Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Katie Woolf spoke with her Honour the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Vicki O’Halloran AO

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Katie Woolf spoke with her Honour the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Vicki O’Halloran AO · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Coinciding with International Women's Day. Well, there was a few
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: invites that went out and there was an invite which
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: I'm really hoping comes to fruition. We did know that
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: her honor the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Vicky o'haller
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  Speaker 1: and Ao, extended an invitation to the Vice President of
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  Speaker 1: the United States, carm Ala Harris. And well joining me
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  Speaker 1: in the studio right now to talk about this and
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  Speaker 1: talk about plenty more, including Government House celebrating one hundred
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: and fifty years. It is her honor, the Honorable Vicky
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  Speaker 1: O'Halleran ao. Good morning to your administrator.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning, Katie, Good morning everyone.
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  Speaker 1: It's wonderful to have you in the studio now. We
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  Speaker 1: did mention just then that you extended that invite to
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  Speaker 1: Carmela Harris. Have you heard back from the Vice President.
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  Speaker 2: Well, not as yet, no, but we're hoping to. I thought, well,
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  Speaker 2: if you don't ask, you won't know. Absolutely, Yes, Vice President,
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: a woman our connection with the Marineforce rotation. I put
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  Speaker 2: that into the letter as well, and yeah, so I'll
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  Speaker 2: keep you posted. But I thought what an inspiration she
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  Speaker 2: would be to women and girls here in the Northern territory.
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  Speaker 2: She's coming to Australia, please come to the Northern Territory. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: I think it's a fantastic idea, and we know that
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  Speaker 1: the Chief Minister had extended the invitation to the President
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  Speaker 1: Joe Biden. Yes, but as you've mentioned, I reckon it
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  Speaker 1: would be wonderful to see the Vice President here in
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  Speaker 1: the territory for so many reasons. You know, obviously because
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  Speaker 1: she's a wonderful strong woman, but also that connection with
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  Speaker 1: the Marines and actually coming to the territory to see
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  Speaker 1: what we're all about.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, I think that's really important, and there's so
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  Speaker 2: much for her to see here in the top End
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  Speaker 2: and also in Central Australia and out in the regions.
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  Speaker 2: I think that she would thoroughly enjoy meeting Territorians and
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  Speaker 2: I'm sure we could organize a gathering or two to
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  Speaker 2: learn about her life and and how she's come to
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  Speaker 2: be where she is today. It's always wonderful hearing about
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  Speaker 2: other people's stories of success and the challenges along the way,
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  Speaker 2: because as we know, in every role and in everyone's life,
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  Speaker 2: there are challenges and we learn from each other.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely, and that's really been part of you know the
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  Speaker 1: International Women's Day celebrations as well. We've heard about some
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  Speaker 1: remarkable Territory women and heard many more stories about some
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  Speaker 1: of the you know, the efforts that they've sort of
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  Speaker 1: had to overcome to get to the positions that they're in.
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  Speaker 1: How did you celebrate International Women's Day and have you
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  Speaker 1: had the opportunity to meet lots of wonderful Territory women.
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  Speaker 2: I think that goes without saying. We had yet numerous
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  Speaker 2: events to go to. Thinking back, unveiled Doctor Valerie Ash's mantle.
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  Speaker 2: Dr Value Ash was the first female Dame Grace with
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  Speaker 2: the Order of Saint John, and the Ash family have
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  Speaker 2: donated her manage to Saint John's Ambulance. So I was
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  Speaker 2: unveiled that last week and it was really nice to
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  Speaker 2: see so many women present and to meet the new
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  Speaker 2: commissioner there as well, who's a woman. And the Islamic
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  Speaker 2: Society invited me out on Saturday afternoon to East Point
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  Speaker 2: to have a barbecue. I think the invitation read something
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  Speaker 2: like that the women would be locked out of the
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  Speaker 2: kitchen and the men would be hosting the barbecue. Nonetheless,
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  Speaker 2: it was pouring with rain. We were all saturated. My
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  Speaker 2: office rang to see if the event was still going
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  Speaker 2: to happen, and oh yes it was. My blue suede
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  Speaker 2: shoes that I wore weren't a good choice. I don't
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  Speaker 2: think I'll be wearing those again. So I gave a
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  Speaker 2: barefooted presentation under like under the shelter. There we were
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  Speaker 2: all there trying to avoid the rain that was coming
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  Speaker 2: in as it does sometimes horizontally. Nonetheless, it was a
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  Speaker 2: wonderful gathering. International Women's Day Walk as well, was very
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  Speaker 2: well attended. I enjoyed leading the way with that. It
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  Speaker 2: was great to see men and women all there and
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  Speaker 2: a part of that walk, many presentations, and then in
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  Speaker 2: Palmerston I went to a fusion and fashion event that
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  Speaker 2: was hosted by the Steps program which is about education
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  Speaker 2: for Margaret women and the City of Palmerston Council. So
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  Speaker 2: the Mayor Pasco Bell was at that event again in
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  Speaker 2: a very well attended, well organized event. And throughout the
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  Speaker 2: week it was hearing stories from women about their trials,
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  Speaker 2: their challenges, their successes and how they're managing families and working.
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  Speaker 2: You and I had a discussion just before coming on
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  Speaker 2: here about school holidays coming up and managing children and
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  Speaker 2: still going to work and all the challenges that that
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  Speaker 2: presents to families as a whole.
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  Speaker 1: Oh. Absolutely, And I think it's really important with International
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  Speaker 1: Women's Day and those events that are associated to hear
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  Speaker 1: from other women about some of those trials and tribulations.
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  Speaker 1: And it does normalize it as well for many of
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  Speaker 1: us if our children are much younger, and some of
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  Speaker 1: those challenges that we're going through that you can manage
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  Speaker 1: and you'll get there, you know.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, I was out having a walk class night,
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  Speaker 2: walking the Mitchell Street Childer Center and a mum was
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  Speaker 2: going in and I said, hello, how are you. Your
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  Speaker 2: working day has just complete, but you're about to pick
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  Speaker 2: up your children and the work begins again. And she said,
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  Speaker 2: so true, it's a long day, but it's all worth it.
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  Speaker 2: And I thought, you know, how wonderful it it is.
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  Speaker 2: I remember going to pick up Coco and being so
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  Speaker 2: excited to see her after a day at the office,
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  Speaker 2: And yes, the working day began in a different way exactly,
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  Speaker 2: but it's wonderful to be with your children at the
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  Speaker 2: end of the day. That brings energy.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely.
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  Speaker 2: Now.
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  Speaker 1: I do know that you've sort of really pushed since
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  Speaker 1: becoming the administrator to try and have as many Territorians
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  Speaker 1: visit Government House and coming to Government House to really
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  Speaker 1: get to know the place if they've lived here for
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  Speaker 1: a long time and not actually been inside. I imagine
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  Speaker 1: that that's become a little bit more difficult over the
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  Speaker 1: COVID period and that you maybe haven't been able to
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  Speaker 1: have as many visitors there over recent times as what
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  Speaker 1: you had in previous years. But we are, of course
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  Speaker 1: celebrating the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Government House. May,
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  Speaker 1: I believe is the date that it falls on. It's
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  Speaker 1: a great opportunity really for people to find out a
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  Speaker 1: bit more of that history, isn't it.
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  Speaker 2: Oh it is, Katie. We'll have an event here at
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  Speaker 2: the end of May. I encourage people to look at
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  Speaker 2: our social media, our Facebook page and Instagram and be
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  Speaker 2: in contact with the office, or look at our website
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  Speaker 2: page to see the events that are coming up, because
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  Speaker 2: we certainly want to celebrate that milestone, but also to
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  Speaker 2: keep in touch with other events. We had music on
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  Speaker 2: the terras last year in September and it was really successful.
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  Speaker 2: So rather than inviting members of the public, we put
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  Speaker 2: tickets out there limited numbers, as you've mentioned, because of
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  Speaker 2: the pandemic, but we'll do that again this year and
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  Speaker 2: it's first in best dressed. But it was just a
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  Speaker 2: lovely evening of listening to Territorians who are very skilled
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  Speaker 2: musicians and having small businesses on the terrors providing food
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  Speaker 2: and drink and refreshments for the public. And we all
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  Speaker 2: came together and had a fantastic evening. So we'll do
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  Speaker 2: more of that in the coming year. And you mentioned
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  Speaker 2: less events, In many ways, there were more events just
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  Speaker 2: with less peoples or other than having the large groups.
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  Speaker 2: We had to look at, you know, how we would
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  Speaker 2: deliver our events without people missing out, but in smaller
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  Speaker 2: groups and of course with the social distancing.
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  Speaker 1: And have you found since since your time in the
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  Speaker 1: role that you have had more Territorians coming through and
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  Speaker 1: getting the opportunity to see government house.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, we have, and you know we'll continue to do that.
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  Speaker 2: It's that reaching out and reminding people whether they come
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  Speaker 2: in for a courtesy call, which is often a cup
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  Speaker 2: of tea or a cup of coffee or a cold
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  Speaker 2: drink and a chat. That often people think that has
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  Speaker 2: to be a formal event, but it's okay to reach
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  Speaker 2: out and say they would like to come in and
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  Speaker 2: have her talk to me about what's happening in their life,
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  Speaker 2: what's happening in their world, their work, and what opportunities
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  Speaker 2: they see for an event at Government House. Much encourage
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  Speaker 2: people to be in contact and have a look at
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  Speaker 2: our website and see that there are opportunities for all
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  Speaker 2: Territorians to make use of or be present in their
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  Speaker 2: government house. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: I think it's so important because, like you said, it
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  Speaker 1: is their government house, and for some people who've lived
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  Speaker 1: here their whole lives, I've actually never been in.
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  Speaker 2: I'm meeting people like that every day and really trying
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  Speaker 2: to get the message out that they're very welcome and
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  Speaker 2: how to go about it. But you can be seniors
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  Speaker 2: who say to me, do you get to live in
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  Speaker 2: that house? While the administrator and I say yes, I do.
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  Speaker 2: I still wake up and pinch myself every morning. I
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  Speaker 2: can assure you that my family and I are living
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  Speaker 2: there and working there. But yes, to extend that invitation.
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  Speaker 2: I mentioned before that there does seem to be a
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  Speaker 2: misconception about an event that sometimes it is about coming
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  Speaker 2: in a small group. And a family visited me on Friday.
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  Speaker 2: There are a family who the two children Abby and
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  Speaker 2: Sammy are running adult skipping classes at the Down Entertainment Center.
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  Speaker 2: So if I'm sitting a little bit awkward, it's because
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  Speaker 2: my back didn't quite survive those skipping lessons on Sunday.
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  Speaker 2: Both they're doing great things as a family for others
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  Speaker 2: here in the Northern Territory, and the children are achieving
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  Speaker 2: great things nationally with their skipping. So there was just
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  Speaker 2: there are just so many territories doing great things really,
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  Speaker 2: and I want to join in the celebration of individuals, families,
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  Speaker 2: organizations and groups.
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  Speaker 1: Now just lastly with this community celebration at Government House,
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  Speaker 1: it is planned for the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary.
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  Speaker 1: I understand that there are a limited number of pre
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  Speaker 1: registered tickets.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, that's right.
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  Speaker 1: Is there somewhere that people can go for a little
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  Speaker 1: bit more information if they are keen to try and find.
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  Speaker 2: Out more, Yes, yes, if they go onto our website,
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  Speaker 2: I think is the best way, which is Govhouse dot
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  Speaker 2: NT dot gov dot AU and and that will be
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  Speaker 2: kept up to date.
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  Speaker 1: Oh fantastic. Well, it's been wonderful to have you in
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  Speaker 1: the studio this morning, Your honor the Honorable Vicky O'Halleran AO,
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  Speaker 1: the Administrator of the Northern Territory. We always appreciate your time.
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  Speaker 2: It's a pleasure to be here and Katie, let me
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  Speaker 2: say that I want to congratulate you and also receiving
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  Speaker 2: an Order of Australia. You're a great role model for
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  Speaker 2: many other young women here in the Northern Territory and
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  Speaker 2: I very much look forward to investing you in May.
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  Speaker 2: It will be quite a celebration.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you very much. I appreciate your kind words.