March 9, 2026 • 17 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
As I keep saying, this situation is quite an unprecedented
one when you look at what's going on right across
the top end of the Northern Territory at the moment.
And joining us in the studio is the Chief Minister
of the Northern Territory, Leo Finocchiaro.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning to your chief.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Good morning Katie, into your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I tell you what, it's been one heck of a
weekend when it comes to the weather. You traveled down
to Catherine on the weekend, I believe then you were
back there yesterday. Talk me through what the situation is
in Catherine.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
So the community is just beautiful.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
They're amazing and strong and resilient, and yesterday I got
to see that firsthand. You know that we visited the
hardest hit house and they had about forty volunteers there
over the course of the day, and they were you know,
when you walk into someone's home and their whole life
is in the back of a truck and on the verge,
it's incredibly heartbreaking. And so we went and spoke to
(00:50):
the owners and all the volunteers. I mean, Katie, I
was walking along and the mud level was high. I mean,
I'm not a tall person, but it was higher than
my head. You're imagining your house having that much water
in it, and you know, just seeing the kitchen and
the clothes and everything destroyed, it was it was absolutely heartbreaking.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
So there's plenty of work to happen.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
It's still got a lot of water, Like we had
to take bypass roads and we were still traveling through significant
volumes of water.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
So what are we expecting this morning? Are we expecting that?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
You know, the wood had been that it's going to subside,
but then they were hit by a big storm cell
last night, desig understead.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Or a lot of rime, that's right. So there was
a lot of rain. There was rain even while I
was there. But it's all about rain in the right spot.
So if it's just raining and Catherine, that's not so bad.
From a river level perspective, it's if it rains in
the catchment about one hundred kilometers away. So we haven't
had any of that. Everyone is still very you know,
they want to see that river level received more before
people feel comfortable, and that's fair enough.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
It's huge.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
It's just unbelievable volumes of you know, brown, swirling, rushing
water and that water is all headed for the daily, Katie.
It's all headed for the daily, so there is much
more to come. But for Catherine, Yeah, it's about really
letting that water drop down. People get back to their homes.
We can assess damage. Power and water have done a
wonderful job. We had fifteen hundred homes about maybe twenty
(02:12):
four hours forty eight hours ago. Now without power that's
down to four hundred. We've only got about thirty homes
without sewage at the moment. So the restoration work is
happening as swiftly as it can look.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Before we move to the daily, I do want to
talk more about Catherine first off, just in terms of
essential supply, so food etc. How are the roads looking
in terms of getting those trucks in being able to
make sure people have what they need when it comes
to food in Catherron.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Yeah, it's been really good. So Woollies opened yesterday, which
was great. I went down there. I thank the manager
and the staff and lots of locals were They're really
really happy. We were able to open the Stewart Highway
in and outbound yesterday and I went and visited the butcher.
They'd had five tons of meat dropped off like there's
things moving. The train is obviously going through, so I
(03:00):
think there's pressure on shelves even here in Darwin still
because people are replenishing. But once people's fridges are restocked,
that's the supply is coming through. This morning, there has
been some disruption though to Stuart Highway movements and so
we had some more water north of Stuart Highway and
that had to close temporarily. I believe that's back open
and south we had a couple of road trains get bogged,
(03:23):
which is not great but not completely understandable. So there's
diversions in place and so there is a bit of
cutoff happening again. But Cruis are working around the clock
to get that sorted.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
We are going to catch up with Louise Blato a
little later this morning and we'll talk more about the
status of those road trains and our roads as well,
to give our listeners a better understanding because I know
people up here in Darwin worried about those supermarket shelves
as well.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Chief Minister, just in.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Terms of the schools and government services in Catherine, when
are they do to reopen?
Speaker 4 (03:52):
So we're working really hard to we want schools back
open as soon as possible, but we've had to we
will move to convert two of those schools into evacuation
centers just because of the length of stay that people
are now going to have to have. So we we
will we'll get we'll get one school back online either
maybe today tomorrow, It just really depends, and I'm just
(04:14):
waiting on my up to date briefing later today. So
we really want to create as much you know, normal
life as possible in what is a really scary situation.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Absolutely, and I you know, I guess that everybody wants
to see that, but at this point in time, it's
you know, it's survival mode for exact people. So you know,
while it is important to get the kids back to school,
it's also really important that people are able to you know,
to get in and clean their homes and do all
that sort of thing exactly now, just in terms of
rainfall and and you know what may or may not
(04:45):
happen with the Catherine River, what does it mean then
for the recovery phase at this point.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yeah, so once we're out of that emergency response, which
we are still in, then we can so we already
have many teams on the ground doing the assessments. As
I said, parent Water already restoring essential services, but it's
about going through public assets.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Roads.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Yesterday the main street was still closed, for example, So
we've got crews they're really repairing as section that's been
completely torn up near the levee bank, so that work
has to continue. And then obviously for people with their homes,
I mean that could take weeks months, you know, So
that hasn't been done yet. There's still a lot of unknowns,
(05:28):
but everyone is chipping together to do what they can.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Well, look, we are certainly thinking of all of our
mates in Catherine. If you want to get in contact
with us this morning, we would love to hear from you.
Let us know how things are going. We are going
to catch up with Trent de with a bit later. Yeah,
just very quickly on Catherine, but I guess also on
the daily in terms of the federal government. Now, I
know that we're certainly going to catch up with the
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Christi McBain a little later
(05:53):
on the show. But what is available to residents from
a Northern Territory government point of view.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Yeah, so what we've activated with Minister mc bain and
the federal government is called disaster relief funding, and so
there are immediate payments. So I brought down on the
plane yesterday's some children and family staff to be able
to do deliver the credit cards to people. So from
twelve o'clock today at Catherine High School, people can go
get their immediate relief payment. Then they can also have
(06:21):
a conversation at that time around the payment for white
goods and mattresses and all of those types of things,
as well as accommodation payments. So for people who obviously
can't go back to their home, they're going to need
to stay somewhere, So all of that is activated. From
twelve o'clock today at Catherine High School people can go
have those conversations with our staff.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And to those out there listening this morning who want
a bit more detail on that. We are going to
talk further about this throughout the morning now, Chief Minister.
While it seems that hopefully the worst is over for Catherine,
there is still concern for daily river, as you touched
on just a moment ago, with the levels yet to peak.
How are things looking as of this morning.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
What's the like yep?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So the river is very high. I think we're at
about four is it fourteen? Sorry my rivers, I was
getting confused. Fourteen point three I think for Daily, sixteen
point three for Catherine. But I flew over it yesterday
and plumpa and it's a sea. It's a sea out there.
So and this is again not all the water from
Catherine has flushed down yet, but I just want to
(07:21):
be really clear for listeners. Everyone is safe. So everyone
has been evacuated from Daily and Plumper and Jukmingen. They're
safe and clothed and fed and have somewhere to sleep.
So all of that is as okay as it can be.
And damage to Holmes is still a weight and watch.
It's just literally now the river and the weather and
mother Nature are going to do what she's going to do.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I mean, there was some concern that people were maybe
not evacuated soon enough. I thought i'd seen maybe the
member for Daily, Duran Young. I don't want to quote
him because I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I
thought that there had been some discussion that maybe it
hadn't happened soon enough.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
I mean, what's your response to that?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Yeah, the member for Daily had made quite a few potshots,
and you know, he might be thinking he's scoring political
points on me or on my team, but it just
impacts the emergency services personnel who are doing everything they
can on the ground. It's not really a time for politics,
quite frankly, and everyone understands it. On Thursday night, the
Bureau was not concerned about these river levels. We all
(08:19):
woke up first thing Friday morning. The weather had changed.
The Bureau had been monitoring. They gave the new alert.
Everyone sprung into action. The weather was too difficult to
send helicopters in that day, and so we knew there
was a weather opening the next day. That was done.
We mobilized every resource available. Everyone was safely extracted and
(08:40):
brought to Darwin. So it all happened really well in
the right timing without putting lives at additional risk. And
I just thank everyone who's been providing support and working
twenty four hours a day on this.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So at the moment, we've got evacuees at Marara I
noticed yesterday, and then we also have evacue at.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
The show grounds.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Yeah, okay, so how many people are evacuated to Darwin
right now?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
So there's probably about three hundred.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
So Palampa are at Marara and Daily River are at
Foski's and some people chose to you know, they're staying
with friends and family, etc. Which is entirely people. It's prerogative,
and so yeah, probably about three hundred, i'd.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Say, all right, Chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
In terms of the rural area, yesterday afternoon we had
flash flooding out there. From your understanding, how things striking
now out in the rural area.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
I'll tell you what quite literally, when it rains it
paus right. It's just been unbelievable, I mean Catherine and
then Darwin's flooding. So we still have significant water over
many rural roads and people are being urged.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Please if it's flooded, forget it.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Schools are open, but many people cannot get to them,
and do not try, please. We don't want to have
any tragic issues happen. We don't want to send our
emergency services out to stretch our already stretched resources. So
people just need to really work to conditions today and
be incredibly mindful of the weather of them.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
All right, Chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
The other area that people are really concerned about right
now is our drinking water, power and water issuing some
text messages to some customers by the look of it,
overnight saying that the pump station requires restoration work.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
We now know that they.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Say that is due to the flash flooding in what
is an unprecedented situation when the dam has never been
so full. What's the latest that Power and Water is
telling you in terms of the you know, the contingency.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
So we've got in place.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Here, that's right.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
So and I actually flew over the dam as well,
and you can see the water just cascading out of
the overflow. But so because of that flash flooding in
Darwen River also flooded and so they saw the highest
level of water they've ever had at Darwin River. And
what that did is flooded the pump station. So Power
and Water sent their crews in immediately on discovering that,
(10:57):
and we're making assessments. The Territor Tree Emergency Management Committee
met to discuss it. More information came forward and then
that public information was put out. But I just I
really need the message to territories to be really really
clear on this. We've asked all of the very large uses,
which are your big corporates or government uses, to severely
(11:19):
restrict today. What we're asking every day mums and dads
and territories is to be responsible. If everyone really just
pulls back on unnecessary water usage. What we can do
is by time for the tradees who are on site
right now to be able to get that gear.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
But how much time do they need.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
I think it's about twenty four to forty eight hours.
But Power and Water we'll be doing a press conference
at twelve thirty today, so we'll have the most up
to date, reliable information by midday.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Well hopefully we've got it before then because we do
have the acting CEO at eleven o'clock, so hopefully we'll
have further info. I mean, Chief Minister, do people need
to be going up buying water fi filling the bathtubs?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
At this point?
Speaker 4 (11:58):
What we need is just as little usage as possible.
So if people feel more comfortable buying water, of course
you can. This is not an urgent situation though. What
we're just asking is people not having long showers, certainly,
no running of irrigation, really monitoring, you know, if you
don't need to be doing laundry today or running the dishwasher, don't,
So just being a little bit more mindful, and if
(12:19):
everyone is a bit mindful, then with the support of
the corporates doing the heavy lifting and the bringing on
of the ball fields will be fair.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
And so those corporates have been asked to really not use.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Yeah a lot of water, correct today And that happened
immediately now.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
In terms of redundancies, though, as I understand it, we
then using the other ball fields at this point in time.
But like, how many days do we have up our
sleeve here if needed?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Yeah, look, that's a good question for power and water
when you've got them on at eleven Katie, I'm sorry
I don't know that information. But my understanding is is
that our crews are all out there, so all of
the redundancy planning is well enacted. People worked through the night,
so that is all very very advanced to be getting
the gearback online.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Are you confident that they're going to get this sorted
and that we're not going to end up without water?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I am? I am, Katie.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
If everyone does the right thing and supports each other
through this and just be is a bit more responsible today,
I think we'll.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
All be fine.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
What happens if they can't.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
I don't know, Katie, but we won't get to that,
there's no we can't. We will and I'll make sure
of it, my bloody hope.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
So especially when we've got such an enormous amount of
water falling from the sky and I get it, it's unprecedented,
but it is worry indeed. Now tell me I want
to I just want to sort of speak a little
bit about the day to day as well. Here very quickly,
we know that the nightcliff by election happened over the weekend.
It's looking as though he'd smell just pick that seat up.
(13:41):
It did look like there was a drop in primary
votes towards the COLP for your candidate. I mean, are
you worried about that?
Speaker 4 (13:48):
No, Look, this is not our seat to lose, Katie,
and we congratulate ed on his win. Labor have held
that seat for a quarter of a century and it
was a Greens held seat at the time time.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
So yeah, I've been focused on other things I can
tell you, Katie.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
But of course that happened, and you know we'll welcome
him to the Parliament.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
So not a loss for you.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
You don't feel as though it's any skin off your nose.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
No, No, this wasn't one for us to lose.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
And you know, our mandate is still very very clear,
our mission is still clear, and there's no change from
US Territorians. We'll see us focusing on reducing crime, rebuilding
the economy, restoring our lifestyle as we promise.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Well, she's been I know you've got to get into
Parliament really quick. One from Bill Ingray. He said, Katie,
could you ask Leah why are the fuel stations ripping
us off? I've been watching one in Palmerston and its
prices have been going up daily and I'll bet they
haven't had a fuel drop every day since Friday.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Yeah, it's pretty horrific.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
And Treasurer Bill Yan was absolutely scathing of what's going on.
There's really no reason for these prices to be going
up and.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Day levers that can be pulled though.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Well, look, you know we obviously from opposition, we were
looking at some levers around fuel pricing transparency. So if
people aren't playing the game and doing the right thing
by territorians, we can bring all of that back on
the table.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
And is that something that you're considering.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
Well, I'm looking at it today more closely. My mind
has been in obviously the floods. But I am getting
briefings later this afternoon about what the situation is. But
it's a warning to all of the fuel service stations
out there. You cannot price gouge Territorians at this time.
We are watching and we will take what measures need
to be done.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
To be honest, I.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Reckon, it's the poor buggers that are behind the counter
that are probably helping us. You know, you've got these
You've got these big corporates that couldn't give a shit.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Yeah, it's disgusting, It's really disgusting, Katie, And it's unterritorian,
and that's what cuts the deepest. So people need to
do the right thing. We're asking people to you know,
not use too much water. We're asking servos not to
jack up prices. We're asking people to look after their
fellow Territorian, to help people who've been evacuated. There's a
lot going on right now and we don't need any
(15:56):
unterritorian behavior.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Well, well, i'll tell you what.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
I was out at fuel Express this morning, which is
locally owned, and there was lots of people out there
and those prices did seem to be fair. So I
hope that others continue to do the same, Chief Minister,
really quickly. Parliament resuming this week despite all that is
going on when it comes to the weather and the flooding,
what's on the agenda from the government's perspective.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Yeah, so today is a big day.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
We've got our domestic violence legislation where we are increasing
the non parole period for people who murder their intimate
partner or a past intimate partner from twenty years to
twenty five years. This aligns it with the same non
parole period for if you murder a child. And so
I want to be really clear. This is for people
who have been convicted of murdering for domestic violence their
(16:39):
intimate partner. We're saying that they should not have the
opportunity to be on parole before twenty five years. Life
is life, and this is a step in the right
direction to putting the rights of victims.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
So pushback from domestic violence groups, I mean, what do
you say to.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Them, Yeah, I just I can't understand the justification to
say or allege that this makes more women unsafe is
really unjustifiable. What we are talking about is people who
have already been convicted of murder, and what we're saying
is instead of them at twenty years popping their hand
up and saying, oh, I'd like to go home now please,
(17:14):
we're saying no, you can sit there for twenty five
and then we'll talk about it. So I really don't
understand the justification by the opposition leader or the DV
sector on opposing this and their claims that it makes
women more unsafe is completely unfounded.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Chief Minister la FINOKR will let you go. Thanks so
much for your time this morning, much appreciated.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Heay care and please everyone a little bit of water
today only
As I keep saying, this situation is quite an unprecedented
one when you look at what's going on right across
the top end of the Northern Territory at the moment.
And joining us in the studio is the Chief Minister
of the Northern Territory, Leo Finocchiaro.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning to your chief.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Good morning Katie, into your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I tell you what, it's been one heck of a
weekend when it comes to the weather. You traveled down
to Catherine on the weekend, I believe then you were
back there yesterday. Talk me through what the situation is
in Catherine.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
So the community is just beautiful.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
They're amazing and strong and resilient, and yesterday I got
to see that firsthand. You know that we visited the
hardest hit house and they had about forty volunteers there
over the course of the day, and they were you know,
when you walk into someone's home and their whole life
is in the back of a truck and on the verge,
it's incredibly heartbreaking. And so we went and spoke to
(00:50):
the owners and all the volunteers. I mean, Katie, I
was walking along and the mud level was high. I mean,
I'm not a tall person, but it was higher than
my head. You're imagining your house having that much water
in it, and you know, just seeing the kitchen and
the clothes and everything destroyed, it was it was absolutely heartbreaking.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
So there's plenty of work to happen.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
It's still got a lot of water, Like we had
to take bypass roads and we were still traveling through significant
volumes of water.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
So what are we expecting this morning? Are we expecting that?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
You know, the wood had been that it's going to subside,
but then they were hit by a big storm cell
last night, desig understead.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Or a lot of rime, that's right. So there was
a lot of rain. There was rain even while I
was there. But it's all about rain in the right spot.
So if it's just raining and Catherine, that's not so bad.
From a river level perspective, it's if it rains in
the catchment about one hundred kilometers away. So we haven't
had any of that. Everyone is still very you know,
they want to see that river level received more before
people feel comfortable, and that's fair enough.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
It's huge.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
It's just unbelievable volumes of you know, brown, swirling, rushing
water and that water is all headed for the daily, Katie.
It's all headed for the daily, so there is much
more to come. But for Catherine, Yeah, it's about really
letting that water drop down. People get back to their homes.
We can assess damage. Power and water have done a
wonderful job. We had fifteen hundred homes about maybe twenty
(02:12):
four hours forty eight hours ago. Now without power that's
down to four hundred. We've only got about thirty homes
without sewage at the moment. So the restoration work is
happening as swiftly as it can look.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Before we move to the daily, I do want to
talk more about Catherine first off, just in terms of
essential supply, so food etc. How are the roads looking
in terms of getting those trucks in being able to
make sure people have what they need when it comes
to food in Catherron.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Yeah, it's been really good. So Woollies opened yesterday, which
was great. I went down there. I thank the manager
and the staff and lots of locals were They're really
really happy. We were able to open the Stewart Highway
in and outbound yesterday and I went and visited the butcher.
They'd had five tons of meat dropped off like there's
things moving. The train is obviously going through, so I
(03:00):
think there's pressure on shelves even here in Darwin still
because people are replenishing. But once people's fridges are restocked,
that's the supply is coming through. This morning, there has
been some disruption though to Stuart Highway movements and so
we had some more water north of Stuart Highway and
that had to close temporarily. I believe that's back open
and south we had a couple of road trains get bogged,
(03:23):
which is not great but not completely understandable. So there's
diversions in place and so there is a bit of
cutoff happening again. But Cruis are working around the clock
to get that sorted.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
We are going to catch up with Louise Blato a
little later this morning and we'll talk more about the
status of those road trains and our roads as well,
to give our listeners a better understanding because I know
people up here in Darwin worried about those supermarket shelves
as well.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Chief Minister, just in.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Terms of the schools and government services in Catherine, when
are they do to reopen?
Speaker 4 (03:52):
So we're working really hard to we want schools back
open as soon as possible, but we've had to we
will move to convert two of those schools into evacuation
centers just because of the length of stay that people
are now going to have to have. So we we
will we'll get we'll get one school back online either
maybe today tomorrow, It just really depends, and I'm just
(04:14):
waiting on my up to date briefing later today. So
we really want to create as much you know, normal
life as possible in what is a really scary situation.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Absolutely, and I you know, I guess that everybody wants
to see that, but at this point in time, it's
you know, it's survival mode for exact people. So you know,
while it is important to get the kids back to school,
it's also really important that people are able to you know,
to get in and clean their homes and do all
that sort of thing exactly now, just in terms of
rainfall and and you know what may or may not
(04:45):
happen with the Catherine River, what does it mean then
for the recovery phase at this point.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yeah, so once we're out of that emergency response, which
we are still in, then we can so we already
have many teams on the ground doing the assessments. As
I said, parent Water already restoring essential services, but it's
about going through public assets.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Roads.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Yesterday the main street was still closed, for example, So
we've got crews they're really repairing as section that's been
completely torn up near the levee bank, so that work
has to continue. And then obviously for people with their homes,
I mean that could take weeks months, you know, So
that hasn't been done yet. There's still a lot of unknowns,
(05:28):
but everyone is chipping together to do what they can.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Well, look, we are certainly thinking of all of our
mates in Catherine. If you want to get in contact
with us this morning, we would love to hear from you.
Let us know how things are going. We are going
to catch up with Trent de with a bit later. Yeah,
just very quickly on Catherine, but I guess also on
the daily in terms of the federal government. Now, I
know that we're certainly going to catch up with the
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Christi McBain a little later
(05:53):
on the show. But what is available to residents from
a Northern Territory government point of view.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Yeah, so what we've activated with Minister mc bain and
the federal government is called disaster relief funding, and so
there are immediate payments. So I brought down on the
plane yesterday's some children and family staff to be able
to do deliver the credit cards to people. So from
twelve o'clock today at Catherine High School, people can go
get their immediate relief payment. Then they can also have
(06:21):
a conversation at that time around the payment for white
goods and mattresses and all of those types of things,
as well as accommodation payments. So for people who obviously
can't go back to their home, they're going to need
to stay somewhere, So all of that is activated. From
twelve o'clock today at Catherine High School people can go
have those conversations with our staff.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And to those out there listening this morning who want
a bit more detail on that. We are going to
talk further about this throughout the morning now, Chief Minister.
While it seems that hopefully the worst is over for Catherine,
there is still concern for daily river, as you touched
on just a moment ago, with the levels yet to peak.
How are things looking as of this morning.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
What's the like yep?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So the river is very high. I think we're at
about four is it fourteen? Sorry my rivers, I was
getting confused. Fourteen point three I think for Daily, sixteen
point three for Catherine. But I flew over it yesterday
and plumpa and it's a sea. It's a sea out there.
So and this is again not all the water from
Catherine has flushed down yet, but I just want to
(07:21):
be really clear for listeners. Everyone is safe. So everyone
has been evacuated from Daily and Plumper and Jukmingen. They're
safe and clothed and fed and have somewhere to sleep.
So all of that is as okay as it can be.
And damage to Holmes is still a weight and watch.
It's just literally now the river and the weather and
mother Nature are going to do what she's going to do.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I mean, there was some concern that people were maybe
not evacuated soon enough. I thought i'd seen maybe the
member for Daily, Duran Young. I don't want to quote
him because I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I
thought that there had been some discussion that maybe it
hadn't happened soon enough.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
I mean, what's your response to that?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Yeah, the member for Daily had made quite a few potshots,
and you know, he might be thinking he's scoring political
points on me or on my team, but it just
impacts the emergency services personnel who are doing everything they
can on the ground. It's not really a time for politics,
quite frankly, and everyone understands it. On Thursday night, the
Bureau was not concerned about these river levels. We all
(08:19):
woke up first thing Friday morning. The weather had changed.
The Bureau had been monitoring. They gave the new alert.
Everyone sprung into action. The weather was too difficult to
send helicopters in that day, and so we knew there
was a weather opening the next day. That was done.
We mobilized every resource available. Everyone was safely extracted and
(08:40):
brought to Darwin. So it all happened really well in
the right timing without putting lives at additional risk. And
I just thank everyone who's been providing support and working
twenty four hours a day on this.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So at the moment, we've got evacuees at Marara I
noticed yesterday, and then we also have evacue at.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
The show grounds.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Yeah, okay, so how many people are evacuated to Darwin
right now?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
So there's probably about three hundred.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
So Palampa are at Marara and Daily River are at
Foski's and some people chose to you know, they're staying
with friends and family, etc. Which is entirely people. It's prerogative,
and so yeah, probably about three hundred, i'd.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Say, all right, Chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
In terms of the rural area, yesterday afternoon we had
flash flooding out there. From your understanding, how things striking
now out in the rural area.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
I'll tell you what quite literally, when it rains it
paus right. It's just been unbelievable, I mean Catherine and
then Darwin's flooding. So we still have significant water over
many rural roads and people are being urged.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Please if it's flooded, forget it.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Schools are open, but many people cannot get to them,
and do not try, please. We don't want to have
any tragic issues happen. We don't want to send our
emergency services out to stretch our already stretched resources. So
people just need to really work to conditions today and
be incredibly mindful of the weather of them.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
All right, Chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
The other area that people are really concerned about right
now is our drinking water, power and water issuing some
text messages to some customers by the look of it,
overnight saying that the pump station requires restoration work.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
We now know that they.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Say that is due to the flash flooding in what
is an unprecedented situation when the dam has never been
so full. What's the latest that Power and Water is
telling you in terms of the you know, the contingency.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
So we've got in place.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Here, that's right.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
So and I actually flew over the dam as well,
and you can see the water just cascading out of
the overflow. But so because of that flash flooding in
Darwen River also flooded and so they saw the highest
level of water they've ever had at Darwin River. And
what that did is flooded the pump station. So Power
and Water sent their crews in immediately on discovering that,
(10:57):
and we're making assessments. The Territor Tree Emergency Management Committee
met to discuss it. More information came forward and then
that public information was put out. But I just I
really need the message to territories to be really really
clear on this. We've asked all of the very large uses,
which are your big corporates or government uses, to severely
(11:19):
restrict today. What we're asking every day mums and dads
and territories is to be responsible. If everyone really just
pulls back on unnecessary water usage. What we can do
is by time for the tradees who are on site
right now to be able to get that gear.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
But how much time do they need.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
I think it's about twenty four to forty eight hours.
But Power and Water we'll be doing a press conference
at twelve thirty today, so we'll have the most up
to date, reliable information by midday.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Well hopefully we've got it before then because we do
have the acting CEO at eleven o'clock, so hopefully we'll
have further info. I mean, Chief Minister, do people need
to be going up buying water fi filling the bathtubs?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
At this point?
Speaker 4 (11:58):
What we need is just as little usage as possible.
So if people feel more comfortable buying water, of course
you can. This is not an urgent situation though. What
we're just asking is people not having long showers, certainly,
no running of irrigation, really monitoring, you know, if you
don't need to be doing laundry today or running the dishwasher, don't,
So just being a little bit more mindful, and if
(12:19):
everyone is a bit mindful, then with the support of
the corporates doing the heavy lifting and the bringing on
of the ball fields will be fair.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
And so those corporates have been asked to really not use.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Yeah a lot of water, correct today And that happened
immediately now.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
In terms of redundancies, though, as I understand it, we
then using the other ball fields at this point in time.
But like, how many days do we have up our
sleeve here if needed?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Yeah, look, that's a good question for power and water
when you've got them on at eleven Katie, I'm sorry
I don't know that information. But my understanding is is
that our crews are all out there, so all of
the redundancy planning is well enacted. People worked through the night,
so that is all very very advanced to be getting
the gearback online.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Are you confident that they're going to get this sorted
and that we're not going to end up without water?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I am? I am, Katie.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
If everyone does the right thing and supports each other
through this and just be is a bit more responsible today,
I think we'll.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
All be fine.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
What happens if they can't.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
I don't know, Katie, but we won't get to that,
there's no we can't. We will and I'll make sure
of it, my bloody hope.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
So especially when we've got such an enormous amount of
water falling from the sky and I get it, it's unprecedented,
but it is worry indeed. Now tell me I want
to I just want to sort of speak a little
bit about the day to day as well. Here very quickly,
we know that the nightcliff by election happened over the weekend.
It's looking as though he'd smell just pick that seat up.
(13:41):
It did look like there was a drop in primary
votes towards the COLP for your candidate. I mean, are
you worried about that?
Speaker 4 (13:48):
No, Look, this is not our seat to lose, Katie,
and we congratulate ed on his win. Labor have held
that seat for a quarter of a century and it
was a Greens held seat at the time time.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
So yeah, I've been focused on other things I can
tell you, Katie.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
But of course that happened, and you know we'll welcome
him to the Parliament.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
So not a loss for you.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
You don't feel as though it's any skin off your nose.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
No, No, this wasn't one for us to lose.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
And you know, our mandate is still very very clear,
our mission is still clear, and there's no change from
US Territorians. We'll see us focusing on reducing crime, rebuilding
the economy, restoring our lifestyle as we promise.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Well, she's been I know you've got to get into
Parliament really quick. One from Bill Ingray. He said, Katie,
could you ask Leah why are the fuel stations ripping
us off? I've been watching one in Palmerston and its
prices have been going up daily and I'll bet they
haven't had a fuel drop every day since Friday.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Yeah, it's pretty horrific.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
And Treasurer Bill Yan was absolutely scathing of what's going on.
There's really no reason for these prices to be going
up and.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Day levers that can be pulled though.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Well, look, you know we obviously from opposition, we were
looking at some levers around fuel pricing transparency. So if
people aren't playing the game and doing the right thing
by territorians, we can bring all of that back on
the table.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
And is that something that you're considering.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
Well, I'm looking at it today more closely. My mind
has been in obviously the floods. But I am getting
briefings later this afternoon about what the situation is. But
it's a warning to all of the fuel service stations
out there. You cannot price gouge Territorians at this time.
We are watching and we will take what measures need
to be done.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
To be honest, I.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Reckon, it's the poor buggers that are behind the counter
that are probably helping us. You know, you've got these
You've got these big corporates that couldn't give a shit.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Yeah, it's disgusting, It's really disgusting, Katie, And it's unterritorian,
and that's what cuts the deepest. So people need to
do the right thing. We're asking people to you know,
not use too much water. We're asking servos not to
jack up prices. We're asking people to look after their
fellow Territorian, to help people who've been evacuated. There's a
lot going on right now and we don't need any
(15:56):
unterritorian behavior.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Well, well, i'll tell you what.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
I was out at fuel Express this morning, which is
locally owned, and there was lots of people out there
and those prices did seem to be fair. So I
hope that others continue to do the same, Chief Minister,
really quickly. Parliament resuming this week despite all that is
going on when it comes to the weather and the flooding,
what's on the agenda from the government's perspective.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Yeah, so today is a big day.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
We've got our domestic violence legislation where we are increasing
the non parole period for people who murder their intimate
partner or a past intimate partner from twenty years to
twenty five years. This aligns it with the same non
parole period for if you murder a child. And so
I want to be really clear. This is for people
who have been convicted of murdering for domestic violence their
(16:39):
intimate partner. We're saying that they should not have the
opportunity to be on parole before twenty five years. Life
is life, and this is a step in the right
direction to putting the rights of victims.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
So pushback from domestic violence groups, I mean, what do
you say to.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Them, Yeah, I just I can't understand the justification to
say or allege that this makes more women unsafe is
really unjustifiable. What we are talking about is people who
have already been convicted of murder, and what we're saying
is instead of them at twenty years popping their hand
up and saying, oh, I'd like to go home now please,
(17:14):
we're saying no, you can sit there for twenty five
and then we'll talk about it. So I really don't
understand the justification by the opposition leader or the DV
sector on opposing this and their claims that it makes
women more unsafe is completely unfounded.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Chief Minister la FINOKR will let you go. Thanks so
much for your time this morning, much appreciated.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Heay care and please everyone a little bit of water
today only
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