Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Health Minister Natasha Fyles says the Government is looking to pass legislation to allow dry communities to re-introduce alcohol

Transcript

Health Minister Natasha Fyles says the Government is looking to pass legislation to allow dry communities to re-introduce alcohol · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Some good news yesterday the Northern Territory Minister for Health
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: announcing radioisotopes for the PET scans are going to be
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: produced locally in the territory with the construction of the
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: cyclotron facility now complete. Now, for those who don't know,
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: pet scans provide detailed medical images that can help with
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: the detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, most commonly.
• 0:22
  Speaker 2: I guess we talk.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: About this in the cancer setting and the final phase
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: of commissioning is underway, which involves setting up that cyclotron,
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: so it's ready to beam on now. Joining me on
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: the line, is the Health Minister attach to files. Good
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: morning to you, minister.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, good morning listening now, Minister.
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: Has the PET scanner been operational for a while now
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: and why is the cyclotron needed?
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: So, Katie is really exciting to see this project come
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: to fruition. I remember speaking to you from Camber when
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: I was down there lobbing the then federal Health Minister,
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: and this is a significant project. The PET scanner has
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: been operational since twenty eighteen and we estimated it would
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: do around a hundred scans a year. Last year at
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: did fourteen hundred pet scans, so it's clearly a much
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: needed piece of medical equipment. And we've been flying in
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: the isotopes, so they're the component that's used for the
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: scan and I will let our physicists explain a detail
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: around that. But local production is really significant. It means
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: that as medical advancements happen, there's a shorter time frame
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: between production and use, and when you add a four
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: or five hour flight to that, it is a restricting factor.
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: It also will allow us to participate in clinical trials.
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: So this is a really exciting announcement for Territory and
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: that the construction is nearly over and it's heading into
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: the commissioning phase and.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: So Minister, when will it be When will the cyclotron
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: be operational?
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: We're hoping by June, so construction is pretty much complete
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: and from the end of April it will then go
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: into a technical commissioning phase, so it is then authorized
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: to produce those isotopes and we will be able to
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: have them produce locally, which will certainly help. There won't
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: be interruption to the people getting pet scans because the
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: isotopes don't turn up, and particularly with COVID and the
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: changes to flights. We've had a really big impact.
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it is a good news story. I know that
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: there has been some delays to this project in different ways,
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: but I think for a lot of Territorians, if they
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: are able to have those pet scans, if you're able
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: to have the isotopes and everything that's required here in
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: the Northern Territory, it can only be a good thing,
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: particularly for those families that are going through the really
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: difficult process of detecting a disease. And we know that
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: this is very often used in the cancer setting, absolutely.
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: Katie, and you know, just reading some of the comments
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: on social media last night, people that had to travel
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: into State by themselves for that scan. So they're at
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: a critical point of a diagnosis or treatment and three
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: days alone into State is not good for you. Alternatively,
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: people that may not be well enough to travel or
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: just simply choose not to travel to get that. So
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: the PET scanner has been a great collaboration with the
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: Common Government. And yes it's taken some time to get
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: this cycle of China. It's an incredibly complex piece of
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: medical equipment, but the Territory now has that leading piece
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: here in the top end.
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: Now Minister there is quite a lot happening around the
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: Northern Territory today and in what is breaking news this morning,
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: it's been reported in the Australian newspaper that police notes
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: obtained by the paper show senior police executives, including the
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, met in Deputy Commissioner Michael White's
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: office at three point thirty four on November thirteen, twenty nineteen,
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: the afternoon that Constable Rolf was charged with the murder
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: of Indigenous man cumen Ji Walker. Now detectives investigating the
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: case were reportedly called into the same office at three
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: point forty seven pm after mister Chalker had left, where
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: they were directed to arrest Constable Rolf. The revelation follows
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: comments made by the Commissioner last week that he had
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: remained at arm's length from the investigation and in his words,
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: was as shocked as anybody when he'd learned the officer
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: had been charged with murder. Minister, does this information raise
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: concerns for you?
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, We've seen our justice system completer process and
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: we respect that verdict and we still acknowledge the people
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: that are hurting across the territory. There is the coronial
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: investigation that will take place, and there's also the ability
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: for the IKAC to investigate if they wish. So it
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: is important that we focus on the healing that's needed,
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: but people should be reassured that there is the processes
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: for further independent investigation of this matter.
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: Do you feel though that there are questions here which
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: remain unanswered, because I mean, a situation like this one
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: isn't going like what I've just raised, isn't going to
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: be raised or isn't going to be looked at, I
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: would imagine in a coronial inquest.
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, the coronial inquest is quite a broad scope,
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: and also the Iye Tack, as I said, has the ability.
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: Both of those are independent and I believe have a
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: very wide grope of investigation that they can look into
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: these matters that we're talking about.
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: I mean, there has been ongoing calls for an independent inquiry.
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: Does this information, I mean notes demonstrating the Commissioner well
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: demonstrating that he was in a meeting prior to the
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: constable being charged, then last week saying he was at
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: arms length and as shocked as anyone by the charges,
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: does it demonstrate that an inquiry needs to take place.
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: So Katie, I've just pointed to the fact that there
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: is still two independent or one independent inquiry that will
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: definitely happen, the coronial, and there's the ability for the
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: Eyekac to look into these matters. So I think it's
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: really important that people understand there is independent processes around this.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: It's certainly an issue that has caused much divide in
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: our community and we must be focused on that healing
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: following the justice system completing its process, and there is
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: further investigation for these questions that people may have.
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: I guess that the issue is right now is perception
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: is everything in this situation, and the perception is whether
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: it's right or wrong. The perception from the public is
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: that there has been more go on behind the scenes
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: than what people realize. In an effort to really try
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: and clear that up, would it just be better to
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: have an inquiry in this space and clear everybody, So.
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: Katie, as I said, there's those two independent options that
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: acquiring options. We know that the coronial will take place
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: and will be significant with a significant length of time,
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: and there is also the ability for the ikak to
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: look into this matter. So there is an independent investigation
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: that can take place as well as that colonial.
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: All right, I've no doubt that this is going to
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: be something that there'll be further discussion about today. But
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: I actually want to ask you about some of the
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: issues that are causing quite a bit of havoc around
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: the territory right now, and that is alcohol misuse. The
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: Chief finessty yesterday confirmed four hundred people have been returned
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: to country this month, more than the last three months
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: through the return to Country program with Larakia Nation. Unfortunately,
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: we are still seeing some real issues though with that
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: public drunkenness. Does this issue demonstrate that the measures we've
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: got to minimize alcohol issues aren't working for some reason
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: right now?
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: So, Katie, there's not one single solution, and we also
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: need across the territory to have different solutions for a
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: local impacts on the community. In terms of alcohol policy,
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: we've had a very thorough review into this. We've implemented
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: a range of measures and we continue to do so.
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: The Band Drinker Register has close to three thousand people
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: Churchy wide who have an active ban. No people come
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: off those bands and other people go on them, but
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: we also see each month those people can't purchase alcohol.
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: But we also see people who are on the BDR
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: attempt to purchase alcohol. So we know that the BDR
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: is one tool, but we also have a range of
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: other measures and also looking at those localized solutions around
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: this difficult policy area.
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: So do you feel as though the BDR is still
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: working at the moment even though you know we've got
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: issues at the moment where there is such you know,
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: such a large number of people drinking publicly and publicly
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: intoxicated and engaging in not only bad behavior, but in
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: some instances criminal behavior.
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: Okatie. I met with police, Licensing and Health last week
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: and I meet with them regularly around the issue of
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: alcohol policy and how we can continue to be agile
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: and put in place different measures. I think the BDR
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: is one important tool. Again, we have the floor price
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: another important tool. But we are constantly looking at the
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: measures we have in place and making sure that they're
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: there to protect the community. But we certainly acknowledge we
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: have seen an increased number of people, particularly in the
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: top end in town. The chiefs that has pointed to
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: the people that are being returned to countries. So there's
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: a number of areas that we can put in place
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: measures to help address these issues.
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: When it comes to the BDR, what numbers are you
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: using to measure its success?
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: So the BDR we do a number of reports. We
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: get a monthly report and those statistics are uploaded to
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: the Department of Health website. They're the raw data that
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: shows you how people are ending up on the BDR
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: that are self referral, is it a court referral, is
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: it a police pathway, et cetera. They also look at
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: the people that the numbers of active bands, which is
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: a figure I pointed to you two seven, eight hundred
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: and seventy one. It also has the sales that are declined.
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: So we certainly have information we look at each month
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: to ensure that we have that data set and we
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: can be putting in place those policy changes if needed.
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: But the BDO is one tool that we believe is
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: effective in stopping the supply of our cohos people that
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: cause harm. You then have to focus on other areas
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: across this policy.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: I am mindful of time. I know that you've got
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: to wrap up shortly, as do I. But are people
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: allowed to drink within a two kilometer radius of a
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: takeaway venue?
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: Still? The Katie, my understanding is no, And there's also
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: additional areas in terms of some of the local areas
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: have local liquor cords and they have local council measures
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: in place around where you can drink in a public space.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: So why have we got a situation where there are
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: people drinking in public spaces within a two kilometer radius
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: of takeaway venues?
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: So I know that there's some exemptions that they're allowed
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: in place, and there's also time restrictions on those so
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: that people can get outside and enjoy a beautiful environment
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: and have a drink. But police actively work in this
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: space and they work with in the top end Larkian
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: nation and also council around making sure that the will's
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: going forth.
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: The Chief Ministry yesterday spoke about clubs in some remote communities.
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: It's something that you and I have discussed before. But realistically,
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: where are these discussions at with the federal government and
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: what communities are being looked at?
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah, Katie, this is important and a head of parliament
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: so we will see a change in the legislation around
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: alcohol for remote communities in July. The stronger features, which
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: is the tail end of the intervention that will end
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: What will come into place in the Northern Territory is
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: will introduce legislation this week that we hope will pass
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: the Parliament in May that will allow communities to opin.
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: So we have seventy four community living areas in the territory.
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: They can opt in to be a dry area or
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: they may choose not tourn that's up to the leadership
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: in those communities. We then, separately that's around people having alcohol,
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: whether it's a dry community and not Katie. Separately to that,
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: it would mean that if a community wish to have
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: a liquor license, they would go through the Northern Territory
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: liquor licensing process, which is a strong, robust process and
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: it has community consultation, but it does change the legislation
• 11:29
  Speaker 2: from the Commonwealth because of the intervention legislation and stronger
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: futures that does make letaliscenses go through the Commonwealth. That
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: will change in July.
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: And so what you're saying is May, this legislation is
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: going to be introduced and then by July, so this
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: week it's being introduced, So this is all moving forward. Now.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: This is actually going to happen that in those seventy
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: four remote communities they're going to have the opportunity to
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: opt in.
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: So what it is it to change in the process, Katie.
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: So the legislation we anticipate will in May. Then communities
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: can choose to opt in and be a dry community.
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: At the moment there's a blanket rule and any equal
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: license has to go through the Commonwealth. That layer will
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: be removed, but they still if they wish to have
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: a venue that sold alcohol, such as a social club
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: or takeaway, they would still have to go through the
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: Northern Territory's licensing process.
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: Are you concerned that we're just going to be moving
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: an issue from the streets of Darwin to alcohol issues
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: in communities.
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: We need to be really careful, Katie. We know that
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: alcohol is a huge driver in crime antisocial behavior and
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: we try and address that issue whether it is in
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: Darwin or our remote areas. We need to make sure
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: this pathway is in place for rehabilitation. But this does
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: allow community leadership to decide what's best for those communities
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: and the people that reside there.
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: Minister, just very quickly, we know that the COLP is
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: putting forward to a law reform bill as I understand it,
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: introducing it to Parliament this week around mandatory sentencing for
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: those who assault frontline workers. Is this something that the
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: government is going to.
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: The Katie. We'll have a look at that legislation when
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: it's introduced. This is a complex area that I simply
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: can't answer in a quick amount of time, but we
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: certainly acknowledge the efforts of our frontline workers.
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: Okay, Minister Files, we appreciate your time this morning and
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: we'll see you Friday for the week.
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: That was sounds good. Thank you, thank you.