DARWIN - 4 October 2021

RICK HIND, HOST: And the Health Minister, Natasha Fyles, was asked about the AMA's idea of using the same immigration arrangements for nurses as fruit pickers, earlier this morning.

AUDIO – NATASHA FYLES, NORTHERN TERRITORY HEALTH MINISTER: Yes, very conscious that the changes to international borders have really impacted us in Health. I don't think we realized how much we relied on particularly those working holiday qualified nurses coming out of the United Kingdom, coming in and helping plug gaps in our system. So yes, it's something we're actively looking at.

HIND: So the NT Government actively looking at it. Luke Gosling is the Labor Member for the federal seat of Solomon, which takes in Darwin and Palmerston. Luke Gosling, what do you think of [AMA NT President] Dr [Robert] Parker's plan to get more nurses to the Northern Territory?

LUKE GOSLING, MEMBER FOR SOLOMON: I think it's a really important idea, and obviously the NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles is aware of the workforce issues she's mentioned, and so many people in our community have reflected on the fact that not only are we burning some of our people out, but we're really feeling the effects not only of those UK nurses that the Minister mentioned, but also I think at one point there was half of our nurses came from Nepal. So there is an ability, I think, as Dr Parker has articulated, that we can get skilled migrants back into the country through places like Howard Springs and Bladin Village, so that we can have the nurses that we need to look after Territorians. And also just back up his point again about us growing our own nurses and allied health professionals here in the Territory. It's so vital and they’re really good jobs for young Territory kids to do.

HIND: Luke Gosling, were you a bit shocked when Robert Parker mentioned there that National Cabinet seems to be just getting its health information from Brendan Murphy, and not hearing from the state government, the state health ministers?

GOSLING: Well, it is concerning. I mean, if federal Labor – as the federal opposition and an alternate federal government – have been concerned the whole time. Particularly because the Prime Minister seems to get a lot of his health advice not from health officers like Brendan Murphy – and obviously needs to get it from further afield than that as well. But he seemed to be getting a lot of it from some members of his team, such as Craig Kelly, who are anti-vaxxers. So he's been listening to them more than Murphy, and he hasn't been listening to others and he should start doing that.

HIND: Luke Gosling should politicians have to have a mandatory vaccination as part of their job requirements?

GOSLING: Some commentators have mentioned this morning that we spent a lot of time in the community, including with vulnerable members of the community. One of the reasons that people come to us for assistance as local members is because they are vulnerable. They are needing support from federal agencies in one way or another. So I'm fully vaccinated, I encourage people to get vaccinated, and I think politicians should be leading by example, getting vaccinated and talking to people calmly, rationally about the need to get vaccinated, if you're medically able to do so.

HIND: Calmly, rationally is important. What does it say to the community when the Chief Minister calls Malarndirri McCarthy an anti-vaxxer for her comments?

GOSLING: I thought that whole period, or that whole discussion, was pretty unhelpful and didn't really advance the discussion that we need to be having. Malarndirri later talked more about what she was trying to articulate in those comments. I think we need to move forward from those comments and just focus on the need to continue to keep Territorians safe. But at the same time, continue to give the support to our businesses that are still struggling from the lockdowns that have kept many of their usual clients – particularly during the dry season – out of town. I think we've got an opportunity right now to remain a place that people who are safe to travel can come to, have a great time, and keep spreading the word about how wonderful the Northern Territory is.

HIND: Luke Gosling is the federal Member for Solomon for the ALP.

ENDS