Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

Minutes of Proceedings - 1999-08-12

Eighth Assembly First Session 10/08/1999 Parliamentary Record No. 18
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Date : 12/08/1999
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1. MEETING:
      The Assembly met at 10.00 h. The Speaker, the Honourable T R McCarthy, took the Chair.

2. PRAYERS.

3. VISITORS:
      The Speaker (Mr McCarthy) advised honourable Members of the presence in the gallery of students from Warakurna accompanied by their teachers Mr Russell Osborne and Ms Joanne Pearson and Ms Glenise Newman.

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

4. PETITION:
      The Member for Stuart (Mr Toyne) presented a petition from 601 petitioners requesting the Assembly to maintain bilingual education programs in Northern Territory Schools (Paper 1432).
      Petition read.

5. QUESTIONS:
      10:04 Ms Martin to Mr Burke.
      10:07 Mr Elferink to Mr Burke.
      10:14 Mr Stirling to Mr Dunham.
      10:15 Dr Lim to Mr Dunham.
      10:20 Mr Stirling to Mr Dunham.
      Paper tabled: The Minister for Essential Services (Mr Dunham) laid on the Table the following Paper –
Graph, Selected Household Taxes and Charges Average Home $ Annum incl Electricity Water Sewerage, State Average $1712 (Paper 1433).
      10:23 Mr Mills to Mr Reed.
      10:31 Mr Henderson to Mr Dunham.
      10:36 Mr Poole to Mr Reed.
      10:40 Mr Rioli to Mr Lugg.
      10:44 Mr Hatton to Mr Manzie.
      10:46 Mr Toyne to Mr Adamson.
      Paper tabled: The Member for Stuart (Mr Toyne), by leave, laid on the Table the following Paper -
Papunya School, Property Management Form 7 (pl) Application for Special Purpose Grant, Minor New Works Projects (Projects up to $100 000) (Paper 1434).

      10:50 Dr Lim to Mr Palmer.
      10:54 Mr Henderson to Mr Reed.
      The Leader of Government Business (Mr Palmer) asked that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
6 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND EMPLOYERS, OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 2 – PAPER TABLED:
      The Chief Minister (Mr Burke) laid on the Table an Occasional Paper No. 2, Domestic Violence and Employers by the Office of Women’s Policy (Paper 1435).
      Mr Burke made a statement relating thereto.
7. FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR FUTURE, BUILD ON A SUCCESSFUL RESOURCE-BASED ECONOMY - MINISTERIAL STATEMENT – STATEMENT NOTED:
      The Minister for Resource Development (Mr Manzie) made a statement relating to the development of policy to Build on a Successful Resource-based Economy (Paper 1436).
      Mr Manzie moved – That the Assembly take note of the Statement.
      Paper tabled: Mr Manzie laid on the Table the following Paper –
Foundations for our Future the Northern Territory – Build on a Successful Resource-based Economy (Paper 1437).

      Debate ensued.
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      Suspension of sitting: The sitting was suspended between 12:04 h and 14:15 h.
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      Debate resumed.
      Question – put and passed.
8. FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR FUTURE, THE ARTS AND THE TERRITORY LIFESTYLE - MINISTERIAL STATEMENT – STATEMENT NOTED:
      The Minister for Arts and Museums (Mr Lugg) made a statement relating to the development of a policy to Preserve and Build on the Arts and Lifestyle of Territorians (Paper 1438).
      Mr Lugg moved – That the Assembly take note of the Statement.
      Debate ensued.
      Question – put and passed.
9. MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE - CANE TOADS:
      The Speaker advised that the Member for Wanguri (Mr Henderson) had proposed as a definite matter of public importance this day:
        The need for every effort to be made by the Northern Territory Government to seek to minimize the threat posed by the migration of cane toads to the Top End of the Territory – including pursuing methods of biological control through further scientific research.

      The proposed discussion having received the necessary support –
      The Speaker called upon Mr Henderson to address the Assembly.
      Discussion ensued.
      Papers tabled: The Member for Wanguri (Mr Henderson), by leave, laidon the Table the following Papers –
Biological Control of Cane Toads, Electron Microscopy Unit’s Project (Paper 1439); and
The need to Control Cane Toads by W. J. Freeland, Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory, Search Vol No. 7-8, August – September 1985 (Paper 1440).

      Discussion continued.
      Distinguished visitor: The Speaker (Mr McCarthy) advised honourable Members of the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of Reginald Marsh a former Official Member of the Legislative Council from 1955 to 1957 and 1958 to 1962.

      On behalf of all honourable Members the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the distinguished visitor.
      Discussion continued.
      Discussion concluded.
10. DISCHARGE OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS:
      The Leader of Government Business (Mr Palmer) moved – That Government Business, Orders of the Day, No. 5 relating to Draft Bills, Residential Tenancies Bill 1999 and Residential Tenancies(Consequential Amendments) Bill 1999, be discharged from the Notice Paper, forthwith.
      Question – put and passed.
11. MARINE POLLUTION BILL 1999 (Serial 167):
      The Minister for Territory Ports (Mr Palmer), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to protect the marine and coastal environment by minimizing intentional and negligent discharges of ship-sourced pollutants into coastal waters, and for related purposes.
      Bill read a first time.
      Mr Palmer moved – That the Bill be now read a second time.
      On the motion of Member for Arafura (Mr Rioli) debate was adjourned.
12. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AMENDMENT BILL 1999 (Serial 158):
      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 Chief Minister (Mr Burke) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.

13. LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - REPORT OF INQUIRY INTO APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO FACILITATE STATEHOOD – MOTION TO NOTE PAPER AND ADOPT RECOMMENDATIONS Nos. 1 to 6 – MOTION AS AMENDED, AGREED TO:
      The Order of the Day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question – That the Assembly take note of the Report and adopt recommendations Numbered 1 to 6 contained therein –
      Debate resumed.
      The Chief Minister (Mr Burke) moved the following amendment –
      Omit all words after “take note of the report” and insert in their stead –

        ”and
          (1) adopt Recommendations 1 and 3 contained therein, and
          (2) note recommendations 2, 4, 5 and 6.” (Paper 1422).

      Debate continued.
      Question - That the amendment be agreed to - put.
      The Assembly divided (the Speaker, Hon. T. R. McCarthy, in the Chair) -

      AYES, 15 NOES, 6

      Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
      Mr Balch Mr Henderson
      Mr Baldwin Ms Martin
      Mrs Braham Mr Rioli
      Mr Burke Mr Stirling
      Mr Dunham Mr Toyne
      Mr Elferink
      Mr Hatton
      Mr Lugg
      Mr Manzie
      Mr Mills
      Mr Mitchell
      Mr Palmer
      Mr Poole
      Mr Reed

      And so it was resolved in the affirmative.
      Question - That the motion, as amended, be agreed to - put.
      The Assembly divided (the Speaker, Hon. T. R. McCarthy, in the Chair) -

      AYES, 15 NOES, 6

      Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
      Mr Balch Mr Henderson
      Mr Baldwin Ms Martin
      Mrs Braham Mr Rioli
      Mr Burke Mr Stirling
      Mr Dunham Mr Toyne
      Mr Elferink
      Mr Hatton
      Mr Lugg
      Mr Manzie
      Mr Mills
      Mr Mitchell
      Mr Palmer
      Mr Poole
      Mr Reed

      Motion, as amended, agreed to accordingly.
14. ADJOURNMENT:
      The Leader of Government Business (Mr Palmer) moved – That the Assembly do now adjourn.
      Question – put and passed.
      And the Assembly adjourned at 21:42 h until 10:00 h on Tuesday 17 August 1999.
      PAPERS:
      The following Paper was deemed to have been presented on Thursday 12 August 1999 –
      Planning Act:
      Direction to the Planning Authority, Re: Lots 2513 and 4812, pursuant to section 67(3)(b) and Memorandum from the Deputy Secretary to the Minister (Paper 1441)
      ATTENDANCE:
      All members attended the sitting.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016