Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, as we know, yesterday the Northern Territory government committed
(00:03):
thirty two million dollars in its two point two billion
dollar health budget for new health care facilities. It's going
to deliver a one hundred and twenty bit aged care
facility in Palmerston. So essentially that work's going to begin
with a ten million dollar investment to service the land
in the Palmerston Regional Health Precinct for that new facility
(00:23):
and two million dollars to provide for the design of
the facility. It's amongst a number of other announcements made,
including a new twenty million dollar health center for Boro Lula.
Now joining us on the line is the Health Minister,
Selena Ubo. Good morning to your minister.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning Katie, Good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Now, first off, can you talk us through the funding
for these facilities. It sort of looks like it's three
big announcements amongst one.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, it is, Katie. It's quite exciting. Obviously, the country
has experienced pressures in health for particularly in the aftermath
of COVID, so some good news stories for us here
in the territory. We know age care is a big
pressure on the rest of the country as well, and
we're seeing that here in the Northern Territory. So it's
so exciting to be able to announce that ten million
(01:13):
dollars of the land servicing for the Palmestan Regional Health Precinct,
so it's going to be And also on top of that, Katie,
we've got the two million dollars for the design of
a new age care facility, so having it purpose built
and to relieve that pressure on the wards that the
Palmeston Regional Hospital will make a huge difference to our
patients and the families who are missing their loved ones
(01:34):
who are in that care well.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
And we know very often in the past and we've
spoken about the cod Yellows and the demands on Royal
Darwin and also Palmerston Hospital that very sadly unfortunately, we
have got a number of older patients and patients with
dementia that is sort of being forced to stay at
Royal Darwin Hospital for example, because there isn't somewhere that's
more appropriate for them.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yes, o, Katie, we've got some high needs age care
patients who, as you've said, who are in our hospital,
so we'd love to see them in some more facilities
that are actually purpose built for those high needs, that
can deliver the services of therapeutic care that they need
and that they deserve. And to create also that space
(02:18):
of you know, more of a homelike experience as opposed
to you know, the hospital experience, which unfortunately, we have
many long long term age care residents who because of
exactly that, there's nothing that necessarily meets that specific need,
those high needs. So this will be a way to
be able to alleviate that pressure, but to create that
(02:39):
more sense of home in what you would what you
would want and expect as an age care facility as
opposed to a hospital ward for some of our older
territorians who do need that special care.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
So what kind of timeline are we looking at for
this one hundred and twenty bait aged care facility.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
So, Katie, the age care funding is actually a responsibility
for the Commonwealth government. So what we've done is we
want to be basically, you know, hear the term shovel ready,
So we want to be ready for that particular project
to have that one hundred and twenty bed age care facility,
to be able to get things started as soon as
(03:15):
we possibly can. So having the land servicing, which is
a huge amount of work, which is why we've got
that ten million dollars allocated in this upcoming budget. So
getting all of the land servicing done, that's your power,
that's your water, your electricity, all of that done, so
then we can have that design of scopes, the extra
two million dollars to have the multipurpose and the purpose
(03:35):
built facility and then look at the funding for the
actual building. So that's what we want to do. We
want to go to the fens and say, look, this
is our own money, we're putting it in. We really
need to have this facility here in the Northern Territory,
particularly in the top end. Because of the numbers, we
now need to have that as a priority project of
the Commonwealth budget as well.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
What happens if they don't come to the party.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Well, we've been very successful in advocating for some projects
in the Northern Territory that really create the opportunities for
not just economic development, but that's social benefit as well.
So we think we've got because of the Commonwealth funding
around age care. We think that this will really put
us in good stead to get basically a project up
(04:18):
and running as soon as the Commonwealth can put their
money in as well. I mean it's a bit of
a gamble though, right, well it's going to happen, Katie.
So I mean you mentioned are you sorry the question
was around time frames? I can't give you that of course. Ye.
This just shows that we're being proactive. We're not sitting
on our backside and waiting around thinking, oh, we'll wait
for the Commonwealth to come and save us. This is
(04:39):
something we want to show we're proactive. We know territories
need this, we know our hospitals need this. We know
that those staff who are doing that great job in
our hospitals really want to see those patients cared for
in a facility that is purpose built and created for
those senior Territorians.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Now, I understand in the past though expressions of interest
for an age care have been unsuccessful. Why was that?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, it has been, Katie, And it's because of what
I have been understanding during this portfolio is that it's
looking at what the financial viability is for, for example,
a private provider. We know we've got some really awesome
providers here in the Northern Territory who deliver great care
and service in the age care sector. But having a
new facility also comes with obviously operational costs, staffing cost
(05:28):
So having a facility that is a larger scale like
one hundred and twenty makes it more financially viable. So
having small yeah, so having smaller bed size of capacity
becomes a little bit more niche and it doesn't necessarily
offset the costs, but that provider may get from the
FEDS to run that age care facility. So having a
larger facility that is financially viable means that we could
(05:51):
get a possibly a national provider as well as seeing
what other anti local providers may tender.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Now Judas has message through. She said, good morning Katie.
I thought this funding was offered years ago.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
The project and the minus standing Katie, is the project
and the idea was offered, but we didn't put the money,
the actual cash against the project. So this is the
cash against the project to get those headworks in to
make sure that the project can be up and running.
The two in for the scope and design means that
we can have that plan ready to go. As I mentioned,
(06:25):
you know the term shovel.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Ready, but we don't really have a year or a
date of when exactly it's going to actually get started.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
No, not in the headworks will start, yes, as soon
as this money goes through for the end of this
financial so the beginning of the next financial year. But
in terms of the build of the facility, that would
all have to come after the scope and design work,
which is that two million dollars that we put towards
the project.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Now, it's not the only thing that was announced. We
know that there was also also a couple of other
things well, I believe for boril Lauler as well. Wasn't
there a healthcare facility for boro Lula, Yes, Katie.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
If anyone has been out to borrow Lula and or
holidayed in that beautiful pocket of the Northern Territory, king
Ash Bay, if you've been out there borol Lula, you know,
a pretty good sized town in the Northern Territory, but
a very old, outdated and underresourced facility in terms of
the clinic that's out there at borol Lulla. So the
(07:26):
twenty million dollars towards the new Borolula clinic is going
to be fantastic news, not just for boro Lulla township,
but people in the region, people visiting in that region,
and then having multipurpose parts of the design, like a
new renal center built into the new design. At the
moment it's a separate annex to the Boro Lulla site.
(07:48):
So very old, outdated and definitely outgrown the needs in
that region. So this is great news for Boro Lula
in the region.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Minister. Before I let you go this morning, I know
you'll press for time, and we were running a little
bit late. But it is being reported by the ABC
Online today that Tonguan Geer Council Aboriginal Corporation has been
criticized for a range of alleged governance issues. Its chief executive,
Walter Show, has remained silent and has declined to meet
with local government and other stakeholders. The Northern Territory Chief
(08:19):
Minister says both the Northern Territory and federal governments must
take responsibility for holding them accountable for the thirty million
dollars that they receive in annual funding. To me, it
seems unbelievable that, according to this report, an organization which
employs about three hundred people hasn't released an annual report
since twenty eighteen.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, Katie, I not across any of those details, but
I know that we've worked very closer at Tunganjeer around
the upgrades of the new houses that are being built
in the seventeen town camps of Alice Springs and Tonguanjier
is the governing body for that, So that's something that
I'll be following very closely. But that it's news to me,
and I'm not across that detail of why they haven't
(09:03):
released an annual report.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
All right, Well, we'll try and follow it up because
I think for a lot of people listening, they would
be thinking to themselves, every organization that receives either federal
or Northern Territory funding should be really providing that detail
because it's taxpayers dollars, right.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah, it's taxpayers dollars. And it also shows you know,
what is it that the service is providing for territorians
who reach out and rely on that service that Tongue
and You provide. So it's very important to have that accountability.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yeah, it most certainly is. Well, look, we will talk
further about this throughout this morning. Always appreciate your time,
Minister for Health, selena Ubo, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Likewise, thank you, Katie, thank you
Well, as we know, yesterday the Northern Territory government committed
(00:03):
thirty two million dollars in its two point two billion
dollar health budget for new health care facilities. It's going
to deliver a one hundred and twenty bit aged care
facility in Palmerston. So essentially that work's going to begin
with a ten million dollar investment to service the land
in the Palmerston Regional Health Precinct for that new facility
(00:23):
and two million dollars to provide for the design of
the facility. It's amongst a number of other announcements made,
including a new twenty million dollar health center for Boro Lula.
Now joining us on the line is the Health Minister,
Selena Ubo. Good morning to your minister.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning Katie, Good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Now, first off, can you talk us through the funding
for these facilities. It sort of looks like it's three
big announcements amongst one.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, it is, Katie. It's quite exciting. Obviously, the country
has experienced pressures in health for particularly in the aftermath
of COVID, so some good news stories for us here
in the territory. We know age care is a big
pressure on the rest of the country as well, and
we're seeing that here in the Northern Territory. So it's
so exciting to be able to announce that ten million
(01:13):
dollars of the land servicing for the Palmestan Regional Health Precinct,
so it's going to be And also on top of that, Katie,
we've got the two million dollars for the design of
a new age care facility, so having it purpose built
and to relieve that pressure on the wards that the
Palmeston Regional Hospital will make a huge difference to our
patients and the families who are missing their loved ones
(01:34):
who are in that care well.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
And we know very often in the past and we've
spoken about the cod Yellows and the demands on Royal
Darwin and also Palmerston Hospital that very sadly unfortunately, we
have got a number of older patients and patients with
dementia that is sort of being forced to stay at
Royal Darwin Hospital for example, because there isn't somewhere that's
more appropriate for them.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yes, o, Katie, we've got some high needs age care
patients who, as you've said, who are in our hospital,
so we'd love to see them in some more facilities
that are actually purpose built for those high needs, that
can deliver the services of therapeutic care that they need
and that they deserve. And to create also that space
(02:18):
of you know, more of a homelike experience as opposed
to you know, the hospital experience, which unfortunately, we have
many long long term age care residents who because of
exactly that, there's nothing that necessarily meets that specific need,
those high needs. So this will be a way to
be able to alleviate that pressure, but to create that
(02:39):
more sense of home in what you would what you
would want and expect as an age care facility as
opposed to a hospital ward for some of our older
territorians who do need that special care.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
So what kind of timeline are we looking at for
this one hundred and twenty bait aged care facility.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
So, Katie, the age care funding is actually a responsibility
for the Commonwealth government. So what we've done is we
want to be basically, you know, hear the term shovel ready,
So we want to be ready for that particular project
to have that one hundred and twenty bed age care facility,
to be able to get things started as soon as
(03:15):
we possibly can. So having the land servicing, which is
a huge amount of work, which is why we've got
that ten million dollars allocated in this upcoming budget. So
getting all of the land servicing done, that's your power,
that's your water, your electricity, all of that done, so
then we can have that design of scopes, the extra
two million dollars to have the multipurpose and the purpose
(03:35):
built facility and then look at the funding for the
actual building. So that's what we want to do. We
want to go to the fens and say, look, this
is our own money, we're putting it in. We really
need to have this facility here in the Northern Territory,
particularly in the top end. Because of the numbers, we
now need to have that as a priority project of
the Commonwealth budget as well.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
What happens if they don't come to the party.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Well, we've been very successful in advocating for some projects
in the Northern Territory that really create the opportunities for
not just economic development, but that's social benefit as well.
So we think we've got because of the Commonwealth funding
around age care. We think that this will really put
us in good stead to get basically a project up
(04:18):
and running as soon as the Commonwealth can put their
money in as well. I mean it's a bit of
a gamble though, right, well it's going to happen, Katie.
So I mean you mentioned are you sorry the question
was around time frames? I can't give you that of course. Ye.
This just shows that we're being proactive. We're not sitting
on our backside and waiting around thinking, oh, we'll wait
for the Commonwealth to come and save us. This is
(04:39):
something we want to show we're proactive. We know territories
need this, we know our hospitals need this. We know
that those staff who are doing that great job in
our hospitals really want to see those patients cared for
in a facility that is purpose built and created for
those senior Territorians.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Now, I understand in the past though expressions of interest
for an age care have been unsuccessful. Why was that?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, it has been, Katie, And it's because of what
I have been understanding during this portfolio is that it's
looking at what the financial viability is for, for example,
a private provider. We know we've got some really awesome
providers here in the Northern Territory who deliver great care
and service in the age care sector. But having a
new facility also comes with obviously operational costs, staffing cost
(05:28):
So having a facility that is a larger scale like
one hundred and twenty makes it more financially viable. So
having small yeah, so having smaller bed size of capacity
becomes a little bit more niche and it doesn't necessarily
offset the costs, but that provider may get from the
FEDS to run that age care facility. So having a
larger facility that is financially viable means that we could
(05:51):
get a possibly a national provider as well as seeing
what other anti local providers may tender.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Now Judas has message through. She said, good morning Katie.
I thought this funding was offered years ago.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
The project and the minus standing Katie, is the project
and the idea was offered, but we didn't put the money,
the actual cash against the project. So this is the
cash against the project to get those headworks in to
make sure that the project can be up and running.
The two in for the scope and design means that
we can have that plan ready to go. As I mentioned,
(06:25):
you know the term shovel.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Ready, but we don't really have a year or a
date of when exactly it's going to actually get started.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
No, not in the headworks will start, yes, as soon
as this money goes through for the end of this
financial so the beginning of the next financial year. But
in terms of the build of the facility, that would
all have to come after the scope and design work,
which is that two million dollars that we put towards
the project.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Now, it's not the only thing that was announced. We
know that there was also also a couple of other
things well, I believe for boril Lauler as well. Wasn't
there a healthcare facility for boro Lula, Yes, Katie.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
If anyone has been out to borrow Lula and or
holidayed in that beautiful pocket of the Northern Territory, king
Ash Bay, if you've been out there borol Lula, you know,
a pretty good sized town in the Northern Territory, but
a very old, outdated and underresourced facility in terms of
the clinic that's out there at borol Lulla. So the
(07:26):
twenty million dollars towards the new Borolula clinic is going
to be fantastic news, not just for boro Lulla township,
but people in the region, people visiting in that region,
and then having multipurpose parts of the design, like a
new renal center built into the new design. At the
moment it's a separate annex to the Boro Lulla site.
(07:48):
So very old, outdated and definitely outgrown the needs in
that region. So this is great news for Boro Lula
in the region.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Minister. Before I let you go this morning, I know
you'll press for time, and we were running a little
bit late. But it is being reported by the ABC
Online today that Tonguan Geer Council Aboriginal Corporation has been
criticized for a range of alleged governance issues. Its chief executive,
Walter Show, has remained silent and has declined to meet
with local government and other stakeholders. The Northern Territory Chief
(08:19):
Minister says both the Northern Territory and federal governments must
take responsibility for holding them accountable for the thirty million
dollars that they receive in annual funding. To me, it
seems unbelievable that, according to this report, an organization which
employs about three hundred people hasn't released an annual report
since twenty eighteen.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, Katie, I not across any of those details, but
I know that we've worked very closer at Tunganjeer around
the upgrades of the new houses that are being built
in the seventeen town camps of Alice Springs and Tonguanjier
is the governing body for that, So that's something that
I'll be following very closely. But that it's news to me,
and I'm not across that detail of why they haven't
(09:03):
released an annual report.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
All right, Well, we'll try and follow it up because
I think for a lot of people listening, they would
be thinking to themselves, every organization that receives either federal
or Northern Territory funding should be really providing that detail
because it's taxpayers dollars, right.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah, it's taxpayers dollars. And it also shows you know,
what is it that the service is providing for territorians
who reach out and rely on that service that Tongue
and You provide. So it's very important to have that accountability.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yeah, it most certainly is. Well, look, we will talk
further about this throughout this morning. Always appreciate your time,
Minister for Health, selena Ubo, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Likewise, thank you, Katie, thank you
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