The Assembly met at 10am, pursuant to resolution of the Assembly, dated Thursday 23 February 2006. The Speaker, the Honourable J. L. Aagaard, took the Chair.

The Speaker advised Honourable Members the following Message had been received from His Honour the Administrator:

Message No. 8

Assent to Proposed Laws

I, EDWARD JOSEPH EGAN, AO the Administrator of the Northern Territory of Australia, advise the Legislative Assembly of, pursuant to section 7 of the Northern Territory (Self-Government Act) 1978 of the Commonwealth, the assent to the following proposed laws:

8 March 2006
Alcohol Court Act 2006 (No. 1 of 2006)
Antisocial Behaviour (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2006 (No. 2 of 2006)
Commercial Passenger Vehicles Legislation Amendment Act 2006 (No. 3 of 2006)
Northern Territory Tourist Commission Amendment Act 2006 (No. 4 of 2006)

Dated 20 March 2006.


Sgd. E. J. Egan
Administrator (Paper 394)

The Speaker advised Members of the receipt of the Commonwealth Day Message 2006 from Her Majesty the Queen, dated 13 March 2006 (Paper 399). With the concurrence of Members the Message was authorised to be incorporated in the Hansard record.

The Leader of Government Business (Mr Henderson) moved - That, on behalf of the Chief Minister, he nominated Thursday 30 March 2006 as the next day on which precedence would be given to General Business, pursuant to Standing Order 93.
Question - put and passed.

The Leader of Government Business (Mr Henderson) moved - That leave of absence be granted to the Member for Millner (Mr Bonson) for this sittings.
Question - put and passed.

The Leader of Government Business (Mr Henderson) advised that in the absence of the Member for Millner, the Member for Daly (Mr Knight) would be acting as Whip.

The Leader of the Opposition (Ms Carney) moved - That leave of absence be granted to the Member for Katherine (Mrs Miller) for this sittings due to ill health following a motor vehicle accident earlier this month.
Question - put and passed.

The Leader of the Opposition (Ms Carney), by leave, advised Members of Opposition Office Holders, and additional Shadow Portfolio responsibilities as follows, effective from 15 March 2006:

MEMBER FOR ARALUEN, JODEEN CARNEY
Leader of the Opposition
Additional Shadow Portfolios:
Tourism
Mines & Energy
Natural Resources, Environment & Heritage

MEMBER FOR BLAIN, TERRY MILLS
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Additional Shadow Portfolios:
Primary Industry & Fisheries
Regional Development

MEMBER FOR GREATOREX, RICHARD LIM
Opposition Whip
Additional Shadow Portfolios:
Transport & Infrastructure
Senior Territorians

The Leader of the Opposition (Ms Carney), by leave, reported on the current health and condition of the Member for Katherine (Mrs Miller) as a result of her motor vehicle accident earlier this month.

The Speaker advised Members of the presence in the Speaker's Gallery Mr Les Penhall and Mrs Helen Lines, friends of the late Mr Reg Harris AM. On behalf of Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the distinguished visitors.

The Speaker advised Members of the death on 28 February 2006 of Mr Reg Harris AM a prominent member of the Alice Springs community.

The Chief Minister (Ms Martin), by leave, moved - That this Assembly,

(a) express its deep regret at the death of Mr Reg Harris AM, a prominent member of the Alice Springs community; and

(b) place on record the Assembly’s appreciation of the long and meritorious service to the people of the Northern Territory and tender its profound sympathy to his family.

Ms Martin thereupon addressed the Assembly.
Debate ensued.
Question - put and passed.

As a mark of respect Members stood in their places for one minute, in silence.

Response to petitions: The Clerk, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, laid on the Table responses to petitions Nos. 6, 8, 10, 13 and 14 relating to respectively Noise and Air Pollution from the Ron Goodin Power Station; Irrkerlantye Learning Centre; New Primary School for Palmerston; Sale of Territory Insurance Office - Mr Mills; and Sale of Territory Insurance Office - Mr Wood (Paper 395).

The Clerk advised the Assembly the text of the responses would be included in the Hansard record.

APEC Meeting 2007: The Chief Minister (Ms Martin) reported on meetings to facilitate the conduct of an Asia pacific Economic Cooperation Ad Hoc Energy Ministers' meeting (APEC) in Darwin between 27 May 2007 to 31 May 2007.
Ms Carney responded.

Town Camps Task Force, Alice Springs: The Minister for Local Government (Mr McAdam) reported progress on issues and tasks undertaken by the Alice Springs Town Camps Task Force.
Dr Lim responded.
Mrs Braham responded.
Mr McAdam responded.

East Timor Governance Training: The Minister of Public Employment (Dr Burns) reported on the assistance being provided by the Territory public service in assisting and training officials from East Timor in the transfer of human resource skills and public sector governance in conjunction with AUSAID programs.
Mr Mills responded.
Dr Burns responded.

Royal Darwin Hospital, Health Care Status: The Minister for Health (Dr Toyne) reported on the current state of the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) health system and working health professionals.
Dr Lim responded.
Dr Toyne responded.

Ministerial Reports noted.

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 Chief Minister (Ms Martin) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

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 Employment, Education and Training (Mr Stirling) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

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 (Dr Toyne) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law, after debate.

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.
Debate suspended.

Suspension of sittings: The sittings of the Assembly was suspended between 11.49am and 2pm.

The Speaker advised Members of the presence in the Speaker's Gallery of the Rev Steve Orme, Moderator of the Northern Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia and Mrs Judith Orme.
On behalf of Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the distinguished visitors.

The Speaker advised Members of the presence in the public galleries of visitors undertaking the Parliament House Tour Program of the Assembly. On behalf of Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitors.

The following Notices were given -

Mr Stirling: To present the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2006 (Serial 43).
Dr Toyne: To present the Victims of Crime Rights and Services Bill 2006 (Serial 44).
Dr Toyne: To present the Victims of Crime Assistance Bill 2006 (Serial 45).
Dr Toyne: To move - That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent Bills entitled - Victims of Crime Rights and Services Bill 2006 (Serial 44) and Victims of Crime Assistance Bill 2006 (Serial 45) -

(a) being presented and read a first time together and one motion being put in regard to, respectively, the second readings; the committee’s report stage; and the third readings of the Bills together; and
(b) the consideration of the Bills separately in the Committee of the Whole.
Dr Toyne: To present the Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 (Serial 49).
Mr Henderson: To present the Terrorism (Emergency Powers) Amendment Bill 2006 (Serial 46).
Ms Carney: To present, on the next General Business Day, the Whistleblowers Bill 2006 (Serial 47).
Mr Mills: To present, on the next General Business Day, the No New Taxes Bill 2006 (Serial 48).
Mr Mills: To move - That, on the next General Business Day, so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent a Bill entitled - No New Taxes Bill 2006 (Serial 48) passing through all stages at this sittings.
Ms Carney: To move, on the next General Business Day, That -

The Legislative Assembly:

(a) commend the Mines Minster for rolling the Environment Minister on her decision to prevent the McArthur River Mine expansion;

(b) condemn the Chief Minister for allowing a department that undertakes assessments of development projects in a vacuum without regard to other social and economic factors and with a philosophy of selective inclusion of only environmental information in the task of undertaking environmental assessments;

(c) condemn the Minister for the Environment for misleading Territorians into believing that the Environmental Protection Authority was a body that was independent from government when in fact it was a section of her own department; and

(d) call on the government to work with industry to achieve best practice in minimising environmental impacts.
Dr Lim: To move, on the next General Business Day - That the Legislative Assembly seeks from the Northern Territory Government -
(a) an explanation to Territorians why, in October 2004, the Chief Minister announced that the radiation oncology unit, which was a pre-election promise made in 2001, was shelved;

(b) an explanation to Territorians why, in April 2005, the Minister for Health re-announced that the government is committed once again to set up a radiation oncology unit;

(c) an explanation to Territorians, why in March 2006, the Minister for Health once more signalled that the government is unable to deliver on a radiation oncology unit, and then blamed the Federal Member for Solomon, for what is in fact the failure of the Martin Labor Government to deliver; and

(d) the provision of a firm timeline for the delivery of a radiation oncology unit for Territorians.

Dr Lim: To move, on the next General Business Day - That, in view of the recent explosion of illicit kava being trafficked in the Northern Territory, the Legislative Assembly, resolves that:
(a) the Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing be asked to produce for the Legislative Assembly, a statement on the use and abuse of Kava in the community;
(b) the statement by the Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing be referred to the Select Committee on Substance Abuse in the Community as a reference point to further investigate the use and abuse of Kava in the Northern Territory; and

(c) the Select Committee on Substance Abuse in the Community report to the Assembly within 6 months on the following matters:

(i) the extent of licit and illicit kava in the Northern Territory;
(ii) the recent social and family impacts of kava on the community;
(iii) the recent health impacts of kava on the community; and

(d) the Select Committee on Substance Abuse advise on whether to ban kava entirely or impose other measures to better control the use and abuse of kava and provide recommendations for changes to the Kava Management Act to address aspects identified.

2.08pm Ms Carney to Mr Martin.
2.09pm Mr Knight to Ms Martin.
2.14pm Ms Carney to Ms Martin.
2.16pm Ms Sacilotto to Mr Stirling.
2.20pm Mr Mills to Mr Stirling.
2.24pm Ms Anderson to Mr Stirling.
2.29pm Mr Wood to Ms Scrymgour.
2.32pm Mr Mills to Mr Stirling.
2.34pm Mr Natt to Ms Martin.
2.39pm Mr Mills to Mr Stirling.
2.42pm Mr Kiely to Dr Toyne.
2.47pm Mrs Braham to Mr Stirling.
2.52pm Mr Burke to Dr Burns.
2.55pm Mr Mills to Mr Stirling.
2.59pm Mr Warren to Mr Vatskalis.
3.02pm Mr Wood to Dr Toyne.
3.04pm Mr Natt to Dr Burns.

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

The Order of the Day having been read for the resumption of debate, suspended earlier this day, 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 Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage (Ms Scrymgour) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

The Minister for Employment, Education and Training (Mr Stirling) made a statement relating to Year 12 Tertiary Entrance results in the Territory and required changes to improve the education system to gain equivalent results to other States.
Mr Stirling moved - That the Assembly take note of the Statement.
Debate ensued.
Extension of time: On the motion of the Leader of the Opposition (Ms Carney) the Member for Blain (Mr Mills) was granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Debate continued.
Extension of time: On the motion of the Leader of the Government Business (Mr Henderson) the Member for Nhulunbuy (Mr Stirling) was granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Debate continued.
Question - put and passed.

The Leader of Government Business (Mr Henderson) moved - That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Debate ensued.
Paper tabled: The Member for Greatorex (Dr Lim), by leave, laid on the Table the following Paper -

Debate continued.
Question - put and passed.
And the Assembly adjourned at 8.50pm until Wednesday 29 March 2006 at 10am.

Parole Board of the Northern Territory 2005 (Paper 396)

Regulations 2006:
No. 8, Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Amendment (Fees) By-Laws (Paper 397)
No. 9, Procurement Amendment (Paper 398)

ATTENDANCE:
All Members attended the sitting, except Mr Bonson and Mrs Miller on leave.