STEWART BRASH [HOST]: Let's head to the Barkly, and the feds are visiting Tennant Creek to reaffirm their commitment to the 10-year, $100 million Barkly Regional Deal. Now, it's approaching the end of its seventh year, so with just over three years to go, out of the 28 initiatives, we're told 18 are on track, two are having minor issues, two are labelled longer term, only six have been fully delivered.

Now, one of those initiatives which is front of mind for many people in the Barkly is the Tennant Creek weather radar, a project which was initially supposed to be completed in 2022 and after recent flooding in the Barkly it has become even more important and more vital for the region. 

Anthony Chisholm is the Assistant Minister for Regional Development. He's in Tennant Creek. Minister, good morning.

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

STEWART BRASH: I'm sure you've been asked this question a number of times already in the Barkly. Where's the radar?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: I certainly have, Stewart, and I can understand the frustration of locals in this regard in that it has taken a long time to come to fruition and events– weather events that we've seen in recent days only add to the importance of it being delivered. I certainly know that the Bureau of Meteorology are also in Tennant this week and are going to be engaging in consultation with the Governance Table and others in the community, so we're hoping that they'll identify and lock in a location soon. And we're confident once that location is locked in that the weather radar will be able to be operational quickly. But it is important that they do get that location right and enjoy community support for where that location is at the same time.

STEWART BRASH: Yeah, I thought we had– correct me if I'm wrong, I thought we had the Bill Allen lookout, One Tank Hill, had been chosen as the location. What's the go?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: My understanding was that there was an issue gaining approval for that from the Northern Territory Government, and I think the bureau, instead of persisting with that, my understanding is that they are looking at alternative options at the moment. Hence, they're in town for consultation this week.

STEWART BRASH: So, is there actually a preferred location as yet selected?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: That would be best put to the Bureau of Meteorology. I'm unaware that they've selected a preferred location. I think that's the purpose of them being in town and consulting this week. But I certainly know that they understand how important it is and they're under pressure to deliver and we'll maintain that pressure because I know from being in town this week how important it is to the local community. They're frustrated that it's been promised and hasn't been delivered, and I can certainly understand that.

STEWART BRASH: I know as Assistant Minister for Regional Development you would be keenly aware of the impact and the need for this radar. Are you not curious to know where it's going to go? I mean, I know you can hand pass to the BOM, but surely when people ask you, you can't tell them where you think it's going to go?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Well, I think it's important that they come and do the consultation with the local community, and we want to ensure that it goes into the right spot, but it also enjoys community support. Obviously, the sooner that happens and that it can get erected, the better off the community will be. So we hope that can move quicker than it has been, and we'll be applying as much pressure as we can, and support, to ensure that that gets done. 

It's quite frustrating in that we know that the radar is in storage in Brisbane, so it's ready to go. So, we're confident that once that location is identified and secured, that it can be up quickly and serving the community, which is the most important thing.

STEWART BRASH: We'll give a call to the BOM, but can you tell me once– and nothing happens rapidly, we know that. I'll use the dirty word, bureaucracy. But the fact that we are now– and looking at this release I've got in front of me about the Barkley Regional Deal saying March 2026, radar available to Tennant Creek community. What's your response when you see that and how long it has taken to deliver this?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Clearly, it's not good enough. And I, having been a regular visitor to this part of the world, I know it's been an important part of the deal that everyone in the community relies on no matter what they do for travel, for their work, having accurate information is really important. The last couple of weeks just proved that. So I can understand their frustration, and I can assure the community that I'll be doing whatever I can to ensure that this moves ahead as quickly as possible.

STEWART BRASH: Very briefly, once a location is selected, how long will it take to actually erect the radar?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: My briefing that I've received is that once the location is identified and secured, that the weather radar could be operational within 12 months. As I mentioned, we know that the radar is in storage, so it's not something that has to be secured, so it can move quickly. So we'll be putting on as much pressure as possible to ensure that location is identified and secured as quickly as possible.

STEWART BRASH: Yeah. Do we blame the feds? Do we blame the Northern Territory Government? Who do we blame?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Oh, look, I'll leave that to the people to work out what they–

STEWART BRASH: You're a federal minister. What responsibilities do you take?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Sure, Stewart. And that's what I was just about to say, that I want to assure the community that I'll be doing whatever I can to move this forward as quickly as possible.

STEWART BRASH: Okay, I don't want this to feel like a Utopia moment at all, but minister, I'll move on. Now you are in town, we're looking at the Barkly Regional Deal, seven years in. As a whole, what's been achieved? Is Tennant Creek better off for the Barkly Regional Deal, seven years in?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: I can certainly identify projects that have been delivered, and I was able to visit a couple of them yesterday, that I think have taken the community forward. So, the Youth Centre in Tennant Creek, I've been there a couple of times myself. I've seen the support it's providing for children after school to give them activities and on weekends, and I've spoken to other people in the community who say what a difference that has made. So, I think that's one obvious one that is contributing and making the town better off as a result. I also was able to visit the youth justice facility for the first time yesterday, and I see the support that that's got in the community and the role that they're playing helping to rehabilitate some of the young people into the community as well.

So, I think that there are examples of things that have been done well, but I also get a sense that there's other challenges that are frustrating people. And I'd like to say that the Governance Table is operating really effectively. Obviously, the council are operating much better than they have been in the past. So, I see that there are positives in terms of the deal and how we can work together. And that's something that I've been able to observe whilst I've been in town, but I've also been able to identify things that we need to work on to ensure that we can keep progressing the deal with the support of the community.

STEWART BRASH: What actually happened with the governance review? Did that get completed? Has that been finished, and is that public?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: It has, and the government has responded to that. We've responded to our part to that. I don't think that the Northern Territory Government have responded as yet. So I think that we'd wait for them to respond before it gets released publicly.

STEWART BRASH: Can you tell us what it found?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: What it found is that there's ongoing work, and the federal government are going to embrace this, to ensure that the voices of the local community and First Nations people are at the forefront of the decision making. So, the Governance Table has been doing a really good job. Obviously, having the right local voices on that is really important, and giving them the opportunity to strengthen their voice is something that the federal government are committed to as well. And obviously, the role of the council has been strengthened by the new mayor and CEO, who I also met with when I got to town on Monday.

STEWART BRASH: I'm not sure if I need to read between the lines, but it suggests that there were some governance failings which have had to be rectified. Would that be accurate?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: No, I think it's just an opportunity to strengthen things. So, we're obviously more than halfway through the deal. Some things have been delivered, but we want to ensure that the communication to the community, the opportunity, and as you questioned before, about ensuring that there are going to be local benefits, that they're delivered on and the community can embrace them. So I've got no problems with going through a process like we did. I supported the governance review. And we await the Northern Territory Government response as well.

STEWART BRASH: We're three years away from the end of the Barkly Regional Deal. What then? I mean, there's still so much to be done, but what will happen when there are still projects and issues to be rectified? Because let's be honest, I mean, there are so many issues in the Barkly and central Australia in general. What's going to happen at the end of three years? 

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Yeah, and that's, I think, part of the review is looking at what comes next. So we've obviously got to focus on concluding some of the projects that were identified, and you talked through what that challenge is. So we'll continue to be diligent and work hard to get those done. But we also want to engage with NIAA and Services Australia and other government agencies as well as Marion Scrymgour as a local member also Senator Malarndirri McCarthy to ensure that what we've built up around the Barkly Regional Deal can continue to provide the leadership for the local community into the future. So I think that will be less of an infrastructure – so I'm representing the Department of Infrastructure in terms of what I do – I think there'll be a role for other government departments in terms of what that looks like into the future so that we can continue to build on the momentum that's been built as part of the regional deal.

STEWART BRASH: Did you bring any dollars for flood recovery and assistance for the Barkly?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: That's been announced by Minister McBain. So, I still understand that there's flood warnings out now around the Daly River. If people have been impacted, the best place to go to look at what you're eligible for is the Services Australia website, which has a detail of the various grants and government assistance that is available for people who have been impacted by the events over the last couple of weeks.

STEWART BRASH: Assistant Minister, I'll let you go, but thanks for joining us. We look forward to the cutting of the ribbon on that hill at some point, a hill perhaps, or just a block of land sometime in the future with that radar.

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Thanks, Stewart, and thanks for the opportunity to be on air and talk about these issues.