2014-03-18
Allegations against Member for Port Darwin
Mr VOWLES to MADAM SPEAKER
Can you confirm you have received correspondence from the member for Arnhem containing serious allegations about the member for Port Darwin? If you have received this correspondence, what actions have you taken to deal with the issues raised by the member for Arnhem?
ANSWER
Any correspondence a member of this Assembly sends to the Speaker’s office is a matter between the Speaker’s office and the member. I will not disclose any information.
Power and Water – Increased Charges, Reduced Reliability
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The Territory has suffered since you became Chief Minister 12 months ago. We have been advised that before your power price hikes, disconnections due to unpaid bills were running at about 20 per week. We have been told the rate is now 12 per day. This means 12 Territory families per day cannot cope with the cost of living under your CLP government.
Under your watch, customers in Darwin, Palmerston, the rural area and Katherine suffered a catastrophic blackout last week. Leading up to the failure there was a series of blackouts; after the failure there were more blackouts.
You expect Territorians to pay more but suffer reduced reliability. You stripped $20m from the Power and Water budget. This is CLP form; you ran it down when you were last in government and you are running it down again to fatten it up for sale. What do you have to say to those Territorians suffering under increased power and water price hikes and reduced reliability?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is the Leader of the Opposition who runs around like Henny Penny, trying to tell everybody the sky is falling in every time she speaks …
Ms Fyles: It is. We lost our power for 12 hours.
Mr GILES: It is good to see nothing has changed from the member for Nightcliff since last sittings. Let us reflect on the content of the question and the statement the Leader of the Opposition put out during her little media stunt on the day of the Power and Water blackout. It was what is known as a system black. The last time a system black occurred was in 2010. In 2010, the Leader of the Opposition was in government. However, in her media release and statement she said it was the first time it had ever happened, when clearly it was not. Many Territorians would remember the disaster with the Casuarina substation in 2009. In 2010, there was a reform process undertaken by the former Labor government. Many processes were put in place to ensure this kind of incident did not happen again.
With the latest system black, at about 1.19 am, during routine repairs and maintenance at Hudson Creek, one of the circuit breakers faltered where two of the poles which go into a circuit breaker would not re-engage properly. The system, designed following 2010, put in place processes to shut the system down and the generation stopped. To get the generation started again took a lot of time. It took between one hour and fifteen minutes and 13 hours to get the power back, with Adelaide River being the last place to get its power back between 5.15 pm and 5.45 pm the same day.
We undertook an initial desktop audit within the first 24 hours so we could look at what occurred. I have seen the audit, and it confirmed what I was told on the day. Another review is recommended and will be done within 14 days, directed by the Utilities Commission. We are about to appoint a person to do the review. It will be a peer review from people outside the Northern Territory. It will inform how the process can be improved in the future.
One thing which does not satisfy everyone, but should be noted, is the processes in place stopped an even larger catastrophic failure in the system. Had the system not shut down in the manner it did, or at all, we could have seen a complete wipe out of power in the Top End for many weeks. The system saved itself, but we have to look at ways to improve it so it does not cause a long period of power outage for everybody in the future.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Power and Water – Increased Charges, Reduced Reliability
Power and Water – Increased Charges, Reduced Reliability
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Territorians are being disconnected from their power and water because they cannot afford to pay their bills under your price hikes. Disconnections were running at 20 per week prior to your price hikes, they are now running at 12 per day. What do you have to say to Territorians who are having their power disconnected because they cannot afford your price hikes? When will you come clean and let them know you put their power prices up another 5% in January? The CPI increase is due to hit in July and you have a further 5% to hit …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition Leader, please pause.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, let us go back to the media release where not only did you mislead people through …
Ms Lawrie: You will not answer it, will you?
Mr GILES: I will get to your question.
You said there were 130 000 Power and Water clients who lost power. That is wrong. There are not 130 000 clients in the Northern Territory, let alone Darwin and the Top End. There are about 86 000 clients in the Northern Territory. There were 65 000 affected by the system black the other day, the same people who received the service when you were in government and had the same outcome. Most people in the Territory would know we are on a reform process to improve Power and Water, bring about efficiencies in the service and drive down pricing pressures …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Nhulunbuy Future
Ms ANDERSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Rio Tinto has today announced additional funding for the East Arnhem region in its response to the curtailment of the alumina refinery. Can you update the House on government’s work to build an economic future for Nhulunbuy?
ANSWER:
Madam Speaker, the member for Namatjira shares a concern for all residents of Nhulunbuy and the region. Everyone on this side of the Chamber and most Territorians would know we work tirelessly to provide a long-term, sustainable future for the people of the Nhulunbuy region.
We had a chat this morning and the biggest detractor from anything to be achieved in Nhulunbuy has been the member for Nhulunbuy - the person who has been the biggest antagonist and not wanted to be part of any solution.
It was good to see Rio Tinto’s announcement today, following the devastation after the refinery curtailment announcement. This is something I have worked personally on for a long time. I welcome Rio Tinto’s announcement that its bauxite operation will inject more than $500m into the East Arnhem regional economy over the next five years. Rio Tinto has also announced today it will provide an additional $50m in community financial support over the same period.
Since the day the curtailment of the refinery was announced we have been urging Rio Tinto to do more to help the region. I am pleased the new package it announced today reflects this. It is pleasing to see a new private sector entity, which will be something of a regional economic development fund, take on the management of 250 surplus company houses in Nhulunbuy to work to attract new economic development activity in the town.
The government is in discussion about how this will be managed through the Regional Economic Development Fund. We are in active discussions with the company over other assets, including the general cargo wharf at Melville Bay and other offices and warehouses. Today I pledged to match Rio Tinto’s $2m contribution to the Regional Economic Development Fund which is aimed at driving new private sector investment and facilitating access to key infrastructure in Nhulunbuy.
I am committed …
Ms Fyles: Oh, that will go a long way. You are a joke.
Ms Lawrie: It had better be more than that.
Mr GILES: Listen to these interjections. It is funny; they do not want to hear what we are doing for the people there.
Let me give you a bigger number than $2m. We are spending more than $1bn on Nhulunbuy in the next five years, $330m this financial year …
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: The members for Nhulunbuy and Nightcliff do not want to listen, but I will explain. There is $272m going on services, grants and infrastructure into the town and region. On top of this is an extra $58m on public sector wages. As part of our annual spending we have ensured all contracts in the area go to as many local companies as possible, committed $66.5m for local roads; $14.4m in housing contracts, $7.3m for new community facilities and $5.46m for educational services. The East Arnhem economic development strategy should be presented by the end of the month, which we look forward to seeing. It will provide long-term direction for the people of Nhulunbuy …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Power Blackout – Compensation
Ms MANISON to CHIEF MINISTER referred to TREASURER
Small businesses in the Territory were already doing it tough; the recent catastrophic power blackout hit them hard. Businesses lost significant amounts of stock and lost trade during the code black. Your response to small businesses seeking compensation was to heartlessly tell them to speak to their insurers. Insurance does not cover this blackout. Will you inform the House of the extent of business losses during the code black and what action you will take to compensate our hard-working small businesses in the Top End?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I think I went through the issue about the system black that occurred last week. On the day, I made the announcement there would be a rebate for the 65 000 clients who were inconvenienced by the blackout, which lasted between one hour and fifteen minutes and 13 hours. People know at 1.19 am the system blackout occurred. A number of things occurred between our ministers and head of Power and Water …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was specifically about compensation for small businesses. You do not want to answer questions in parliament …
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Opposition Leader, please be seated. The Chief Minister has the call. He has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, it would be easy to race to the bottom of the barrel and start carping and whining like you do on that side of the Chamber, or I could give an educated answer with factual information to help you through the process. I will go through it slowly for you.
At 6.29 am on the day of the blackout, I directed the shutdown of the public service, the closing of schools …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is a very direct question about what the government is doing to compensate small businesses in the Top End for the lost trade, stock and large amounts of money due to the blackout.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Chief Minister, you have the call, if you could get to the question.
Mr GILES: I will ask the shareholding minister for Power and Water to respond.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, as the opposition knows, there is a system in place to credit the households which were out …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We are not talking about households; we are talking about businesses …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, sit down! The Treasurer has time to answer the question; at least let him finish one sentence. You are on a warning!
Mr TOLLNER: As the opposition knows, there is a system in place to provide a credit on power bills for people who have suffered a power outage of 12 hours or more …
Ms Lawrie: After 12, so hardly anyone. Good on you.
Mr TOLLNER: The Opposition Leader cannot help herself. She has to sit there and go yabbity, yabbity, yabbity the whole time ...
Ms Lawrie: Be honest with Territorians, Dave.
Mr TOLLNER: I am trying to give you an answer, but you do not want to hear it.
Those households and small businesses which use less than 750 MW a year will receive the credit on their power bills ...
Ms Fyles: An $80 credit?
Mr TOLLNER: That is correct. As the Opposition also knows, those businesses can seek relief through their insurance packages and the like. Ultimately, those arrangements need to be taken up between the insurers and the businesses. This has always been the case.
This is the first time ever there has been a blackout where government has given a credit to householders, as the situation has always been, as was the case in 2009 and 2010 when the Opposition Leader was the Treasurer …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Power Blackout – Investigations
Mr KURRUPUWU to TREASURER
Last week’s system blackout event in the Top End inconvenienced tens of thousands of Territorians. Can the Treasurer outline the status of various investigations into the event?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for the question. He has an interest in power generation across the Northern Territory.
Last week the government received an urgent report from the Power and Water Corporation which, as the Chief Minister said, was requested by him on the Wednesday afternoon when the blackout occurred. He called me and said he wanted Power and Water to urgently commission a report outlining what they saw as the causes of the blackout. I am prepared and keen to table the Power and Water report which came through, as promised, within 24 hours of the Chief Minister’s call.
We have asked the Utilities Commission to commission a much more greatly detailed report into what the events were on the day, how they occurred and what we can learn from them. I wrote to the Utilities Commission asking them to undertake this review. I happily table the terms of reference which have been put forward to the Utilities Commission.
The review will be conducted by independent people from outside the Northern Territory. The Utilities Commission has commissioned the Australian Energy Market Operator to complete the review, along with a well-known, well-respected large international consultancy firm called Evans & Peck. The Australia Energy Market Operator and Evans & Peck are well-regarded organisations in the sector …
Ms Lawrie: Will you make it public?
Mr TOLLNER: The Opposition Leader has all the time in the world to ask questions. Why do you have to constantly interrupt me while I am giving a response? You clearly do not want to hear any answer. You are only interested in the sound of your own voice.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, address your comments through the Chair, please.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, I do not understand why the Leader of the Opposition has to gasbag constantly while I am trying to give her an explanation.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question from the member for Arafura is about the blackout, which we all want answers from the government on, not about the Leader of the Opposition. We would like the Treasurer to answer some questions about the impact of the blackout on small business and families.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: There is clearly something very wrong with our system - the Power and Water Corporation. The Opposition Leader was Treasurer for five years. This is the same system she presided over. I notice she is holding up a graph ...
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, put it down.
Mr TOLLNER: If the Opposition Leader wants to know …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Power and Water – Increases
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
Your hikes in power and water costs are hurting Territorians directly and indirectly, with the latest increase being passed on by councils.
Palmerston City Council estimates the power and water increases will cost it an extra $500 000 per year simply to maintain street lights. Palmerston City Council says:
- The exorbitant new fee means Palmerston's 11 000 rate payers could be hit with an additional $52 on their annual rates, amounting to a 5% increase based on current figures.
That is a straight hit on families without any increase in services. How does this improve their struggles to cover the cost of living?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in regard to the added cost for local government across the Northern Territory where local government will have to pay for power poles, in a nutshell, the decision was made in 2012. We have since delayed it. I note the media comments through the day. The decision has been delayed again and will not be put in place so the article in the media is not accurate in this vein. The Power and Water board has determined to keep it on delay while we undertake our legislative reform agenda - the structural review of Power and Water - so we can look at a range of opportunities from improving efficiencies and system upgrades in Power and Water.
We have been trying to, and will continue to with our legislative reform agenda, separate Power and Water into three elements - retail, network and generation ...
Ms Fyles: So you can sell it off.
Mr GILES: There is no plan to sell it, and we have never considered any plans to sell it …
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: I will give you the honest truth. We want generation competition. You introduced competition when you were in government by having competition in the retail sector, as you are well aware since we have more than one retailer of power and water in the Northern Territory. We want competition in the generation sector and have had the opportunity to have it undertaken in the last 12 months. We have put it on hold because we kept all our gas available to help the people of the Nhulunbuy region. Since it is not going ahead, the opportunity is for competition in the generation network, which will provide downward pressure on pricing and seek to have structural improvements in efficiencies.
The core of the question was about the cost of power. Power and Water is subsidised about $150m per annum and my colleague, the Treasurer, will give me the exact figures. One of the costs on power each year which affects people’s bills is $20m going towards the carbon tax. In Canberra, the federal Coalition is trying to get rid of the carbon tax, which would mean the $20m cost imposition on power and water this year, and every year, would be removed and would provide price relief for Territorians; it is an opportunity.
Some of the other subsidies include $70m to Indigenous Essential Services and about $50m - I am getting clarification - for the Pensioner and Carer Concession cards. We chuck about $150m in rebates or expenses into Power and Water which means it is not running as efficiently as it could. We are trying to provide reforms to come through legislative change so we can get competition in the market and drive down cost pressures. It will take a long time to achieve, but we are determined to reduce cost of living pressures in the Northern Territory, not only in power, but across many areas.
Asbestos Removal on Elcho Island
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE
In February this year, Mr Michael Halkitis wrote a letter to your department. In that letter, he stated when he was working at Elcho Island and was ordered by a building company to start demolishing a house. He said he and other labourers were directed to break asbestos with their bare hands. He went on to say he was not provided with any safety equipment or proper protective clothing. These are serious allegations. What has your department done in relation to these allegations and what has been the outcome of any investigation your department has held on this matter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I am not aware of the letter, but I will have my department get back to you. There is a Northern Territory inter-agency asbestos management working group, chaired by Mr David McHugh who is the Chief Executive of the Department of Infrastructure. I am sure the issue you have raised will be discussed at the next meeting on 28 March this year.
The working group’s functions include the examination of asbestos management-related policies and procedures. If what you say is true, there has been a breach and something will have to be done about it. It is to inform and shape the Territory’s position regarding the Australian government’s National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Awareness and Management. If it is alleged someone has been instructed to break asbestos, the matter needs to be investigated and I will have my department get back to me …
Mr Tollner: It is being investigated by NT WorkSafe.
Mr STYLES: I have just been informed by the Treasurer it is being investigated by NT WorkSafe. I am sure between both departments we can get an answer back to you. At the last meeting on 29 November 2013, the working group endorsed the Northern Territory government’s asbestos management policy. NT WorkSafe is enforcing it; breaches need to be investigated and whatever results from the investigation needs to take place. I have also instructed an audit to be conducted to qualify the current status of Northern Territory government agencies’ asbestos management plans and registers. There is a working group and the membership invitations were extended to the department of Local Government, the Power and Water Corporation and the Darwin Port Corporation.
Stakeholder agencies continue to refine their understanding of the issues around asbestos management and define their respective policies and legislative responsibilities. The issue on the islands is waste disposal; key policies and procedures remain regarding the effective and efficient waste disposal of asbestos material. Significant volumes have been identified to be transported and disposed of interstate, and until we resolve all asbestos removal, they will continue to impact on project budgets.
The Northern Territory asbestos removal work is funded through the R&M program, and the Department of Community Services is the lead agency for asbestos removal in remote community, non-government assets and may be part of the investigation. We will get an answer to the member for Nelson.
Electricity Reforms
Mr HIGGINS to TREASURER
Electricity reforms have been occurring under Labor state and federal governments for the past 22 years. Has the Territory embraced these reforms and the opportunities they can bring?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. He is as concerned about power as everybody in this Chamber.
Electricity costs the Northern Territory an enormous amount of money. As the Chief Minister said in his answer earlier, $150m is going out in subsidies to Power and Water: some $70m for Indigenous Essential Services; $60m in general subsidies; and almost $20m in pensioner concession subsidies - a lot of money.
I should pull the Opposition Leader up on disconnections for non-payment, which was a leading question to the Chief Minister earlier. In February this year, the disconnection rate was about 450. It does jump; the peak was in …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can he table the document?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is it private papers, or do you wish to tabled it?
Mr TOLLNER: This is a private paper I had handed to me.
The peak occurred in January 2012. Goodness me, who was in government then? It was double the number in February. It was 900 that month …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! If he wants an analysis, table the document.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, it is not a point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: Imagine the Opposition Leader wanting analysis. What a joke! You throw things out there and make it up as you go. You want analysis? Goodness me, wake up to yourself.
The member for Daly asked an important question. What is going on with the reforms? Australia has been reforming its electricity markets for the last 22 years. In 1991 there was a COAG agreement to enter a reform agenda which has been going on around the country since then. The last cab off the rank is the Northern Territory.
It is fundamentally important to our growth in the future. We talk about north Australian development plans and the like. None of it is possible unless we urgently reform our utility sector. We are so far behind the rest of the country it is not funny. But we have all those lessons which have been learnt in other Australian states to guide us in our reform, so we have good information to run off.
The reform process stalled in the Northern Territory. There is a thing called the Ministerial Council on Energy. Not many Territorians would know about it, but these reforms around the country have been driven by that council.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Power and Water – Cost of Splitting
Ms MANISON to CHIEF MINISTER.
Your plans to split up Power and Water for sale involve significant, undisclosed costs. Territorians know you are setting up Power and Water for sale. Here is a petition from about 1200 Territorians who are telling you it is not for sale and there are more signatures to come.
Your department website reveals the new corporations unit, or NewCo, which is in charge of the Power and Water split. Documents posted on the website from this new unit show external advisors and consultants will play a big role, and they do not come cheap. With legislation before the parliament this sittings, it is time to come clean on detailed expenditure for consultants and advisors in relation to the split of Power and Water. What will the entire cost of the split of Power and Water be, including the three new boards, new management, consultants, rebranding and systems? What will this split cost Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this gives me an opportunity to rebut some of those leading questions, just like the Treasurer did a minute a go.
Let us get back to this point about the disconnection for non-payment, which you led with in your first question. We know you throw things on the table and make them up when they are not true …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We are not talking about disconnections. We are asking very direct questions about how much this split of Power and Water will cost Territorians.
Mr GILES: No, you do not want to talk about it anymore, because we have proved you are factually wrong ...
Members interjecting.
Ms Lawrie: Table the document.
Mr GILES: Table the document? You have a lot of important questions. Have you had a briefing? Have you asked the Minister for Essential Services or the shareholding minister, ‘Can you answer these questions, there is something I want to know?’
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We had a briefing yesterday. We specifically asked for costs. We were not given the answer. We are asking you, Chief Minister. While you are there, table the reference to disconnections.
Mr GILES: The last time Labor was in power was August 2012. In that month there were 510 disconnections. In August 2013 there were 457 disconnections. I can pick out month on month ...
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance again. The Chief Minister is talking about disconnections. We have asked a direct question about the cost to Territorians. How much will it cost to split up Power and Water? The government has a budget and knows the figure. What is the cost?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Wanguri. Chief Minister, if you could answer the question as it has been put to you, please.
Mr GILES: I ask the member for Wanguri what the cost of not doing anything is. What is the cost of sitting on our hands? What is the cost of continually providing a subsidy? What is the cost of not ensuring efficiencies? What is the cost of not providing downward pressure on prices?
It is like the cost of housing in the Northern Territory. Labor members carp and whine about the cost of housing. We know it is a challenge in the Northern Territory. You have to look at what you do about the cost of living pressures. Look at the price of housing and land in the Northern Territory. Yesterday, I was …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance again. We are on housing now and we have been on disconnections. There is a document which shows you know the figure of the budget put aside for the split of Power and Water. What is the cost?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Wanguri. Chief Minister, get to the point of the question, please.
Mr GILES: I was at Roystonea Avenue yesterday in the electorate of Blain, announcing $3.1m to do some more roadwork there to open stages three, four and five of Zuccoli. Stages three and four, which will be 1300 blocks of land, will be accelerated so we can get them on the market …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113 says:
- An answer shall be succinct, concise and directly relevant to the question.
I am also interested, as I was at the briefing yesterday, in the answer to the question as it was put.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could turn your mind to answering the question, please.
Mr GILES: I am doing so, Madam Speaker. It is hard to get an answer into three minutes. The downward pressure we are putting on the cost of living by releasing as much land as we can will drive substantial change. It is about us making change in a range of areas. I am interested in seeing …
Ms Lawrie: You just cannot be honest.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Withdraw that comment, Opposition Leader.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw.
Mr GILES: They are always in the gutter, Madam Speaker.
I am interested in seeing the petition. If the petition says, ‘Power and Water not for sale’, I would be happy to sign it, because we are not selling Power and Water. Bring it over. You can have 1001 signatures, member for Wanguri, because as much as you …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. How much will it cost taxpayers to split up Power and Water?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Opposition Leader. Chief Minister, if you could answer the question.
Mr GILES: How much did the consultants cost to bring in a carbon tax which is adding $20m to our power bill every year? How much were those consultants? Member for Wanguri, bring your petition to the Country Liberals and we will sign it, because Power and Water is not for sale.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Alcohol Protection Orders
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Could you please update the Assembly on the number of people now banned from drinking under the government’s new Alcohol Protection Orders? Can you provide any figure highlighting the success to date?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. He has a great deal of interest around alcohol abuse and alcohol consumption and is very opinionated on this. We are very keen to hear concerns in this area on a regular basis.
There are now more than 800 people on Alcohol Protection Orders which ban people from buying, possessing or consuming alcohol and from entering licensed premises. This means we have turned more than 800 people off alcohol. These are people who are charged with committing a crime under the influence of alcohol which attracts a possible sentence of six months or more.
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: I am happy to provide an update for people other than the Labor Party: there are 206 in Darwin and Palmerston; more than 100 in Katherine; 213 are banned in Alice Springs; and there were 152 orders in Tennant Creek and the Barkly area.
We are implementing Alcohol Protection Orders as a suite of measures to deliver on our promise of driving down crime and tackling the scourge of alcohol-fuelled violence across the Northern Territory. These are tools the police welcome and they are already seeing substantial results.
People across the Northern Territory already know the success we are having in driving down property crime - the lowest property crime in the Territory’s history on record. But let me tell you about assaults. Let me give you some early assault figures. Labor will not like to hear this because it shows success. I will speak clearly for those opposite.
In February 2013 there were 631 people charged with assault offences. The number of assaults has been going up, with more police on the street and more active programs designed to target the offender. If you compare February 2013, where 631 people were charged with assault offences, in February 2014, the figure was 496. This is 496 too many serious assaults, but it shows a 22% reduction which, statistically, is almost too good to be true. If the trend continues we will see a significant change in assaults in the Northern Territory.
We have more police on the beat and targeting assaults. Police have been directed to go to the heart of the issue and make sure those perpetrators of assaults, particularly domestic violence, are charged and prosecuted. We are no longer letting them off. We started to see an increase with more policing, and now with the APOs, a complete downward trend - a drop of 22% in the February figures, making a substantial change across the Territory and to people’s lives.
Bullying in the Workplace – Member for Greatorex
Mr VOWLES to CHIEF MINISTER
Last week, on radio, you said the member for Greatorex did not use offensive language towards the member for Namatjira in a recent meeting. I quote:
- Matt Conlan didn’t say that, I never heard him say that.
The member for Namatjira said she told you after the meeting that offensive language was used, and the member for Araluen has spoken out about the abuse, saying she can no longer be part of a cover-up. Can you explain why you said the member for Greatorex did not use offensive language, despite your colleagues telling you differently? Why have you not shown some leadership and taken disciplinary action against the member for Greatorex for his abhorrent, bullying behaviour?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Johnston for the question. Here we go with a race to the gutter. The member for Johnston, a new member of parliament - who does not add a very good contribution to this debate whether in the Chamber or outside - wants to go straight to the gutter. I could try to race him to the bottom but I am not going to. I could talk about Len Kiely and how the Leader of the Opposition stood side by side with him and promoted him to Cabinet. I could talk about Matthew Bonson. I could talk about you, but I will not. I am not reminding people of that. I have nothing to do with it. Chris Burns - I will not do it, but I will think about the question of leadership.
We are probably up to question six. Question one, from our side, was about Gove and what we have done in fighting for the people of Gove and the Nhulunbuy region, one of your electoral areas …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question: why has he not shown leadership and taken disciplinary action against the member for Greatorex for his bullying behaviour?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: In five questions, you have tried to ask something about governing in the Northern Territory and what is occurring. The first one, a leading question about disconnections, was factually wrong. The last one you had a briefing on yesterday and still could not find the answer, and now you have tried to get down to the gutter. We will not get down in the gutter with you guys; we will continue governing. We will continue turning up in Palmerston, announcing $3.1m for Roystonea Avenue to see the release of stages three and four of 1300 blocks of land there.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will he show some leadership in what the member for Greatorex has said against the member for Namatjira?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: They can get through five questions about the future of the Northern Territory and then in one they want to go straight to the gutter. They cannot focus on the future of the Northern Territory. I was up early this morning …
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I seek an answer to the question: will he take disciplinary action against the member for Greatorex?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. The Chief Minister has time to answer the question as he sees fit.
Mr GILES: I was up early this morning, wondering what Question Time would be like. I thought, ‘How many questions before they try to get into the gutter and start yelling abuse across the Chamber?’ That took 30 seconds into the first question and how long before they went down into this area? I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be good to get a question from the member for Casuarina?’ I reflected on the last time a serious question - with relevance, without trying to snipe or cause any trouble - came into this parliament. It was a question from the member for Casuarina when he asked about reform of the port and we had the opportunity of giving a serious answer.
Ms Walker: Show some leadership; get on the front foot and show what you are doing.
Mr GILES: The member for Nhulunbuy likes to interject. There has not been one question about Gove. Thousands of people are due to leave Gove; we had an announcement by Rio Tinto of $500m …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was: what action will you take to discipline the member for Greatorex for his bullying behaviour?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. The question was not relevant to your portfolio or ministerial responsibility, so you do not have to answer any further if you do not wish to.
Mr GILES: I am happy to keep talking, Madam Speaker, because it is important. It is about leadership and standing up to say we are fighting for the people of Nhulunbuy. There was a $500m package announced today, plus an additional $50m, plus the billions we are putting in and there is not one question from the local member.
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: It shows your dedication and commitment to the people of the Northern Territory and the people of your region. There is no …
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, Standing Order 51 states:
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance, which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Opposition members, I warn you all, some of you are on a warning and some of you may be on a warning very soon. Do not yell across the Chamber, you will be asked to leave immediately with no warning. The same goes for government members.
Mr GILES: It is highly disappointing, once again, the opposition is not contributing to policy debate, but muckraking and trying to cause trouble.
Prison – Overcrowding
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
It has been widely known that for over four years the Alice Springs and Darwin prisons have been nearing or at capacity. Can inform the House about the plans you have in place to address this issue and the programs you are working on to reduce recidivism?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question, because as of a short time ago, prisons in the Northern Territory were at 128.9% of their design capacity, which brings them to the very limits of their operational capacity. Members in this place have been aware of the pressure on our prison system for some time. The former government realised there was pressure on our prison system and decided to build the ‘prison Mahal’, the great new edifice in the Holtze area, which we were gifted at a cost to the taxpayer of over $600m. By the time we finish paying it off, it will be $1.8bn worth of expenditure.
Members opposite and the former minister for Corrections would be well aware of the projections done in June 2010. I wish I had a better way to demonstrate it, but I will pass this around later on. There were three lines attached to the projection: a purple line, which was the worst case scenario; a red line, which was the most likely outcome; and a green line, which was the best case scenario. Interposed over the top of those lines, the original projection is a blue dotted line, which shows actual outcomes. I am pleased to report to the House that because of the aggressive and assertive position this government has taken on law and order issues which says the individual is responsible for their actions – we have mandatory alcohol rehabilitation targeted at those who need rehabilitation, not the community as a whole; Alcohol Protection Orders; and a strident approach towards property crime – where original prison projections were around 1700, prison numbers in the Northern Territory as at January this year - and they are tracking along roughly the same way today - are now around 1500. We have 200 fewer people in custody.
If you look at the period of reform the former Treasurer has just boasted about, you can see the blue line. You could set your watch by their projections. The change started happening shortly after the change of government in the Northern Territory.
We are proud of our results in the corrections system. We are proud of what we have done with Sentenced to a Job …
Mr McCarthy: Thank God for new era, John.
Mr ELFERINK: We are proud of what we have achieved. If new era was so good, why did it fail until there was a change of government?
Building Regulation Reforms
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT
You issued a media release in February announcing a discussion paper regarding reform of building regulation in the Northern Territory. Submissions from the industry and the public close on 4 April.
The public, especially rural lot owners - many of them are in my electorate as well as the members for Goyder’s and Daly’s electorates - know little about what is being proposed and how the reforms could affect them. Why has your government not held public meetings or workshops across the Territory to explain to landowners what the proposed changes will mean, or is consultation simply an advertisement in the NT News?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for the question. The differences in consultation on this side, compared to the previous Labor government, are interesting. Many of these are discussion papers and not at the stage where you would put something in concrete. This is a discussion paper. When the information comes back to government, we will look at it and when we are about to put together a formal document for consideration, consultation will occur.
I want to remind you of one thing, member for Nelson; we recently had the Towards a Darwin Regional Land Use Plan by the Planning Commission. There was a great deal of argy-bargy about it being released in mid-December, saying we were trying to release it at a time when people would not provide feedback or they would be away. The Planning Commissioner released it as soon as it was completed and, in that regard, I remind you there were 55 days provided.
The previous government’s 2030 plan was released for public consultation for 28 days - a 2030 plan they hung their hat on to say this was the biggest thing this government had ever done when it came to planning and it was out for consultation for 28 days.
We had 55 days, and when there was some argy-bargy we extended it for another month. I had no problem with that. We wanted to get as much feedback as we could, but there was a great deal of argy-bargy saying this would be the document which was signed off by this government. We are heading towards developing a plan and it is important we listen to as many people as possible.
How we consult with communities is different today compared to the way it was. We have e-mail capacity and Facebook today; there are so many different mediums to be used to consult with people.
A letter or advertisement in the paper is not the end of consultation. But I put it to you that consultation is wide; consultation will continue to be wide across the Northern Territory and the more feedback we get - this is where I welcome feedback - the better the plans we provide for Territorians.
The consultation period has been improved under this government compared to the last government, and the more people who provide feedback – I welcome it and wish them well and hope they provide that feedback to help us govern better.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Chief Minister – Time in Office
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
A year in office, Chief Minister, and you have delivered nothing but pain for your colleagues, not the least the knifing of Terry Mills, which is why Blain is now unrepresented in this parliament. Palmerston residents are suffering under the consequences of your actions. You pretend Tiger Brennan Drive extensions are being delivered by you, when they were agreements nailed by Labor.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question is in breach of Standing Order 112. Imputations, epithets - if you have a censure, bring it on, but do not breach the standing orders in the process.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, sit down.
Ms LAWRIE: Nice attempt to gag. You pretend Palmerston residents are getting a hospital, thanks to you, yet you cannot give an opening date because of project delays by your selection of site. After a catastrophic blackout, you lie about how you will improve the reliability of Power and Water ...
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please withdraw that.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this House from censuring the Chief Minister for lying about the pain his dysfunctional administration has inflicted on Territorians in his first year, including:
increasing Territorians’ power and water bills by thousands of dollars, with more increases to come, while splitting up Power and Water in an effort to fatten it up for sale
ripping $32m out of the pockets of Territorians with increased power and water tariffs
failing to deal with the spiralling cost of living. Under the CLP, Darwin’s cost of living is now the highest in the country
failing to deal with alcohol-related crime, which is up by 12% across the Territory
increasing almost all government charges, including slugging Territorians $5.2m with increased car registration
failing to release new land - the only blocks being developed are those planned and funded under the former Labor government
cutting 130 teachers from our schools and then lying about the numbers, pretending only 35 have been sacked
delaying the Palmerston hospital by choosing an un-serviced site and pretending it will be open in this term
failing the bush with no increased infrastructure, no new projects - unless agreed between previous Labor governments - and job cuts
plans to force children away from their families and communities by scrapping senior education options in the bush
failing Central Australians by refusing to invest in economic stimulation and ignoring businesses which are cutting jobs and closing
failing to secure the future of Nhulunbuy and presiding over the demise of the Territory’s fourth largest town
giving plum jobs and lucrative water deals to your mates
lying about the Labor debt, claiming the projected debt under Labor instead of the actual debt, while you ignore the CLP projected debt of $5.1bn
cutting budgets over Christmas by 10% and then continuing your spending spree, including wasting $100 000 on a private jet so you could attend a photo shoot with Abbott.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, this is the most serious motion an opposition can bring to a House, as it is an attempt to bring down the government. We accept the motion and we anticipate it being debated out today.
I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016