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Minutes of Proceedings - 1996-02-27

Seventh Assembly First Session 27/02/1996 Parliamentary Record No. 20
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Date : 27/02/1996
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1. MEETING:
    The Assembly met at 10.00 a.m., pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker, the Honourable T.R. McCarthy, took the Chair.

2. PRAYERS.

3. DISTINGUISHED VISITOR:
    The Speaker (Mr McCarthy) drew the attention of Honourable Members to the presence in the Speakers Gallery of Mr Bern Kilgariff, former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Senator for the Northern Territory.
    On behalf of Honourable Members, the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the distinguished visitor.

4. VISITORS:
    The Speaker (Mr McCarthy) drew the attention of Honourable Members to the presence in the gallery of Mr Grant Hamon of the Northern Territory Fire Service and a group of fellow Station Commanders; English as a Second Language students from the ELICOS Unit at the Northern Territory University, and their lecturers, Ms Jan Schneider and Ms Annette Burke; and Year 6/7 students from the Manunda Terrace Primary School and their teachers Ms Jeannie Bennett and Ms Jane Boustead.
      On behalf of Honourable Members, the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitors.

5. FILMING IN THE CHAMBER:
    The Speaker advised Members that approval had been granted to ABC Television and Channel 8 to film in the Chamber to update file footage. Mr Bert Weidemann had been given approval to take photographs to update records for the Protocol and Public Relations Branch of the Department of the Chief Minister.

6. NOTICES:
    The following notices were given:
      Mr Finch: To present the Liquor Amendment Bill 1996 (Serial 139).
      Mr Coulter: To present the Cobourg Peninsula Aboriginal Land and Sanctuary Amendment Bill 1996 (Serial 142).

7. QUESTIONS:
    Questions were asked of Ministers.

8. COMMONWEALTH GRANTS AND FUNDING LEVELS TO THE TERRITORY- MOTION, AGREED TO:
    The Treasurer (Mr Reed), by leave, moved - That this Assembly -
      1. Recognises the generally positive role the Commonwealth Grants Commission has played in its recommendations on funding levels for the Territory since Self-Government, but
            (a) deplores the anomalies which could allow a Keating Labor Government to impose a $27.3 million cut to next years financial assistance grants;
            (b) condemns the abject failure of Labors elected representatives, Federal Member Warren Snowdon and Senator Bob Collins, to do their job by standing up for Territorians against this latest funding cut, which will cost every Territory man, woman and child $156.00 each year;
            (c) further condemns the Labor Federal Member, Mr Snowdon, for misrepresenting the Federal funding formula as a $16 million increase in Commonwealth grants, knowing that the real figure should have been at least $43 million. In other words, Labor and Mr Snowdon tried to take Territorians for fools; and
            (d) resolves, following the final vote on this motion, to forward the Hansard record of this debate to the Prime Minister and Federal Treasurer of the day, and to disseminate the information to those who will have to pay for the $27 million Budget shortfall, i.e. the Territory community.
      Debate ensued.
____________________
      Suspension of sitting: The sitting was suspended between 11 54 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.
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      Debate resumed.
    The Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mrs Hickey), by leave, moved the following amendment -
      Omit all words after Self-Government and insert in their stead -
        and
        (a) welcomes the Federal Labor Governments commitment to maintain the real per capita guarantee of the financial assistance grants pool on a rolling three year basis;
        (b) calls upon the Coalition to match this guarantee;
        (c) congratulates the Hon Warren Snowdon, MP and Senator Bob Collins - the Team that Works - for their commitment to the Northern Territory that has resulted in the provision of hundreds of millions of dollars in additional projects in the Territory since they entered Federal politics;
        (d) advises the Northern Territory Treasurer to embark on a remedial maths course that might enable him to understand the dollar differences between 1995/96 and 1996/97 F. A. G.s funding; and
        (e) resolves, following the final vote on this motion, to forward the Hansard record of this debate to the Prime Minister and Federal Treasurer, of the day..
      The Treasurer (Mr Reed) moved - That the question be now put.
      Question - That the question be now put - put.
      The Assembly divided (the Speaker, Hon. T.R. McCarthy, in the Chair) -

AYES, 14 NOES, 8

Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
Mrs Braham Mr Bailey
Mr Burke Mr Bell
Mr Coulter Mr Ede
Mr Finch Mrs Hickey
Mr Hatton Ms Martin
Dr Lim Mr Rioli
Mr Manzie Mr Stirling
Mr Mitchell
Mr Palmer
Mr Poole
Mr Reed
Mr Setter
Mr Stone
      And so it was resolved in the affirmative.
      Question - That the amendment be agreed to - put.
      The Assembly divided (the Speaker, Hon. T.R. McCarthy, in the Chair) -

AYES, 8 NOES, 14

Mr Ah Kit Mr Adamson
Mr Bailey Mrs Braham
Mr Bell Mr Burke
Mr Ede Mr Coulter
Mrs Hickey Mr Finch
Ms Martin Mr Hatton
Mr Rioli Dr Lim
Mr Stirling Mr Manzie
Mr Mitchell
Mr Palmer
Mr Poole
Mr Reed
Mr Setter
Mr Stone
      Amendment negatived accordingly.
      Debate, on the motion, resumed.
      Question - put and passed.

9. BUSINESS DISCHARGED:
    The Leader of Government Business (Mr Coulter), by leave, moved - That, Government Business relating to the Cobourg Peninsula Aboriginal Land and Sanctuary Amendment Bill 1994 (Serial 55) be discharged from the Notice Paper.
      Question - put and passed.

10. COBOURG PENINSULA ABORIGINAL LAND AND SANCTUARY AMENDMENT BILL 1996 (Serial 142):
    The Minister for Parks and Wildlife(Mr Coulter), by leave, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the Cobourg Peninsula Aboriginal Land and Sanctuary Act.
      Bill read a first time.
      Mr Coulter moved - That the Bill be now read a second time.
      On the motion of the Member for Wanguri (Mr Bailey) debate was adjourned.
11. CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENT BILL (No. 5) 1995 (Serial 123):
    The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question - That the Bill be now read a second time -
      Debate ensued.
      Question - put and passed.
      Bill read a second time.
    Personal explanation: The Member for Macdonnell (Mr Bell), by leave, pursuant to Standing Order 54, made a personal explanation relating to a part of his speech during the second reading debate which he stated was misunderstood.
      Leave granted for a motion for the third reading of the Bill to be moved forthwith.
    On the motion of the Attorney-General (Mr Hatton) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

12. STATUS OF CHILDREN AMENDMENT BILL 1995 (Serial 125):
    The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question - That the Bill be now read a second time -
      Debate ensued.
      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 Attorney-General (Mr Hatton) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

13. CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND FAIR TRADING AMENDMENT BILL 1995 (Serial 126):
    The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question - That the Bill be now read a second time -
      Debate ensued.
      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 Attorney-General (Mr Hatton) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

14. ADJOURNMENT:
    The Attorney-General (Mr Hatton) moved - That the Assembly do now adjourn.
      Debate ensued.
      Question - put and passed.
      The Assembly adjourned at 6.45 p.m. until tomorrow at 10.00 a.m.
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    ATTENDANCE:
    All Members attended the sitting, except Mr Baldwin.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016
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