2013-08-27
Education – Staff Cuts
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for EDUCATION
You are cutting $250m over four years from our education system. Teachers calculate that we face losing 180 teachers from our schools in this term of the CLP government. You are cutting back individual time and attention our students get from their teachers. This also means crowded classrooms, limited access to subject specialists, and fewer subject choices for students like those in the gallery. Parents trust teachers, not you.
Earlier this year you implied teachers were lazy. If you want to claim they are wrong, would you please table the exact teacher cuts by school right now and explain how one less teacher is an improved education outcome?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, come in spinner. Let us put some facts on the table. In the first 12 months of the Country Liberals government we spent more money on education than you did in the previous year. In estimates this year we talked about what we were going to do in education. I know you are working hand-in-hand with the unions at the moment, and on Thursday there will be a mock funeral on the steps of Parliament House. We all know this is a political stunt in the lead up to the federal election.
That is exactly what this is, and it is all about Gonski. You want to hand over education in the Northern Territory to Canberra.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Please table the exact teacher cuts by school and explain how one less teacher is an improved education outcome.
Mr CHANDLER: That is not a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker.
The principals already know. They are the people we should be talking to at the moment. The Education department has already spoken to the principals of every Territory school and they see what the numbers are. Why do you not acknowledge that we need to strengthen the early years of education? Why are we putting an extra 60 teachers into our primary schools, into the years Transition to Year 3?
This government has a focus. This is not the death of education in the Northern Territory, it is the birth of education because we are challenging convention. No one in this House should be thrilled with the results we have had with education in the Northern Territory, particularly in our remote locations as happened under 11 years of Labor. Shameful results in the Northern Territory! We are trying to come to terms with what your educational outcomes have delivered Territorians.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I am aware of the time; the minister still has not answered the question. Table the details of the number of teacher cuts per school. Why is removing teachers an improved education outcome?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call, if you want to get to your answer.
Mr CHANDLER: Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker. It is not a point of order. Again, the principals have been notified. In fact, last week we spoke to the unions and I spoke with the shadow minister for Education in this very room last week and gave him an indication of the teachers, where they will be and what the numbers are.
At estimates this year I spoke on the record about 66 in nearly 4000 teachers across the Northern Territory; not the 150 or the 180 teachers you and the unions are talking about. In fact, the numbers turn out to be around half of that: approximately 35 teachers across the Northern Territory where we have close to 4000 teachers across the Northern Territory.
This is renewing education. It is about reviewing where we are going into the future in strengthening education and focusing on where it should be, not coming off the back of the terrible results that occurred under a Labor government.
Indigenous Economic Management
Mrs PRICE to CHIEF MINISTER
A prosperous economy is one of the four strategic goals contained in Framing the Future launched last week. Can you advise the House how a prosperous economy benefits Territorians and what your vision is to promote Indigenous economic management?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for her question. I know the member for Stuart is very concerned about economic growth in the Northern Territory and wants to ensure there is strong economic growth, particularly in her electorate of Stuart. It is something the member for Stuart talks to me about on a regular basis.
In order to drive economic growth in the Northern Territory, we have to continue to see greater private sector enterprise participation and we have to attract increasing investment. As I said last week, we are a growing, confident, can-do jurisdiction that wants to pursue investors and tell the rest of the world we are open for business. Our economy must be diverse, innovative, and sustainable.
A few months ago, we established the Corporate and Economic Development Committee, the expert panel consisting of three members to help guide our interests in growing economic investment in the Northern Territory. We have had some very fruitful discussions to date, as we have had in regional areas of the Northern Territory. We want to see a substantial amount of investment in the Northern Territory to grow jobs through a sustainable model into the future.
Part of what we announced last week with our Framing the Future document is about getting the balance right between the economic, social, cultural, and environmental aspects for a good performing Northern Territory into the future. That is what we will continue to do.
I will go to the second half of the question about Indigenous economic development, something we remain keenly focused on. The Minister for Regional Development released a draft Indigenous Economic Development Strategy in June this year. We are working to finalise that document and bring about a consultative approach to Indigenous economic development. We have worked hard in our ministry to identify ways and means to improve economic advancement in remote communities. I recently charged each minister in our Cabinet with responsibility for looking after particular communities and how we will drive economic growth into the future. We will have more to say about this in future.
One good news story I can inform the member for Arafura about is what we are doing to support economic development with a range of different initiatives. I can advise the House and the member for Arafura that from September the Tiwi ferry service will start again to provide greater accessibility for those living on the Tiwi Islands, a fast and comfortable Darwin to Tiwi ferry service starting mid-September to allow Tiwi Islanders to get to and from the islands.
Under the previous model, the Tiwi ferry cost $10 000 subsidy per ticket to get people to and from the Tiwis in the lead-up to the Territory election. Our tickets will now cost $80 per return trip for Tiwi Islanders to come backwards and forwards, supporting economic growth, connectivity, infrastructure development, tourism and business growth.
Congratulations to the member for Arafura for his hard work in lobbying for this outcome. It will be a great day when the ferry starts again.
Education – Staff Cuts
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
You are cutting teachers from Education and have confirmed it. The only debate now is about how many, when and where? Can you confirm that over 50 teachers will be cut from our middle and senior schools from the start of next year, and will there be more in future years?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Fannie Bay. I welcome the question, but it is slightly wrong. There are not more than 50 teachers being …
Ms Lawrie: You just said 66.
Mr CHANDLER: No, Opposition Leader, again you are not listening, as is usual.
For the record, and as I said at the estimates hearings this year, there was to be a change of approximately 66 teachers right across the Northern Territory. The good news is, I can confirm that it is far fewer than that. It is around 35 teachers.
You, and your Labor cronies and union mates are spreading news saying we are going to cut 150 to 180 teachers. It is totally wrong. Last week, one of your union friends was scaremongering again, telling people Nightcliff Middle School is to be closed down. What a load of rot. Wrong!
You are scaremongering in the community talking about a school like Nightcliff Middle School, a great school, saying this Country Liberals government will close it down. That is scaremongering, and it is wrong. In fact, we know …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. He was asked to confirm that over 50 teachers will be cut from our middle and senior schools from the start of next year. He has been asked to table the cuts per school and the numbers of teachers. If you want to clarify it, table the information minister.
Mr Giles: Get a briefing.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: The Chief Minister is right on this point. You can get a briefing at any time, and we can give you a breakdown with the details.
The most important people here are the principals, the managers of our schools. We are negotiating with them. Let us talk about those negotiations for a minute.
Ms Fyles: You just said they were finalised, now you say you are negotiating.
Mr CHANDLER: With an influx of Defence families coming in later this year, many houses in the northern suburbs will be turned off. The keys will be handed over to Defence, and in all likelihood there will be additional families posted to the Northern Territory at Christmas.
What is that going to mean? It means we will have more teachers in some of these schools because as a responsible Education department we want to ensure …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about teachers who will be cut from senior and middle schools next year, and confirmation more will be cut in the years after that.
Mr CHANDLER: The question is changing slightly as we go along here, but let us get back to it. As we get enrolments for schools, usually in Term 3, but more likely in Term 4 in this case, we will have a far better understanding of what the teacher requirements are.
In a school like Nightcliff Middle School, where there is real potential for growth in the northern suburbs, the likelihood is they will end up with more teachers. Let us talk about that for a second.
We have gone back and revisited how we put teachers into our schools each year on a far fairer basis, based on attendance and on the two highest attended weeks of the year for four terms of the year, and you know what the answer is? They do not want the truth.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why, from your own information, are you taking nearly three teachers out of Nightcliff Middle School.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr CHANDLER: Through this new, fairer way of determining how many teachers we will have in our schools, we found we will have more teachers than what was first estimated. Let us see what the numbers show next year.
Economic Management
Mr KURRUPUWU to TREASURER
Can you update the House on the state of the Territory economy, and outline why strong economic management is important?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for his question and pay tribute to him because I know the work he has been doing to strengthen the economy on the Tiwi Islands. He is a remorseless advocate for the people in his electorate and is really driving a great deal of change there, together with senior leaders in his community. Well done, member for Arafura.
This Giles government is very proud of the work we have already done on strengthening and growing the Northern Territory economy.
Recently, CommSec’s State of the States report was released which showed the Northern Territory finished first in three leading indicators: economic growth, dwelling starts, and construction work done; and we were the second strongest jurisdiction on retail trade. The Territory has the fastest economic annual growth rate in the nation, up by 13.5% since the County Liberal Party came into government a year ago, ahead of Western Australia, the next fastest growing economy on 7.9%. Economic activity in the Top End is almost 40% above its normal or decade average level of output. Retail trade was also strong:
- …courtesy of low unemployment …
In terms of annual growth rates, the Northern Territory was miles ahead with construction work done in the 2013 March quarter up 55.7%, compared to a year ago under the Leader of the Opposition’s government. I particularly congratulate the Minister for Housing for all the hard work he has done.
Strong economic management, budget discipline, and good fiscal management are critical to economies in the modern world, which is something we are acutely aware of and in which the previous government failed. In fact, they breached their own Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Act. They absolutely failed. They have left us looking down the barrel of a $5.5bn debt. What a failure!
Then look at their federal counterparts and their economic management. Not so long ago former Treasurer, Wayne Swan, predicted a surplus of $1.1bn in his May budget. What did it come in at? It came in at a deficit of $19.5bn. Since then the figures have been revised to $30bn. That is a failure in economic management. It goes to show why this side of the House is best set to manage the economy.
Education Staff Cuts – Darwin Middle School
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Darwin Middle School has written to you saying they will lose at least five teachers from the start of next year. Not only will teacher numbers be cut, but also subjects and programs such as intensive literacy and numeracy support, student wellbeing programs and the school’s award-winning Good Standing program. The school’s letter says:
- The cuts will severely affect our students’ ability to learn effectively and across a diverse curriculum. We believe the cuts are extremely harsh and we will be asking the government to reconsider their decision.
Other middle schools are receiving similar cuts. Will you listen to Darwin Middle School and other schools and stop your cuts?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I appreciate the question from the spokesperson for Education. If he understood how schools work today, he would understand that it comes down to principals in conjunction with their school councils to determine what they want to deliver in their schools. The Education department will provide resources. From those resources they dictate what will be taught in those schools. That is the way it works. If a school determines to keep a subject, it can do that. It will be up the schools.
Let us talk about this for a minute. This all comes down to school funding. Here is a little lesson. It is something I know about: living within your means. If we do not learn to live …
Ms Lawrie: You know all about that do you?
Mr CHANDLER: Absolutely I do. If we do not learn to live within our means, we are stealing from the futures of the children we are educating today. That is where you guys, the Labor Party, got it so wrong. It is easy to spend the money, but at some stage the money has to be paid back, so this comes down to resources.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was specifically about programs cut from Darwin Middle School and five teachers being cut. The question was: will he listen to the school and other schools and stop the cuts?
Mr CHANDLER: Mr Deputy Speaker, this needs to be articulated in this frame. First, we are talking about funding. It is about what a government can afford to deliver for education. I already said in answer to the first question today, that in the first 12 months of this government we have spent more in education than any previous government has ever spent.
We can have these fights all day about the ideology behind Labor and the way they love to spend money. Then conservative governments have to, time and time again, come in and learn to live within their means to pay off Labor debt. We are left with less money today simply because of the ill-founded spending that happened in the years under Labor. We are left with a situation where we need to learn to live within our means.
If we do not, we are robbing the children we are educating today.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! It is a direct question. Standing Order 113: relevance. Will he answer the question? Will he reverse the cuts?
Mr CHANDLER: I am trying to, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is very light-hearted of the Opposition, the then Labor government, to talk about education in this way. We have already detailed that we have spent more in the first 12 months of this government than any previous government has ever done.
We realise that is unsustainable, but when it comes to the question and what schools can do, it is up to schools to manage their funds. It is up to the students, the teachers and the school councils to determine what curriculum and subjects they will have in their schools. They can do what they want with the resources they have.
Law and Order - CLP Approach
Ms FINOCCHIARO to ATTORNEY-GENERAL and MINISTER for JUSTICE
Can you advise the Assembly how the Country Liberals government differs from the former Labor government in the way it approaches law and order issues, and of the importance of strong law and order policies?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I heard the federal ALP candidate talking about shining a light on crime in the Northern Territory and was intrigued because he did not offer anything other than to shine a light. It is the psycho-babble one expects in an election campaign from a Labor Party that approaches an election campaign as though it was a military conflict. Like every military conflict, it is conducted in a fog and the first casualty is the truth.
The Northern Territory government is committed to driving the criminals, not the whole community, to repair themselves or suffer the consequences. We have had a number of legislative instruments in this House stridently opposed by the members opposite, such as one punch homicide, the Serious Sex Offenders Bill, protection for workers in the workplace, assault merchants going to gaol for the crimes they commit, all of which were resisted passionately by the members opposite.
When it came to the vote, did they have the courage to put their names to their speeches? No, not a chance because they understand the issue of crime is serious and is one this government is addressing.
We have successfully addressed, particularly in the area of property crime, the crime rates that have occurred throughout our communities. We set a target for property crime as well as personal crime …
Ms Lawrie: Violent crime is escalating.
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on the interjection, and am glad you went there because your deputy leader explained very carefully in this House why there was a rise in crimes against the person. He said:
- … I was a Cabinet minister who had to face the reality they were rising in Tennant Creek.
He went on to say:
- … I had to face the fact that in the town I live in and the electorate I represent, crime statistics were increasing.
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, who did not bother to turn up to parliament today said …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s statements are not the government’s policy agenda on justice, which is the point of the question. Could you get on to what you are doing, rather than trying to say what the member for Barkly …
Mr ELFERINK: I will continue to respond despite the Leader of the Opposition’s interjections. He said:
- We had to look at it very closely. I discovered something positive out of that bad statistic. The Tennant Creek police in Barkly had a new focus on domestic violence. They were going out hard to stop the domestic violence …
Absolutely, they were! What is driving up these figures is this government’s commitment to go and root it out. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition went on to say:
- Those bad crime statistics the Chief Minister talked about in Tennant Creek related to that very pointed policing strategy.
This opposition and its federal candidate are dishonest with crime statistics. They have nothing to offer the people of the Territory.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before I give the call to the member for Nelson, can I have the person whose phone keeps ringing remove it please.
Banana Freckle Disease Outbreak
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
Your department announced yesterday there had been an outbreak of banana freckle in the Howard Springs area.
Could you please explain what banana freckle is, what damage it causes to bananas, how it got to Howard Springs, what it will mean to Howard Springs residents who grow bananas in their back yards, what it will mean to the Northern Territory banana industry already hard hit by Panama disease, and what it could mean to the Australian banana industry if it was to spread further south?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his, not question, but questions. There is probably enough in that to warrant the member for Nelson coming for a full briefing, which I am happy to arrange.
I will address the questions as I am able to. Banana freckle is a fungal disease which has recently been detected on Cavendish bananas in the Howard Springs area. Significantly, it is the first report of the disease on Cavendish bananas in Australia. Other banana varieties have been affected before, but not Cavendish.
The disease infects the leaves and fruit of banana plants, potentially impacting vigour and yield, and resulting in downgrading of fruit. While the disease does blemish bananas, there is no health risk to humans should infected fruit be eaten.
The two affected properties have been placed under quarantine in order to prevent further movement of the disease. There are no commercial banana farms affected by the disease, and there is ongoing monitoring to ensure market access for commercial farms can be maintained. A local control centre has been established at Berrimah Farm to manage the incursion.
For your information, the Territory banana industry is forecast to be valued at approximately $5.4m in the 2012-13 year.
This government and the officers of my Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries take biosecurity very seriously. As soon as we became aware of the issues around banana freckle we moved extremely quickly to quarantine the affected properties. We have already met with the Consultative Committee for Emergency Plant Pests, which met on 14 August to consider the incident. Work is progressing between my department and that plant committee to establish a response plan.
It is expected an eradication process will take place, which is made possible by the small area which is affected by this disease. Also, we have set up a Banana Freckle Hotline, which is 8999 2273, so people who do have concerns …
Mr Giles: What is the hotline called?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: It is called the Banana Freckle Hotline. People become concerned about these diseases in bananas; we do not want them affecting our industry. It is incumbent on everyone who might have bananas growing in their areas, particularly the Howard Springs area, to ensure they report any incursions they see.
Education Staff Cuts
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
One of the things parents want most for their child’s education is individual attention from their teacher. Cuts to teachers and support staff can only reduce this. Another factor is teachers having to deal with students with extreme behaviours. According to documents from estimates, you are cutting extreme behaviour grants to schools by around 20%.
Why are you cutting funding for grants to schools to deal with extreme behaviour?
ANSWER
Again, I go back to the way schools are run with the resources provided. If a principal working with their school council wants particular programs run within their schools, they have two options. The first is to fund it out of existing resources they have within the school. The second option is to negotiate with the Education department, as they have done for many years, even when you were the government …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question is about the cuts which have been made to the grants available to schools. The grants that deal with extreme behaviours available to schools have been cut, which makes it much harder for a school to deal with extreme behaviours.
Mr CHANDLER: In a perfect world, and this is where I would like to head into the future, each school would be given one bucket of money. I find it increasingly frustrating within education and with the partnerships we have with the federal government that so many different funding lines exist today all commencing and stopping at different times. It makes it very difficult to provide an ongoing program.
In the future, I would like to see one bucket of money handed to a school and allowing the principals and schools councils autonomy to introduce the programs they may wish.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. This is not musings about what he may like to see in the future. This is about what is happening today. You have cut the challenging behaviour grants bucket to schools by 20%. This is having a consequential cut at the schools. Minister, will you answer the question?
Mr GILES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! This is not a place for a debate on a point of order. You make a point of order, and then you sit down. We will respond to it quite appropriately, but it is not for statements.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I do not see that as a point of order. Minister, please continue your answer.
Mr CHANDLER: Mr Deputy Speaker, the opposition want us to sign up to a Gonski model of education that is going to have us hand over control of our schools to Canberra. They want to provide 1000 extra bureaucrats in Canberra …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was not about Gonski. The question was about the fact the minister has cut the funding for extreme behaviours grants available to schools. Can he explain why he cut this grant funding?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, continue.
Mr CHANDLER: This comes down to the very nub of what the question is. It is about resources and funding and how we can afford, as a government, to provide the best we can, given the fiscal position the previous government left us.
There have been some saving measures made right across the board, not only in Education but in Health, Parks and Wildlife, and many of our departments. There had to be saving measures made. Why? Because of the fiscal position left us by the previous Labor government which overspent and wanted to rob our children for years to come.
They would prefer we signed up to a model of education that provides 1000 more bureaucrats in Canberra, taking more money away from classrooms.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why is he cutting the funding to the extreme behaviour unit?
Mr CHANDLER: I have just told you!
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have 50 seconds to answer the question.
Mr CHANDLER: The nub of it comes down to resources. I can give you this commitment. As the Minister for Education, I will take the fight to my Cabinet colleagues, just as they do in the Cabinet room, to fight for our fair share of the pie when it comes to resources in the Northern Territory. The reality is, and I say it again, we have to, as a community and a government, live within our means. If we do not, we are robbing the children we are educating today; we are robbing their future.
Do we want to go back and talk about how much money this government has spent in education? More than you ever did.
Into the future, we will have additional spending in education. Why? Because we are a growing economy. When more people and families move to the Territory we will need more teachers and more schools - more teachers, more schools from a Country Liberals government.
Mining Sector Developments
Ms LEE to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
Can you inform the House on the exciting developments in the mining sector, and explain why companies are keen to invest in the Territory? What challenges does the federal Labor government pose to investment in the mining sector?
Ms Walker: Ask him why he has not been to Gove.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, order please!
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, for the information of the member for Nhulunbuy, I have been to Gove.
In the media at the moment, we hear much about the end of the mining boom. However, in the Northern Territory there is every indication we are on the cusp of a new boom.
In the Roper region we have seen the opening of the new ilmenite mine earlier this year, which is a world-class mine probably containing the best ilmenite discovered on this planet so far.
Two long-term iron ore mines are scheduled to commence production in the coming months, and the emergence of this new mining province will have tremendous benefits for economic development, employment and infrastructure in the region.
I thank the member for Arnhem for her question because these activities around and beyond the borders of her electorate will mean growth, prosperity and jobs for her people. That is fantastic news.
In the Tanami, trial mining has commenced on ABM Resources Old Pirate deposit, which is likely to proceed to full-scale mining over the next year. That will be the first new mine in the Tanami in the NT for about a decade. In Central Australia, the Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-iron project is subject to a feasibility study and has the potential to include significant downstream processing for a new industry in the Territory. This is great news for Alice Springs and Central Australia.
The McArthur River zinc mine major expansion is currently under way, with increased annual production and an extension of the mine life. Of course, ERA at their Ranger 3 Deeps has advanced exploration on their decline.
Although the mineral exploration industry is enduring tough times globally, there have been exciting recent results which demonstrate the potential of the Territory for new discoveries, and ongoing enthusiasm the industry has for the Territory. This includes the discovery by Teck Australia and Rox Resources in the past few weeks of a high grade zinc mineralisation at the Teena prospect, 10 km west of McArthur River. Potentially, that will be another world-class zinc project in the Northern Territory.
There are mines coming on in the Northern Territory, and it is great to know new mines are starting here. We have already had three new mines start in the Territory in the last 12 months since this government came to power, compared to the last 11 years of Labor, which saw only one new mine opened in the Northern Territory. That is shameful.
McArthur River Mine – Environmental Impact
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
I recently visited McArthur River mine to look at how the revegetation of the re-aligned McArthur River is proceeding. After leaving the mine site I crossed two creeks along the Carpentaria Highway: Barney Creek which was dry, and Surprise Creek which was a surprise because it had a fair amount of water in it when it should be dry.
As Surprise Creek passes close to the tailings dam, could you say whether the water in Surprise Creek is coming from the tailings dam, and is it contaminated? If so, what is being done to stop the release of this water? Is the water from Surprise Creek having any environmental impact on water in the McArthur River?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his very good question. The issues this country has, and has had for a number of years, exist around tailings dams and the ability of tailings dams, given some of the older engineering designs, to contain all the water placed into them. We take this issue seriously in the Northern Territory. The department takes it seriously, but it is a problem not only at McArthur River, but also at other mines across the Northern Territory and also across the country. A positive is that as engineering designs improve, mining companies are better able to deal with the issues that arise from tailings dams. It is very difficult for them to prevent seepage altogether without putting poly lining across the bottom of the tailings dam.
To answer your question, there is water in Surprise Creek. I am advised there is water there from time to time throughout the year, and it is quite possible the water in Surprise Creek has come from cell one of the tailings dam at McArthur River.
The issue was raised by the independent monitor put on by McArthur River Mine in the last few years’ expansions of the mine, and they have noted it. McArthur River Mine is working to deal with the issue. They have raised the cell wall of tailings facility two so it can be better utilised and to mitigate the effects of seepage from cell one.
There is a recovery system around all the seepage ponds we approve in the Northern Territory. The recovery system has recently been damaged by fire which has caused the accumulation of some water in Surprise Creek because repairs have not been effective.
The department is working with McArthur River Mine to deal with this issue. I am not aware if any of the water has been tested to determine whether there is any contaminant in that water, but the department is working very closely with McArthur River Mine to deal with this.
Fringe Benefits Tax – Motor Vehicles
Ms FINOCCHIARO to TREASURER
Last month, without consultation, the Rudd Labor government changed the motor vehicle fringe benefits tax and the knock-on effect means everyone loses.
Can the Treasurer outline to the Assembly what effect these changes are having on the business community, and is he aware of any examples where Kevin Rudd’s policy has resulted in lost jobs?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, the member for Drysdale is correct. Kevin Rudd’s changes to the fringe benefits tax mean everyone loses. Something Kevin Rudd said was aimed at the big end of town to punish the wealthy, we are now finding is impacting more on those people on lower incomes, particularly people who work for charities, the non-government sector, and in the public service across the country, including the Northern Territory.
We know the Northern Territory government is set for an additional $20m bill over the next three years because of these changes. We know those charities and NGOs are looking at other ways to incentivise employment opportunities in their businesses because they are struggling. We already know that Fleet Choice NT, a business run by James Herraman and Cameron McNally, has immediately ceased operations.
I would be surprised if there is a person in this Chamber who does not know one of the Territory’s top businessmen, Kerry Ambrose-Pearce. Kerry owns Kerry Holden on the Stuart Highway in Stuart Park, and has a related business called Salary Packaging NT. He informed me last night that half the employees have lost their jobs. People in Darwin, Brisbane and Adelaide, 15 of them, have lost their jobs because of this. He fully expects, if Kevin Rudd is elected on 7 September, the business will close entirely. That will be 30 people in that business who have lost their jobs.
Fleet Choice, of course, has already closed its doors to business. It is having dreadful impacts, and you have to ask, what is the response by Territory Labor to this disastrous call in the Northern Territory?
Is the member for Barkly lobbying Kevin Rudd to turn this around, or is he in his electorate campaigning for Kevin Rudd? Is he supporting the man who is putting Territory businesses to the wall? How can a man who purports to represent the electorate of Barkly not be here today and be out campaigning for Kevin Rudd on a Northern Territory parliamentary sitting day? That is absolutely shameful.
What have we heard from the CPSU, the mob that is saying it supports public servants and their entitlements? It is the public service which is set to lose most out of this. It is shameful that the CPSU and Territory Labor are not doing more to highlight the problem.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Your time has expired, minister.
Angurugu School - Increased Violence
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
In light of increasing violence in our schools earlier this year, you promised a crackdown. You said:
- The Territory government supports all efforts to make our schools safe environments.
Groote Eylandt, in particular, has seen an alarming spike in violence in schools. Only a fortnight ago, a teacher was assaulted with a slingshot at Angurugu School. Yet, you are cutting teachers at that school from 13.5 to nine. How does ripping out four teachers, a third of all its teachers, help Angurugu School address violence?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I appreciate the question. Angurugu is one school that is not without its challenges. It is something I have taken a particular interest in. I visited there recently with the member for Arnhem, and I will be visiting again very soon.
The reality is there is much that needs to occur in a school that is only boasting attendance rates of around 29%. Across at Bickerton Island we have attendance rates of around 79%. We need to understand why we have schools getting only 29% attendance. We have a pretty good understanding of some of the complexities within that community, but there needs to be community involvement in all of this.
This government is prepared to fund and resource education in the bush, but there has to be a commitment by those communities to want education and to encourage their children to go to school in the first place. Without an education, what will their future be? Angurugu is a school with particular challenges …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was quite specific. How does ripping out four teachers from Angurugu, a third of its teachers, help that school address the violence?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sure you can get to the answer, minister.
Mr CHANDLER: How does having an extra 2000 bureaucrats in Canberra help our teachers and students in the classroom? Because under the Gonski model, this, again, comes down to resourcing for schools in the Northern Territory ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. My question was not about Gonski. The question was very specific about how ripping out four teachers, a third its teachers, helps Angurugu School address violence. I did not mention Gonski.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Mr Deputy Speaker, the problem is we have an opposition that wants us to sign up. Let us talk about that for a minute, because, again, this all comes down to resourcing our schools. If we were to listen …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. How does resourcing our schools and ripping out four teachers help Angurugu school?
Mr CHANDLER: It is all about resourcing. Wake up!
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: When it comes to resourcing our schools, the opposition wants us to sign up to a method of funding which says we are over-spending in our schools today. On average, in the Northern Territory, we spend around $15 700 per student; around this country it is around $9700 per student. We are already punching well above our weight in the Northern Territory.
However, the opposition wants us to sign up to a model that already says we are putting too much into some of our schools, such as Alawa Primary School, $8.3m; Anula Primary School, $10.3m; Darwin High School, $12.8m; and Ludmilla Primary School, $7.4m. Apparently, we are spending too much money in our schools today.
Under Rudd - is he the Prime Minister today? Yes he is. The Gonski model promoted by the Rudd government wants us to cut funding from schools with their methods of funding. They believe we are over-funding Palmerston Senior College by $11.7m. They say we are putting $15.105m more than we should be into Taminmin College.
Mr Deputy Speaker, we are doing all we can with education. As the economy grows, Education will grow into the future of the Northern Territory.
Education Staff Cuts
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Your cuts to Education, schools and teachers are savage. They will set back education outcomes in the Northern Territory for decades. You are cutting $250m from education over the next four years. You are sacking teachers, stripping resources out of schools, and winding back education in the bush. You are refusing funding from Canberra because it suits you politically. You put politics before children.
You have attacked teachers, calling them lazy and treating them with contempt. The axe has been swung at schools from Darwin High School, in my electorate, to Nyirripi in the member for Stuart’s electorate.
We are happy to table the list of teacher numbers by school. Your school cuts are the most damaging thing you could possibly do to the future of the Northern Territory.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Proposed Motion of Censure
Proposed Motion of Censure
Mr GUNNER: Therefore, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! They are moving up to a censure motion, and we will not be accepting this censure motion. I will tell you why. Their Deputy Leader of the Opposition cannot be bothered to turn up to a censure motion. What a disgrace! A former teacher himself and this mob opposite cannot even turn up.
For people listening and for the edification of …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! It is not a debate; it is a point of order …
Mr ELFERINK: … members of this House, this is an attempt to bring down a minister and a government.
Mr GUNNER: Mr Deputy Speaker, I have the call. I am moving a suspension of standing orders. We are happy to debate the suspension of standing orders. I am moving it, and then you get a chance to debate it.
Mr Elferink: We are not accepting the censure motion.
Mr GUNNER: There was a motion to suspend standing orders, and you are welcome to debate the motion to suspend standing orders …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: May I have some order in the Assembly, please. The motion at the moment is that we suspend standing orders, so I put that motion.
The Assembly divided.
Ayes 7 Noes 14
Ms Fyles Ms Anderson
Mr Gunner Mr Chandler
Ms Lawrie Mr Conlan
Ms Manison Mr Elferink
Mr Vatskalis Ms Finocchiaro
Mr Vowles Mr Giles
Ms Walker Mr Higgins
- Mr Kurrupuwu
Ms Lee
Mr Mills
Mrs Price
Mr Tollner
Mr Westra van Holthe
Motion negatived.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016