1
00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,240
Speaker 1: The Northern Territory Chief Minister has just come out of

2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,479
Speaker 1: that announcement around the emergency Health declaration and what it

3
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,200
Speaker 1: means for Territori, and she joins us on the line

4
00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,520
Speaker 1: right now, Natasha Files, good morning to you.

5
00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:15,840
Speaker 2: Good morning, Katie, Chief Minister.

6
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,600
Speaker 1: What exactly has been announced this morning as of June sixteen?

7
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,360
Speaker 2: So, Katie, over the past two years, the declarations under

8
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,480
Speaker 2: the Public Health and Emergency Act have kept territory in safe.

9
00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,000
Speaker 2: But what we have just announced is the advice from

10
00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,960
Speaker 2: our Acting Chief Health Officer through the SEMPSI meeting that

11
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,440
Speaker 2: happened early this morning, is that we will not be

12
00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,880
Speaker 2: extending the Public Health Emergency. So at eleven fifty nine

13
00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,879
Speaker 2: pm next Wednesday evening, the Public Health Emergency in the

14
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,640
Speaker 2: Northern Territory will end. It won't be resigned as it

15
00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:45,400
Speaker 2: has previously.

16
00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,000
Speaker 1: So what does that mean when it comes to the

17
00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,800
Speaker 1: vaccine mandate? This is it. It's lifted from from June, sorry,

18
00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:58,080
Speaker 1: June sixteenth, correct, So how come it's taken so long

19
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,400
Speaker 1: to get to the point where we were the vaccine mandate?

20
00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,760
Speaker 2: Katie. I know people are fatigued talking about COVID, but

21
00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,080
Speaker 2: it really hasn't taken so long. What we have as

22
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,160
Speaker 2: we've had this meeting this morning, we've gone straight out

23
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,280
Speaker 2: to the community and provided that information. What you've seen

24
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,520
Speaker 2: over the last couple of weeks with the COVID numbers

25
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:17,960
Speaker 2: in the Northern Territory is they have stagnated. We've still

26
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,000
Speaker 2: got people with COVID in the territory. It's still prevalent.

27
00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,200
Speaker 2: But the decision was made based on the epidemiology of

28
00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,640
Speaker 2: the virus, the current vaccination rates and the prevalence of

29
00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,920
Speaker 2: COVID and the way it's behaving in our community.

30
00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,039
Speaker 1: Now. One listener's just been in contact and wants to know,

31
00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,959
Speaker 1: so can people start employing non vaccinated people now?

32
00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:41,960
Speaker 2: So that will be from eleven to fifty nine pm

33
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,280
Speaker 2: next Wednesday, when the public health emergency ends. So, Katie,

34
00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,080
Speaker 2: what we've done today and this will certainly get this

35
00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,920
Speaker 2: information out, is we've announced the show directions that will

36
00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,280
Speaker 2: be revoked. There's a number of them, Katie, the safety

37
00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,800
Speaker 2: measures for businesses, major events needing to have to do

38
00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,960
Speaker 2: those major event plans, cruise ships having a cap on numbers,

39
00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,880
Speaker 2: and of course, which we've just been speaking about, the

40
00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,760
Speaker 2: mandatory vaccination. There will be just a small number of

41
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,760
Speaker 2: chow directions that remain, and that is presently for infected

42
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,720
Speaker 2: persons to have a period of isolation, for people to

43
00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,120
Speaker 2: test and for the recording of that positive rapid antigen test,

44
00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,880
Speaker 2: and also for wearing masks in high risk settings such

45
00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,120
Speaker 2: as a hospital or a prison, and the ability for

46
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,120
Speaker 2: police to enforce those chow directions that I just referred to.

47
00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,799
Speaker 2: But it's certainly a significant step forward for the Northern

48
00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,239
Speaker 2: Territory as we go from a pandemic to an endemic.

49
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,720
Speaker 1: So will people still have to isolate for seven days

50
00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:39,720
Speaker 1: if they have COVID?

51
00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,040
Speaker 2: Presently that's the advice, Katie, but that is something that

52
00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,280
Speaker 2: has been considered at a national level. There's been conversations

53
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:51,760
Speaker 2: around what is the appropriate isolation period for people that

54
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,680
Speaker 2: are infected or test positive.

55
00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,680
Speaker 1: To COVID, And so you just touched on some of

56
00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,320
Speaker 1: those major events. For example, they've had to go to

57
00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,920
Speaker 1: the degree of putting together quite extentive COVID plans. As

58
00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,320
Speaker 1: of June sixteen, is that no longer the case, so.

59
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:11,000
Speaker 2: Katie, in terms of the show approval, it's not required

60
00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,360
Speaker 2: for an event of any size, but we do encourage,

61
00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,560
Speaker 2: you know, COVID safety plans looking at you know, watch

62
00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,480
Speaker 2: those events, you know, entail and how best we can

63
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,560
Speaker 2: protect the community. But show approval is not required for

64
00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,000
Speaker 2: events of any size.

65
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,560
Speaker 1: Now, what about those testing clinics and vaccination clinics and

66
00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,880
Speaker 1: also Howard Springs, what's happening with them?

67
00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:36,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, really important information, Katie, and will make sure that

68
00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:38,960
Speaker 2: you get this information. I know your listeners will have

69
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,080
Speaker 2: lots of questions over the coming days. But in terms

70
00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,000
Speaker 2: of the Center for National Resilience, it will cease operations

71
00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,200
Speaker 2: from June thirty, but it will be ready to be

72
00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,920
Speaker 2: stood up if and when it's needed. And I'd just

73
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:51,600
Speaker 2: like to give a shout out to the OSMAT and

74
00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,120
Speaker 2: seeing our staff who have worked there. In terms of

75
00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,000
Speaker 2: the Morale Vaccine Clinic and the Nebo Road facility here

76
00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,440
Speaker 2: in the top end, both of those facilities will be

77
00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,160
Speaker 2: stood down and across the regions. I know you've got

78
00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,280
Speaker 2: listeners in Catherine and Alice Springs. The posture will be

79
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,640
Speaker 2: that those services around testing and vaccination will be a

80
00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,560
Speaker 2: business as usual approach for COVID, as we see with

81
00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:17,640
Speaker 2: other vaccine such as the flu vaccine. So GPS pharmacists,

82
00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,880
Speaker 2: aboriginal medical organizations and of course NT Health through our

83
00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:21,799
Speaker 2: community care clinic.

84
00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,000
Speaker 1: I've got a message that's come through from Judas. Judas

85
00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,760
Speaker 1: wants to know Katie, could you please ask Minister Files,

86
00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,440
Speaker 1: the Chief Minister, why she's waiting until the sixteenth and

87
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,000
Speaker 1: not just stopping the vaccine mandate from now.

88
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,160
Speaker 2: Important question and the health advice is for us not

89
00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,800
Speaker 2: to continue that public health emergency and that the Chow

90
00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,960
Speaker 2: directions that were in place under it should not go forward.

91
00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,360
Speaker 2: You know, in terms of bringing these chow directions in

92
00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,719
Speaker 2: many weeks and months were provided and we need to

93
00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,680
Speaker 2: allow because there is very small number, but there is

94
00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,159
Speaker 2: some Chow directions remaining, so we do need people to

95
00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,040
Speaker 2: make sure they get the correct information and implement it correctly.

96
00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,599
Speaker 1: But surely you know, the health advice isn't different today

97
00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,680
Speaker 1: is what it is going to be on the sixteenth

98
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,120
Speaker 1: with that vaccine mandate.

99
00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,280
Speaker 2: So the meeting that we attended this morning with our

100
00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,880
Speaker 2: acting Chief Health Officer was that we should not continue

101
00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,080
Speaker 2: the declaration of emergency and we should outline to the

102
00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,000
Speaker 2: community what that will mean going forward. We've provided that

103
00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,960
Speaker 2: today and there's now less than a week for territoriums

104
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,280
Speaker 2: to absorb that information. And put it into place.

105
00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,400
Speaker 1: Now, I know we've got very limited time with you,

106
00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,240
Speaker 1: so just one more listener question. Somebody wants to know

107
00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,039
Speaker 1: would people who have to isolate be able to get

108
00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:32,839
Speaker 1: financial help?

109
00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:36,000
Speaker 2: Still, So, Katie, we've put in place a number of

110
00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,400
Speaker 2: schemes across the pandemic, and in my heart goes out

111
00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,640
Speaker 2: to business as individuals. There's been so many different circumstances,

112
00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,080
Speaker 2: but we currently have some schemes in place to support

113
00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,799
Speaker 2: business and so there is also has been some Commonwealth

114
00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,120
Speaker 2: government support, but as far as I'm aware, there hasn't

115
00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,920
Speaker 2: been specific support around that question for some time. So

116
00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,200
Speaker 2: we're certainly stepping forward from the pandemic to the endemic

117
00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:00,680
Speaker 2: and a business as approach.

118
00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,840
Speaker 1: Well, Natasha Files, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, we

119
00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,080
Speaker 1: appreciate you having a brief chat with us this morning.

120
00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:07,080
Speaker 1: Thank you for your time.

121
00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:08,120
Speaker 2: Take care,