STEWART BRASH [HOST]: Bit of a recommitment ceremony, renewing their vows yesterday in Tennant Creek. What am I talking about? I am talking about the re-signing, the recommitments of three levels of government to the Barkly Regional Deal. We had Steve Edgington, who we spoke to earlier this morning, the Minister for Local Government and now the Minister for the Barkly Regional Deal, Mayor Sid Vashist, and we also had the Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm.

Let's just go back. Now, after the terrible sexual assault of a two-year-old in Tennant Creek back in 2018, the Barkly Regional Deal was formed. It was all about growing the Barkly, the economy, improving social outcomes, and supporting Aboriginal leadership in the area. Now, in a few years' time, the deal is meant to be complete and all of its 28 objectives achieved. Now, seven years in, I think the plan says 11 of those objectives have been achieved, with quite a few more to go. Now, one of those long-awaited objectives, the weather radar, is still to come. We're told next year. So, seeing it's been 12 years waiting, when will it come next year?

Now, Anthony Chisholm is the Assistant Minister for Regional Development. He was there for the recommitment ceremony yesterday. Minister, good morning.

ANTHONY CHISHOLM [ASSISTANT MINISTER]: Good morning. Good to be with you.

STEWART BRASH: How was your exchange of vows yesterday? How did that go?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: It was great to finally get that done, Stewart. So, it's something that the Governance Table have been working on for a period of time now, and it became clear to me when we came to government over four years ago that it was lacking having that local commitment from the Governance Table to be signatories to the deal. So I think it was an important achievement yesterday, and it gives me confidence that once these projects are done, that this group will be able to drive the community forward. And I think that’s really important, once the physical infrastructure is done, that there's still going to be that drive and determination from the Governance Table to continue to deliver and drive change in the Barkly region.

STEWART BRASH: So, just go back a bit. So, in signing this, what do the various levels of government, what do the players commit to? What difference will it make to how we deliver the last two to three years of the Barkly Regional Deal?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: What it does is it commits governments to ensure that we're working with the Governance Table and the voices that represent those communities as well. And I think that's something that's really important because you don't want just government making decisions and dictating to local communities. These decisions are obviously better delivered when they are driven by the community up. And that's what the commitment was about, from my point of view, yesterday, the ongoing federal government support to do that. And I think that will be important, once the physical infrastructure projects are done, that this will be a group that can continue to drive change and better outcomes in the Barkly region.

STEWART BRASH: Now, this was supposed to be re-signed or re-committed back in March. Now, I spoke to Steve Edgington, the local member and the Minister for the Barkly Regional Deal, and he said he was in parliament when this was supposed to be signed back in March. Did someone not send emails to each other? Was there a bit of a failure to communicate?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: I'm unsure exactly how it transpired last time, but I try and make two trips a year to Tennant and the surrounding area. This is my second trip this year, and that's something that I'll continue while I'm responsible as the Assistant Minister, and that's about building connections. And I was really pleased on the trip this time that we were able to sign the deal yesterday, because I know how important it has been for the Governance Table and the work that they've been putting into it over many months as well. So it's a great outcome.

STEWART BRASH: Now, correct me if I'm wrong. Out of the 28 objectives, 11 have been achieved. Seventeen still to be delivered. Two to three years out from the end of the deal, is that a worry? Is that a concern?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Obviously, progress- you'd always want progress to be quicker. I can say that from government, and I know that's the expectation of the community. My brief says that 12 are now complete, and 16 projects are underway or ongoing. But we know that there's a hunger from the community to make progress. I'm sitting outside the Tennant Creek boarding facility now. That's made significant progress in the last six months, which is fantastic. My understanding is the Ali Curung Youth Centre is starting to see people on the ground there, making progress as well. So there is progress being made on these outstanding projects. But we're impatient, I know the community is impatient, and you always want them to be done as quickly as possible.

STEWART BRASH: When we look at the impact of the deal- I know there was a review of governance, but when we actually look at the impact of the deal, how would you assess its success? Now, we've seen things built. We've seen the new business centre. We've seen the government centre. We've seen the youth centre. But they're structures. How do we know they're delivering on their promise? What's being done to assess that?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: And that's what the Governance Table review that happened last year that led to the signing of the agreement yesterday is about. Both the Northern Territory Government and the federal government are continually looking at the impact of programs and decisions made to ensure that they're achieving results. I know that the youth facility here in Tennant Creek has been a fantastic addition to the local community. I expect similar outcomes from the Ali Curung Youth Centre as well. I see that there's more economic opportunity in the years that I've been coming, which is giving hope for local employment and training outcomes. So governments always want to ensure that the decisions that we're making and the money that we're spending is having an impact on the local community. And the best thing I can do about that is ensure that I'm a regular visitor, talking to people on the ground and building those connections, so I can get that feedback directly as well.

STEWART BRASH: In your role, are you looking, say, at the youth centre and saying, are the programs being delivered there? Is that actually having an impact? We were in Tennant Creek maybe two months ago now, and there was concern that it's not very well having a nice youth centre if you're not delivering programs to the young people of the town. I mean, what have people been telling you about that? Are those programs being delivered?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: That's been my understanding is that there had been some challenges when it first started, but that those programs are now rolling out and that it is being well supported through the program. And I understand that there's been some challenges around the local government, but I see progress being made there and that they've been really stepping up to the mark in terms of their delivering on their part of the bargain as well.

STEWART BRASH: We know the program, we know the deal needs a few more years to run. What's it going to look like after it? I spoke to Steve Edgington early today, and it sounds like well, we're committed to delivering on the deal, but the question is, what comes after? Are there going to be any funds, or is that the end of it? Is that when the tap's turned off, and you’ve just got to make sure that you continue on, but without any extra funding?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: What we're doing as part of the federal government is understanding that there will obviously be a point when the physical infrastructure that was announced as part of the deal is done. There's obviously other government programs that support infrastructure development across the country, including Growing Regions Fund, that areas like Tennant Creek would be eligible to apply for. So, there's other government programs that they probably haven't been successful in for the last couple of years because they've had this deal in place. So, there's opportunities there, and then I think from a federal government point of view, there's obviously the work that we're doing now behind the scenes from the Department of Infrastructure to work with NIAA and Services Australia to ensure that there's ongoing support for the local community as well. So, we see it across infrastructure, but we also see it across NIAA and Services Australia to ensure that the community is getting that ongoing support for years into the future.

STEWART BRASH: You're hearing from Anthony Chisholm. He's the Federal Minister for Regional Development, in Tennant Creek for the re-signing, the recommitment to the Barkly Regional Deal. Now, I'm looking at my weather radar here from the Bureau of Meteorology I'm looking at a big rain band flowing from northwest to southeast of Alice Springs. I know we're heading to another, and it looks like it's been a very wet start to the summer period across the region. When- and I'm looking for a date, or at least more of a firm idea. When will the weather radar be delivered for the Barkly?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: The advice that we've been given by the BOM is that it should be operational by mid-2027. Progress has been made since we last had a chat about it. So, my understanding is the heads of agreement has been signed. They obviously have the radar system, which is currently in storage. So we are going to continue to drive the BOM to get on with the job. I know that this is something that the locals have been frustrated about, and I know it's something that you've been very strong on as well, Stewart. So I'm going to continue to push as hard as I can to ensure that this is done by mid next year, because I understand how important it is for the local community.

STEWART BRASH: So, what has to be done between now and then? I'm not saying you just put a concrete pad down, connect it all up, and away you go. But what has to be done to ensure that it is up and running by the middle of 2027?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: My understanding is they need formal approval still from the airport development group to commence site works, and that would therefore mean that the lease is executed at the same time. So, I think that's the key next step, and then tenders for site works would have closed, and I'm expecting that there'll be an announcement on that soon.

STEWART BRASH: What's your message to people in the Barkly? And some people in the southern Barkly received, in some periods during February and March, several hundred millilitres of rain, in a less than a 24 hour period. What's your message to those people who won't be able to see those images coming, won't be able to see that rain coming this summer, maybe the summer after. But what do you say to those people who are still waiting?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: I certainly understand how important this issue is. I've spent enough time here, and every time I've come, it's been raised with me. It's been frustrating the lack of progress over the last couple of years, but I'm confident now we're on track, and I'm going to continue to drive the BOM to deliver on those timeframes.

STEWART BRASH: Yeah, a lot of people would love to see that, and hope to see that next year. Anthony Chisholm, thanks for joining us. We'll see you back in the Barkly soon.

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Thanks. Good to be with you.

STEWART BRASH: Anthony Chisholm, Federal Minister for Regional Development.