Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government
Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

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Minutes of Proceedings - 2015-03-24

1. MEETING
The Assembly met at 10am. The Speaker, the Honourable Kezia Purick took the Chair.

2. PRAYERS
    3. VISITORS
        The Speaker advised Honourable Members of the presence in the gallery of students from Years 4/5 and 5 from Karama Primary School.

        On behalf of all Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitors.
    4. SPEAKER'S STATEMENT
        The Speaker made a statement regarding the passing of John Malcolm Fraser, AC, CH, GCL.

        As a mark of respect Members stood in their places in silence for one minute.
    5. LEAVE OF ABSENCE – AGREED TO
    Mr Wood (Member for Nelson) moved – That a leave of absence for today, tomorrow and Thursday be granted to Ms Anderson (Member for Namatjira) on account of illness.

        Motion agreed to.
    6. PRECEDENCE FOR CONDOLENCE MOTION – MOTION AGREED TO
        Mr Elferink (Leader of Government Business) moved – That pursuant to Standing Order 125, intervening business be postponed until after the Chief Minister moves a condolence motion.

        Question – put and passed.
    7. CONDOLENCE MOTION – JOHN MALCOLM FRASER, AC, CH, GCL - MOTION AGREED TO
        Mr Giles (Chief Minister) moved - That this Assembly express its condolences at the passing of John Malcolm Fraser, AC, CH, GCL, and extend deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

        Debate ensued.
        ________________

        Visitor: The Speaker advised Honourable Members of the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Stephen Hatton, former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

        On behalf of all Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitor.
        _________________

        Debate continued.

        Question – put and passed.
    8. Local Government Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 (Serial 116)
        Resumption of debate on the question - That the Bill be now read a second time.

        Debate resumed.
        ________________

        Visitors: The Speaker advised Honourable Members of the presence in the gallery of Year 6 students from Karama Primary School.

        On behalf of all Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitors.
        _________________

        Debate continued.

        Debate suspended.
        _________________


        Suspension of sittings: The sitting of the Assembly was suspended between 12 noon and 2.00pm.

        _________________
    9. NOTICES
        The following notices were given:

        1. Mr Giles (Chief Minister) will move on the next sitting day - That a Select Committee on the prevalence, impacts and government responses to illicit use of the drug colloquially known as “Ice” - in the Northern Territory, is appointed.
          The Committee will investigate and report on:
          a. The reliability of government data on Ice use and measures to enhance the collection of data to ensure that the scale of the problem and its impacts on the health, justice, drug and alcohol, and law enforcement efforts of the Northern Territory Government are understood and measured as accurately as possible;

          b. A comprehensive survey of the various government responses to the abuse of Ice in the Northern Territory and assess their effectiveness or otherwise;

          c. The social and community impacts of Ice in urban, community and remote settings;

          d. Government and community responses to Ice use in other states and some assessment of the effectiveness of these responses in terms of prevention, education, family and individual support and withdrawal and treatment modalities;

          e. The sources of Ice including cross border trafficking, local manufacture and derivation from legal pharmaceuticals and other legal precursors; and

          f. Best practice work place health and safety measures for those in the health system who come into contact with users of Ice.

          In consideration of these matters, the Committee should:

          a. Consult widely with Territorians and those organisations and professionals with experience in Ice use;

          b. Consider best practice models for effective early education, prevention, containment, treatment and withdrawal strategies; and

          c. Seek the advice and experience of other jurisdictions regarding the options, costs and effectiveness of government and community approaches.

          The Committee’s membership shall comprise the Member for Blain, the Member for Arafura, the Member for Nhulunbuy and the Member for Nelson. The Chair will be the Member for Blain.

          The Committee may elect a Deputy Chair of the Committee, who may act as the Chair when the Chair is absent from a meeting or there is no Chair of the Committee.

          A quorum of the Committee shall be two members of the Committee.

          The committee is to report by 17 September 2015.

          The provisions of this resolution, insofar as they are inconsistent with the Standing Orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders.
        2. Mr Tollner (Treasurer) will present on the next sitting day a bill entitled – National Electricity (Northern Territory) (National Uniform Legislation) Bill 2015 (Serial 118).
          3. Mr Wood (Member for Nelson) will move on the next General Business day - That the NT Government considers that on polling day in local Government and Territory elections.

            not to permit a person to canvass for votes, solicit the vote or induce or attempt to induce an elector not to vote for a particular candidate or particular candidates within 100 metres of a polling place
              and/or not permit the distribution of any advertisement, how to vote card, handbill, pamphlet, poster or notice containing any electoral matter on polling day. This would also include advertising or comment in a newspaper on that day.
        10. PETITION
            Ms Purick (Member for Goyder), by leave, presented Petition No. 44 from 423 petitioners, not conforming with Standing Orders relating to the laws to protect innocent people and their properties (Paper 1268).

            Petition read.
        11. LEAVE OF ABSENCE – AGREED TO
        Mr Elferink (Member for Port Darwin) moved – That a leave of absence for today, tomorrow and Thursday be granted to Mr Styles (Member for Sanderson) on account of illness.

            Motion agreed to.
        12. SPEAKER'S STATEMENT
            The Deputy Speaker made a statement regarding the circulation of copies of Sessional Orders to Members.
        13. QUESTIONS
            14.05 Ms Lawrie to Chief Minister
            14.09 Mr Kurrupuwu to Chief Minister
            14.12 Mr Vowles to Chief Minister
            ________________

            Visitor: The Speaker advised Honourable Members of the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Denis Burke, former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

            On behalf of all Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitor.
            _________________

            14.16 Mrs Finocchiaro to Chief Minister
            14.19 Mr McCarthy to Chief Minister

            Paper Tabled: Mr McCarthy (Member for Barkly), by leave, laid upon the Table – Funding cuts hurt Alice: Chamber of Commerce survey, Government funding cuts to Indigenous programs have pulled millions of dollars out of the Alice Springs Community – CEO Kaye Eade (Paper 1269).

            14.24 Mr Conlan to Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services
            14.27 Mr Vowles to Minister for Local Government and Community Services(Supplementary Question)
            14.31 Mr Barrett to Chief Minister
            14.35 Ms Lee to Minister for Housing (referred to Chief Minster)
            14.38 Mr Kurrupuwu to Minister for Parks and Wildlife
            14.40 Ms Walker to Chief Minister
            14.42 Mr Conlan to Chief Minister
            14.45 Mr Wood to Minister for Infrastructure
            14.49 Mr Barrett to Minister for Land Resource Management
            _________________

            Suspension of Standing Orders

            Ms Fyles (Member for Nightcliff) moved — That so much of Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent this house from censuring the Chief Minister.

            Mr Elferink (Leader of Government Business) informed the Assembly that the Government would accept the censure motion, pursuant to Standing Order 95.
            _________________
        14. CENSURE OF CHIEF MINISTER – MOTION NOT AGREED TO
            Ms Fyles (Member for Nightcliff) pursuant to notice, moved – That this house censure the Chief Minister for:

            Leading the most dysfunctional government in the Territory's history with fourteen reshuffles in two and a half years.

            Increasing the cost of living for Territory families and lying about PowerWater tariff hikes.

            Failing on land release for housing and ignoring consultation with affected residents.

            Ignoring the crime wave across the Territory and failing to deliver the 120 extra police officers promised.

            Presiding over horrendous job and program cuts across front-line services across out regions and remote communities.

            Arrogantly refusing to seek a mandate from Territorians on public asset sales.

            Debate ensued.
            _________________

            Withdrawal from Chamber: The Speaker ordered Mr McCarthy (Member for Barkly) to withdraw from the Assembly for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
            _________________

            Debate continued.

            Mr Elferink (Leader of Government Business) moved – That the question now be put.

            Question – put

            The Assembly divided:
              Ayes – 12 Noes - 8
              Mr Barrett Ms Fyles
              Mr Chandler Mr Gunner
              Mr Conlan Ms Lawrie
              Mr Elferink Mr McCarthy
              Mrs Finocchiaro Ms Manison
              Mr Giles Ms Moss
              Mr Higgins Mr Vowles
              Mr Kurrupuwu Ms Walker
              Mrs Price
              Ms Purick
              Mr Tollner
              Mr Westra van Holthe
            Pair: Mr Styles and Mr Wood.
            Motion agreed to.

            Question – That the motion be agreed to - put

            The Assembly divided:
              Ayes – 8 Noes - 12
              Ms Fyles Mr Barrett
              Mr Gunner Mr Chandler
              Ms Lawrie Mr Conlan
              Mr McCarthy Mr Elferink
              Ms Manison Mrs Finocchiaro
              Ms Moss Mr Giles
              Mr Vowles Mr Higgins
              Ms Walker Mr Kurrupuwu
              Mrs Price
              Ms Purick
              Mr Tollner
              Mr Westra van Holthe
            Pair: Mr Styles and Mr Wood.
            Motion not agreed to.
        15. Local Government Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 (Serial 116) – BILL AGREED TO
            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.

            The Assembly resolved itself into Committee of the Whole for consideration of the Bill in detail.
            _________________

            In Committee

            Mr Conlan (Chair of Committees) took the Chair.

            Bill taken as a whole and agreed to.

            Bill to be reported without amendments.
            _________________

            The Assembly resumed; the Speaker took the Chair; Mr Conlan reported that the Committee had agreed to the Bill without amendments.

            The Speaker put the question - that the Report be adopted.

            Motion agreed to.

            On the motion of Mrs Price (Minister for Local Government and Community Services), the Bill was read a third time and was passed to be a proposed law.
        16. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT – Water Advisory Committees – STATEMENT NOTED
            Mr Westra van Holthe (Minister for Land Resource Management) made a statement regarding the establishment of the Northern Territory's Water Advisory Committees.

            Mr Westra van Holthe moved – That the Assembly take note of the Statement.

            Debate ensued.

            Question – put and passed.
        17. PAPERS
            The Deputy Speaker tabled the following Papers –

            1. Report to the Legislative Assembly pursuant to Clause 6.3 and 8.9 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination No. 1 of 2013, Annual Schedule of Members Travel at Government Expense and Annual Schedule containing Government Payments for each Member for Satellite and Mobile Telephones for year 2014 (Paper 1274).

            2. Remuneration Tribunal Determination, Travel Report, Member for Wanguri, Ms Nicole Manison, travel to Canberra to attend meetings with my Federal counterparts for Education and Environment on 4th – 6th March 2015, pursuant to clause 4.12, dated 19 March 2015 (Paper 1271). .

            3. Remuneration Tribunal Determination, Travel Report, Member for Wanguri, Ms Nicole Manison, travel to Alice Springs to attend meetings with key stakeholders and visit local schools relevant to my shadow portfolios on 10th March 2015, pursuant to clause 4.12, dated 19 March 2015 (Paper 1272).

            4. Remuneration Tribunal Determination, Travel Report, Member for Casuarina, Ms Lauren Moss, travel to Katherine to attend YMCA hosted Youth Issues Forum on 4th – 5th February 2015, pursuant to clause 4.12, dated 17 March 2015 (Paper 1273).
        18. ADJOURNMENT
            Mr Elferink (Leader of Government Business) moved - That the Assembly do now adjourn.

            The Assembly adjourned at 7.56pm until Wednesday 25 March 2015 at 10.00am.
        ____________________

            PAPERS
            The following paper was deemed to have been Tabled on 24 March 2015 -

            Subordinate Legislation 2015:
            No. 1, Rail Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Amendment Regulations 2015 (Paper 1270)
        ______________________

            ATTENDANCE
            All Members attended the sittings, except Ms Anderson and Mr Styles on leave.







            Michael Tatham
            Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

        Last updated: 04 Aug 2016
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