Cyclone Tracy Survivor Robyn Cooper-Radke says many survivors feel betrayed by City of Darwin over its plans for the 50th anniversary of the cyclone and are questioning whether they attend commemorations

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming your way in just a moment's time. Actually, I've
got her on the line already now joining me on
the line to talk further about this topic. I am
joined by Robin Cooper Radkey and and good morning to
you there, Robin.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning Katie.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
How are you you really well? Lovely to speak to
you now, Robin, are you coming to a slide from
New Zealand this morning?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yes, I am.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
Now, I know you have been despite the fact that
you are on the other side of you know, of
the world or not too far away, you've been keeping
a really close eye on things when it comes to
the Cyclone Tracy commemorations. You and I have spoken before
about the sculpture. How are you feeling after, you know,

(00:45):
after finding out more about these concerns regarding that sculpture
being unveiled on the twenty ninth in in what summer
calling a secret event.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yes, well, we've been mate Admond for Cyclone Tracy Surviving
Book group in which we have just over seven and
a half thousand members. Now just reading the comments, you know,
in relation to the sculpture from when it was originally

(01:15):
unveiled at the beginning of June. Just the anger and
the sadness coming out in the commentary. There's a lot
of anger and a lot of sadness. We feel very
let down. It's like, I'm tracy, survivors haven't been listened to, Robin.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
What are some of those members saying.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
A lot? It's main just katies as contempt to discuss
the hostility. It's hurt disappointment. The biggest thing I am
reading is the retraumatization. You were talking about a very
older age genographic group here and very sensitive to what

(01:58):
we went through just the years ago, and it is
just re traumatizing so many people. A lot of people
are trying to get a dread about coming back to
the fiftieth I'm reading those sort of comments. Should I
come back? I don't think I will now. We just
felt very let down, very betrayed.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yeah that and you know, like I just think to myself,
that's the last thing that we want right for the commemorations.
The thing that we actually want is for the community
to come together in the way that the community came
together after the cyclone fifty years ago and rebuilt this place.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
As well. Honestly, we feel the council has completely betrayed us.
They have completely let us down. They had fifty years
to get right and that haven't got it right. We
called for back in, gentle them to go back to
the drawing board. Well it's not happened. It's the secrecy

(02:56):
around it. So yeah, so we feel so betrayed, Robin.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
What do you think needs to happen?

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Personally? And honestly, I would actually like to see the
Lord Mayor publicly apologize. You've got tens of thousands of
people who are impacted, plane up the rebuilding it section.
You've got to factor all those people in as well,
and the counsels have got it wrong, stand up and

(03:27):
own it. Say you've got it wrong, We apologize, include
it because this red the last time we all come
back for anything and we do need to be validated
and justified.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Well, Robin, I really appreciate your time this morning. We
are due to have the Lord Mayor on in about
ten minutes time, so we'll see whether we get that apology.
We'll see why they are holding these two events. And
I don't know, I don't know whether we'll sort of
get any answers or whether there'll be any change, but
we'll do our best or I'll do my best.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Lovely, it's great to have you on board. Katie appreciate
everything anytime.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
Thank you, Robin, Thanks so much for your time this morning.