Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Katie Woolf spoke with COTA NT CEO Sue Shearer

Transcript

Katie Woolf spoke with COTA NT CEO Sue Shearer · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hello, Kbwolf and three point sixty online at Mix one
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: O four nine dot com.
• 0:06
  Speaker 2: Now, if you've been listening to the show throughout the week,
• 0:08
  Speaker 2: you will know that we've been discussing the vaccine roll out,
• 0:11
  Speaker 2: the COVID nineteen vaccine rollout, in the fact that we
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: seem to be a bit slower and we'll not vaccinating
• 0:16
  Speaker 2: as many people as what we should be at at
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: this point in time across the territory. We did speak
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: to the Chief Minister, Michael Gunner about this earlier in
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: the week. If you missed the Chief Minister on the
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: show speaking about this earlier in the week, take a
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: listen to what he had to say.
• 0:32
  Speaker 3: So, there's a number of vaccines and every jurisdiction is
• 0:34
  Speaker 3: doing this, and there are vaccines that you have to
• 0:35
  Speaker 3: sort of I'm not the holdbacks the wrong word, but
• 0:37
  Speaker 3: you've got to make sure you've always got enough supply
• 0:39
  Speaker 3: for the second shot, we're going to start going in
• 0:41
  Speaker 3: waves or surges. Vaccine numbers will look high and then
• 0:45
  Speaker 3: look low as we get into remote communities, and we're
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: doing communities essentially as a batch. So we've agreed to
• 0:50
  Speaker 3: the Australian government they are remote communities rather than having
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: tranches and getting complicated just going to remote community, do
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: it all at once. So that's great. We've now convinced
• 0:59
  Speaker 3: the Australian government that Alice Springs can be treated to
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: Commas as a remote community because of the large Aboriginal
• 1:04
  Speaker 3: population there. So all the tranches and Ali Springs have
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: just been collapsed. So I think you'll see now a
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: bit of an increase in vaccine use, which I think
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: is positive.
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: So we're stockpiling because I thought the advice from the
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: FEDS was to not stock part No.
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: I al ways say stockpiling. It's more that when you
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: go into remote community to give everyone a vaccine, you
• 1:20
  Speaker 3: go have enough for that remote community. So it's not
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: so much stockpilings, making sure that you every time you're
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: going to remote community you've got sufficient supplies to do
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: that remote.
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: So vaccinate the whole community at once.
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: Whole community it one.
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: So Alice Springs, as you said at the moment, if
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: you're sixteen or over, are you're eligible to get vaccinated?
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: Why don't we do that here in Darwen?
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: Well, I think it would be a very good idea, Katie.
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: I'm definitely not ruling that out. That's one of the
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: conversations I'm having with health. Obviously, you've got to make
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: sure if you go down that kind of path, you've
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: got enough vaccines, and so it's just having confidence in supply,
• 1:47
  Speaker 3: which at the moment I think we do so I wouldn't
• 1:49
  Speaker 3: wouldn't rull that out in Darwin.
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: It had certainly prompted some calls though throughout the week
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: well for us to do a bit more to try
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: to get people vaccinated. And you know, I mean when
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: we're talking about the fact that it's been reported nationally
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: that one in four vaccines are not being used and
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: the NT is underutilizing our vaccines. We've got fifty eight
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: percent of our vaccines have been used. Joining us on
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: the line though, to talk a little bit more about
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: this from a seniors perspective, how our seniors are feeling
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: about getting the vaccine and whether it's been as easy
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: and simple to maybe book in to go and get
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: that vaccine as what we might hope it is. The
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: Koda CEO Sue Shearer, Good morning to you, Sue.
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: Good morning Katie. How are you very well?
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: We haven't had you on the show for a few weeks. Sue,
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: how have you been.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: I've been really well. I've had my COVID shot and
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: didn't even have a sore arm. The flu vaccination was
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: probably made me a little bit sore, so and I
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: booked in and I got it and all as well.
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: So I think there's a little bit of a little
• 2:56
  Speaker 1: bit of hesitancy unfortunately out in the seniors community. They're
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: just waiting to see what happens. But it's not they're
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: not anti vaccines. It's vac been hesitant. So I don't
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: think they see any rush, but we would urge them,
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: you know, to go out and to book with their
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: local GP and get it done.
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: And so so has it been as easy as one
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: might hope to be able to book in to get
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: that vaccine as well?
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: I have heard it from most people that, especially you know,
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: in the day and era I've booked in. I had
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: to wait two weeks obviously until after my flue injection.
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: But most people are finding it, are finding it very easy,
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: like the same as in the Alice Springs. Basically nearly
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: all done and dusted down there from the lady who
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: was in charge of the rollout, So they're doing very
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: well down there, and you know, up up in the
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: top end. I think, as I said, I think it's
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: just people are just still a little bit wary because unfortunately,
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: as you know yourself, somebody might have a reaction that's
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: sort of broadcast. But then when you look at it
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: in perspective, it's some you know, one in point zero
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: point zero zero four percent, So really the odds are minimum.
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and so what scenea saying to you in your
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: role with Kosure about that vaccine hesitancy that you'd discussed
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: just before.
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: Oh, they're just very wary. There's still really I don't
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: think understand it. But like my particular doctor, I can't
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: remember the technical trans Katie, I'm not a physician, but
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: explain to me about how the clots and all this
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: and all that. So really it's and I thought, oh, well, gosh, okay,
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: maybe they should say that a little bit more and
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: put out some more information a bit like you know,
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: how it springs as well. They're a little bit wary
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: of what is going on out there, so trying to
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: organize an information session for a lot of scene is
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: because that's also worrying them then, And I guess, to
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: be honest, I would have thought maybe that would be
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: more of an inducement for the ones that are hesitant
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: to go and get their vaccines. But you know, people,
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: I think they're just waiting. I think all the I
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: think they're coming around a bit more now Katie, that
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: they're getting a little bit more information and they're more
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: sure Astra Zeneka. But for a while they were rather
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: frightened of it.
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and so you just touched on Howard Springs. Then
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: is that something that is a bit of a concern
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: for our seniors in the community.
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: At the moment, it is very much of concern for
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: them again because they just would like it, you know,
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: explain to them about the testing. And a lot of
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: people don't realize that it was gold stand it out
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: there before the federal government took it over, and now
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: we've taken it over and again and some of the
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: changes that are going on and different things that are
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: going on. Just to explain how safe it actually is,
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: I think would be a good idea. I mean, sometimes
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: you know, the good old bush teller and people talk
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: about it and sometimes if facts get a little bit
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: lost in translation, as we know, Katie, So I think
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: it'd be very good if we could. I have written
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: to the particular people in charge to see if we
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: can have an information session for seniors. So I think
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: you know, total transparency is a very good idea.
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: Yeah, good idea, And do let us know if if
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: there is one of those information sessions, if you want
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: to come back on and we can certainly communicate with
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: our seniors in the community too to let them know
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: that it's happening, so that you can hopefully get lots
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: of people out there and maybe quell some of those concerns.
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: So I do want to ask yeah, absolutely, Now I
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: do want to ask you as well this morning. I
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: know seniors the NT Senior's Recognition scheme, it is expanding
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: to give seniors more choice.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: It's fantastic news not only for seniors but also obviously
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: for the small business community. That money will stay locally,
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: so that's what we lobby for as well. So we're
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: really really pleased that seniors will listened to because some
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: of it was a little bit discriminacy for people who
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: couldn't drive, who couldn't travel, and really they didn't have
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: a lot of choice that were to spend it. But
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: from the first of July, when they get their new card,
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: they'll be able to either pay their rates, pay a
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: vet bill, buy white goods, buy pharmaceuticals, all sorts of
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: different things. So again it's fantastic news for the seniors.
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: Was never an income management system scheme. It was a
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: recognition scheme for all the seniors hard work and how
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: they contributed to the turkey. So we really really pleased
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: with that.
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: And so it's something that people like that our sceeniors
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: have actually been raising for quite some time as well, haven't.
• 7:41
  Speaker 3: They since its inception.
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: Actually that as I said, it wasn't an income management scheme,
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: it was something that really it's a recognition scheme. So
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: if they want to actually buy a new fridge, especially
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: for people on a low income, or they need a
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: new air conditioner, they need to you know, they need
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: to a beloved pet, Nissa bill. And as we know
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: sometimes Katie, when with your family, ste comes to buy
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: pharmaceuticals and that it's expensive, yeah, that that money can
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: go towards all those things. Now the only thing is
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: obviously alcohol, gambling products, adult products and gift cards and
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: vouch you so they can't be transferred for money so well,
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: which is fair enough. Exactly be asked them to open
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: it up and they have took a while, but they've
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: listened and I think it is fantastic news all around.
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it certainly sounds that way well, Sue Shira. It
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: is always great to catch up with you. We'll catch
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: up with you again in the in the very near future.
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: No problem, Katie. And it's cold and wet down in
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: Sydney towns. I'm missing the beautiful weather up there.
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: I bet you are. It's glorious weather here at the moment.
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: So you want to get back here right?
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: I will try next tuesdays, but don't rub it in
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: too much, okay, So we'll talk.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: To you again very soon. Thank you for your time today, pleasure, Katie.
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: That is Sushira there, who is indeed the Council of
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: the Aging here in the Northern Territory, the CEO of Kota,
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: and it's always good to catch up with her.