Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Nick Poniris says GleNTi was cancelled this year due to a supply chain issue, and had nothing to do with the NT's vaccine mandate

Transcript

Nick Poniris says GleNTi was cancelled this year due to a supply chain issue, and had nothing to do with the NT's vaccine mandate · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Well, it is just eighteen minutes after nine o'clock and
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: I think you'd have to say that the Glenty is
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: one of the most loved events on the dry season
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: calendar each and every year. Unfortunately, this year it's looking
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: as though it's not going to go ahead. Now joining
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: me on the line right now is the Glenty President
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia, Nick Panierers.
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Good morning Katie, good morning to
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: your listeners and Calimetta and Greek for everybody does understand English.
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  Speaker 1: Oh good on you, Nick. I know that there is
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: plenty of Greek people who listen to the show. Nick, thanks,
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: tell us what's going on. Is the Glenty going ahead
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: this year or is it a no go?
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: We're taking a good question and we're taking on one
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: year hiatus and we're going to create a Greek first
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: of all for the day of Greek Glenty. So therefore,
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: what we're looking to do is to provide us product.
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: As we know, Glentye is iconic nationally. It is revered
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: as the best effers in the country in terms of
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: the Greek festival, and we need to ensure that we
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: protect the Glenty brand and the naming of it and
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: ensure that the product is not compromised in any way,
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: shape or form. So, due to a number of logistical
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: issues that we have, and we've had this for a
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: while now, and we're trying to work through our various
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: supply chains both in Australia and overseas to supply the
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  Speaker 2: freshest possible products we can get and then bring it
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  Speaker 2: here to get a cost effective rates so we can
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  Speaker 2: actually produce fresh food sell it. It's become a logistical nightmare.
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: So in doing so, the decision was made to well
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: go the Glente product and create a Greek festival for
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty two.
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  Speaker 1: So it sounds as though it will be a bit
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: smaller scale, Nick, is that right?
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  Speaker 2: Correct? Correct? In order to provide the service that we
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  Speaker 2: need and the quality that we need and the end result,
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  Speaker 2: which is showing a great product in terms of our culture, language, costume, dance,
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  Speaker 2: music and food, we can really produce it for a
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: good solid day. To put it on a two day event,
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  Speaker 2: it will be severely compromised and our supply channel is
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  Speaker 2: various supply chains are reluctant to put depend the paper
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  Speaker 2: to say we can supply what you need to do
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  Speaker 2: so and given the cost of strength that they have
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: in or the rest of that, it's just made a
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: lot difficult. So Nick, it's easier for us to host
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: the one day event.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: So obviously those supply chain issues have had a big impact.
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  Speaker 1: I do know that for a lot of community events,
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  Speaker 1: the fact that people need to be triple vaccinated as
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: well has had an impact in a lot of ways
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: in terms of those volunteers. Has that had an impact
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  Speaker 1: when it comes to the Glente, it hasn't.
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: Has an impact as of now because most of our
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: people that are vaccinated, we do have others that aren't,
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: like everybody else does. Yeah, but that's not an impact
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  Speaker 2: on us right now. The most important impact we have
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  Speaker 2: is the cost to provide and cost of supply and
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: the quality of supplies. So we have a logistical nightmare
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: right now, and we have a lot of products that
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  Speaker 2: we need to produce, had to sell to fulfill what
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: a Greek drink infessor would be like. So we've been
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: very fortunate in that way. The other underlying factors were
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: the mandates which have now been lifted by the government
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: and the Joe's Officer that helped us enormously to be
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: confident enough to be able to host a successful Greek
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: festival for twenty twenty two.
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: Yeah, otherwise if they hadn't have done that, were you
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: concerned that those numbers could have looked different or what
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: was the worry.
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: The logistical issues never moved. Yeah, so that it just
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  Speaker 2: meant the patron the patrons would have been the ones
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: who are missing out.
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, and I had seen obviously in that statement
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  Speaker 1: that was issued, you did say that you know, it
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: couldn't successfully be held in twenty twenty two whilst complying
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: with the directions of the chow. So what were the
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: concerns when it came to those directions of the chow.
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: Well, it's a license event. So if it wasn't as
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: it's a liquor license event, it left to comply with
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  Speaker 2: everything that shows orders are in terms of liquor supplies,
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  Speaker 2: selling out of the counter, things like that, gated entry,
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  Speaker 2: vaccination passes, all of those things. Yeah, so that's all
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: been lifted. They've all been lifted, So we're very fortunate.
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  Speaker 2: So that wasn't the impact anymore. There's no impact there,
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  Speaker 2: which says a supply chain coming to dow and the
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: issues that revolve around supply.
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  Speaker 3: Let me tell you this is not unique just to
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  Speaker 3: do nice.
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  Speaker 2: Every Greek festival in the country has got the same
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  Speaker 2: issues in terms of their supply chain, and others have
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  Speaker 2: actually postponed so later in the year. Sydney, for example,
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  Speaker 2: has gone from March now to October just for the
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: sake of trying to have products of a can oster festival.
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  Speaker 2: It's not just the Northern Territory when it comes to
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  Speaker 2: a supply chain, it's everyone.
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  Speaker 1: Nick, Are you worried that in the one day community
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: event that you're still going to have that you might
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: have everybody in Darwin that usually turns up to the
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: Glenea trying to turn.
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  Speaker 2: Up, you know, plan nobody turns Oh look, I you know,
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: I love the Glenty.
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  Speaker 1: I just think it's it's amazing the way that the
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  Speaker 1: Greek community really showcases or everything Greek and really welcomes
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  Speaker 1: the whole community to experience that Greek culture. I think
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  Speaker 1: it's a wonderful event that happens every year. I know
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: that there are going to be so many people listening
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  Speaker 1: this morning, Nick, who are really you know, who are
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  Speaker 1: disappointed that it's not able to happen in its same
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  Speaker 1: capacity as what it usually would.
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  Speaker 2: Katie, can I just say, whilst everything said is true,
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  Speaker 2: let me put it to you our best. The Greek
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  Speaker 2: community will host a special one day event that will
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  Speaker 2: be comparable to a Greek Glinka festival. Let me assure
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  Speaker 2: you that, Yeah, we will not be taking any shortcuts
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  Speaker 2: in any way, shape or form me. It will. It
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: will go ahead and we will do the best we
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: can for a single day and it'll be a Greek festival.
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  Speaker 2: People want to get hurried much along the lines, but
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  Speaker 2: slightly better than what we did in the year of
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty, our first COVID year. Yeah, that we couldn't
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: host the festival, but we hosted a Greek event and
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: that was quite successful in terms of the numbers of
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: our patriots have turned up, their visitors and the light
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  Speaker 2: and more importantly, we learned from that smaller and that
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  Speaker 2: we needed to do a lot more teams in terms
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: of making it at more comfortable for our visitors. So
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  Speaker 2: we've learned from that and we're going to expand on
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  Speaker 2: it and it's going to be an event that's going
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: to be second to none except for the Glens.
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  Speaker 1: So Nick to anybody out there listening this morning that's
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: thinking that the reason this isn't going ahead is because
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: of the vaccine mandate, That's not the case.
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: That's not the case at or it has nothing to
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: do with advance mandates anymore. Ye, the mandates have been lifted,
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  Speaker 2: and we thank the Chow's Office for doing what they've
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: done in terms of making their decisions and the Health
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: Department and everybody involved in the decision making process. It's
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: more along the logistic pollisions. We've always had these issues
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  Speaker 2: from last October when we were tied by a supply Chaine.
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  Speaker 2: We're going to struggle.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, Look, I will just clarify because some people might
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: be a bit confused. Obviously the vaccine pass has lifted,
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: but by this by what the Health Minister had said
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: to us earlier in the work, you do still need
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: to be triple vaxed, you know, in terms of frontline work,
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  Speaker 1: and I believe also for some of those volunteering roles.
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  Speaker 1: So just to anybody out there listening in case they
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: are a little bit confused, that is.
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  Speaker 2: You know that as a community organizations, we have to
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  Speaker 2: comply with the in terms of our volunteers and our
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: staff and our committee members.
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  Speaker 1: Yep.
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  Speaker 2: And I can comfortably say everybody that's involved in the
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  Speaker 2: festival pully vaccinated. We have no issues there, Nick.
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: With the supply chain issues, are you talking like, is
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  Speaker 1: it a situation where you're just not able to get
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  Speaker 1: some of the stuff that you ordinarily would and bring
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: it in from Greece?
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  Speaker 2: Soctly we get a lot of stuff from interstate and
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  Speaker 2: from overseas. Now the problem with that is is that
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  Speaker 2: the overseas product is not here and it won't.
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  Speaker 3: Be here ye for a number of reasons.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah.
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  Speaker 3: And then we have our local supplies who are telling
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  Speaker 3: us in our PSD, for example, who our supply chain
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  Speaker 3: and are they the ones who were saying, well, we
• 7:57
  Speaker 3: can only supply this much of the products you normally
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  Speaker 3: would for glenty because of these reasons from the supply.
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  Speaker 2: Chain that gets it to them. And they're a national organization,
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  Speaker 2: so that's not a small you know, delicatest speak, Nick,
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  Speaker 2: it's entirely the supply and logistical issues in terms behind
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  Speaker 2: the supply chain.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, Nick, was it a tough decision for the committee
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  Speaker 1: to make? I know, you guys have really had to
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: go through some of those ups and downs over the
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  Speaker 1: last few years with COVID. But was it a tough decision.
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  Speaker 2: It was extremely because it was a decision that had
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: to be either posted glenty and really compromise the product,
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  Speaker 2: and we weren't prepared to do that or do nothing.
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  Speaker 2: So the best compromise was to have a Greek festival,
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: give it the best shop we can possibly give. It's
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: going to be a great event, no doubt about it.
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  Speaker 2: Already feel it in my bones. It's going to be
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  Speaker 2: a spectacular in its own way, and it will be
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  Speaker 2: a great compromise for the year at tops.
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  Speaker 1: So Nick, is it still going to happen on the
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: same date or what date? Can we expect this wonderful
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: one day event the.
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: Twelve over at the Rapid Greek grounds at the Greek
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  Speaker 2: School area. We have the facilities in place. We've got
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: lots of stuff already on the ground there. That saves
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: a lot of cost in terms of spending money if
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: we can't afford to.
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  Speaker 1: Spend well, I cannot wait to be there and eat
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  Speaker 1: the beautiful Greek food that you guys put on every year.
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  Speaker 1: And like I say, I think the Glentye is a
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  Speaker 1: wonderful event, and I know that you've to obviously mortify
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: things for this year, but I'm pleased to hear that
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: there is still going to be a showcasing of the
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: Greek culture at that one day event. And we really
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: appreciate you speaking to us this.
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  Speaker 3: Morning and thank you for your time.
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: And it will be a spectacular event, let me assure
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  Speaker 2: you that. And we're going to host multiple events leading
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: to Glenty and our Figmanty as well, so we're not
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: going to just focus it on the one day now.
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  Speaker 2: We're going to host the summer sessions at another venue.
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  Speaker 2: That's so we send a spread the love across all
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: the different venues and down and that we can showcase
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  Speaker 2: what we do in terms of the Greek culture, music
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: and dance and everything else. And we'll be going to
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: bring up a Greek film firstival again if we're going
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: to do a heap of other things so we can
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: continue this instead of having a one day eventor to
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: be a multiple events throughout the period of time.
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: Well, we'll talk to you in the lead up. Nicholas Panierus,
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia.
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: We really appreciate your time today. Thanks for having a
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: chat with us.
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: Jadi, thank you for having us K Thank you you two.
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: It is just twenty eight minutes after nine o'clock. Eight
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: nine four one one four nine is the number. You
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: can also send us a message if you'd like to
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: zero four double nine seven double one three six zero
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: And yeah, I think lots of people listening this morning
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: will be, you know, will be a bit sad that
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: the full Greek Glenty isn't happening this year. But like
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: you've just heard, they're from Nick Paneers. They are still
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: going to have that one day event, which will still
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: showcase everything we love about the Glenty, but it is
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: going to be on a different scale due to some
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: of those logistical concerns that they've had in supply chain issues.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: By the sounds of things, Nick has said that it
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: isn't a situation that's that's had to happen due to
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: vaccine mandates. Has said that it is certainly a matter
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: of those supply chain issues. If you do want to
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: get in contact with us, let us know what you think.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: Eight nine four one one oh four nine