2015-03-24
Government Outcomes
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The division in your government is deepening. The member for Greatorex has seen the writing on the wall and has announced he will retire. The member for Araluen yesterday kept open the option of standing as an Independent and predicted that you will not lead the CLP to the next election. The Tiwi people have told us you are trying to dump the member for Arafura, and the member for Goyder has been publicly brawling with the member for Port Darwin over the Bees Creek backflip. Your CLP mate in Canberra, Senator Nigel Scullion, is slashing programs that will decimate regional and remote jobs and services. You cannot run yourselves or the Territory. How can you expect Territorians to have any confidence in your chaotic government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is because we are delivering outcomes in a wide range of areas and starting to see a significant decrease in levels of crime in the Northern Territory. There has been substantial land release right across the Northern Territory. We are in the middle of a debate on local government reform where the Treasurer made a point about local authorities in the Northern Territory. We are delivering reform in the local government sector with the introduction of local authorities in 63 communities in the Northern Territory. We are delivering reform and a significant investment in the area of sport across the Northern Territory. There are the sports vouchers and the Back to School vouchers; a range of things have been developed. We have delivered performance over the two-and-a-half years since coming to government in August 2012, and we will continue to do that. That is why people have confidence.
We are bringing the budget back into surplus. We are paying off Labor debt. We have the strongest performing economy in the nation. We have the lowest unemployment and the highest workforce participation in the nation. These are all positive signs. Tourism is on a rebound. We are performing across all portfolios and we will continue to get better. People have confidence because this will continue.
You mentioned the position taken by the Attorney-General at a meeting in Bees Creek last weekend. It is a positive sign of government listening and responding to community interest.
Ms LEE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why is your government stripping Indigenous people of their jobs?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: The meeting in Bees Creek is a good example of community consultation and listening to what people say; the Attorney-General has heard the message from the people in Bees Creek.
We will continue to deliver on positive outcomes in the Northern Territory. For the first time since the 1990s alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory is diving to its lowest levels. This is a positive sign of alcohol policy delivering results and providing responses from a credible government that wants a positive approach to alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory.
In answer to the question, there is a wide range of portfolio areas where we can prove our performance, which is why the community is responding positively to how we are performing.
Cyclone Nathan – Update
Mr KURRUPUWU to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please update the Assembly with the latest on Cyclone Nathan and the impact on the north Arnhem coast?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. We remain in close communication in regard to the cyclone. Two tropical cyclones have come towards the Northern Territory in the last two months. I anticipated the first question from Labor to be about the cyclone and community safety. Instead, once again, they are muckraking and not talking about the proper side of politics.
We are talking about Tropical Cyclone Nathan and its impact, especially in the Arafura electorate. No injuries have been reported as a result of the cyclone and local authorities will be able to assess any damage today. Tropical Cyclone Nathan was downgraded to a Category 1 this morning. It is now over land in the northwest Arnhem district and is expected to weaken to below tropical cyclone strength in the next few hours.
The remnant tropical low will then track towards the west during today and tomorrow although there still remains a chance it will move close to, or over, the Van Diemen Gulf before entering the Timor Sea overnight on Wednesday. The low is not expected to pose a risk of producing gales over locations west of Gunbalanya, also known as Oenpelli. A cyclone warning is in place from Goulburn Island to Maningrida and inland to Gunbalanya. There is no cyclone watch in place for any areas. A flood watch is current for the north coastal rivers.
I thank the member for Arafura very much for this question. I know he has a deep level of concern, especially for those at Warruwi. About 420 people were again evacuated from Goulburn Island to the Foskey Pavilion in Darwin. It was very difficult for those community members to be evacuated for the second time. The member for Arafura has deep concerns for their wellbeing and safe return back to their community, and that the community is intact when they return.
I thank the volunteers, police, NTES and everybody involved in the immediate emergency response to Tropical Cyclone Nathan. I also thank those involved in the recovery phase of ex-Tropical Cyclone Lam. I thank everyone who prepared for Cyclone Nathan as it crossed through Nhulunbuy, Elcho Island and all of the other areas around Milingimbi, Ramingining and the homelands. I am very thankful that people are safe and the destruction of infrastructure has been kept at a low level. I am happy to update the House further if anything changes.
Indigenous Advancement Strategy – Funding
Mr VOWLES to CHIEF MINISTER
My question is to the village idiot ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, withdraw that comment.
Mr VOWLES: Which one?
Madam SPEAKER: You know what to withdraw.
Mr VOWLES: I withdraw.
Funding cuts under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy are decimating jobs and services across the Northern Territory. More than three weeks after the announcement, any Chief Minister worth their salt would have a list of programs and job cuts. Last week you said there would be reversals on some of the dreadful decisions made by your CLP mate, Senator Nigel Scullion. Exactly which programs and organisations will the IAS funding cuts reverse? No more spin; will you table a list of cuts and reversals?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Johnston for showing compassion to those victims of Tropical Cyclone Nathan who are still going through it as it comes onshore.
The member for Johnston knows full well he is asking about a program operated by our good colleagues in Canberra. I encourage him to pass these questions to his federal Senate colleague, Nova Peris, who has the opportunity of asking Nigel Scullion those questions in the Senate in Canberra.
With the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, 964 organisations have been successful in receiving funding totalling $860m. There were 2472 applications and total funding available was originally stated at $2.3bn. I understand more than $10bn worth of applications has been made for the $2.3bn program. Obviously, $10bn does not go into $2.3bn.
There has been a great deal of conversation about what has and has not been approved, and what is assumed to be cut. The Northern Territory government has been an applicant – for some of which we have been successful and some not – and recipient of IAS funding. I am aware there is much commentary about some councils which have been successful and some which have not.
I am aware that a number of decisions have been reconsidered by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and other agencies in Canberra. Those decisions and reconsiderations will be announced by representatives of the federal government when they are made. But they are a matter for the federal government to announce.
A number of organisations have received IAS funding for the first time. Those people are happy to be able to …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. No more spin. Will you table a list of the programs and services that have been cut and the impact on Territorians?
Mr GILES: Ask your mates in Canberra if they want to see the federal list. This is a federal government program not a Territory government program. Ask the federal government where this would be.
The biggest ever rollover person in the Northern Territory was former Chief Minister, Paul Henderson – also Julia Gillard, when they rolled over on the live cattle ban, if you want to talk about that. We are talking about a federal government program. You still have not asked one NT government question.
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Distinguished Visitor
Hon Denis Burke
Distinguished Visitor
Hon Denis Burke
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I acknowledge the presence in the gallery a former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Denis Burke. Welcome to parliament.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Tourism Industry
Tourism Industry
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please update the Assembly on the government’s efforts to rebuild our struggling tourism industry? Do any recent figures shed light on whether these efforts are working?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I not only acknowledge the member for Drysdale and her interest in tourism, but also the member for Greatorex for his hard work on the Tourism portfolio.
We have seen an increase in the marketing budget of $8m per year over the last two years; the biggest tourism marketing budget has been brought back to the Northern Territory. That is in the face of a significant decline in tourist numbers over the 10-year period Labor was in government. Every year international and domestic tourist numbers went down, but we have started to turn that around.
Let us look at some of the numbers. Across the Territory domestic visitor numbers were up by 20% in 2014, a five-year high. We have reversed the trend and are now starting to rebuild it.
Let us look at the 20% increase. A total of 1.076m domestic visitors came to the Territory in the year to December 2014. There is still more work to do, but the Do the NT campaign, which specifically targets Australian domestic visitors, is starting to gain response.
Many tourists in Darwin are business visitors. The Territory-wide results have largely been driven by business visitors. This is up 32%, and there is still substantial room for improvement in the leisure sector, which was up 6.2%. An increase of 6.2% in the leisure sector is a sign that our extra efforts in the Do the NT domestic campaign are working. I hope in the upcoming budget there will be more money for tourism. In the next 18 months to two years investment in tourism is important and will set the Territory up to focus on tourism moving ahead as INPEX winds down.
At the same time we need to remember a lot of accommodation in the Top End is filled with workers from the business sector, professional sector or fly-in fly-out sector, which is a result of lack of preparation for INPEX arriving, and we are now playing catch up. That is having a negative effect on the tourism industry, but our marketing investment with Do the NT has seen an increase in the leisure market of 6.2%. Total domestic expenditure is up 22% to $1.4bn, as we move towards our $2.2bn target for the tourism industry.
In the Top End total visitors are up 25%, with holiday visitors up 4%. In the greater Darwin area they are up 26%. In Central Australia total visitors are up 4.6%, with holiday visitors up 2.7%. If you include the MacDonnell region numbers are up 8.8%, with holiday visitors up 2.3%. There is much more to do and business makes up a large component, but holiday and leisure is significantly increasing. The 18- to 24-month time frame is a very important model for rebuilding tourism in the Northern Territory.
Indigenous Advancement Strategy – Job Cuts
Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER
The Central Australian Chamber of Commerce is forecasting the local economy will undergo a further downturn as a result of the cuts under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy. In a recent survey from the Chamber of Commerce 63% of respondents said they will have to cut jobs. All of them said there will be a direct impact on major centres. I seek leave to table a copy of the survey.
Leave granted.
Mr McCARTHY: What plans do you have to counter this predicted business downturn in Central Australia and save the hundreds of local jobs set to go under the IAS cuts?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, let me tell you about the crime downturn, which is the most significant thing in Alice Springs. It is the lowest level of crime since the 1990s. You talk about business and ask what the most important thing you can do for business in Central Australia is – remove the crime. Make it a place where you do not get a smashed window when you go shopping, where you do not get broken into and have grog stolen out of your back yard fridge, and where pubs and clubs are not broken into every night of the week.
We are seeing a downturn in crime. Start talking up the positives, such as with ABM Resources, the first publicly listed company which bases its head office out of Alice Springs and runs a gold project along the Tanami near the Western Australian border. There are 13 people in the head office based out of Alice Springs: five locals and eight people who have recently moved there. They are about to employ 100 people on the mine site and have already started scraping. Crime is going down and jobs are going up.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It was a very direct question. What is the Chief Minister doing? These services will be crippled; these frontline jobs are going.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: That is exactly what is happening, crime is going down and jobs are going up. I opened the ABM Resources office last Thursday with the member for Stuart. The mine is in her electorate and she was happy to see that.
I have just spoken about tourism numbers. In Central Australia they are going up.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We are talking about local people losing their jobs. What will you do to support those people?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: Total visitor numbers in the Alice Springs and the MacDonnell regions are up 8.8% …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition members, a question has been asked and I want to hear the answer, as I am sure you do. Cease interjecting until the answer has been provided.
Mr GILES: Visitor numbers are up 8.8%. Jetstar and Virgin are flying to the rock. This Monday I will be excited to jump on the first Virgin flight in the recommencement of the service from Darwin to Alice Springs, when Virgin starts providing more capacity through Boeing 737s, as well as the linkage between Adelaide and Alice Springs.
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. This is not a question about tourism or mining; it is a question about the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and the job cuts.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Wanguri, it is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: The question was about the Chamber of Commerce and jobs, and I am illustrating how jobs and investment are coming back. Virgin will come back and support tourism exponentially.
We have investment in a new court house in Alice Springs from Sitzler, a great Territory company building the new court which will create more jobs and investment in the industry. The Melanka site is about to be redeveloped. Kilgariff stage 1A has sold 27 blocks, with houses commencing construction next week. In stage 1B we have already sold five blocks to stimulate housing construction …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance; 63% of the Chamber of Commerce respondents say they will have to cut jobs …
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down. It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: It is sad that you must rely on Labor’s advice on economy by funding programs, rather than the private sector driving it. We are putting our efforts into tourism and construction. Most importantly the downturn has occurred with crime, which is a good thing. People in Alice Springs are protected.
Firefighters Workers Compensation Legislation
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Government has met with firefighters and United Voice to discuss the proposed presumptive firefighters’ legislation. Can you please tell the House what the outcome of these meetings were?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. The short answer is yes; this is a good legislation for our career firefighters.
On 26 February the government introduced the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 to amend the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. As part of those amendments, presumptive legislation was proposed for NT firefighters. Government has met twice with United Voice to discuss the proposed presumptive firefighters’ legislation. I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago with some firies in Berrimah, where we had an open conversation on some of the issues facing firefighters in a modern world, especially in a city like Darwin. United Voice raised the issue that backdating the presumptive legislation to when the Country Liberals government formed government in 2012 excludes a number of firefighters who want to apply. We have listened to the concerns raised and Cabinet has acted in response to those concerns ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CHANDLER: Listen to them. They had 12 years in government and they did not do anything.
As a result of the discussions, Cabinet has now agreed to further backdate the introduction of presumptive firefighters’ legislation beyond when it formed government in 2012. The first presumptive legislation in Australia was enacted by the former federal Labor government on 4 July 2011. The Northern Territory government now plans to backdate its presumptive legislation to that date to be nationally consistent. Further, we are proposing a three-month …
Ms Fyles: It is shameful that it took this long while those people were so sick.
Mr CHANDLER: If you want to listen, there is better news here as well.
This three-month sunset period will give living career firefighters a window in which to make a claim under the presumptive legislation, as if the presumptive legislation had an open commencement date. When we asked for patience and understanding while the review of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act took place, we promised we would listen to the recommendations. Our word is good; we have listened and this is good legislation. In two years we have achieved what the previous Labor government failed to do in 12 years.
Indigenous Funding Cuts
Mr VOWLES to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Last week you told ABC radio in the morning that the NT government would provide support for Indigenous health and legal services slashed by your Liberal mates in Canberra. Later that day you changed your tune. ABC News reported you as saying that the NT government will not be able to plug the funding hole left by the Commonwealth cuts to Indigenous programs. What happened between the morning and late afternoon news bulletins?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Johnston for his question. As an Aboriginal person I do not want to see Aboriginal organisations lose funding for the work they do. I fully support them because I know the hard work they put into helping Aboriginal people in the community. No such organisation should have its funds cut. This is a serious issue. For 11 years your government never did its job of looking after Aboriginal people in the bush or in major towns. Labor never lifted a finger for the 11 years it was in government. Those members did not help any of our people in the bush and now they say they are interested in Aboriginal people.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question is about funding put in place under Labor and cut under your Liberal mates in Canberra. What happened between the bulletins?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mrs PRICE: In the 11 years Labor was in government it did not lift a finger to help our people or look after their constituents. Labor pretended to listen to Aboriginal people to get votes from them and only now it wants to know what is going on. What happened while you were in government? What happened to those Aboriginal communities that you did not think about …
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is a serious question. I loved the start of your answer. There should not be any cuts. Are you saying the NT government will fund these cuts in the Territory? That is what our remote people need.
Mrs PRICE: I repeat that we are here to support the communities in the bush, in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy. We as government are doing the right thing. This government is doing the best it can to look after remote communities by encouraging economic development and employment opportunities. We are giving power back to the bush. This is the way we think. We do not allow Aboriginal people to sit down and take welfare money.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Indigenous Funding Cuts
Indigenous Funding Cuts
Mr VOWLES to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Can you please name one program that has been cut which your government will fund?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, he needs to raise that with the federal government.
Defence Investments in the Northern Territory
Mr BARRETT to CHIEF MINISTER
On a brighter note regarding the positive and wonderful things happening in the Northern Territory, can you please outline for the Assembly the latest advice the government has received about Australian Defence Force investments planned for the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. He and his Palmerston-based colleagues are very supportive of Defence in the Northern Territory, as are we all. I want to make it clear that we have a significant plan to support Defence in the Northern Territory moving forward.
It was fantastic to welcome the Operation Slipper parade on Saturday which went through the CBD to the Cenotaph. I note the Leader of the Opposition was not there, but it was good to see Operation Slipper recognise the 34 000 Australian troops who fought in Afghanistan defending the rights, liberties and freedom of the nation and the Northern Territory. More than 400 Territory-born personnel participated in Operation Slipper, and many more rotated through Darwin or the Territory before, during or after the operation. It was fantastic to see and we pay thanks to the families of those who participated in Operation Slipper.
Our program and plans for Defence in the Territory include Darwin, Katherine and Central Australia. We talk about opportunities in regional and remote areas and those conversations will continue. Most notably, people know Mount Bundy Station and Bradshaw Station as examples, but we want to see that go further.
Regarding some of the expenditure we have extrapolated from the federal government, more than $600m worth of construction projects will be entertained, including the following: $474m for facilities to support the new Joint Strike Fighter in the member for Katherine’s electorate at RAAF Base Tindal; $53m for construction of new married quarters at RAAF Base Darwin; $60m for pavement upgrade works at Tindal and Darwin; $10m for flood mitigation works at RAAF Base Darwin; $6m for high-voltage power supply upgrades to Shoal Bay Receiving Station; and there are more projects are on the horizon. There is a significant amount of projects, including the $18m East Arm multiuser barge ramp facility, which is pending Defence approval.
The future looks bright for investment. As a government we are ensuring we have the capability and capacity within industry to tender for these. We have advanced some projects, most notably in Katherine, so at the back of INPEX’s build up we will have a flow-on of the workforce into some of those projects.
We will have more to say on this, but the plan the Country Liberals has for Defence expenditure is astronomical. Making sure jobs stay in the Territory is one of the most important aspects of that.
Cyclone Lam and Nathan – Housing Repairs
Ms LEE to MINISTER for HOUSING referred to CHIEF MINISTER
During my recent visits throughout my electorate, I observed the process of repairs to communities. The repairs to housing are taking far too long and are a major concern for those within my electorate as well as surrounding areas, and this worries those affected by Cyclone Nathan. Can you please update the House on what is being done to safely and rapidly complete the repairs for those constituents still without sufficient housing following Cyclone Lam?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. It is great to hear she has been visiting her electorate and it is good that she has reported back to us on that. My heart goes out to everyone affected by Cyclones Lam and Nathan. It is a scary time for everyone involved and my thoughts are with everyone affected.
I am pleased to advise that staff from the Department of Housing were on the ground within 48 hours of Cyclone Lam hitting. They are continuing to work with those affected and will do the same through Cyclone Nathan. Housing asset managers and tenancy support officers have been on the ground since Cyclone Lam determining accommodation needs and supporting tenants in relocating to alternative accommodation.
Recovery works were well advanced …
Ms Walker: What about tenants who do not have a house?
Mrs PRICE: It is because of your neglect over 11 years that houses are in that state.
On Sunday, just over four weeks after Cyclone Lam, Cyclone Nathan affected Nhulunbuy, Yirrkala, Wanminari, Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Milingimbi and Ramingining. A state of emergency was declared for Goulburn Island ahead of Cyclone Nathan’s arrival on Tuesday, with residents of Warruwi evacuated on Monday to Darwin. When the weather improves housing assessment teams will be deployed to all affected communities.
My department continues to work with the Power and Water Corporation, the Department of the Chief Minister and the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services to provide assistance. Further structural assessments of the houses in Galiwinku will be required, and a temporary accommodation shelter will be rebuilt in the coming days to house tenants whose homes are considered uninhabitable and unsafe.
I will now pass this question to the Chief Minister for any further comments or updates regarding Cyclone Nathan.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, for the benefit of the member for Nhulunbuy, in Galiwinku we estimated 76 houses before Cyclone Nathan which needed to be rebuilt as they were beyond economical repair. Those family members are staying in camp Elcho – as they call the tent city there – and we are working with the community to determine its interest in advancing housing construction.
There are two options; one is we can rapidly deploy people to build houses as quickly as possible, the second option is to use local employment teams to construct the houses. We would do this over a four-year cycle so people could gain qualifications in carpentry, or as an electrician …
Ms Walker: Yolgnu are not stupid. They can participate in a fast-track program.
Mr GILES: I am trying to give you an answer.
Ms Walker: Yolngu are very capable people.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Parks and Wildlife – Rangers
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
Can you please tell the House how this government is recognising the hard work of rangers in our parks?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. The outstanding work of our rangers will again be celebrated through the annual NT Ranger Awards. Nominations are now open, with all rangers working in the Northern Territory being eligible, including apprentices and non-government rangers.
Member for Arnhem, that means you; you can nominate some of the hard-working rangers in Kakadu or in Katherine because you would know the good people who work there. Member for Arafura, you have the opportunity to say thanks. Member for Daly, you have the beautiful Litchfield National Park, one of our key tourist destinations. Last week I heard about rangers in your electorate going above and beyond the call of duty to help stranded tourists. You now have the chance to see them publicly recognised for their efforts.
Our rangers are a humble, hard-working bunch who often play a behind-the-scenes role in helping our beautiful parks to function and thrive. These awards are a great opportunity to recognise the outstanding service rangers provide to the public every day.
I urge all Territorians to nominate a ranger to recognise the hard work they do to enhance our great Territory lifestyle. So much of the Territorian lifestyle we enjoy is made possible by our park rangers, often without us realising. Whether it is popping down to Litchfield for a swim, camping at Ormiston Gorge or fishing at Limmen National Park, our rangers have played a role in ensuring parks are well maintained so we can all enjoy them. Nominations close on 30 June and can be submitted in a variety of ways, including by selection form, creating an audio or video file and mailing it in, or by e-mail.
Police – Federal Inquiry
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
You have made serious allegations that senior police and your political colleagues attempted an orchestrated coup to get rid of you. When you promised to hold a judicial inquiry into these most serious allegations, you said:
- I will be making available to the judicial investigator in regards to this process, access to all emails, phone records, text messages and to find out who knew what, when.
Will you now guarantee you will provide the Australian Federal Police with all of the evidence you hold in relation to your serious allegations of a political coup involving police? When will you hand over this evidence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, keep in mind the member for Brennan is the minister for Police. Yes, the AFP is conducting an investigation into the allegations surrounding circumstances with the former Commissioner of Police. Time frames of when the findings of the investigation will be handed down are still to be determined. I will be happy to provide any information I receive at any opportunity I have of talking to the officers conducting the investigation.
Town Camps – Recent Developments
Mr CONLAN to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please advise of recent developments with regard to town camps in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. A number of concerns have been raised with me over a number of years, with more in recent times, regarding the living circumstances of many residents of town camps in Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.
We have been working in a range of areas on how to improve these matters. It was the alleged rape of a five-year-old kid in Alice Springs a couple of weeks ago which brought these circumstances to a higher level of reality. It is very sad. The saddest part is that it was a little blip in the media radar; it raised a few column inches and disappeared. One can only think that if it was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl it may have been on the front page of media around the country. Because it is a little Aboriginal kid in Hidden Valley town camp, I would not say it has been swept away but it has not been noticed, which is disgusting.
I have called a meeting of all relevant government agencies in Alice Springs this Friday at lunchtime, including agencies such as DCF, Housing, Police and others to gather some evidence and information about the circumstances of performance criteria in agencies, and of the situation in these camps across the two regional centres. We will also look at our performance and that of service providers that we contract. There is a range of non-government, private organisations we work with.
It is not a witch hunt but is meant to find out exactly what is going on and provide some government responses in regard to that. I will be blowed if I will simply sit around while a five-year-old child living in very poor circumstances is allegedly raped. It is not on and I want something done about it. That is the situation.
You have significant concerns, as Hidden Valley is part of the Greatorex electorate. I am not casting any aspersions on the residents of any of those town camps. Many of the circumstances are caused by people visiting from outside those camps, outside Alice Springs in the regional area, or from interstate. There is a need for improvements so we can protect the rights and interests of kids.
The allegations regarding that five-year-old girl tear at many people’s heart strings. For this to be a blip on the radar is an outrage. We will do what we can to get to the bottom of it and provide solutions in the interests of all kids in the future.
Cyclone Lam – Interagency Coordination
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE
After Cyclone Lam went through Ramingining a state of emergency was declared and contractors were urgently needed to repair the damage to buildings or make them safe. My understanding is your department sent out contractors from Darwin to do that work. When they got there the Department of the Chief Minister, unbeknown to them, had sent a contractor from Nhulunbuy. While those contractors were trying to sort out who would repair which buildings, the Department of Housing also became involved, saying its contractor should be doing the repairs.
Can you say how much time was wasted because of the lack of coordination between departments and how much money was lost paying contractors for sit-down time while they waited for something to do? In a state of emergency should there not be one department coordinating this instead of three?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member for Nelson. A lot of hard work was put in by many people from different agencies after Tropical Cyclone Lam. To pinpoint criticism at a particular agency or group of people is pretty uncaring, given that everyone there was trying to do the right thing. I agree with you wholeheartedly that there needs to be a strategy around the approach, and there is one. In this instance DCM was the lead agency, as it should be, but when an event like this happens you have a police response as well as responses from agencies and emergency services.
I take my hat off to the Power and Water guys who were there earlier than anyone else, trying to restore power for as many people as possible. In any event, were lessons learnt by all agencies? Yes. Are there things which could be done better? Yes.
I do not want to take away from the good work done by the hard-working men and women with chainsaws, clearing roads and doing all of that work, but at the end of the day government is a big business. Different ministers and departments are responsible for different aspects of running a community, from power to housing, and infrastructure to education. It was in the front of our minds to get the schools open, get people into housing, keep them safe and get running water and power in those communities as soon as possible. That is what everyone was focused on.
I cannot tell you whether five minutes, hours or days were wasted by certain contractors, but when these things were recognised they were acted on as soon as possible. As the Chief Minister said earlier, congratulations to those people who worked damn hard. Other crews will go out after Tropical Cyclone Nathan to ensure the infrastructure is right.
The tent city at Galiwinku will be redeployed by the hard-working people there. Bryan Hughes has been named mayor of the tent city and is doing a fabulous job in coordinating. Those tents will be back up once the ground has dried to provide good housing.
Crocodile Safari Hunting in the NT
Mr BARRETT to MINISTER for LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Can the minister please update the House on any progress in regard to crocodile safari hunting in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It was interesting to see some recent media reports that indicate crocodile safari hunting may be back on the federal government’s agenda.
The Country Liberals government recognises that crocodile safari hunting could offer a unique opportunity to attract great interest from across the globe. We have recognised this for a long time. It may have been the brainchild of the previous CLP government; it might go back as far as 30 years ago that we were talking about crocodile safari hunting.
This initiative would provide a valuable source of income for NT Indigenous communities while offering long-term sustainable employment in those communities. We believe it is a legitimate form of sustainable use, with the potential to offer conversation benefits to the species while providing a source of income to Indigenous landholders. The good news about this initiative is that our conversations with Territorians have informed us that they overwhelmingly support this initiative, as long as appropriate animal welfare requirements are met.
The Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory of Australia is currently being reviewed, and a new plan is being developed for 2016-20. That is the normal process of review which the Northern Territory government goes through for the management of crocodiles. The review is being undertaken by a working group convened by the Department of Business, including other responsible government agencies such as Land Resource Management, Primary Industry and Fisheries, and Parks and Wildlife.
The draft management plan will include provision for crocodile safari hunting. Ultimately, the federal government Minister for the Environment is responsible for approving the management program. I am committed to working with the federal minister to advocate the Country Liberal Party’s position on this important issue for the Territory. Given recent reports, I am optimistic that the federal minister will make a fair assessment and decision about this initiative. We hope grant approval will be included in the management program.
I look forward to advancing this issue to a point of resolution and gaining the support of the federal government. I look forward to updating the House on this further in the future, but also on other initiatives this government has created for promoting economic development across Indigenous lands for the benefit of Indigenous people and all Territorians.
Chaos in the Government
Ms FYLES to CHIEF MINISTER
Your chaotic, dysfunctional and incompetent government has betrayed Territorians. You cannot govern yourself or the Territory. In the midst of your new deputy’s failed leadership challenge, you said:
- This is turmoil within the party. It is turmoil within government and not good for Territorians …
You have allowed unprecedented cuts to remote and regional Indigenous services and lied about the impacts of your policies on police resources …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, please withdraw that.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this House from censuring the Chief Minister for:
leading the most dysfunctional government in the Northern Territory’s history with fourteen reshuffles in two-and-a-half years
increasing the cost of living for Territory families and lying about the Power and Water 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 which were promised
presiding over the horrendous job and program cuts to frontline services across our regions and remote communities
arrogantly refusing to seek a mandate for Territorians on public asset sales.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You asked her to withdraw the word and she did not do it.
Madam SPEAKER: She has moved on to a censure motion. Do you accept the censure?
Mr ELFERINK: We accept the censure, but I ask her to withdraw the word ‘liar’.
Madam SPEAKER: It has moved into a censure and this is done every time, as you well know.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016