Minutes of Proceedings - 2000-10-10
First Assembly Eighth Session 10/10/2000 Parliamentary Record No. 25
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Date : 10/10/2000__________________________________________________________________________________
1. MEETING:
2. PRAYERS.
3. FILMING IN CHAMBER:
5. PETITION:
6.NOTICES:
Reform question time by limiting the time allowed for Ministers’ answers to questions;
12. OATHS AMENDMENT BILL 2000 (Serial 255):
13. STATUS OF PALMERSTON BILL 2000 (Serial 261):
14. ADJOURNMENT:
All Members attended the sitting.
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Date : 10/10/2000
1. MEETING:
- The Assembly met at 10.00 h, pursuant to resolution of the Assembly, dated Thursday 17 August 2000. The Speaker, the Honourable T. R. McCarthy, took the Chair.
2. PRAYERS.
3. FILMING IN CHAMBER:
- The Speaker advised Members that he had given permission for Imparja to take file footage without sound during Questions this day.
- The Clerk, in accordance with Standing Order 100A, tabled responses to the following petitions:
No. 40 – Distribution of morphine and Temazepam (Paper 2068).
No. 42 – Wirrina security patrols (Paper 2069).
No. 43 – John Stokes Square Complex (Paper 2070).
No. 47 – Alice Springs Education Centre (Paper 2071).
No. 48 – Anti–social behaviour, Stuart Park Shopping Complex (Paper 2072).
No. 49 – Kurringal flats complex, Dick Ward Drive, proposed disposal of land title (Paper 2073).
5. PETITION:
- The Member for Stuart (Dr Toyne) presented a petition from 164 petitioners relating to services of the Alice Springs Education Centre include the provision of library and continuation of programs such as Lookshow (Paper 2090).
Petition read.
6.NOTICES:
- Mr Burke: To present the Crimes at Sea Bill 2000 (Serial 267).
Mr Burke: To present the Off-shore Waters (Application of Territory Laws) Amendment Bill 2000 (Serial 268).
Mr Reed: To present the Firearms Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2000 (Serial 272).
Mr Reed: To present the Police Administration Amendment Bill 2000 (Serial 271).
Mrs Braham: To present the Housing Amendment Bill 2000 (Serial 270).
Mrs Hickey: To move – That the following matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges -
- 1. Whether the expulsion from membership of Mr Graeme Dingwell by the King Ash Bay Fishing Club, Borroloola was made as a result of his providing information to Mrs Maggie Hickey MLA in relation to matters raised in the Assembly by Mrs Hickey; and
2. Whether a contempt was committed in respect of that matter.
Ms Martin: To move – That this Assembly -
- (a) note recent comments of the Auditor-General that Territorians are “missing out on a vigorous parliamentary democracy”;
(b) condemn the CLP government for failing, in 26 years of government, to set in place procedures that would protect Territorians’ democratic rights;
(c) act immediately to clean up government in the Territory by instituting a 10 point plan to -
- 1. Introduce genuine freedom of information laws;
2. Create a statutorily independent Ombudsman’s Office;
- 3. Create a statutorily independent Electoral Commission;
4. Properly empower and resource the Auditor-General to report on government spending and performance and introduce regular independent reporting on government performance, including crime statistics and hospital waiting lists;
5. Reform Members entitlements particularly in the areas of superannuation and travel;
6. Introduce a ministerial code of conduct;
7. Establish a genuine parliamentary committee system including Estimates Committees;
8. Clean up the procurement process to ensure transparency and to prevent Members of parliament profiting from government contracts;
9. Reform the operation of parliament including changes to the Standing Orders to -
Reform question time by limiting the time allowed for Ministers’ answers to questions;
- 10. Introduce fixed 4 year parliamentary terms.
Ms Martin: To move – That,
- The Northern Territory Parliament acknowledge that –
(a) fuel prices in the Territory are the highest in the country, with a detrimental impact on the residents of the Northern Territory through direct and indirect effects on their cost of living;
(b) the Prime Minister has failed to live up to his promise that fuel prices would not rise as a result of GST;
(c) the Chief Minister urgently convene an inquiry into fuel prices to identify the key factors affecting the high price of fuel in the Territory, including the price at which fuel enters the Territory, wholesale and retail margins, taxes and excise, and industry structure with respect to competition and/or concentration of ownership at the wholesale, distribution and retail levels;
(d) the scope of the fuel inquiry cover petrol, diesel and aviation fuels; and
(e) the inquiry recommend any legislative changes that are appropriate arising from its investigations.
This Assembly:
- (a) condemn this Government’s inaction which lead to the Northern Territory having a prescription rate for morphine sulphate 14 times higher than the average of other Australian States at the beginning of 1999, and on latest available data still shows the NT at 7 times the national average prescription rates;
(b) note that it was the Health Insurance Commission which demanded Government action to address this rate of abuse of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and that without HIC intervention those rates of prescribing would still exist;.
(c) recognise that this level of morphine abuse in our community is contributing excessively to the incidence of drug crime in our community and that this Government has no specific strategies to target drug related criminal activity.
Dr Toyne: To move – That -
- The Assembly note, the potential and actual constraints on angler access to Territory fishing spots which have arisen from the recent Federal Court interpretation of the Land Rights Act and the inadequate enforcement of access provisions of the Pastoral Lands Act and therefore support the following initiatives:
- (a) an immediate convening of a Fishing Access Summit, attended by the relevant Land Councils, Government, Opposition, and peak fishing bodies to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution to access issues of freehold Aboriginal land and claimed areas of land; and
(b) a review of enforcement arrangements for angler access to pastoral leasehold areas with the aim of resolving and extending access for anglers in these areas.
Dr Toyne: To move – That, -
The following matter be referred to the Standing Orders Committee of the Assembly:
118 REPLIES
A reply to a written question on the question paper shall be given by delivering the same to the Clerk within 28 calendar days of receipt of the written question. A copy thereof shall be supplied to the member who has asked the question and the question and reply shall be printed in the question paper.
- The Speaker (Mr McCarthy) advised Honourable Members of the death, on Monday 9 October 2000 of the Honourable Roger Bede Nott, former Administrator of the Northern Territory from 5th June 1961 to 21 August 1964.
The Chief Minister (Mr Burke), by leave, moved – That this Assembly express its deep regret at the death of the Honourable Roger Bede Nott, former Administrator of the Northern Territory from 5th June 1961 to 21 August 1964, Administrator of Norfolk Island and Minister for Agriculture, Lands and Mines in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales; and place on record its appreciation of his distinguished service to the Northern Territory and Parliament (Paper 2088).
The Chief Minister (Mr Burke) addressed the Assembly.
Debate ensued.
Question – put and passed.
Motion agreed to.
- 10:18 Ms Martin to Mr Burke.
10:26 Ms Carter to Mr Dunham.
10:29 Mr Stirling to Mr Burke.
10:32 Mr Mitchell to Mr Reed.
10:38 Ms Martin to Mr Burke.
10:45 Mr Elferink to Mr Burke.
10:52 Dr Toyne to Mr Burke.
10:59 Dr Lim to Mr Manzie.
11:05 Mr Stirling to Mr Reed.
11:15 Mr Balch to Mr Baldwin.
The Leader of Government Business (Mr Palmer) asked that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
- Suspension of Standing Orders: The Chief Minister (Mr Burke) moved – That so much of Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent him moving the following motion:
This Assembly:
1. Congratulate the Australian team, the Organising Committee, the entertainers and the volunteers for their contribution to the Games of the 27th Olympiad.
2. Commend the efforts of them all and in particular expresses our gratitude to those sports men and women, entertainers and volunteers from the Territory who took part and provided 17 of the most memorable days in Australian history.
3. Acknowledge those special few who won medals, and extend our thanks to the whole team who have so enriched our life and our country’s reputation; and
4. Extend our best wishes to all the participants in the Paralympics – again particularly the Territorians involved. They go with our hopes for their individual success as well as the success of the Games (Paper 2091).
Question – put and passed.
The Chief Minister thereupon moved that –
This Assembly:
1. Congratulate the Australian team, the Organising Committee, the entertainers and the volunteers for their contribution to the Games of the 27th Olympiad.
2. Commend the efforts of them all and in particular expresses our gratitude to those sports men and women, entertainers and volunteers from the Territory who took part and provided 17 of the most memorable days in Australian history.
3. Acknowledge those special few who won medals, and extend our thanks to the whole team who have so enriched our life and our country’s reputation; and
4. Extend our best wishes to all the participants in the Paralympics – again particularly the Territorians involved. They go with our hopes for their individual success as well as the success of the Games.
Debate ensued.
- Suspension of sitting: The sitting was suspended between 12:12 h and 14:15 h.
- Question put and passed – motion agreed to.
- The Chief Minister (Mr Burke) made a statement relating to the wide-ranging review of the defence industry in the Territory (Paper 2092).
Mr Burke moved – That the Assembly take note of the statement.
Debate ensued.
Question – put and passed.
- The Minister for Asian Relations and Trade (Mr Manzie) made a statement relating to the engagement of the Territory export business in our international region (Paper 2093).
Debate ensued.
Question – put and passed.
12. OATHS AMENDMENT BILL 2000 (Serial 255):
- The Order of the Day having been read for 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 Attorney-General (Mr Burke) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.
13. STATUS OF PALMERSTON BILL 2000 (Serial 261):
- The Order of the Day having been read for 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 Local Government (Mrs Braham) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.
14. ADJOURNMENT:
- The Leader of Government Business (Mr Palmer) moved – That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Debate ensued.
Question – put and passed.
And the Assembly adjourned at 19:44 h until 10:00 h on Wednesday 11 October 2000.The following Papers were deemed to have been presented on Tuesday 10 October 2000 –
Annual Reports:
Director of Public Prosecutions, 1999/00 (Paper 2077)
Health and Community Services Complaints Commission, 1999/00 (Paper 2075)
Northern Territory Architects Board, 1999/00 (Paper 2076)
Northern Territory Employment and Training Authority, 1999/00 (Paper 2089)
Uranium Mining (Environment Control) Act, 1999 (Paper 2078)
Community Government Scheme:
Amendments to Tapatjatjaka Community Government Scheme, Notice of approval in Northern Territory Government Gazette on 16 August 2000 (Paper 2074)
Financial Statement:
Northern Territory Auditor-General's Office, for year ended 30 June 2000 (Paper 2079)
Regulations 2000:
No. 42, Amendment of Darwin City Council By-Laws (Paper 2080)
No. 43, Amendment of Alice Springs (Animal Control) By-Laws (Paper 2081)
No. 44, Amendment of Nhulunbuy (Animal Control) By-Laws (Paper 2082)
No. 45, Amendments of Firearms Regulations (Paper 2083)
No. 46, Amendments of Housing Assistance Schemes Regulations (Paper 2084)
No. 47, Electricity Reform (Safety and Technical) Regulations (Paper 2085)
No. 48, Amendments of Supreme Court Regulations (Paper 2086)
No. 49, Amendment of Legal Practitioners Regulations (Paper 2087)
Remuneration Tribunal:
Report to the Legislative Assembly pursuant to section 9.1(e) of the Remuneration Tribunal – overseas travel 2nd to 24th July 1998 by the Member for Nightcliff, Mr Hatton (Paper 2094)
All Members attended the sitting.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016