Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

Minutes of Proceedings - 2011-08-16

1. DEPUTY SPEAKER TAKING CHAIR:
      The Clerk advised Members of the absence of the Speaker and that the Deputy Speaker (Ms Walker) would, pursuant to Standing Order 9, perform the duties of the Speaker during that absence.

2. MEETING:
The Assembly met at 10am. The Deputy Speaker, Ms L Walker, took the Chair.

3. PRAYERS.

4. VISITORS:
      The Deputy Speaker (Ms Walker) advised Members of the presence in the public gallery of -
Wagaman Primary School Year 3/4 students accompanied by Ms Ramsey, Ms Hetherington and Ms King; and
Taminmin College Japanese exchange students accompanied by Ms MacLean.

      On behalf of all Members the Deputy Speaker (Ms Walker) extended a warm welcome to the visitors.
5. PAIRS:
      The Deputy Speaker (Ms Walker) laid on the Table the following Pair arrangement –
Member for Nightcliff (Mrs Aagaard) and the Member for Goyder (Ms Purick) for the period 10am to 2pm, 16 August 2011 (Paper 1453).
    6. EVIDENCE (NATIONAL UNIFORM LEGISLATION) BILL 2011 (Serial 172):
        The Minister for Justice and Attorney-General (Ms Lawrie), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act about the law of evidence, and for related purposes.
        Bill read a first time.
        Ms Lawrie moved – That the Bill be now read a second time.
        Debate ensued.
        Paper tabled: Ms Lawrie laid on the Table the following Paper –
    Explanatory Statement, Evidence (National Uniform Legislation) Bill 2011 (Paper 1452).

        On the motion of the Member for Port Darwin (Mr Elferink) debate was adjourned.

    7. JUSTICE AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2011 (Serial 148):
        The Order of the Day having been read for the resumption of debate on the question – That the Bill be now read a second time –
        Debate resumed.
        Question – put and passed.
        Bill read a second time.
        Leave granted for a motion for the third reading of the Bill to be moved forthwith.
        On the motion of the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General (Ms Lawrie) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.
    8. NT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES’ INTERNAL CONTROLS, PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE – REPORT NOTED:
        The Order of the Day having been read for the resumption of debate on the question – That the Assembly take note of the Report –
        Debate resumed.
        Question – put and passed.

    9. RECENT COMMUNITY TRIPS, FOURTH REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF TERRITORY COOPERATION – MOTION TO NOTE REPORT:
        The Order of the Day having been read for the resumption of debate on the question – That the Assembly take note of the Report –
        Debate ensued.
        Extension of time: On the motion of the Member for Port Darwin (Mr Elferink) the Member for Nelson (Mr Wood) was granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.

        Debate continued.
        Debate suspended.
    _______________________
        Suspension of sittings: The sittings of the Assembly were suspended between 12.02am and 2pm.
    ___________________

    10. NOTICES:
        The following Notices were given:
        Mrs Lambley: To move – That this Assembly:

                    1. Require the Minister for Children and Families to implement all of the recommendations of the Ombudsman’s Report – A Lifelong Shadow;

                    2. Require the Minister for Children and Families to immediately appoint the Ombudsman and the Children’s Commissioner to the Child Protection External Monitoring and Reporting Committee to ensure appropriate local scrutiny of reforms to the Territory’s Child Protection System.
          Mr Giles: To move – That,
                  1. The Northern Territory Parliament writes to the Federal Communications Minister requesting he instruct his department to conduct an immediate review into future opportunities surrounding the roll out of broadband services to the Northern Territory particularly rural and remote communities.

                  2. The review investigate the provision of:

                      (a) 4G mobile broadband services to all 73 prescribed communities and the location known as New Store in the Utopian region

                      (b) the building of mobile base stations along main arterial routes of the Northern Territory including but not limited to:

                            (i) Stuart Highway, Lasseters Highway, Arnhem Highway, Barkly Highway, Victoria Highway, intersection of Papunya Road and Tanami Highway, Larrimah, Wauchope, Devils Marbles, Barrow Creek, Dunmarra, Top Springs; and

                            (ii) that these base stations then on-sell access to communications companies for the provision of 4G telephony and radio transmission services.

                      (c) the feasibility of off-setting this cost against fibre to the node in growth towns.
                  3. That upon receiving a copy of the report the Northern Territory Minister for ICT present that report to the Northern Territory parliament.
          Mrs Purick: To move - The NT Government notes the serious deficiencies in the delivery of services and programmes into the greater Darwin rural area in the important areas of youth, mental health care, aged care and sport and recreation.

          Mr Wood: To move – That the Northern Territory Government support the recently released Rural Centre Plans as the most appropriate option for the future development of the Litchfield Council area.

          Mr Tollner: To move – That, this Assembly call upon the Gillard Government to remove Senator Joe Ludwig from the Agriculture portfolio for his incompetent handling of issues pertaining to the live cattle export trade and further this Assembly condemn the Gillard Government for an ill considered and poorly executed response to issues arising in the live cattle export industry.

          Mr Tollner: To move - That, the Northern Territory Government immediately action its plan to develop the land known as the “Bagot Community” and create a beautiful new suburb to house some of the existing residents of the Bagot Community, first homeowners and other home buyers.
            Ms Lawrie: To present the Criminal Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 (Serial 173).

            Mr Conlan: To move - That, the Northern Territory Government recognise its failures to address Law and Order issues in Alice Springs during the summer of 2010/2011 and therefore –
                    (a) treat the summer of 2011/2012 in Alice Springs as a known and emerging crime hotspots; and
                    (b) put in place a comprehensive law and order strategy to combat such known and emerging crime hotspots.
        11. QUESTIONS:
            2.03pm Mr Chandler to Dr Burns.
            2.06pm Ms Walker to Mr Henderson.
            2.09pm Mr Chandler to Dr Burns.
            2.11pm Mr Gunner to Dr Burns.
            Paper tabled: Dr Burns laid on the Table the following Paper –
        Improving Educational Outcomes in the Northern Territory by Geoff Masters for Australian Council for Educational Research, April 2011 (Paper 1454).

            2.14pm Mr Chandler to Dr Burns.
            2.17pm Mr Wood to Mr G McCarthy.
            2.19pm Ms Scrymgour to Ms Lawrie.
            2.22pm Mr Elferink to Ms Lawrie.
            2.25pm Mr Gunner to Mr G McCarthy.
            2.28pm Mr Wood to Mr Hampton.
            2.29pm Mr Elferink to Ms Lawrie.
            2.32pm Ms Walker to Mr Knight.
            2.36pm Mr Elferink to Ms Lawrie.
            2.39pm Ms Anderson to Ms M McCarthy.
            2.41pm Ms Scrymgour to Mr G McCarthy.
            2.44pm Mr Elferink to Ms Lawrie.
            2.47pm Ms Walker to Dr Burns.
            2.50pm Mr Elferink to Ms Lawrie.
            2.53pm Mr Gunner to Dr Burns.
            2.56pm Ms Anderson to Ms M McCarthy.
            Paper tabled: Dr Burns laid on the Table the following Papers –
        Manyallaluk School Photographs, Members at opening of a BER program (Paper 1455).

            2.58pm Mr Elferink to Ms Lawrie.
            3.02pm Mr Gunner to Mr Vatskalis.

            The Leader of Government Business (Dr Burns) asked that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.

        12. RECENT COMMUNITY TRIPS, FOURTH REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF TERRITORY COOPERATION – REPORT NOTED:
            The Order of the Day having been read for the resumption of debate, suspended earlier this day, on the question – That the Assembly take note of the Report –
            Debate resumed.
            Extension of time: On the motion of the Member for Johnston (Dr Burns) the member for Nhulunbuy (Ms Walker) was granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.

            Debate continued.
            Pairs: The Speaker advised Members of the following further Pair arrangements for today –
        Member for Casuarina (Mr Vatskalis) and the Member for Brennan (Mr Chandler) for the period 4pm to 7pm, 16 August 2011 (Paper 1457).

            Debate continued.
            Question – put and passed.
        13. OMBUDSMAN FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY, 2009/2010 – PAPER TABLED – MOTION TO NOTE REPORT:
            The Leader of Government Business (Dr Burns), at the request of and on behalf of the Chief Minister (Mr Henderson), laid on the Table the report of the Ombudsman, 2009/2010 (Paper 1458).
            Dr Burns moved – That the Assembly print the Report.
            Question – put and passed.
            Dr Burns made a statement relating thereto.
            Dr Burns moved – That the Assembly take note of the Report and that leave be granted to continued his remarks at a later stage.
            Debate adjourned.
        14. EDUCATION - MINISTERIAL STATEMENT – MOTION TO NOTE STATEMENT:
            The Minister for Education and Training (Dr Burns) made a Statement relating to education being the key to deliver social, cultural and economic development.
            Dr Burns moved – That the Assembly take note of the Statement.
            Debate ensued.
            Extension of time: On the motion of the Member for Port Darwin (Mr Elferink) the Member for Karama (Ms Lawrie) was granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.

            Debate continued.
            Extension of time: On the motion of the Member for Goyder (Ms Purick) the Member for Drysdale (Mr Bohlin) was granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.

            Debate continued.
            On the motion of the Leader of Government Business (Dr Burns) debate was adjourned.
        15. MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE – REMOTE PUBLIC HOUSING:
            The Speaker advised the Assembly the Member for Braitling (Mr Giles) had proposed the following definite Matter of Public Importance for discussion this day:
                The arrangements surrounding the delivery of public housing in remote communities under SIHIP as compared with remote housing for government workers.

            The proposed discussion having received the necessary support –
            Discussion ensued.
            Discussion concluded.

        16. ADJOURNMENT:
            The Leader of Government Business (Dr Burns) moved – That the Assembly do now adjourn.
            Debate ensued.
            Paper tabled: The Member for Braitling (Mr Giles), by leave, laid on the Table the following Paper –
        Drinking area, Lovegrove Drive, Alice Springs, photograph (Paper 1459).

            Debate continued.
            And the Assembly adjourned at 9pm until Wednesday, 17 August 2011 at 10am.
            ________________

            PAPERS:
            The following Papers were deemed to have been presented on 16 August 2011 –

            Annual Reports
            Council of Territory Co-Operation, August 2011, year ended 30 June 2011 (Paper 1456)
        _________________
            ATTENDANCE:
            All Members attended the sittings.



            Ian McNeill
        Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
        Last updated: 04 Aug 2016