1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,159 Speaker 1: He's the sea of hospitality here in the Northern Territory. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: Alex Pruce, Good morning, Alex. Let's try that again. I 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: think we've got him on this line. Good morning, Alex, Katie. 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Sorry mate, having a technical issue there and running a 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: little bit late because we're speaking to the federal Health Minister. 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: But Alex, some good news over the weekend in the 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: sense that it does seem as though the Northern Territory 8 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: is going to be opening up sooner than we thought 9 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: as of today. Of course, some of these changes coming 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: into play for anyone traveling to the territory, they must 11 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 1: be fully vaccinated, but regardless of that's regardless of where 12 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: they're traveling from. But it does mean that if you 13 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: are vaccinated, you're now able to travel into the territory 14 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: and some of those rules have indeed changed. What was 15 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: the reaction from you and from the hospitality industry. 16 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, some really good news from the government on Saturday, 17 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 2: led with the mask off moment that we were all 18 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: waiting for. So that was very good, immediate relief in 19 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 2: our hot, steamy weather. But then to follow it up 20 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 2: an important step today down to the seven days of 21 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 2: home quarantining. But for our industry, particularly chasing those tourists. 22 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: Moving the date from the eighteenth of January through to 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: the twentieth of December for quarantine free travel for COVID 24 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: negative double vaxed into state tourists. That's very, very positive 25 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 2: for us. It is. 26 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: It is such a like it's such a change obviously 27 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: from what we were thinking. We were expecting to go 28 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: through this traffic light system and sort of have these 29 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: different rules and regulations in place. But I think that 30 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,759 Speaker 1: it's going to really be the way that the rest 31 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: of Australia is moving forward as well, isn't it. 32 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 2: I look absolutely at what it is and that was 33 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: the challenge before us, no doubt about it. The way 34 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 2: that COVID has been managed in the territory has been 35 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: best on field now for coming on two years. But 36 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 2: you know, we've spoken previously about our concerns that we 37 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: might start to fall behind as the rest of the 38 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 2: country did look to normalize it with the high vax rates. 39 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: Treat it like any other health outcome, calm down all 40 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: the nervous nelly's out there and just crack on with 41 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: life again. We looked like we were starting to fall 42 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: a bit behind and pleasingly with the higher than expected 43 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: vax rate because of the two extra weeks of stress 44 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 2: and trauma. Everyone's gone through lockdowns, lockouts, masks and all 45 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: the rest of it. Our vax rates are at a 46 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 2: point where our health officials can also say, you know, 47 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: let's chart a course forward and get back to old normal. 48 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: Was it a bit of a surprise for you that 49 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: shift from the Chief Minister. 50 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 2: It was a pleasing turn in the road. We'll put 51 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 2: it that way, and we know it's not the silver bullet. 52 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 2: This is good for Darwin and Alice Springs. That requirement 53 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 2: for four G means it's troubling even for home quarantining 54 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 2: people in the rural area that don't have four G 55 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 2: right now, I think they're got more limited options. We 56 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 2: know that there'll still be some restrictions into lower vaxxed 57 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: regional and remote areas, so that will really shape what 58 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 2: tourist product there is on off the next year at 59 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: this rate. So you know there's still a body of 60 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 2: work to be done. But absolutely got to give a 61 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 2: chick and a gold star to government for what they 62 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: announced on the weekend. 63 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: I know there were talks last week in Queensland that 64 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: even a one week shift before Christmas in the state's 65 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: roadmap would inject tens of millions of more dollars into 66 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: their economy. Do we know how this change could impact 67 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory's economy? 68 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: Not yet pleasingly. You know, it was overwhelmingly received by 69 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: all of our accommodation providers in the city. But now 70 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: you know, they've got to put their head down and 71 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 2: they bum up and get the marketing plans right and 72 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 2: get all the promotions into market now that they have 73 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: those dates. But you know, after two years of a 74 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 2: roller coaster that we've all been on, certainty just means 75 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 2: so much right now. So to be able to have 76 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 2: that date, to know what we're working towards for it 77 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: to be this side of Christmas, Really it's as good 78 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: as we could have hoped for. 79 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: Is there any trepidation in terms of the ability to 80 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: check the increased volume of people that might be traveling 81 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: in and you know, making sure that they're vaccinated and 82 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: all that kind of thing from the sector, not that 83 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: I've heard of. 84 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 2: And we were quite keen to shift to that rapid 85 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: antagen testing it at the airport. We've been advocating that 86 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 2: for quite a while now, and we know Tony at 87 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: the airport as well. We could see from down south 88 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 2: in different mining industries and all the rest of it 89 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 2: that those kits that are quite easy to use and 90 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: you don't necessarily need a nurse to oversight it. So 91 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: we see that this is just one of the good 92 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: steps calming everything down. Moving on the other thing. Over 93 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 2: the weekend, Katie was making it clear that only double 94 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 2: vaxed tourists will be joining us at this stage. Again, 95 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: the government kind of flags this when they did their 96 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: summer on sale where there's up to one thousand dollars 97 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 2: in matched bonuses to try and get domestic travelers in 98 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: here over our traditionally quiet wet wet season. They announced 99 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 2: a couple of months ago that that would only be 100 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: going to double vaxxed interstate people. So once again we 101 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 2: see that this is in alignment with where we're all going. 102 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: Well, Alex Bruce, the CEO of Hospitality here in the 103 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: Northern Territory, always appreciate your time, mate, Thanks so much 104 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: for having a chat with us. 105 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 2: Here's Katie all the best. 106 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: Thank you you too.