3: We are gobsmacked. So on Friday, the Alice Springs School 34 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 3: of the Air students had their presentation day and are 35 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 3: caught up with many families and we're utterly gobsmacked and 36 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 3: we just couldn't find the words to describe it. We're 37 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 3: very much complied our families in the Bush because it's 38 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 3: so important to us that we can have our children 39 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 3: move backwards and forwards safely and freely between school and home. 40 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 3: That's for the boarding school and university students, but for 41 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 3: the School of the Air students, it's so important that 42 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 3: we take care of that the health and safety of 43 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 3: our remote communities, so their compliance is extremely high. And 44 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 3: we also have the ability to isolate on properties and 45 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 3: to be very very choosy about who we see and 46 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 3: where we go when we live remotely. So we're just 47 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: absolutely gobsmacked, Sarah. 48 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: I would imagine that the vaccination rates as well are 49 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: probably quite high. When you talk about some of those 50 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: remote stations and different areas where people are working. 51 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 3: It's very very rare to hear of a family or 52 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 3: an individual who have decided not to take a vaccination, 53 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 3: very rare, indeed, and we've worked very closely with our 54 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 3: remote health communities. Families have come out into their regional 55 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 3: towns to get vaccinations where they've been able to go 56 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 3: to a group where RSDs flying doctors have run clinics 57 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 3: just for our stations, and the vaccination rates are extremely high, 58 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 3: and I would suggest in most cases one hundred percent absolutely, Sarah. 59 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: What is going to happen if there isn't some kind 60 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: of change over the next few days, you know, the 61 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: next week or so when it comes to the announcement 62 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,399 Speaker 1: that the Chief Minister have made last Thursday. 63 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 3: In this space, Katie, I can't wrap my head around it. 64 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 3: I really can't because we have we have complied to 65 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 3: the last letter, and then everybody became a little bit 66 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 3: comfortable and a bit more relaxed, and we started thinking 67 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,119 Speaker 3: about our mental health and also our ability to get 68 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 3: together with our children and perhaps you know, I have family. 69 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 3: I spoke fifteen minutes ago to a family who are 70 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 3: preparing for a reunion. They had three sisters or older 71 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 3: family members bringing their children and their husbands from interstate 72 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 3: and they're all going to get together. I spoke yesterday 73 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 3: to a family who had organized for grandparents to come 74 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: up for the first time in two years to visit 75 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: the little baby and toddler. So, look, I can't wrap 76 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 3: my head around it. We've got to make some forward 77 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 3: plans about our home tutors. We've also got to make 78 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 3: forward plans about children who are attending boarding school for 79 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 3: the very first time, and middle of January next year, 80 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 3: we just really appeal to the territory government to recognize 81 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: that our compliance has been to the letter, and we 82 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 3: really just can't think beyond this decision being overturned. 83 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 2: Sarah, is there any like, is there any worry here 84 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 2: as well? Because I know for some kids. 85 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: They don't actually finish school until later this week. 86 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 2: Is there any. 87 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: Concern that we're going to have a situation where some 88 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: kids aren't actually getting to spend Christmas with their family. 89 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 3: Please, Oh, one hundred percent. This is a race against 90 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 3: time and not forgetting. You know, school might finish at 91 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 3: the end of the week, but children also have other commitments. 92 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: You know, there's been musicals and plays and recitals and 93 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,239 Speaker 3: sports events and etc. So some of these boarding school 94 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 3: children stay on for another week or two once school 95 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 3: has finished, and just to wind up the year. So 96 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 3: one hundred percent. There is going to be somebody, and 97 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 3: there always is court in this debacle. But I think 98 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,239 Speaker 3: and the time frames are so tight at the moment, 99 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 3: I think that everybody's doing their utmost to try to 100 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 3: get to get through it. But there will be inevitably 101 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 3: somebody always is. 102 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 2: Oh, Sarah, I really feel for you guys. 103 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: Thank you so very much for having a chat with 104 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: us this morning and really giving everybody who listens to 105 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: the show a bit of perspective as well. 106 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: We'll keep you up to date. 107 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: Please keep us up to date as well if you 108 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: do hear of any change from the government. I hope 109 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: that some common sense prevails here. 110 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 3: Thank you, Katie. I just wanted to reiterate we're not 111 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 3: asking for the health and safety and welfare of our 112 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 3: remote communities who are vulnerable to be compromised. We are 113 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 3: absolutely not asking that we want to follow the letter 114 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 3: write down to making sure everybody's got what they need 115 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 3: out of the arrangements around COVID. But we're asking the 116 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 3: territory government to reciprocate the respect that we have shown 117 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 3: to the requirements around COVID and that they'll recognize our 118 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 3: commitment to adhering to home quarantine. Love your work, Thanks 119 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 3: y 120 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 2: Thank you, thanks, thanks so much for your time.