Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Katie Woolf spoke with Minister for Health, Tourism and Hospitality Natasha Fyles

Transcript

Katie Woolf spoke with Minister for Health, Tourism and Hospitality Natasha Fyles · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Mix one oh four point nine three sixty. Now,
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: the third round of tourism vouchers went live last night.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Well did you attempt to get your hands on a voucher?
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: If you did, give us a call eight nine four
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: one one oh four nine and let us know how
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: things went. But joining me on the line right now
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: is the Tourism Minister. She's also the Health Minister and
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Attasha Files.
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: Good morning, Good morning, Katie, good morning listeners.
• 0:23
  Speaker 3: Minister.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: How did the redemption of those vouchers go last night
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: or the registering of those vouchers last night?
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: So territories were certainly ready, Katie. We saw ten thousand
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: people register for a round three of the vouches in
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: three point four to four minutes, so people had clearly
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: thought ahead about what they'd like to do and we're ready.
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: And as soon as they went live at eight o'clock
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: last night, they jumped online. But people can still jump
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: on and join the wait list. I know some people
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: was talking to forgotten. At about ten past eight they
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: jumped online and of course we're disappointed that the vouchers
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: were allocated at that point. But the last round we
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: had thousands of people on the way list, and we
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: were able to clear that weight list. It's part of
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: the process of getting these vouchers out. So tourism and
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: hospitality have been devastated by COVID. We all know that,
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: and this is the Antique government's way of supporting this sector.
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: So ten thousand vouchers in three point four to four minutes,
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: how many people are all ready on the waiting list?
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so really important question, Katie. So by six o'clock
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: this morning, more than thirty three thousand people had signed up,
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: So ten thousand people have been allocated a voucher and
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: they should start to receive the emails with their voucher.
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: Some people have already received those, others will receive them
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: in the next couple of days. They then have fourteen
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: days to book their experience and utilize their voucher. And
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: it just depends they might not use the full two
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: hundred dollars allocation because it's fifty percent of your money
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: and fifty percent of the governments. So as soon as
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: they've made that booking and there's some extra, it or
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: go back in or they may not use their voucher,
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: and so the whole amount will go back in and
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: we'll start to allocate vouchers for people over the weight list.
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: How does they even though there's an awful lot, we're
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: hopeful that they'll all get a vout.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: How does that compared to previous rounds, Ie, you know
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: last time round, how many people were on the wait
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: list and did end up being able to redeem a voucher.
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah, Katy, that's a really important question. So we've had
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: two rounds of the vouchers and we've seen over forty
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: four thousand vouchers received redeemed sorry, which has generated more
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: than seventeen million dollars into this industry. So we'll have
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: the final results on round two in the coming weeks,
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: but certainly there's been many thousands of vouchers, tens of
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: thousands delivered with the previous rounds, and we're confident even
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: for those people who might be a little disappointed this
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: morning that they're on the weight list, we're fairly confident
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: they will receive a voucher. These vouchers go through until
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: the thirtieth of April, and so this is really supporting
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: this sector until we see that dry season, and hopefully
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: this year we'll see a dry season, which is a
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: little more regular not impacted by COVID as we saw
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: last year.
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: Do we need to try and do things differently if
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: indeed there is another round of vouchers so that we
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: sort of spread the love to a few more territorianes.
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: Katie, I'm confident that the system we've got in place
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: is working and it is right to support this sector
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: in the sense that we did see many thousands of
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: people weightlifters previously and they've sort of given up that
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: they might not get a voucher, and then they did
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: receive those vouchers and were able to utilize them through January.
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: So even though people are on the weight list, we
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: have to assume that people getting a voucher are going
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: to spend the full two hundred dollars, and many people
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: don't because they might book an experience that's three hundred dollars,
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: So one hundred and fifty comes from their voucher and
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: then the fifty remaining goes back into the pool. So
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: we're fairly confident that we have the system right and
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: this is something that's been welcomed by tourism and hospitality,
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: particularly as I said last year, I season they didn't
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: experience the international tourists any at all, and certainly domestic
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: tourists were impacted by the COVID hotspot restrictions that we saw,
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: So it's really supporting this sector through the wet season period.
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: Is there going to be another round?
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: So this is the final round that we've announced to date,
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: but I'll continue, particularly as the Minister for Tourism, working
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: with sector around what we can do to support them.
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: We know that we're hoping that the dry season this
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: year will be more regular with the domestic market, but
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: we don't expect international tourists and we know, particularly for
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: Central Australia, international tourists make up a large part of
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: their industry and the visitors and guests that come in.
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: You touched on the impact that COVID's had on our
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: tourism sector. There's no doubt it's been massive. That hasn't
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: stopped well the government from announcing some changes to park fees.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: We spoke to the Minister Selena Rubo yesterday who explained
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: the rise in fees at parks. Now we still don't
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: know just how high those fees are going to go up,
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: but we have spoken to the tourism sector, who, like
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: you've said, have been hit very hard by COVID and
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: they say they weren't consulted on this fee increase.
• 4:48
  Speaker 3: Why haven't they been.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, I certainly, as a Minister for Tourism, apologize
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: to the sector if they were taken by surprise with
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: this announcement, and I certainly will work with them over
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: the coming months. We have eighty five parks across the
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: territory and reserves and protected areas that the anti government
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: managers and we haven't seen fees increase for the past
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: twenty years, so we're looking at the future arrangements, particularly
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: around interstate visitors. We want to make sure that Territorians
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: can still access their favorite places such as Litchfield and
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: nit Maluck for free and we've certainly the governments committed
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: to that. So we will be consulting with not only
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: tourism operators, but traditional owners and other stakeholders around these
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: fees and a new online booking system, which is really
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: part of what's driving this, so that we can see
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: Territorians getting the certainty and the access to their favorite
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: spots that they have been wanting.
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: Taking into account, you know the fact that we know tourism,
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: the tourism sector has been hit and we know that
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: they've now said that they really weren't consulted in this space.
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: They did tell me last week that some bookings have
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: made eighteen months in advance, So obviously this fee increase
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: is going to have an impact on people who've already
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: booked holidays to the Northern Territory.
• 5:56
  Speaker 3: Is that a concern for you?
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: So for us, what we want to do is we
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: want to improve the visitor experiences to our parks and
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: reserves that we need to make sure that they're appropriately protected,
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: you know, for future generations to visit. But certainly that
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: feedback is something that I'll be taking to my cabinet colleague,
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: the Minister responsible for Parks and Wildlife, to explain in
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: any role out we do need to take on board
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: those types of considerations. So we want to have a
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: new online booking system, particularly for camping and multi day
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: walking trails. That feedback I get from locals is that
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: they're really disappointed they can't go to their favorite camping
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: spots during the dry season because they're taken over by
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: other people and they don't want to risk driving a
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: long way and not being able to set up camp.
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: So we're trying to make it that people can enjoy
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: the parks and the attractions, and certainly making sure that
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: locals feel that they are a part of that.
• 6:43
  Speaker 3: And I think everybody agrees with that.
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: I guess the thing that I feel worried about for
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: the sector is they've already gone through such a horrendous year.
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: I think, you know, if we're able to push this
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: fee increase back slightly so that this doesn't impact them more,
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: maybe that's the path to go down, Katie.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: So we'll take that feedback on board. There was no
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: changes planned for twenty twenty one, and as you've just indicated,
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: there are factors for the tourism industry that they take
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: bookings a long time in evance. We've got many people
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: that have deferred bookings because of COVID, and tourism operators
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: in trying to attract bookings into the territory have been
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: extremely flexible with their cancelation and their policies around delaying visits.
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: So I'll take all that on board to the Minister
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: for Parks and Wildlife and advocate strongly for the industry.
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: All right, Minister, I know that you'll press for time
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: this morning, as are we, so I want to just
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: power through a couple more things before we wrap up. Firstly,
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: I do want to ask you windows on the wetlands.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: The minister said yesterday. Selena Rubo said yesterday that it's
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: a temporary closure.
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: Should this reopen windows on.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: The wetland, Kadie. It's something that I remember visiting as
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: a child and certainly have you know, some wonderful memories
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: from out there, but I haven't been there in many,
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: many years. So the Minister, if she's indicated that's a
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: temporary closure, I know that they have been investment on
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: that site and they're looking at how they can work
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: with a contractor to reinvigorate that so that locals. You know,
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: I've driven to Kakadu a few times recently and I
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: haven't stopped in there, So how can we get people
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: to stop in there and enjoy that experience. So certainly
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: look forward to working with her, considering that the tourism industry,
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: you know, rely on that facility.
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and does what's the feedback being from the industry
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: on this closure, Katie.
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: The tourism sector, I think we're taken a little by
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: surprise by the announcement just before Christmas but there's some
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: that haven't visited that site, but there are the others
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: that it does impact on their operations, so they would
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: like to see it remain open.
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: All right, Well, it sounds as so that is still
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: an issue which is on the backburn. Let's move along
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: and talk about hot spots. We know that wa or Perth,
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: the metro area, along with a couple of other surrounding
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: areas has been declared a hot spot. How many Territorians
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: are currently in self quarantine due to that Perth lockdown, So.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: Katie, I'm advised that there's around two thousand Territorians that
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: have been directed into self quarantine. So those people need
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: to isolate, get tested and they must remain in that
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: isolation until they get their test results back and hopefully
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: that's a negative test result. If it's a positive, our
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: public health officials will work with them around what needs
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: to be undertaken. But two thousand territory.
• 9:14
  Speaker 3: Okay, Minister.
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: Yesterday we received a call from somebody who is out
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: near the wharf. I'm not sure if he works out
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: there or whether he's out there, you know what exactly
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: he does out there, but he says that he's continually
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: seeing people just walking off boats that are coming into
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: the wharf.
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: They're wearing masks.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: He's very worried that they're not going through the same
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: processes that we expect those that you know are getting
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: off planes or crossing the borders, that they're not going
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: through those same processes. What is the situation if somebody
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: arrives on a boat.
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: So Katie, crewmembers can't simply walk off. We've got the
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: Chief Health Officer Direction fifty one around maritime crew and
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: it sets out strict quarantine requirements for all vessels arriving
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: into the Northern Territory. Katie. This was something we really
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: focused our attention on way back in February last year,
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: because we at that point were very much of the
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: belief that the virus took fourteen days to incubate, and
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: we knew that we were closer than fourteen days sailing
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: time at that point from China. So we worked with
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: the officials down there at the wharfs, and we have
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: got a contract with a private health provider who undertakes
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: screening of these commercial vessels, and so this has been
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: going on for many months now. They done full ppe
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: and they go on board and they go through a
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: screening process using a questionnaire and a temperature check in
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: line with national protocols. So we've seen that system work
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: when we had the Diamond Tina and we had a
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: positive case and then subsequent cases. So if any members
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: of the community have any concerns, they should phone them
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: through to the COVID hotline or one three one trip
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: four that the police number, because they're are strict protocols.
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: There's a Chief Health officer direction around this.
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: All right, minister, we betterly but there we're pressed for time.
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: You're pressed for time. I really appreciate you having a
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: chat with us today.
• 11:05
  Speaker 3: Thanks Katie, Thank you.
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to mix one oh four point nine's three
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: sixty if you'd like to call through this morning eight
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: nine four one one oh four nine