2015-04-29
Budget 2015-16 – Public School Funding
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Yesterday you denied cutting funding to government schools, but every other commentator in the Territory and your budget figures confirm an overall $12m cut to government schools. Compared to Labor’s last budget of $686m, this budget of $663m represents a $23m cut in dollar terms, and a cut of $18m in real terms to government schools. Your budget also includes an additional 3% ongoing in teacher salaries, estimated at $18m this year. This is an $18m hole in our already stretched school budgets. When will you stand up for Territory children, parents and educators, and properly resource our public education system?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition should go back to school and learn how to read budget papers. Over the last few years we have seen increasing budgets in education.
Yesterday I tried to describe that we have gone from an old, dodgy, smoking Dodge and turned it into a very efficient sports car. Over the last few years we have taken a fat bureaucracy, where all the decisions were centralised – just the way Labor wanted because it fears that principals and school councils cannot make decisions at the school level – and transformed education in the Northern Territory.
They are jealous that we are getting better results than Labor did when it was in government.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was specific; page 231 of your own budget paper shows a $12m cut to government education. Why are you cutting education?
Mr CHANDLER: There are a couple of line items where you see a reduced budget, but put that into context. We have about 750 fewer students in the public sector at the moment. We lost about 250-odd students from Nhulunbuy. It is a shame that the mine there closed its operations and so many people moved out of Nhulunbuy. It had an effect on the number of students in the school.
Another issue is – guess what – the federal government stopped the boats so we have fewer children in centres at the moment. Those children were funded by the federal government. We do not have as many children in these centres today, therefore they are not in our school system and the funding is not there from the federal government.
A number of federal programs have also been cut. Some of those funded programs may come back to the fore later in the year when the federal government announces its budget.
We cannot at the moment put those figures into the budget, simply because we do not know 100% whether the federal government will fund them. Should it fund them, they will be back in the budget. There is a growing budget of $1.12bn worth of investment into education, the largest the Country Liberal government has ever delivered.
Budget 2015-16 – Reception
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to TREASURER
Could you please update the House on how the 2015-16 budget has been received by the Territory’s community and business leaders?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for her very good question. There has been widespread endorsement of yesterday’s budget. The lack of endorsement is only from the members opposite who cannot read budget papers and do not understand that the $1.12bn investment in education is the largest in the history of the Northern Territory.
Getting back to the member for Drysdale’s question, there has been widespread support from the business community. It has noticed that this budget has a number of aims. We aim to reduce the massive level of debt Labor left us, protect and improve vital public service jobs and make sure long-term investments are made to strengthen and diversify our economy. I am pleased to say that many Territorians and peak business organisations share the same view.
The Moody’s credit rating agency has responded by recognising we are on track to deliver a balanced budget by 2017-18. Its report today notes that even without the privatisation of TIO we are still making significant progress in tackling Labor’s budget mess.
Closer to home the Chamber of Commerce has applauded the budget. CEO Greg Bicknell said this year’s budget contains several measures welcomed by the business community. The Master Builders Association of the NT has welcomed the budget. MBA Executive Director Dave Malone said the budget will provide significant encouragement to commercial contacting businesses across the NT.
The commitment of government to infrastructure is definitely welcome and needed. The Property Council of Australia has also endorsed our plans. NT Director, Ruth Palmer, who many on the other side know, welcomed our investment in infrastructure. She said, ‘It is great to see the NTG investing $45.5m in a land release program which aims to deliver 6500 homes over ten years’.
Tourism Central Australia has described the sealing of the Mereenie inner loop as very welcome news. Our investment in the Darwin Waterfront has been hailed by Trevor Cox, General Manager of Tourism Top End, as fantastic news.
There is plenty more. These people are entirely right and I thank them for supporting the NT and this budget.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Year 11 Legal Studies students from Marrara Christian College and adult students from Nungalinya College.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Budget 2015-16 – Education
Ms MANISON to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Yesterday you delivered a budget that saw more cuts to public education, and you said over 700 enrolments have been lost from public schools. This has happened under your watch. Will you now concede these cuts are due to your decision to change staff formulae to reduce teacher numbers, remove many staff provided above formula, reduce teacher and staff numbers by altering attendance assessments, and to shackle schools with global school budgets based on snapshots of their profiles in 2014?
When will you take responsibility for the mess you have created and fix it instead of blaming students, parents and teachers?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I love the question. I do not accept anything you have said. The last comments about students, teachers and parents – no one is knocking on my door saying they are upset with the latest results in the Northern Territory.
We have real jealously here because they are upset that we are doing things. The only people putting pressure on and demonising the public education system in the Northern Territory are the Labor opposition and their mates in the union. They are the only ones demonising a damn good system which is getting better every day. Every school in the Northern Territory has more money in this budget than it had last year.
You are right, we have fewer students in the system but schools have more money. The Leader of the Opposition said yesterday he was worried about overcrowding in classrooms. Schools have the same amount of money with fewer students and you are worried about overcrowding. We have the best student teacher ratios in the country. We have well-resourced schools.
Collectively, schools around the Territory have about $39m in their budgets outside their budget allocation. If we were to bring back the Labor system that money would be stripped from schools so they could not use it. Under Labor, any excess staffing monies were taken back into the Department of Education. Under the Country Liberals that money stays with the schools and they spend it as they see fit. People at the school level are making decisions for their schools – principals and school councils.
People see the value in global school budgeting, so much so I have lines at the door of schools that want to take the next step to independent public status because it works. It gives them the autonomy to focus on what is right, and that is the students not some fat bureaucracy that Labor wants. Labor wants to centralise everything and take the power away from schools to make the decisions that make a difference to students.
I am proud of the education system in the Northern Territory. I do not demonise or attack it. I do not go to the media and spruik how bad our education system is. I promote it because it is a damn good one.
Public Service Jobs
Mr BARRETT to TREASURER
One of the things Labor uses in its scare campaign is that we will fire all public service employees and none of their jobs are safe. Can you confirm to the members present that the Giles government is protecting public service jobs and pay?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his very important question. It is true, without a shadow of a doubt, the Giles government is protecting public service jobs and pay.
As I said in my budget speech yesterday, Labor has run a relentless campaign. I remember being in the mall and seeing Labor handing out flyers all over the place before the last election, telling public servants that they would lose their jobs en masse. Labor has not stopped doing that since we came to government. There have not been any job cuts. Labor members can bang on about the education system as much as they like; there is record spend and money per student going into schools. It is a furphy.
I brought with me a document from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment. It is the quarterly average on full-time equivalents. It shows the March quarter in various years. In March 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 there was an increase in public service numbers. I table that document to put this stupid debate to bed once and for all.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We just heard the Minister for Education refer to fat bureaucrats in the Education department who need to be gotten rid of.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: There is absolutely no point of order because there is no fact in anything the Labor Party has come out with in the last couple of days. It is completely fact-less.
We have the largest education budget in the history of the Northern Territory. We have employed public servants and given them the best pay increases of any jurisdiction in the country. This does not stop Labor from running around telling every public servant their job is not safe and they should feel worried. They are telling teachers their jobs are not safe. It is a complete furphy and you should be ashamed of yourselves for running that type of nonsense in public.
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 51. I was barely able to hear the answer from the Treasurer despite the fact his voice was amplified.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Attorney-General. Yes, please keep in mind Standing Order 51.
Budget 2015-16 – Healthcare
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Last year, on 7 May, your predecessor, the member for Araluen, issued a media release announcing a multimillion refurbishment of the Royal Darwin Hospital’s paediatric ward as part of Budget 2014-15. To date this work has not been done, with $8.9m to:
- Refurbish paediatric wards to improve paediatric services
revoted from 2014-15 in this year’s budget.
Given your failure to deliver these much-needed upgrades, along with your cuts to Territory-wide primary healthcare in yesterday’s budget, why should Territorians have any faith in your government when it comes to delivering quality healthcare for Territorians?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to be close enough to see the fear in their eyes.
It appears that the members opposite think the moment you issue a media release, all of a sudden, magically, a new paediatric ward appears out of the ether. The Labor Party does not design paediatric wards …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I ask the minister to direct his comments through the Chair.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. His comments were through the Chair.
Mr ELFERINK: We go through a design process, plan and make sure the right people are consulted. This opposition, which says it believes in consultation, would have us not consult. Then they come into this place and their response to this issue is to say, ‘Do not consult, you have to do this immediately’. Well we do things through a planning process.
I have not heard them condemn the Senator for the Northern Territory from the Australian Labor Party who called our hospital system the worst in the country – not a single word from any of them, including the shadow minister for Health, in defence of the hard-working …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question regarding the progress of the paediatric ward.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the embarrassment of the Labor Party. Will they condemn Nova Peris for her disgraceful comments? No, they will not.
The defender of the public service? My eye. They believe in using public servants as weapons and tools of politics. We have seen this played out far too often.
Nova Peris said we have the worst hospital system in the country – a disgrace. Not even through interjection am I hearing any attempt to condemn Senator Peris. I, without hesitation, condemn her for her reckless comments.
I do, however, commend the AMA for pointing out we have the second-best hospital system in the country. I am proud of that. I will continue to strive to make sure we have the best hospital system in the country.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Is the minister going to address the question about the paediatric ward?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, please take your seat. The minister answered the question as he saw fit.
Budget 2015-16 – Trust in Intentions
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
A supplementary question, Mr Deputy Speaker. The Health minister said just because something is in a press release we cannot trust that thing to be built. This was in last year’s budget, and it did not happen. Is the minister really saying we cannot trust things in the budget to be built?
Mrs FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 109(3)(c). A supplementary question …
Mr Elferink: It is to be asked by the person who asked the original question.
Mrs FINOCCHIARO: That is exactly right.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Drysdale. You are right. We all should know that, Leader of the Opposition. I will allow the question if the Minister for Health would like to respond.
Mr ELFERINK: Tiger Brennan Drive took the members opposite four years. We know many of these sorts of projects, because of their size, have to be planned carefully and cautiously, and that is why they wash over from one year to the next.
We have seen members opposite chewing on the spines of their budget papers without understanding how the system works.
Aboriginal People and Communities – Government Plans to Unlock Potential
Mr KURRUPUWU to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you update the Assembly on your plans for unlocking the potential of Aboriginal people and communities across the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. I have had the pleasure of working with the member since he has been in parliament, and also working with the Tiwi Islanders for a number of years around economic development. Most people would be aware we are starting to see major changes, whether that is to do with the forestry project, construction of the port by the Singapore-based company or other elements in the Tiwi Islands including, most recently, the lease arrangement for horticultural and agricultural development, as well as tourism.
He knows I am keen to support economic development and that is what the government is trying to do. We are running a model of decentralisation for decision-making and investing in infrastructure and economic opportunities.
We have established local authorities in 63 communities and have 10 more to go. We want to get that model out to all 73 communities. We currently have 756 members as part of the local authorities with decision-making at the local level. We have put $7m into supporting those local authorities and $5m ongoing every year to ensure there are resources available for them to operate, and to support some small projects.
With regard to economic development, we have started a program to double Aboriginal employment in the public service from 8% to 16% over a five-year period. We also have a new procurement policy which targets the establishment of 2000 additional private sector jobs in regional and remote parts of the Northern Territory by 2017.
They are substantial numbers and already some of our changes to procurement are seeing rapid increases in private sector jobs for Aboriginal Territorians, particularly in remote areas, but regional areas as well.
To add to that, yesterday we announced over $0.5bn of road infrastructure, the main part going to regional and remote parts of the Territory. Millions of dollars are going to every major arterial route in the Northern Territory. We have also set aside $9m for telecommunications. Importantly, we have sought to target some communities in particular around economic advancement. That is based on the model of establishing the office of Aboriginal Affairs at Alice Springs and employing a number of staff in that agency to work with several communities to support economic advancement and tap into programs such as Business in the Bush, where we are trying to support businesses to develop and redevelop, to grow economically and to grow job prospects, and the $4.75m tourism infrastructure development program which was announced in yesterday’s budget.
There is a range of initiatives on top of our Community Champions program, all designed to get people on welfare into work and setting the enabling infrastructure with program dollars, as well as mentoring support, with key targets for government to drive that change.
Budget 2015-16 –
Youth Services in Central Australia
Youth Services in Central Australia
Mr VOWLES to MINISTER for NORTHERN and CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Yesterday’s budget missed the opportunity to properly fund youth services in Central Australia, following a rise in youth antisocial behaviour and heightened community concern about youth behaviour in the town. The member for Araluen called for a modest increase of $2.4m over three years. Mr Blair McFarland of the Central Australian Youth Link Up Service told the ABC last night, ‘I would have thought it would be a really good time to be putting some fresh money into preventative stuff. I thought there would have been something that would have made people on the ground happy.’
Given that respected Alice Springs leaders are calling for urgent government action, why did you ignore this and instead opt to provide a measly $600 000 in additional funds Territory-wide?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, like a strange-looking horse, the member is travelling around with blinkers on and not seeing what is happening in Central Australia. We have increased the child protection budget and invested in the youth centre so we can enable infrastructure for local services to provide their services to youth. We are investing in sport and leisure facilities so youth have more to do, including investment in the netball courts, which is the sport with the highest participation in Alice Springs. We are also investing in athletics tracks, motor sports and a range of other things in Central Australia.
This is probably the biggest budget for Central Australia in the Territory’s history. Welcome to the shadow ministry, member for Johnston, clearly you have missed a beat. What you would have also missed is the additional resources we have put into after-hours youth services in Central Australia. You would have missed the recent announcement of the coordination of government services to ensure we have whole-of-life plans for parents, families and youth, linking up child protection, police, town council and a range of other areas.
You did not have an opportunity of pointing to anything specific where there was a gap. The money that has gone into Central Australia through this budget will be the biggest spend in infrastructure that Central Australia has seen in at least 15 years. You were in government for eleven-and-a-half years and you were not investing in that.
People of Alice Springs are contacting me and thanking me for the investment going into Alice Springs, including things such as a new preschool and a new childcare centre. They are saying we are not only stimulating the construction industry, we are providing more facilities for leisure and sport to get greater levels of participation, and providing services for after hours to support youth who are not being provided support by their families, plus we are providing a range of coordinated government linkup services to meet the needs of those families which disintegrate all too often in Central Australia.
Port of Darwin Expansion – Benefits
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you outline your vision for the Port of Darwin and the benefits expansion could bring for Territorians?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for her participation on the port committee, along with the members for Blain and Nelson, and the member for Fannie Bay, who seems to have had an epiphany between when he was on the committee and now when he is the Leader of the Opposition. When he was on the committee he supported expansion of the port and our economy, and more jobs on the port. Now he is Leader of the Opposition he is Delia Lawrie-like. He has adopted the old Leader of the Opposition’s policies straightaway. Not only is he immediately taking on the role of personal attacks, he is flip-flopping on his policies. A bet each way, I take it, Leader of the Opposition.
We want to see an expanded port with more capacity. We know the challenges it faces. We know the rail line is not looped and connected. We know there needs to be more hardstand area, more reefer points and more ability to take trade for distribution throughout Australia. However, the cost of doing that is a challenge. In the same way the rail operates in the Northern Territory from Darwin to Alice Springs, it is on government land underpinned by a government corporation. The Australasia Railway Corporation meets four times a year and is a private operator which runs the railway. Seven different companies run the carriages and one runs the rail.
The member for Fannie Bay would be well aware that when Labor was in government they sold their share in the railway, in their assets sale, to a private operator, at a big loss to the Territory government, mind you! Also at the time he was on the government benches and we were in opposition they set up the Marine Supply Base, a private port modelled on our port, for a long-term lease.
So it is having a bet each way. But Labor has form because this is the same Labor government that opposed the development of the railway in the first place. Not only did they oppose the railway being built, they opposed the construction of the resort at Yulara at Uluru. They did not oppose just building it, they opposed selling it later. They opposed building the Sheraton in Darwin and in Alice Springs. Again, they opposed building it and selling it.
They are sneaky; many Territorians would not be aware there is a gas pipeline which runs between Alice Springs and Darwin, and in the shadow of the night the former Treasurer, the member for Karama, sold the gas pipeline to a private operator. Another asset sale but they never told Territorians about that.
With the port we want to see a strategic partnership with an experienced private operator who will invest in and grow the port, complete the rail loop and set up our economy for the future, particularly grow jobs in regional, remote and urban locations.
Seabed Mining Moratorium – Groote Eylandt
Ms LEE to CHIEF MINISTER
In 2013 you announced a total ban on seabed mining in the area surrounding Groote Eylandt. During my recent trip traditional people from the island were concerned they are still waiting for the written confirmation of the ban. I ask on behalf of the Anindilyakwa people, who have cultural connections to the area, can you commit to a time line to provide a letter containing that confirmation so all fears are dispelled?
ANSWER
I will provide some comments to clarify this. Instead of a ban I believe you are referring to a moratorium. We put in place a three-year moratorium. That was confirmed at a land council meeting with the Anindilyakwa Land Council some time ago. It was confirmed to them in writing by the former Mines minister and the Mines department. We have since been in communication and extended that moratorium for another three years. That is also in writing and was sent directly to them. If you do not have a copy I am happy to give you one, and we are happy to resend that letter.
Ms LEE: Standing Order 113: relevance. I spoke to the people on the ground, even the ALC, and they have not received …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Arnhem, it is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: While the letter may not be fluttering around the streets of Groote Eylandt it has been formally delivered. We are happy to resend it and send you a copy.
The government has listened to the TOs. We listened to them in 2013 when we presented the moratorium, and we have extended it by another three years. If you do not have a copy of the letter I am happy to provide you with one.
Ms LEE: Thank you.
Budget 2015-16 – Community Benefit Fund
Mr BARRETT to MINISTER for RACING, GAMING and LICENSING
Would you please update the House on how the $11m budget announcement for the Community Benefit Fund will be a big advantage to Territorians?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. You are aware this is a good news budget and this is another part of the good news from this budget. As we heard from the Treasurer, it is thoroughly endorsed by the industry and community groups; they are all happy with the CLP budget.
You are right, Budget 2015-16 is producing some big winners, being the community groups, not-for-profit organisations and grassroots organisations.
The Community Benefit Fund has had an $8m increase. That extra funding will be raised by requiring casinos to pay a 10% pokie profit levy, as Territory pubs do, matching what is already paid by pubs and hotels.
A 10% pokie profit levy is already received by the Community Benefit Fund, which distributed more than $2m last year.
The Giles government believes it is only fair that casinos make the same levy contribution, and we are making an even playing field for them. That extra revenue will be directed solely to the existing Community Benefit Fund, then given to organisations, great and small, from museums and orchestras to toy libraries and swimming clubs. We are advertising for more positions on the committee. More money means more grants and therefore, due to the $8m increase to the Community Benefit Fund, we are broadening the scope of applicants.
This extra funding will hugely increase the support the Northern Territory government gives to grassroots community organisations. They are the volunteers who keep the system going.
The Community Benefit Fund also provides valuable funding for gambling amelioration programs and organisations. The Northern Territory government is investing over $2m in gambling amelioration programs through the Community Benefit Fund, which provides funding support for key communication providers such as Amity Community Services and Somerville Community Services.
These services provide vital ongoing harm minimisation treatment for people affected by problem gaming. Most people are responsible gamblers; however, there is a need for those with a problem. There is a fantastic opportunity for non-for-profit organisations and volunteer community groups to gain financial support from the Giles government through the Community Benefit Fund. I encourage all of those organisations to consider applying for a grant in the future.
For those interested, I will read out the contact details to include in the Hansard: www.nt.gov.au/cbf or 1300 650 153, which is a free call.
This is another good thing the government is doing.
Housing in Nhulunbuy
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HOUSING
I am sure the minister would agree that it takes a breathtaking level of incompetence to achieve a housing shortage in Nhulunbuy, which has so many empty houses. There are around 170 to 180 …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 112; that is an epithet and it should be ruled out of order.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am not convinced that was directed at any particular person, but I ask the member for Nhulunbuy to watch the allegations that may be forthcoming in this question.
Ms WALKER: It remains that there is a chronic oversupply of houses in Nhulunbuy at a time of housing crisis. What have you done, and what will you do, to reduce the ridiculous waiting times for public housing in Nhulunbuy for local Yolngu and Ngapaki families?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, the member for Nhulunbuy should think about that question, because she is the local member. She knows what has happened with housing there. She has been involved in many meetings there with the Gumatj and Rirratjingu, and knows exactly what is going on.
She says we are failing the people of Nhulunbuy, but this did not happen overnight. She has been the member for how many years now? She is now asking questions about housing in Nhulunbuy; she should be ashamed of herself. She did not do anything while she was in government …
Ms LEE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is her job as the Housing minister to have the answer, not the local member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Arnhem. I am sure the minister is aware of her job as Minister for Housing. Minister, you have the call.
Mrs PRICE: For 11 years Labor failed to create a sustainable economy in Nhulunbuy …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113. It was a very direct question of the Housing minister: what is happening with the empty houses in Nhulunbuy?
Mr GILES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! If it is a question about the empty houses in Nhulunbuy, I take portfolio responsibility because the Department of the Chief Minister has responsibility …
Ms Walker: What is your point of order? What number is it? What number point of order is it?
Members interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Goodness me! Chief Minister, would you like to answer the question on behalf of the Housing minister?
Mr GILES: No, I am seeking clarification because those vacant houses fall under the purview of the refinery, which has closed, and the Department of the Chief Minister is looking after that. I am happy to answer that component.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: We can go back and forth like this all day. We have 15 minutes of Question Time left. The Housing minister was answering the question. She still has at least two minutes to go to get to the point. If you do not like it, the Chief Minister has offered to answer the question. If you still do not like it, I am afraid that is just the rough and tumble of Question Time. You do not always get what you want! Minister for Housing, would you please continue.
Mrs PRICE: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The member for Nhulunbuy has been running an opportunistic and cynical campaign demanding that private housing be turned into public housing. Has she told everybody that? Before the member for Nhulunbuy quibbles about the percentage of houses being turned into public housing, she should remember that the Department of Housing has no control over houses it does not own …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 255. Would the minister table the notes she is reading from please?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Are they your personal notes or will you table those as requested by …
Ms Walker: They are her adviser’s notes.
Mrs PRICE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I find what the member for Nhulunbuy said offensive, saying that came from advisers. What does she mean by that?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call so …
Mrs PRICE: You have been to all the meetings they have had in regard to Nhulunbuy and its housing. The Gumatj and Rirratjingu know exactly what you have been saying about the housing there. You ought to brief all your Labor colleagues about what is happening there.
Ms Walker: And I tell my constituents how useless you are and that you do not care about them.
Mrs PRICE: I take offence to that.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I understand you take offence and so does the whole House. Member for Nhulunbuy, will you please withdraw?
Ms WALKER: I withdraw but I am offended that the minister fails the people of Nhulunbuy.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, I just asked you to withdraw, not tack on a statement at the end of it. You are on a warning.
Budget 2015-16 –
Indigenous Employment and Development Initiatives in Fisheries
Indigenous Employment and Development Initiatives in Fisheries
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
Yesterday I was pleased to read in the budget that, amongst other things, the department will be breeding fingerlings, which is of great interest to me because I would like to borrow some for some lakes in Palmerston. But we will talk about that later.
Can the minister update the House on the fisheries Indigenous employment and development initiatives in Budget 2015-16?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for her question. She has a passionate interest in every aspect of fisheries across the Northern Territory.
I have heard many interjections from the member for Nhulunbuy in the last little while. I hope this presents some good news for her.
There will be $1.23m provided for the ongoing development of fishing and aquaculture activities across the Top End. The Indigenous development program will assist Aboriginal communities to open up new lucrative markets.
The CLP government is committed to making the lives of Indigenous people simpler and more prosperous by investing in a range of programs that deliver economic, employment and development opportunities.
Budget 2015-16 invests $250 000 in an Indigenous marine training program to open up pathways around commercial fishing, aquaculture, resource management and small business operations. The good news is that this program will be based in Nhulunbuy to deliver a range of courses and workplace experiences.
Budget 2015-16 will fund Indigenous development programs, including aquaculture enterprises around low-technology sea-based farming methods, sea cucumber ranching in the open sea, a revamped Aboriginal coastal licence system, the enhancement of the Marine Ranger Program and provision of a facility to cater for training needs. My Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries is working hand in hand with Indigenous communities in the development of each of these programs.
I wondered if the member for Barkly would interject and criticise the government for these initiatives. I sat in my office this morning listening to his contribution to the budget debate and all he did was knock the initiatives of this government, which are focused and targeted to help Indigenous people in remote communities get off the welfare cycle by investing in opportunities for them to get a job. All I heard from the member for Barkly was criticism.
Labor governments would like to produce huge bureaucracies, but the Country Liberal government is all about focusing and targeting our efforts for maximum effect. Many of the things you criticised this morning in the budget will deliver outcomes for Aboriginal people in remote communities. You do not like to see Aboriginal communities develop or opportunities delivered to Aboriginal people, and that is a disgrace.
Budget 2015-16 – Nelson Electorate
Mr WOOD to TREASURER
You looked a bit sad yesterday when no one from this side asked you a question on the budget, so here are three in one. The only thing in the budget for my electorate was $4.5m for a sewer pumping station and sewer rising main to support a Howard Springs activity centre which does not exist, has not been approved and nobody wants except the Planning Commission. Is this sewer for real or is it just a symbolic gift to the local member?
You announced $1.3m to increase Bees Creek preschool’s capacity. Why is it in this year’s budget papers not the next when it will not start until the last quarter of 2016, the next financial year?
Is $3.2m for drainage upgrades at Humpty Doo not left over money from the $4.5m you did not spend on the same project last year?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank my good friend the member for Nelson for that wonderful question. It is great to get a question on the budget from someone on the other side, even it is my good mate the member for Nelson.
Member for Nelson, you have an extraordinarily cynical way of looking at the budget. You have spent far too much time over there and it is not a good look.
I only have three minutes so I will not waste time jesting with the member for Nelson.
The $4.5m sewer pumping station at Howard Springs is shown by the NT Planning Commission’s Darwin Regional Land Use Plan as a rural activity centre. I know the member is not all that thrilled about it, but it is in the same area as the Howards Springs Primary School, shopping centre and tavern.
Mr Wood: It is a long way away.
Mr TOLLNER: It is on the same system. That system is at capacity. I know you are anti-development and do not want anything to happen in the rural area and that sort of caper, but there are increases in usage in that area. While that system is at capacity there can be nothing happening. I think you will welcome $4.5m being spent there.
Power and Water has been engaged by Lands and Planning to look at designing the sewerage system, which will ultimately connect to the reticulation network in Palmerston. I think you will find that your constituents will be very happy to know they will have some capacity in their sewer network in your electorate.
The second part of your question was a doozy. Yesterday I presented Budget 2015-16, which covers the financial year of 2015-16. You asked why it will happen next year, well, the budget is about next financial year. We are still in the 2014-15 financial year.
I think you spend too much time with the members for Arnhem and Namatjira. Next financial year is yet to come. I admit I presented the budget for the next financial year yesterday …
Ms LEE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Answer the question, Tollner, instead of talking about …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Arnhem!
Mr TOLLNER: In relation to the drainage works in the rural area, the Humpty Doo activity centre that you are not in favour of requires a bit more drainage and sewer works.
Ministerial Overseas Travel
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
Given recent revelations about extravagant overseas travel undertaken by your ministers, Territorians are becoming increasingly alarmed that taxpayers’ money is not being spent in their interests or in an open and transparent way. Do you agree that Territorians have the right to know every detail of expenditure when ministers travel overseas? Will you now agree to implement the reforms to overseas ministerial travel I outlined earlier this week and give Territorians the confidence that their government acts with openness, transparency and integrity?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, without preempting debate, members and ministers will always have to travel to ensure good outcomes for the Northern Territory and maximise opportunities for Territorians wherever they are.
The new Leader of the Opposition seems intent on throwing rocks about this issue, owing to some newly-found enlightenment regarding travel. It is time for some home truths regarding Labor’s travel policies when it was in government. Frankly, it is a tad cynical to come in here after being in opposition for just two-and-a-half years and tell us that he has somehow seen the light. Just over two-and-a-half years ago when he was part of that Marco Polo government, seeking out every opportunity to travel to every corner of the world, Labor had the opportunity to adopt a policy like this but never did. Why would you believe them now when their credibility is at an all-time low over the Stella Maris scandal which has already seen the replacement of their leader?
Why did they not publish their cost of travel as they travelled all over the world? Why did the Leader of the Opposition not start by telling this House about his travel when he went as a backbencher with a ministerial staffer to Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur at a cost of $10 000? Why did he not report on that trip or publish the cost? I am sure the member for Fannie Bay was a bit miffed at missing out on his former boss’s 10-day trip to Japan and the US in 2009, complete with an entourage of three people for $110 000. But he made up for it with a free trip to the ALP conference in Sydney costing $2000, paid for by the Territory taxpayer. Did you consult on that, Leader of the Opposition?
Who can forget the Opposition Leader’s old boss, Clare Martin, who in 2003 took an entourage of 11, including her partner, her children, the ex-minister Kon Vatskalis and his wife and children and other people and their partners, to Greece for 15 days, costing tens and tens of thousands of dollars. I am starting to get suspicious about what goes on in Greece.
What about telling the House about the cost of the trip to Aberdeen by the former Chief Minister of $73 000, and three months later another minister with a bunch of staffers going for $134 500. You did not call for government accountability, transparency and integrity then, Leader of the Opposition.
Interestingly, Alan Paton, the union representative who is well known for the deceitful Stella Maris scheme, also managed to attend an ACTU industrial relations ministers’ conference costing $2006, undertaking training for Unions NT on the Territory taxpayers’ purse. We did not hear you complaining about your former member, Kon Vatskalis, travelling for $197 000.
I table the rest of my answer and the freedom of information travel documents for all to see.
Homelands Extra Allowance –
Expenditure of 2014-15 Budget Allocation
Expenditure of 2014-15 Budget Allocation
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Can you please update the House on the successful roll-out of our election commitment to the Homelands Extra Allowance?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Despite the doom and gloom from the opposition, I am happy to update the House on the important work we are doing on the ground, where it matters.
This government is on track for full expenditure of the 2014-15 funding allocation of $4m by the end of the current financial year. There has been $3.6m spent on 693 eligible applications. For the people of the bush, this means working taps, flushing toilets, flyscreens on doors, doors and handles being fixed – those maintenance issues that impact on health and general wellbeing.
Around 6000 Aboriginal Territorians live in over 400 homelands across the Northern Territory and contribute to the economic, social and cultural life of the Northern Territory. This government supports homelands and their residents through the provision of services, including municipal and essential housing and maintenance services.
We have worked hard to increase and encourage participation by service providers and residents, and this has resulted in 33 out of 36 service providers across the Territory now participating in the program. This is great news for remote contractors and residents, and leads to real jobs and real work. We have listened to feedback about the program and streamlined the processes, which has increased the uptake of the Homelands Extra Allowance.
The best news is that Budget 2015-16 provides another $6m for the program to improve the standard of living for those in homelands. We have worked hard with service providers in East Arnhem to ensure funding was released as soon as possible to provide repairs and maintenance to homeland dwellings affected by Tropical Cyclone Lam.
While I have everyone’s attention, particularly those out of touch with their bush electorates, we have 577 local community-nominated Aboriginal members as part of our local authorities across the Territory. This is what the government is doing to make sure we communicate with the rest of the Territory through local authorities, which Labor did not do. We have engaged with the family members of some MLAs to identify needs and ways to develop their communities.
The Giles government has also identified young emerging leaders through the First Circles program, with 30 members across the Territory providing direct policy development advice. I am proud to say this government has given back the voice grubby Labor took away, disempowering our people.
Women’s Policy – Domestic Violence and Women in Decision-Making Positions
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for WOMEN’S POLICY
On 26 March 2014 you reported to this Assembly on the outcomes of your trip to New York. In this speech you undertook to explore matching the Commonwealth government’s goal of 50% of women in decision-making and on government boards by 2050. You said you would host a planning day to construct a framework complementing the second action plan to start changing the DNA of Aboriginal culture where violence has become accepted because people hide behind culture as an excuse.
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. It is important that we look after women and children. It takes time to make sure these policies are in place to protect them. This will not happen overnight because it is an important issue we all face as women in the Northern Territory.
I do not know if the member for Nhulunbuy has had contact with any victims, but it takes a long time for women to heal. If the member for Nhulunbuy would like a briefing from me I am happy to provide that whenever she asks for it.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Can the minister advise if she has at least hosted a planning day?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The minister has answered the question and is happy to provide a briefing to answer those questions outside the realm of Question Time.
TIO – Allianz Progress
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to TREASURER
Can you please update the House on the progress made by Allianz towards integrating TIO into its business?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for her important question. A few minutes ago TIO issued a media release, the headline reads, ‘New TIO strategy to improve competitiveness and ensure future business sustainability’.
You will recall in my budget presentation yesterday that I explained how the government saved TIO by freeing it from government ownership. Part of the background of this media release is on the back page. It says:
- … TIO’s current expense base exceeds that of its main competitors by around 20% … before the sale to Allianz, its reinsurance cost ratio was around three-times that of larger insurers.
The impact of this lack of competitiveness is apparent in the TIO’s sustained loss of market share over many years across all the classes of insurance in which it operates. Since 2011, TIO’s market share has fallen in Domestic Home Insurance, Domestic Motor, Commercial Motor, Liability, Fire and Industrial Special Risks, and Workers Compensation. For example, in just those last four years, TIO’s share of the domestic motor insurance market has fallen by 23% … and its workers compensation market share has fallen by 37%. The revised TIO strategy is designed to stabilise these trends and ultimately reverse them.
- … TIO has been working with its new owner, Allianz, to leverage its advanced technical capabilities, greater scale economies and other efficiencies to bring new or improved products and greater levels of service to TIO customers, while at the same time securing the long-term financial sustainability of the organisation. As this occurs over the next 12 months, TIO plans to expand its product range to include TIO Travel Insurance and TIO Life Insurance products and to introduce advanced risk assessment and pricing techniques, which will deliver fairer and more sustainable premiums to TIO customers.
I will not go through the whole media release, but the points are made about significant initiatives being put forward to strengthen the brand of TIO, more sponsorship into the Territory community, local customer services, enhanced products and services, and there is a bit of information on MAC and the worker compensation contracts.
The media release also signalled that there will be a redeployment of staff because many of the systems they are tying into with Allianz makes some of those systems unworkable. Forty-three employees have been identified for redeployment. TIO says it is working to find other positions for them. I give assurances to this House that the government still accepts some responsibility for these workers and we will employ them directly in the Territory government if positions cannot be found.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to follow up with some more information in response to a couple of questions.
Member for Arnhem, I have a copy of the letter sent on 30 March in regard to the extension for the moratorium. I am happy to table that.
I also have a response in regard to the amount of money that was put toward home purchases in the Nhulunbuy electorate between 2001 and 2012. I am happy to table how much money Labor put towards purchasing houses in its time in government in the seat of Nhulunbuy. Yes, you have been a member for seven years and not built one house. I am happy to table that – zero houses and zero dollars Labor put towards purchasing houses in its time in government.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016