2013-08-20
Gas to Gove
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, your decision to renege on your government’s deal over gas to Gove has placed the town and region in jeopardy. Businesses face closing, and residents will lose their jobs and their homes will be devalued.
I want you to visit and explain why you broke your deal. Dropping the announcement on the Show Day public holiday and refusing to meet with the families whose future you have threatened is appalling behaviour. Here are the voices of 1000 concerned people. When will you go to Gove to meet with the residents?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is important that this issue is raised. It is interesting to see the member for Nhulunbuy finally ask a question about gas and start raising the issues about certainty for the future of Gove. Over the last five years you did not say one word in this Chamber. Labor was in government for eleven-and-a-half years and did not come up with a solution. Only the Country Liberals have come to the table and tried to provide a solution for the residents of Gove you might recall, member for Nhulunbuy. To start voicing your concerns now, when you had nothing to say in the last five years - you need to be responsible in this regard.
Let me go to some facts. When this was raised with the County Liberals government we took it seriously because we have concerns about the residents of Gove and want to ensure we have strong regional support for economic development. The Rio Tinto or Pacific Aluminium refinery at Gove and the bauxite operation is an important economic driver in the Northern Territory. It is very important to the people of Gove and the surrounding region. Are we committed, as a Cabinet, to investigate the release of 300 PJ of gas subject to due diligence and a range of other conditions applied to the agreement?
Conversations were had. Correspondence was had with the CEO of Rio Tinto backward and forward. We made it very clear at the time it had to go through a due diligence process and we employed several experts to look at that. They came back with a report - and the executive summary has been made public - which identified the reduction in gas supply from 2026 to 2034 would expose the Northern Territory to the tune of $400m per year. That is $400m per year put onto power prices in the northern suburbs. Power prices across the Northern Territory would have increased as a result of that $400m exposure ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. My question was very specific: when will the Chief Minister be coming to Gove?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, we knew that $400m exposure would drive power prices up across the Northern Territory and would not have provided energy security.
We have been working diligently with Pacific Aluminium, ENI, and other gas companies, pipeline operators, the department of Resources in Canberra, and Gary Gray, the federal minister, with Ian Macfarlane, the shadow minister, in meetings throughout the Northern Territory, interstate and overseas trying to solve these issues. We reached the point where we knew it would be challenging for us to continue with 300 PJ of gas ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister’s time has almost expired. Will you go to Nhulunbuy and listen to the residents?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, sit down. Chief Minister, continue.
Mr GILES: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will not get to the end of this answer, unfortunately, but the Northern Territory government remains committed to the people of Gove and trying to find solutions to ensure there is energy security to Rio Tinto.
Government Achievements and Vision
Mrs PRICE to CHIEF MINISTER
It has been almost 12 months since the election of the Country Liberal government after 11 years of Labor. Despite the fiscal mess left by the now Opposition Leader, can you outline some of the achievements of the government and your vision for the future of the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for her question. She is a passionate advocate for the electorate of Stuart and the broader Northern Territory, a firm voice for Indigenous Australia, and is not afraid to stand up and say it the way it is, just like the rest of the Country Liberals team.
We have had nearly 12 months of working through the mess left to us by the former Labor government: a billion dollar budget deficit, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of unfunded projects, programs and staff - they completely under-reported the expectations of the budget to us - and a $5.5bn projected debt. It is interesting to look at that. Someone divide $5.5bn by the Territory population to see the level of debt we have per capita in the Northern Territory.
Labor created a debt milestone around the necks of Territorians and it is now up to the Country Liberals …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We do not have that debt; $1.6bn was left as part of the $3.2bn …
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down. There is no point of order!
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, we have …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Stop the clock, please. Honourable members as I have instructed in the past, if you have a point of order you must reference the standing order. I will not tolerate frivolous points of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, when we look at that $5.5bn debt legacy left to us, as a government, and to our children of the future, we had to respond to the fiscal mess, the crisis left by Labor. We had to do some heavy lifting. Despite the challenges, we are proud of what we have achieved so far. Some of our achievements are: we have rebuilt our relationship with Asia; we have delivered local government reform thanks to the Minister for Local Government; we are pulling apart those broad shires that took away local voices, putting in place a local authority, building regional councils with a view to putting in place regional authorities; we are giving people back their voices. We have focused on regional development.
The Minister for Tourism is boosting tourism across the board, putting great confidence in the tourism sector and supporting local economic development.
We have launched a comprehensive policing, justice and corrections strategy, the Pillars of Justice, thanks to the Minister for Corrections and Attorney-General. The Pillars of Justice we have put in place have solutions to get people out of the justice system, reduce recidivism and get away from the scourge of Indigenous incarceration in the Northern Territory, a blight on the landscape of how we govern. It is disgraceful.
The Minister for Housing has put in place initiatives to address land release and housing affordability, trying to reduce the cost of living pressures left to us by Labor on top of the $5.5bn debt legacy we have.
The Minister for Health has started significant reforms and is looking at investment in our health system.
The Treasurer and shareholding minister of Power and Water is putting structural reform into Power and Water to ensure our power charges will not increase exponentially into the future, bringing about a competitive environment and regulative change.
Madam Speaker, the list will continue. However, the 12 months have been fruitful. We have delivered on a number of new initiatives and reformed the way we are driving our economy. The future is bright. It is a fantastic opportunity; the only thing around our neck is Labor’s $5.5bn debt legacy.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Territory’s Future
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Any Territorian will tell you the last 12 months have been the most appalling in the Territory since self-government. Unemployment has risen every month this year to the highest level in seven years. Retail trade has plummeted. Housing approvals have fallen through the floor to record lows. Inflation is the highest in the nation and wages growth the lowest. Business confidence has collapsed, and if you do not believe the statistics, ask any Territorian. You have cost jobs and are causing everyone pain. Your gas to Gove broken deal proves you are closed for business. Even more frightening, you are creating sovereign risk which will deter investment in the Territory …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is Question Time. Is there a question or are we just here for another rant?
Madam SPEAKER: Deputy Chief Minister, there is no point of order. The member has time to ask the question. Continue, Opposition Leader.
Ms LAWRIE: Chief Minister, your gas to Gove broken deal proves you are closed for business and sovereign risk is very real for investment in the Territory now. If Terry Mills does not believe you, why should any Territorian?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what a false statement in the prelude to that question. The preamble was completely wrong. Business confidence is extremely high. The investment future is bright. We have the highest labour participation in the country. If you want a job, come to the Northern Territory. Do not just come here and catch a barra; come here and get a job. That is what it is all about.
There are 19 cranes on the landscape of the CBD. We have more building approvals than ever, more unit construction and more land release: Zuccoli, Katherine East and Kilgarrif. We are rolling out 2700 sites identified for redevelopment for new housing across the Territory. We are solving the cost of living pressures you left us.
It is interesting to talk about statistics; let us talk about CPI projected to be at 3.1%. When you look at that it is important to note the cost of living implications within it, because in that 3.1% CPI, 0.7% is attributable to the carbon tax.
This is an untrustworthy Labor opposition, an untrustworthy Labor Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, in Canberra. They come here with a preamble which is completely false. You cannot trust Labor, you cannot trust Kevin Rudd, and you cannot trust the Opposition Leader. The place to be in all of Australia – our economic growth forecast, our job prospects, our housing developments, our tourism increases, what we are doing with Pillars of Justice and what we are doing to reform local government. Our 12 months has been a busy time. We are rebuilding the Northern Territory.
If you want to talk about trust, there is trust with the Country Liberals. There is no trust in you and no trust in Labor.
Community Safety –
Country Liberals Strategies
Country Liberals Strategies
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Can you advise the House on the progress in delivering the Country Liberals election commitment to improve community safety?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. He is a fantastic local member. I feel a little sorry for the member for Daly, having been verbally abused by the Opposition Leader on his first day in parliament - a completely untrustworthy Opposition Leader who likes to bring this parliament into disrepute.
This government is taking responsible action to deal with the scourge of criminal antisocial behaviour in our community. In the past 12 months we have actively sought out the criminal elements in our society to bring the full force to bear on their unlawful behaviour. We are developing a comprehensive policing, justice, and corrections strategy – the Pillars of Justice - with the Attorney-General and minister for Corrections. It will tackle repeat offending, violence, and substance abuse. We are delivering on our promises to the community we made at the last election.
Our commitment for 120 police, getting police on the beat and acting as a real restraint on criminal activity - comparing 31 July 2013 to 31 August 2012, there are an additional 112 police on the books at the moment. Our Safe Street Audit has commenced with stakeholder consultations completed in July and a report due in October this year. Boot camps - so juveniles know how serious we are about these changes - have already commenced. We are changing behaviours, thanks to the minister for Corrections. Work camps and our Sentenced to a Job program - so criminals give something back to the community and when they have done their time there is something to go back to, not just a revolving door of recidivism - are just some of our approaches.
Alcohol policy reforms, treating the problem not bandaiding over the top …
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: Many people ask me how our mandatory alcohol rehabilitation program compares with the previous government’s alcohol rehabilitation program. It does not, because there was not one under Labor. It was let people have alcohol problems and do nothing about it. We respect the right of the chronic alcoholic to get treatment. We respect the rights of chronic alcoholics, the people who abuse alcohol, who do not have a destiny in life outside alcohol. We give those people the opportunity to have a future, to protect themselves, protect their children, their families and their communities. That is what we are committed to. We are prepared to fight to make a difference in people’s lives.
We have introduced new legislation such as changes to drug testing, one punch laws, serious sex offenders’ legislation, the Criminal Code Act and sentencing amendments. We are investing in better infrastructure like more police stations, upgrading police stations, CCTV cameras and finishing the correctional centre. We have concrete commitments to additional support in call centre staff across the Territory. We have improved call centre wait times. We have reduced the amount of alcohol-induced antisocial behaviour on our streets. Our protective custodies are reducing.
We have been busy in the last 12 months improving community safety on the streets of the Northern Territory and Territorians are thanking us for it.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Cost of Living
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
One year ago you promised to cut the cost of living. Since then our cost of living has increased at the fastest rate in the nation. Your budget books point out that the power and water tariff increase by the CLP spiked up the cost of living. You put the cost of living up right across the Territory in every way you could and, at the same time, wages are growing at the slowest rate in the nation. The cost of living is up and wages are down.
Here is a CLP advertisement from a year ago, and here is a CLP advertisement from this election campaign. You hiked up the cost of living when you promised to reduce it. Why should Territorians trust Tony Abbott when you have already broken your commitment to reduce the cost of living?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a comedy show today with some of the questions being asked. Come in spinner is the right line. This is another untrusting question by Labor, untrusting question by Delia Lawrie, untrusting approach by the Labor government.
Cost of living pressures are a challenge for everybody and we know about that more than anyone else because we have to deal with the problem. That is why we are building more units, releasing more land and having more houses constructed, ensuring we reduce the cost of living pressures. We have answered this question before, but when you have a growing economy the challenges are to keep the balance right. Our land release and dwelling construction activity, new houses being built, is driving down and equalling the balance in cost of living pressures.
The biggest challenge to the cost of living in the Northern Territory is the carbon tax Labor promised never to deliver.
Untrustworthy Labor - 0.7% impact on the CPI through the carbon tax. It does not matter what you get in the Northern Territory you succumb to Labor’s carbon tax. The increase in the price of heavy fuel or diesel for the transportation industry - anything delivered here will increase because of the carbon tax. Groceries, petrol prices, building construction materials, everything goes up with the carbon tax.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Misleading …
Madam SPEAKER: What is the standing order?
Ms LAWRIE: Misleading, whatever the standing order number is. The budget books show the power and water price increases …
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Sit down, Opposition Leader.
Mr GILES: We will go back to the carbon tax promised never to be delivered but, of course, you cannot trust Labor. The mineral resources rent tax is having an impact on our mining operations in the Northern Territory and causing trouble. All these Labor taxes drive up the cost of living.
How many people in the Northern Territory will be affected by Kevin Rudd’s new thought bubble on FBT changes? Twenty nine cars at Somerville Community Services will be affected by the FBT changes by an untrustworthy federal Labor government under Kevin Rudd’s leadership. He is no different to you. You are the lap dog for Kevin Rudd. He is untrustworthy; you are untrustworthy! If you want to ask serious questions about the cost of living, look in your own back yard to see how you governed so poorly and left us with $5.5bn worth of debt in an untrustworthy environment.
Country Liberals Government –
Economic Management
Economic Management
Ms FINOCCHIARO to TREASURER
Can you advise the House why, in just 12 months, the government has established itself as a better economic manager than the previous Labor government, now led by the Opposition Leader?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for her important question which highlights what happened with the previous government. I will give the example of a recent conversation I had with an old mate of mine, Alexander Downer, the former Foreign minister of this country. Alexander said, ‘You are the Treasurer now. How are you finding the job?’ I said, ‘Alexander, I believe we have inherited the worse fiscal mess of any jurisdiction in the country’. He said, ‘That is not possible. Where I come from in South Australia it is absolutely dreadful; they have a $1bn budget deficit.’ I said, ‘Alexander, you pale into insignificance. We have $900m in the Northern Territory and only 250 000 people live here.’ He almost fell over.
The Labor Party in the Northern Territory is a poorly-run branch office of a much bigger organisation which takes its lead from that much bigger organisation. You saw what happened at the last federal budget; Wayne Swan predicted a budget surplus of $1.1bn and it came in at a $19.5bn deficit! We now find even that was an underestimation; it is really a $30bn budget deficit.
You have to wonder how Labor people get themselves into such a mess. Of course they spend, spend, spend. Kevin gave us the stimulus package we needed where he sent out $900 cheques to everyone in Australia - not just everyone in Australia, but people who had been living overseas for years. Kevin even sent $900 cheques to dead people! That is the fiscal strategy of the Labor Party.
We see it in the Northern Territory. The former Treasurer, at the same time, thought, ‘Whoopee doo! We have a wonderful opportunity to start spending money.’ Even when they knew the coffers were bare, they continued to make spending decisions they could not pay for, and we found ourselves coming into government with more than $100m of liabilities every year.
We have done the hard yards and I pay tribute to my colleague, the member for Araluen, who did a fantastic job in the mini-budget in cutting some of that waste. We are driving efficiencies, tightening our belts, and putting the Territory on a firm financial footing.
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, your time has expired.
Power and Water Corporation - Privatisation
Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER
You plan to split up Power and Water for sale, which will mean three things: increased prices, increased blackouts and job cuts. The Treasurer advised that employee numbers had increased by 600 since 2009. They have not; the increase has been 170. The Treasurer told you Power and Water had over 2000 vehicles. That is incorrect, there are 560.
How did the shareholding minister for Power and Water get simple figures wrong? Was he deliberately misleading and trying to talk up privatisation of Power and Water? Will you guarantee you will never privatise any part of Power and Water without a mandate at an election?
ANSWER
The question is completely wrong. There are no plans to sell Power and Water - full stop!
Ms Lawrie: Rule it out!
Mr GILES: I can talk about staffing …
Ms Lawrie: What about for this term?
Mr GILES: It is ruled out. We will not be selling Power and Water ...
Ms Lawrie: For the entire term? No part thereof?
Mr GILES: Staffing numbers in the June 2007 quarter were 715, and in the June 2013 quarter 1059. So from 715 people to 1059 people, work out the numbers.
It is interesting you do not put the question about Power and Water to the shadow minister who made these comments; you want to put it to me.
It is interesting to note for all the huff and puff there has only been one question about gas to Gove. It is the first time the member for Nhulunbuy has raised this.
I want to reflect on some of the answers I was to give in the first question. I am sorry there has not been a second question as I would love to have gone into that. It is important to note that after eleven-and-a-half years the former Labor government did not provide certainty. In fact, early last year the previous Labor government was asked for gas.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: The previous government told Rio Tinto just before the Territory election - trying to cover-off on votes - they could provide only 120 PJ of gas. Pacific Aluminium and Rio Tinto said that was not enough, could they use coal.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Twice I have heard the Leader of the Opposition use the ‘L word’ towards the Chief Minister and I ask she withdraw it.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, I did not hear the word.
Honourable members, I strongly advise you to be decorous in referencing members on the other side. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: They then asked if they could use coal to power the refinery in Gove. The Labor government said no because that would hurt their Green preference deal - a perfect solution.
Throughout all this we have worked diligently. What I have worked on most in this role has been trying to help Gove. Would you believe the opposition has never had a briefing? I wrote to the opposition on 30 July asking if they would like a briefing. ‘I will tell you the whole deal, where everything is up to.’ The fact we only have 13 PJ of gas available this year …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the Chief Minister rule it out unless he has an election mandate?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, on 30 July we wrote the letter and, at the eleventh hour last night, they said, ‘We might get that briefing’. They will have one later today. The interesting thing is the member for Nhulunbuy has never spoken about …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 67: digression. Just answer the question. He is way off on a tangent and being most dishonest.
Mr GILES: In all this time the member for Nhulunbuy has never contacted me about gas to Gove. The only thing the member for Nhulunbuy has contacted me about is $400 000 for a new electorate office …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Ms Walker: You are dishonest, shame on you!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, withdraw that comment.
Ms WALKER: I withdraw, Madam Speaker
Gas Exploration
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for MINES AND ENERGY
I support gas exploration in the Northern Territory, but recently there was an application by MBS Oil for an exploration permit which covers a large part of the Howard East bore fill, which is the source of 10% of Darwin’s water supply and the water supply for many rural residents.
Minister, do you support this application, and do you agree this area should be exempt from exploration?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It might be useful to give a little background. The exploration permit application was lodged by MBS Oil on 11 April 2011, so it has been around for some time. The application was advertised in the NT News on 17 July 2013 and is open for objections and comments for two months, which expires on 16 September.
In answering whether I support this, it is not up to the minister one way or another. There is a process in place which allows for applications of this nature to be determined. The application before the department is for grant of tenure only over that portion of land for which the application applies.
In assessing that application for tenure, the department will take into consideration comments and objections lodged by 16 September. In making a final determination about tenure, they will also look at what areas within that exploration application area need to be excised for one reason or another. The fact that area covers part of the Howard East bore field, and the fact there are rural residential blocks which rely on that water, may well excise parts of that area from the application to begin with. That is even before an application is lodged for any form of exploration to be done; this is an application simply for tenure.
It also raises some issues around whether the department, and the government, continue to deal with these types of applications on a one-on-one basis or whether we need to consider something like a reservation over some areas of sensitive land. The department will be providing me with some advice on general reservation and whether that is appropriate under the circumstances.
I support the development of oil and gas in the Northern Territory, as does this government. This is a key economic driver for the Territory now and well into the future. However, we also recognise the requirement to get the balance right. If sensitive areas need to be protected from certain activities I am willing to look at it.
Local Government Consultations
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Last year, Territorians in the bush voted for the Country Liberals in unprecedented numbers, voicing their dissatisfaction with Labor’s failed super shires. The Country Liberals promised consultation and reform. Can you inform the House on local government community consultations and the results?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. I place on the public record the member for Arafura’s commitment to bringing back local voices, listening to his people and not talking over people. I thank the Chief Minister, as former Minister for Local Government, for bringing the working group together. You and I, you particularly in opposition, did much work visiting Aboriginal people in remote communities, listening to people, and fighting on behalf of Indigenous Territorians. The reforms were put together by this government and, a year on, are a fantastic result to the fact we have gone to remote Aboriginal communities, spoken to them, heard their voices, and asked if they were happy with what we had done and the consultation we have allowed them to have. The Chief Minister says, ‘I hear this’. The member for Arnhem hears this, the member for Stuart hears this, and the member for Katherine hears this.
I thank the department because it was their great work visiting communities with the working group and listening to people, sitting talking to people and making sure their voices are part of a new journey in the Northern Territory, ensuring they have a local voice in their communities - economic drivers the Chief Minister has introduced in the Northern Territory, not just to bring certain groups of people forward through economic opportunities and giving back their voices, but bringing the whole Territory forward.
This is a new journey through a new Country Liberal Party and something you did not do, something you were punished for and why you are sitting across there. People said you did not listen to them and did not respect them.
I heard the Leader of the Opposition say on ABC radio last week, when we announced the reforms, that it was $6.2m wasted. Opposition Leader, do you believe $6.2m was wasted on Indigenous Territorians? That is a shame. It is a disgrace you say these things in public because they can hear you. We have heard the voice of the people. We gave them back a local voice so they can be part of a growing Northern Territory, one that will take every Territorian forward socially and economically. This reform is about giving little people back their voice so they can be part of a new Territory.
Health Services – Scaling Back
Mr VATSKALIS to CHIEF MINISTER
Why did you cancel the children’s ward at Royal Darwin Hospital? Why did you put extra pressure on Royal Darwin Hospital by hijacking the medi-hotel? Why is the emergency department full of drunks you freed from the Banned Drinker Register? We now have two people in a cubicle, as reported in the local newspaper today. Why did you scrap construction of Palmerston hospital? If Tony Abbott wins, our hospitals lose. Will you oppose Tony Abbott scaling back our hospitals and health services as you have?
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, can he repeat the question? I could not hear the end part of it, only the question itself. I could not understand what you said, Kon.
Ms Fyles: Do not be so rude. Why did you cancel the children’s wing?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Casuarina, could you ...
Mr GILES: That is all right, if that is what it was.
Mr VATSKALIS: I am quite happy to repeat it slowly for him to understand, Madam Speaker.
Mr GILES: No, just the last sentence. I could not understand the last sentence.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you want the whole …
ANSWER
No, it is all right, I will answer. They were playing on the fact that for eleven-and-a-half years they did not build a hospital in Palmerston. In fact, when they took government in 2001 they shut down the clinic there. They have tried to put together a 24-hour super clinic on the back of some previous federal Labor government commitment. It cannot even operate 24 hours a day. It is a 24-hour super clinic which does not operate for 24 hours a day. Talk about leading with your chin! You had eleven-and-a-half years, former Health minister, member for Casuarina, to build a hospital at Palmerston. The only thing you managed to build was a sign and a fence.
If you look through our budget you will see there is money set aside for Palmerston hospital. You will note we are not going to the current site. We are doing a new scoping study, working on what has been done in the past to develop a master plan, work with the community through a consultative process to find the next site, the design and construction model, and how we will stage it to ensure we have hospital services which can deliver for people in the greater Darwin area. It will not only be Palmerston, but also the people in your electorate of Goyder, Madam Speaker, the electorates of the members for Nelson and Daly, and the broader area, to provide sustainability for health services into the future. We have a growing population, a growing economy, and there will be more and more demand put on health and hospital services.
I said on radio recently that very soon we will identify our proposed site. Then we will consult with the community to ensure people are happy with it.
You mentioned some misleading statistics and numbers in the preamble to the question. You need a briefing to find out how many people police are picking up with chronic alcohol problems who are being sent to sobering-up shelters, going to gaol or ending up in hospital because they have a chronic health issue.
They are not the numbers you were talking about; they are minimal, member for Casuarina. Your preamble to the question was misleading.
If you want to work out why there is congestion at Royal Darwin Hospital, look to Kevin Rudd. Look at some of his untrustworthy Labor policies, particularly around boat people. You need to see the bed block occurring at Royal Darwin Hospital because of asylum seekers. Start looking at bed block from asylum seekers …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. Why are you not building the children’s wing at Royal Darwin Hospital? Why did you stop the bulldozers at Palmerston community hospital? Why have you thrown back funding for renal care? Why is the medi-hotel empty?
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, Opposition Leader. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: If you want to talk about congestion for inpatients, outpatients and the emergency department, get some statistics about how many asylum seekers are utilising the services of RDH, blocking beds for Territorians.
We know the funding comes from the feds; however, there is a limited number of beds, and ED beds. If asylum seekers go in - I am not targeting asylum seekers – they stop Territorians getting beds.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Economy –
Strengthening and Diversifying
Strengthening and Diversifying
Ms LEE to MINISTER for BUSINESS
Can you advise the House what progress the Country Liberal government has made in relation to the election commitment to diversify and straighten the Territory economy, and why this is important for Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. Clearly she understands why it is important to have a diversified economy in the Northern Territory and how important regional economies are to the Northern Territory. When we came into government 12 months ago we inherited a one-business economy. There is no doubt we all love the INPEX project, a great world-class project, but it is not an economy.
The former government wanted to turn the entire Northern Territory into a national park. That was fundamentally their goal: shut down everything except that one business. People wanted to farm but could not. They were not allowed to access water. They needed a full-blown EIS to prune a tree. Mining companies struggled. All sorts of things happened. They wanted to drive business from the Northern Territory.
We consider it important not to rely on the fortunes of one business. Our view is we need a diverse and growing economy which provides prosperity for all, not just people who live in Darwin or the major urban centres, but people who live in the regions.
For that reason, we have undertaken a big effort to attract business to the Northern Territory. Some of the things the government has done to date have been incredible.
I pay tribute to my colleague, the member for Greatorex, for his work in tourism. Of course, tourism received a boost in the last budget of another $8m or thereabouts, but the results have been staggering. We have seen, since coming to government, the arrival of SilkAir to the Northern Territory, Air Asia is coming back to the Northern Territory, Philippine Airlines is coming to the Northern Territory and, in November this year, we will see Malaysia Airlines operating international flights from Darwin. That is an incredible achievement because over 11 years we did not see that activity in the Northern Territory and that interest from international carriers.
In our agriculture sector, the member for Katherine has done a superb job making water available for farmers, allowing access to some of the - the work he has done on the Ord and the live cattle trade has been incredible. Mining projects: Sherwin Iron, Western Desert Resources - good on the member for Katherine, he has done a fantastic job.
We believe in a diversified economy ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Crime Reduction
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
A year ago you promised to cut crime in the NT by 10% in your first year. You promised to immediately remove drunks from the streets. In the first six weeks of the Banned Drinker Register, 858 problem drinkers were banned. In the first six weeks of your alcohol laws, nine people were sent into rehabilitation; sort of, they kept running away. The Banned Drinker Register cost $2m a year. Your laws are costing $45m this year. When people walk out of your rehabilitation, they are free to buy as much alcohol as they like. Your alcohol policies are such a farce you cannot even work out who the minister is. Do you guarantee the release of crime statistics next week will show crime has decreased by 10% in your first year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there is only one party in this Chamber committed to reducing crime. We have already spoken about the extra 120 police, more resources to the call centre, and localised calls in Katherine and Alice Springs. We have seen recruitment squads go through already. We have a mandatory alcohol treatment program in place. The question is for you when you talk about the number of people on the Banned Drinker Register. How many people did you rehabilitate on the Banned Drinker Register?
Let us get to the heart of the question about crime statistics. When we look at the crime statistics it is very hard to make comparisons with Labor’s crime statistics because Labor failed to release theirs. They chose to hide under the cover of darkness and not make them public. We will be releasing our crime statistics on Friday for the June quarter and will continue to do that in the subsequent quarter. They will then be provided monthly on a public website everybody can see, because we are not hiding or running away from anything, not like Labor. Labor hid their crime statistics.
While the crime statistics do not go to all incidents, alcohol-induced antisocial behaviour has significantly dropped. If you want information, get a briefing. It has significantly dropped. Property crime is down by around 9% across the Territory.
If you want to get to some serious issues around crime in the Northern Territory, Tennant Creek has serious crime problems. Property crime, assaults and alcoholism are all serious, so much so we are opening a Chief Minister’s office there. I will put someone in charge to identify the issues and start developing a plan to address some of the criminal stuff, some of the social stuff, and some of the drunks stuff. It is in a bad way and what is happening there is dear to my heart.
However, for the last eleven-and-a-half years Labor held the seat of Barkly in government and the local member, in opposition, lives in Tennant Creek. If you want to address social issues you need a strong economy to balance social and economic issues to drive solutions for the region. I am disgusted that in Tennant Creek and the Barkly there is no economic driver. We have social issues in Tennant we will address, but until we have economic drivers to balance those issues it will be a long-term problem in Tennant Creek and the Barkly. Shame on the member for Barkly for being a senior Cabinet minister and not having economic drivers! This is a result of your failures in the region. Once again, we will clean up your mess.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Container Deposit Scheme
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT
The previous Labor government’s container deposit scheme had many failings. Can you update the House on what the Country Liberal government has done to overcome Labor’s failures to provide Territorians with a container deposit scheme that works and is beyond legal challenge?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question; however, I cannot answer this question in three minutes. It is a great example of how the former Labor government operated – hopeless.
Ms Lawrie: You dropped the ball.
Mr CHANDLER: We dropped the ball? Listen to the Leader of the Opposition, we dropped the ball! Opposition Leader, you need a big lesson in history. When I was on that side of the Chamber I constantly warned the then government of the failings of this scheme, the flaws in the legislation and the challenges this legislation would face. Were we right? Yes, we were.
Ms Lawrie: You promised the beverage industry you would axe it, did you not?
Mr CHANDLER: That is probably the only thing you have said honestly in this House today, Leader of the Opposition. The beverage industry is a challenge and we are finding that at the moment. However, had this legislation been rolled out effectively in the first place and you had listened, just slightly - I wish you would do it now – to some of the issues, we would not be in the situation we are in.
Ms Lawrie: What are you going to …
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, cease interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: Most Territorians are supportive of the legislation, but it is clunky and was rolled out too soon. Even people who had been working hard on this legislation under your administration said they needed another seven to nine months to get it right but were not given that courtesy by a lazy, untrustworthy Labor government.
Seven to nine months was all they needed to get this right, but no, in the rush to get this out on 2 January what did we find? Within 12 months we were in court because you failed to heed the warnings. You had nearly 12 months in government with this legislation and failed to do anything about it. We came into government …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He has 45 seconds to say what he will do.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, sit down. You are on a warning. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: The Leader of the Opposition is probably embarrassed and that is why she keeps interrupting. When coming to government and realising the situation we acted immediately and started to negotiate with states around the country and did something very rare in politics today, got agreement from every state and territory, including the Commonwealth …
Ms Lawrie: It was under way. We had that process under way.
Mr CHANDLER: Of course you had the process in place. We would not have gone to the courts; it would not have cost Territorians millions of dollars! Yet, we have had to continue to run this legislation. Why? Because of a failed Labor government which rushed things, got it wrong, and failed to listen to Territorians.
Election Promises
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Madam Speaker, he is continuing to rewrite a debacle of his own handling …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 112(2). The question should not contain arguments. She has led with an argument. I ask she withdraw it and get to the point of her question.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Ms LAWRIE: Your government is a debacle; the CLP has been in chaos for a year. You have broken promises and overseen a year of complete failures. You broke your promise on the commitment to cut the cost of living, to cut crime – crime has spiralled under the CLP - not to sack public servants - frontline workers such as teachers and child protection staff have gone, unemployment is up every month this year, you scrapped the Palmerston hospital and knifed your own elected leader. Why are you consistently lying to Territorians …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! As per the script, she needs to withdraw it.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please withdraw that last comment.
Mr ELFERINK: We will now accept the censure motion when she bothers to bring it on.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Motion of Censure
Move 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 a year of failures and lies including: jeopardising the future of Nhulunbuy and the region by reneging on his government’s gas to Gove deal; hurting families and businesses with the cost of living skyrocketing while wage growth drops to the lowest in the nation; violent alcohol-related crime up 17% and alcohol-related domestic violence up 24%; slashing education funding and cutting 130 teachers from our schools; axing the Palmerston community hospital and Royal Darwin Hospital children’s wing; rejecting Commonwealth funding for renal services …
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please pause. Have you …
Ms LAWRIE: I have not finished.
Madam SPEAKER: This is your censure motion?
Ms LAWRIE: Yes.
Madam SPEAKER: Okay.
Ms LAWRIE: … keeping Royal Darwin Hospital bed blocked while the hijacked medi-hotel is all but empty due to failed mandatory rehab; causing business confidence to crash as unemployment increased every month this year; slashing infrastructure spending, costing jobs and economic development; increasing the cost of housing and failing to release new land for housing in the growth zones of Darwin and Palmerston; renaming shires regional councils and claiming it to be your greatest achievement yet; dismantling child protection scrutiny while staff leave and caseloads increase; axing environmental advisory committees and appointing a mate to run the EPA; trying to make it easier to sack more public servants and supporting Tony Abbott’s plan to make further cuts; handing out jobs to mates; handing millions of dollars’ worth of water to their own CLP candidate; and becoming the most secretive, deceptive and dishonest government in the history of the Northern Territory.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a censure motion, the most serious motion that can be bought before a House. We accept the censure motion and look forward to the debate.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016