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Katie Woolf spoke with Senator Sam McMahon · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: But joining us on the line right now is Senator
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: for the Northern Territory Sam McMahon. Good morning to you.
• 0:06
  Speaker 2: Yeah, good morning Katty.
• 0:07
  Speaker 3: How are you very well? Thank you?
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Now, Senator, we know the Australian Government has confirmed that
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: eligible workers that live or work in Commonwealth declared pandemic
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: hotspots in the territory are now going to be able
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: to claim the COVID nineteen disaster payment from August twenty five. Senator,
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: can you talk us through who is eligible?
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, Katie. So the Chief Medical Officer has declared
• 0:35
  Speaker 2: that the hotspots that the areas that are under lockdown
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: being dah and rural areas and Catherine workers in those
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: areas will be eligible for the COVID disaster payments. So
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: that'll mean that if you've lost more than twenty hours
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: of work, you'll get seven hundred and fifty dollars per week.
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Eight to twenty hours you'll get four hundred and fifty dollars.
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: Or if you've lost more than eight hours and you
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: are receiving some other kind of income support but working
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: as well, then you'll get two hundred dollars.
• 1:07
  Speaker 3: And when does that eligibility kick in? Because I know that.
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: Obviously, the Northern Territory declared us in lockdown Monday at lunchtime,
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: but is that when we were declared a hot spot
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: by the Commonwealth.
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: No, the Chief Medical Officer actually declared us a hot
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: spot from eleven fifty nine pm on Tuesday night, so
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: it doesn't quite align with the Territory government's declaration. But
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: this is the first time. This is unprecedented, Katie. This
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: is the first time that an area has been declared
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: by the Commonwealth for a three day lockdown over one case.
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: Normally we wouldn't be eligible.
• 1:49
  Speaker 3: I suppose.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: So the reality is there is there going to be
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: that many people who are actually eligible, given then that
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: it's realistically only going to be sort of, you know,
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: a day and a half of work that most people
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: are losing in the Commonwealth size.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: Well, look, that's assuming that it ends today, which I
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: certainly hope it does. But you know, if it doesn't,
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: and that's a possibility, then that will extend to a
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: whole pile of other people. It also means that whilst
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: not many people might qualify for the twenty plus hours,
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: a lot of people will qualify for the slightly lower
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: payment of the eight to twenty hours.
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: It's a bit, you know, I suppose it's a bit
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: of a kick in the guts to some people that
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: are listening. This morning, though, I was thinking, oh, well,
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: I haven't been able to work since Monday, you know,
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: so why doesn't this kick in from then?
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: Well? Yeah, like I said, Katie, I mean some people
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: might say, you know, would prefer that you know, it
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: kicked in from Monday and we got the we're eligible
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: for the full amount. But I would say to the look,
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: this is unprecedented. You're very, very lucky to be getting
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: at least part of that, because normally that wouldn't have happened.
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: It's the first time that the Chief Medical Officer has
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: declared it as a hot spot for one single air case.
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: Yeah, why wouldn't usually have not happened, Senator, Because it's
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: a very.
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: Short lockdown, it's only three days, and in one case,
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: the chief Medical Officer would normally say, well, you know,
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: we don't want to encourage states and territories to be
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: declaring lockdowns when they don't need to, so mostly they
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: would say no, this was an unnecessary lockdown. So you know,
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: Northern Territory, you can fund the people that you've inconvenienced
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: and that have lost work and lost money over it.
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: But I managed to convince the Minister that the Northern
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: Territory was different and was special and in this case
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: that those payments should apply to territori ins.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: Senator, just reading between the lines there, it sounds as
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: though you don't really agree that the Chief Minister sent
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: us into a lockdown over one case.
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: Well, normally no, but you know, the special consideration that
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: I put forward to the Minister was the fact that
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: we have a huge number of very vulnerable Indigenous communities
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: out there where vaccination rates are extremely low, and in
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: this case, this person was in Catherine, where a lot
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: of those people come in to shop and to do business,
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: and therefore there was a very high risk that you know,
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: this guy was in Woollies and there'd be lots of
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: people in there at that time, and a lot of
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: them could be from surrounding indigenous communities, and that dictated
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: the fact that a lockdown was in fact necessary. Whereas
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: normally one case you wouldn't say that you would lockdown,
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: you'd say that would be an overreaction, but in these
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: unique circumstances it probably was justified and necessary.
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: Sort of sounds like a bit of a backhand it, does,
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: you know, backhanded compliment their I spose, Senator, Well.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, I guess. I mean, you know, you would
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: normally say that that was a massive overreaction and that
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: we should never have shut down for one case. But
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: the fact is that the Territory Labor government has not
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: been very good or very proactive at rolling out vaccinations
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: to indigenous communities. We know the rates are extremely low,
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: so you know, it's basically because of their own incompetence
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: that they were forced into doing this. So yes, in
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: that case, I guess it is. It is kind of
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: a backhanded compliment. You know, it's because they were incompetent
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: that they had to take this step.
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: Well, look, I suppose some out there listening would argue
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: that the government's done a fairly good job in terms
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: of rolling out the vaccine, and that in some cases
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: it's been the responsibility of the government to ensure that
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: we've got enough vaccine to roll out.
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: Yeah, Katie, look, we've got plenty of vaccine. The waiting
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: times in the territory to book an appointment are pretty
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: much nonexistent, I know, for quite a long while in
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: Tenant Creek, people were just rocking up without an appointment,
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: getting straight in and everyone irrespective of their age, was
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: getting a dose of Fizer. So you know that there's
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: plenty of vaccine out there and the government overall has
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: been good at rolling it out to Territorians, but not
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: in Indigenous communities. The vaccination rates in Indigenous communities are
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: extremely low.
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: Senator, I know that there's going to be people listening
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: this morning who are really concerned that they are going
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: to slip through the cracks when it comes to eligibility
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: of this payment. You know, what would you say to
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: those listening who are thinking, you know, I'm missing out
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: here despite the fact that I've missed three days of work.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, definitely definitely jump on the website and have
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: a look. And even if you're unsure put in a claim,
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: you need to sign They need to sign up to
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: the mic of website now and then come the twenty
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: fifth of August, they're eligible to put in a claim
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: for this period of lockdown. Even if it ends as
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: we hope at midday today, they're still able to put
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: in a claim. Even if you're unsure. If you're eligible,
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: go online check it out or call Services Australia Hopeline
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: YEP and see and check if you're eligible.
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: Now, Senator, can I just ask quickly.
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: I know it is looking as though Howard Springs Quarantine
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: Facility we'll play a key role in the emergency repatriation
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: of people from Afghanistan, as I understand that some of
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: those preparations are underway to start taking people evacuated on
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: those Australian Defense Force.
• 7:57
  Speaker 3: Flights out of Kabul.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: Do you have any idea at this stage how many
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: people are going to be coming to Darwin.
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: No, Look, we don't know. I think there was twenty
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: six on the first flight. That's an extremely low number.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: Conditions over there are very very dangerous and very very difficult,
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: and we are trying to get as many people out
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: as quickly as we can. But you know, we need
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: to we need to make sure that the people operating
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: those flights and getting people out are safe as well.
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: And it's a rapidly changing situation, so I wouldn't even
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: like to speculate what's going to happen in the next
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: twenty four hours, let alone in the coming days or weeks,
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: So you know, we could be getting quite a lot
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: of people, but we just don't know.
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: I mean, I agree with you.
• 8:47
  Speaker 1: I think that it's such a difficult situation at this point,
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: and you know, no one wants to speculate exactly what
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: is going to go on. But do you think that,
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: you know, realistically, we should be playing a key part
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: here in terms of bringing some of those those people
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: here to the territory and to Darwin to be at
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: the Howard Springs quarantine facility.
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, you know, if we've got the capacity, which
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: I believe we do, we should be bringing some of
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: those people. We've also got the other facility which I
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: keep talking about at Bladen Village hasn't been touched by
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: the territory government yet. It has been used for the
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: Marine Rotational Forces, so that is sitting there and that
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: can be used for extra capacity for a whole range
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: of things from ad workers to international students to people
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: coming back from Afghanistan. So we've got a lot of
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: capacity there. The main thing that limits us, Katie is
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: we only have twelve ICU beds in Darwin, only twelve
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: intensive care beds in the whole of Darwin. So if
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: we do get a flood of people coming in that
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: do have COVID and are going to need intensive care.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: That is what's going to limit us.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: Senator, where do those figures come from about the twelve
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: ICU beds, Because lots of people who are listening would
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: be fairly concerned to hear that, I would suggest, yeah.
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: I would think so too. I mean, look, that's a
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: figure that I've known for quite some time. It was
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: one of the reasons we had to suspend repatriation flights
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: from India. And I actually confirmed that figure just two
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: days ago with the federal Health Minister and that yes,
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: it is a fact we only have twelve ICU beds.
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: So if we get more than twelve people needing intensive
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: care at any one time, we're in trouble.
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: Well, I mean, it does really make a sort of
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: question our capability and capacity when it comes to those
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: international repatriation flights.
• 10:43
  Speaker 3: And if we wound up in a situation.
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: For example, like is happening in New South Wales at
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: the moment, obviously on a smaller scale, it would still
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: be a real worry for us.
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: I would think, oh, that's right, I haven't got the
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: latest figures on the number of people that are in
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: the intensive care and on ventilators in New South Wales,
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: but it's way over what our capacity would be. So
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: if we have a New South Wales style outbreak, yes
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: we would be in desperate trouble.
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: Senator, we are going to have to leave it there.
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: I really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks very much
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: for having a chat with us, and also thanks for
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: chatting to us a bit earlier than anticipated because we
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: were due to catch up with the Health Minister but
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: unfortunately that got canceled.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: No worries, Katie, always a pleasure.
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: Thank you.
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: That is the Senator for the Northern Territory. There the
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: COLPS Senator Sam mcmaht