PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: Let’s begin today with the emergency situation in the Northern Territory. The Katherine River has now reached minor flood level and is expected to reach major flood level this afternoon. Northern Territory Police Regional Controller James O' Brien says Katherine River may reach 18.5 metres or higher this afternoon. Territory health authorities say the Katherine Hospital is being evacuated and will be closed and is expected to be cut off by floodwaters. No evacuation orders have yet been ordered, but authorities say people should be ready to move. Malarndirri McCarthy is the Minister for Indigenous Australians and a Senator for the Northern Territory, and I spoke to her a short time ago.
Minister, welcome to the program.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good to be with you, Patricia.
HOST: The town of Katherine, in the Top End, is flooding for the first time in two decades. What's the situation in Katherine? Have you been briefed?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I certainly have been briefed. I've also had incoming from residents in the surrounding areas of Katherine, Wugularr, or Beswick as it's known, is definitely underwater, Patricia. Families there have been relocated to higher ground. I'm also hearing from residents even to the west of Katherine, in places like Daly River and Palumpa, where they're flooding as well and needing to be evacuated. This is quite a serious system that is above the Katherine region at the moment and for Katherine residents themselves, they need to certainly prepare and also relocate to areas that are safe.
HOST: Do we know how many people have now been relocated or evacuated?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: At this point in time, the most recent briefing I've received is largely centred on the Katherine Hospital. There are around 40 patients there, a number of whom are being evacuated via the Tindall Air Base, via CareFlight out of Katherine. There's also pregnant women who need to be evacuated from the Katherine region. So, that is currently underway at the moment.
HOST: Katherine's hospital being evacuated. I mean, that is obviously a very serious situation.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Very serious, very serious.
HOST: A lot of vulnerable Aboriginal people, I understand, do get care at that hospital. Are people at risk?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Well, everyone is at risk. We're so conscious always, not just with the floods themselves, Patricia. I'm incredibly mindful of what's in our rivers and our waterways. We have crocodiles everywhere, so we have the added caution of these kind of animals just coming out at you from anywhere. We've seen in previous floods in the Katherine region and Katherine itself, where there have been crocodiles in the main street as a result of flooding. I'm not saying this to scare people. It's just a reality of life in the Top End of Australia.
HOST: Yeah, no, it certainly is. So, what can be done to prepare people for that because that is actually absolutely live risk at the Top End. What sort of warnings and how can you prepare people for that situation?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: There's a constant warning around staying away from flooded areas. Clearly don't cross, if you're in a vehicle and it’s way above your vehicle or anywhere near it, do not try and cross. Those messages are getting out. We've seen the waterways flooding between Katherine and Darwin. So, the township of Katherine is now cut off from Darwin. So, we have to be mindful these messages have to get not only to Katherine itself and the residents and families there, but also to the surrounding areas like Wugularr, like Ngukurr, sorry, like Barunga and Jilkminggan, which is in that Roper River District. I've spoken to the Roper Gulf Shire Council Mayor who's also concerned about residents in Jilkminggan. But all of this is being fed back into the local emergency committee meeting that's being held this afternoon.
HOST: Ok, and what sort of resources is the Federal Government deploying to this?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Well, we're a part of the conversation that goes on around emergency planning. We do have staff embedded in the North Territory planning structure. But in all cases, the Northern Territory, like any state jurisdiction, has to ask specifically for a request to the Commonwealth, depending on what it is they would like, whether it's more supplies, whether it's assistance with evacuation, whether it's assistance with setting up shelters. So, we will wait until the Chief Minister and the Northern Territory Government actually requests specific help.
HOST: Okay. Is this going to get worse before it gets better?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I understand that the Katherine River is yet to peak, which means it's certainly a real worry, Patricia. I don't want to cause extra concern. I'm being mindful with my words. The local Woolworths in Katherine, in terms of food has been shopped out almost. And I'm conscious that there is enough concern and anxiety around the region. I just want to say to people, we are certainly with you in this. We are ready to do and stand by the Northern Territory Government to assist where we can in terms of the Commonwealth. And I just say to each other down there, look out for one another and make sure you stay safe.
HOST: Minister, if I can just change the topic. This week an inquiry into racism and hate and violence towards First Nations people was announced. How does this inquiry get real outcomes and avoid just telling us that we have a racism problem that is already really well documented?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Look, that's an important question. It's one that I have thought about as well, Patricia. I have spoken with people wanting to see solutions through this committee inquiry process. I've met with different organisations, Aboriginal organisations, who want to be able to put submissions in. I've asked people to also look at not just the examples that they might want to put to the committee of what they've experienced, either personally or in a work situation, I said we need substantial solutions to this so that we can look at creating better social cohesion in our country.
HOST: What if the inquiry tells you, you need a greater say for Indigenous people in policing and governance? I mean, these ideas are already there in Voice, in treaty. They've been long pushed.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I imagine there will be. I expect that people will have all sorts of things to say. This is an important opportunity for people to have that say. Again, it's going to come down to the committee. They are going to obviously make a decision around where they travel across the country and when they'll have hearings. They do have, at my request, an opportunity to do this over the next six months and I will certainly look forward to hearing what they have to say.
HOST: And is this as an alternative to the Royal Commission, which is looking at antisemitism? How do you see these, both these operating?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: It's quite clear that the Commissioner for the Royal Commission, Commissioner Bell, is focused on the concerns around antisemitism, and she made that clear just in the last fortnight or so. Now, prior to that, I had also been asking people to put submissions to the Royal Commission. But once Commissioner Bell came out and said that her focus specifically was going to be on antisemitism, I knew it was important to ensure there was an opportunity for First Nations people to have their concerns heard by the Australian Parliament. And that's why I called and asked for this inquiry.
HOST: Ok, so it is a reaction to now, the more narrow terms, in your view, of what this Royal Commission will actually do?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I had hoped, Professor, and I've said this, I'm calling you a professor already, sorry, Patricia. I had hoped, Patricia, that in the terms of reference of the Royal Commission, where it mentioned social cohesion, I had certainly wanted First Nations people to be able to be a part of that component of the terms of reference. Commissioner Bell is an independent Commissioner and when she did speak and say what her focus would be, I naturally then took that to mean that we'd have to find another alternative.
HOST: But isn't that on the government for the way that you constructed the terms of reference?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Commissioner Bell, she is the independent Commissioner in this and clearly that's her decision. So, I will keep focused on how and what I can do in my purview.
HOST: Thank you so much for joining us.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: No worries. Thank you.