Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Administrator of the NT, Honourable Vicki O'Halloran reflecting on her time in the role says she hopes she’s been relatable for many Territorians

Transcript

Administrator of the NT, Honourable Vicki O'Halloran reflecting on her time in the role says she hopes she’s been relatable for many Territorians · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: As we know, a special farewell is being held for
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: the Administrator of the Northern Territory, the Honorable Vicky O'Halleran,
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: with today marking her last day in office, and her
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: honor is going to be doing a final lab of
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: Northern Territory Government House in the vehicle that's taken her
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: across the territory over the last five years, and she
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: joins me on the line right now to reflect on
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  Speaker 1: her time.
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: In the role.
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Good morning to you, your honor.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning, how are you, Katie?
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  Speaker 1: I am great. It's wonderful to have you on the show.
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: And I've no doubt you're getting prepared for your final
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: day and for your final farewell.
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: I am. I am trying to keep the emotions in checks.
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  Speaker 1: How are you feeling? You know, when you look back
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  Speaker 1: at the time that you've served and at a time
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  Speaker 1: when we've had a long reigning queen and now a king,
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  Speaker 1: what does it mean for you?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, I think the hard thing is leaving the staff
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: more than anything. You work so closely with people over
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  Speaker 2: the course of now more than five years. I really
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  Speaker 2: miss everyone a great deal. But you know, when I
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: start to feel a bit emotional about all of that
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  Speaker 2: I think we'll feel happy that you've had even had
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  Speaker 2: the opportunity and smile about those opportunities and reflect on
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  Speaker 2: the many stories and the engagements. So yes, I think
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  Speaker 2: it will be a day of mixed emotions that I'm
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  Speaker 2: ready for the next chapter and excited about the future
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  Speaker 2: at the same time.
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  Speaker 1: And on Friday evening, your reception was held at Parliament House,
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  Speaker 1: a farewell reception really to thank you for the work
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  Speaker 1: that you've done and to acknowledge all that amazing work
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  Speaker 1: that you've done. And you did speak so fondly of
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  Speaker 1: your staff. They are a wonderful crew, aren't they.
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  Speaker 2: They're an incredible group of people, and you know they
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  Speaker 2: just work tirelessly to ensure that thes and gardens at
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  Speaker 2: Government House are kept so beautifully and the program that
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  Speaker 2: our undertakers, the administrator works well and acknowledges all people
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  Speaker 2: across the you know, the vast geography of our northern territory,
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  Speaker 2: and it is tireless work. That they're so focused. They're
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  Speaker 2: good company. So now that everything you could ever want
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  Speaker 2: with a team of staff, and they're there of course,
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  Speaker 2: you know, weekends, early mornings and late at night, and
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  Speaker 2: they take great pride in their work, and I think
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  Speaker 2: that also encourages you just to do your very best,
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  Speaker 2: because you know you've put so much, they put so
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  Speaker 2: much effort into your program, and you want it to
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  Speaker 2: be successful.
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  Speaker 1: And your honor. It has been. It's been such a
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  Speaker 1: big few years. What legacy would you say that you
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  Speaker 1: are leaving behind, Katie.
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  Speaker 2: I'd like to think the legacy is opening up Government
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  Speaker 2: House to people inviting territory and into government. How so
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  Speaker 2: they've lived here for many years that haven't had the
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  Speaker 2: opportunity to be a part of our program and using
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  Speaker 2: the house in a diverse way by having yogre on
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  Speaker 2: the terrace, and particularly over the course of the pandemic
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  Speaker 2: when we were social distancing and we couldn't have functions inside.
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  Speaker 2: I think we learned then that we can use the
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  Speaker 2: grounds and gardens as much as we can the building,
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  Speaker 2: and we've advanced technology as well. But I certainly hope
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  Speaker 2: I've been relatable. That was the aim for Craigan and
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  Speaker 2: I are to bring a lot of energy to the program,
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  Speaker 2: to the role and be relatable to all Territorians.
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  Speaker 1: Well, I said it on Friday night at your reception.
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  Speaker 1: Obviously I was there to see the event, and I
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  Speaker 1: said it on Friday night. I know, when you first
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: started in the role, we had you in the studio
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  Speaker 1: for your first interview and I remember at the time,
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  Speaker 1: like I said, feeling quite nervous and thinking, I don't
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  Speaker 1: want to you know, I want to make sure that
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  Speaker 1: I get your intro correct and it's always a bit
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  Speaker 1: of a juggle making sure that you're referring to you
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: in the correct way and doing all the right things.
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  Speaker 1: And you'd said to me after that interview, Katie, I'm
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  Speaker 1: still just Vicky. And you have remained our Vicky throughout
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  Speaker 1: your whole tenure and you've done exactly what you said.
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  Speaker 1: You have opened up a government house to people who've
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  Speaker 1: never been to Government House before in their lives, even
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  Speaker 1: if they've lived in the Northern Territory their whole lives.
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  Speaker 1: You know, we've seen events at Government House with the
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  Speaker 1: likes of the RSPCA. There's been jazz on the lawns,
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  Speaker 1: there's been all sorts of things, and it's been so
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  Speaker 1: wonderful to see. And I think that you have really
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  Speaker 1: bought your own flare to the role.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie. I'm cheering up now because it means
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  Speaker 2: a great deal to me. Yes, it's just been an
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  Speaker 2: incredible journey, and you know, it is a time when
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  Speaker 2: you I believe when you given the opportunity to have
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  Speaker 2: a role like the administrator, that you do concentrate on
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  Speaker 2: giving back. You have a chance to travel far and wide.
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  Speaker 2: You have a chance to be in schools, to be
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  Speaker 2: in childcare centers, as you say to me, with rsp
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  Speaker 2: with the RSPCA and many other patronage organizations, talking to
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  Speaker 2: local business people, understanding people's challenges, what's working well in
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  Speaker 2: their businesses, with their families, you know, the day to
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  Speaker 2: day challenges. Life's tricky and the fact that people have
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  Speaker 2: wanted to share so much of their journey with me
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  Speaker 2: has assisted me to do the role and do it
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  Speaker 2: in a way that I hope has been relatable.
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  Speaker 1: Vicky. We've got a few messages that have come through
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  Speaker 1: for you, and I've got one here from Peter and
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  Speaker 1: it says what a standout person Vicky O'Halloran's been in
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  Speaker 1: her position as the Administrator of the Northern Territory. Peter says, so,
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  Speaker 1: in the words of Rod Stewart's song every beat of
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  Speaker 1: My Heart, let's say farewell, but not say but don't
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  Speaker 1: say goodbye, says Peter. I've got one here from Robin Burridge,
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  Speaker 1: and Robin had called through to say happy New Year,
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: keep up the great work for us and turning out
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  Speaker 1: the news. But she said, with the administrator coming on
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  Speaker 1: later today, she's an amazing woman who she is obviously
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  Speaker 1: known for years. I know that you and Robin have
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  Speaker 1: known each other for a long time. And she said
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  Speaker 1: that there are three reasons why you're an amazing woman.
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  Speaker 1: One of them your motto, nothing is ever a problem,
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  Speaker 1: only a challenge. The second a big challenge that you
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  Speaker 1: overcame was getting wheelchair access and toilets at Government House,
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  Speaker 1: which is a Heritage listed building, and that you're also
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  Speaker 1: a poetry lover.
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  Speaker 2: Well, thank you Peter, and thank you Robin. Very generous comments.
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  Speaker 2: And it's so nice that people do take the time
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  Speaker 2: to make contact and I look forward to the ongoing friendships.
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  Speaker 2: We're not going anywhere.
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  Speaker 1: Well, that's exactly right, and that was going to be
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  Speaker 1: my next question. Are your plans?
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  Speaker 2: What's next? But when I know, I'll make sure you know, kaybe,
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  Speaker 2: I'm just trying to get to the end. Be strong
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  Speaker 2: right up to the last minute, do my job, as
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  Speaker 2: the administrator, and then here look at what opportunities and
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  Speaker 2: how I can continue to I suppose over the next
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  Speaker 2: five to seven years of my career do some good
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  Speaker 2: work againing community.
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  Speaker 1: Now, just talk me through the ceremonial events for today.
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  Speaker 1: I imagine that it is going to be quite an
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  Speaker 1: emotional time for you and for your husband Craig saying farewell.
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: Yes, and our daughter Coco's here as well with your
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: partner Tom. So we'll meet with the Chief Minister and
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  Speaker 2: have what we call a courtesy call. We'll farewell each
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  Speaker 2: staff person individually, and then we will have the Australian
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  Speaker 2: Defense fulls there, there'll be the Royal salute and a
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  Speaker 2: review and we'll well thank the army band. Of course,
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  Speaker 2: there'll be a press of the territory flag and the
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  Speaker 2: Australian flag, and then we will depart Government House as
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  Speaker 2: you mentioned in NT one, and do a tour of
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  Speaker 2: the city and wave to people and thank everybody a
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  Speaker 2: great deal for this amazing opportunity, and then go back
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  Speaker 2: to our apartment which we can't fit in and downsizing into,
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  Speaker 2: which is just down the road, still in the city,
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  Speaker 2: and get on with the next chapter of our lives.
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  Speaker 1: Oh well, like I say, you have done a phenomenal job.
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  Speaker 1: I've got. There's lots of messages flowing through. There's one
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  Speaker 1: from Ashley in Bayview and he says her honor has
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  Speaker 1: been an outstanding administrator and leaves with a lasting impression.
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  Speaker 1: Not since Eric Johnson have I witnessed an administrator be
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  Speaker 1: such a people person. And I say that with no
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  Speaker 1: disrespect to any others and to consort Craig all the best.
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  Speaker 1: That one there from Ashley in Bayview and your honor.
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  Speaker 1: I think that there are so many people listening this
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  Speaker 1: morning who will have well wishes for you and for
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  Speaker 1: your wonderful husband Craig as well, who's done a phenomenal job.
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  Speaker 1: You know, from me and the rest of the Northern Territory,
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  Speaker 1: thank you so much for the work that you have
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  Speaker 1: done as the administrator of the Northern Territory. You have
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  Speaker 1: truly taken the role to the people, and I think
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  Speaker 1: for that everybody is grateful.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you very much, Katie, and thank you very much.
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  Speaker 2: Business from Craig. Coco and I thank.
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  Speaker 1: You, and well, Vicky. We will talk to you again,
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  Speaker 1: no doubt, I'm very sure. Once we know what is
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  Speaker 1: next for
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  Speaker 2: You, thank you, thank you, you too.