2013-02-13
ABSENCE OF MEMBER FOR NAMATJIRA
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I advise honourable members the Minister for Indigenous Advancement will be away for part of Question Time this morning. Any questions relating to her portfolio areas are to be directed to me.
Chief Minister’s Decisions – Public Outcry
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The public protest yesterday showed the extent of the outcry against your decisions. You have broken core election promises, stupidly said people should approach drunks and tell them to stop drinking, that seniors are using buses willy-nilly like they are public transport, and that your $2000 Power and Water bill hikes are a superficial issue.
How can you be so completely out of touch with Territorians? Will you admit you have got it wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for her question. The question, if it was really considered on its merits and the context in which it sits, recognises there is a problem that needs to be responded to.
There is a real problem that you are well aware of ...
Ms Lawrie: You!
Mr MILLS: Yes, well, that is how low-level we get.
We need leadership and courage to be able to face these problems properly and honestly, then find a way to make progress in the Northern Territory. By the level of leadership that has been shown by the Opposition Leader, I do not believe anyone in the community will be looking to, and be hopeful it will come from, the Labor Party
The question you ask begs that, given there is a very real debt problem - dismiss it if you wish; however, you cannot - you would then have to assume that how that question is dealt with needs to also be answered by you. If the people who gathered yesterday at the front of the parliament - which is the first time I have seen the great Labor Party have the courage to stand at a public protest - I have never seen the Labor Party front any angry group. You will pay people from Victoria ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Chief Minister, please be seated.
Mr Mills: Oh, now they are upset!
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am not upset. Relevance. The question was clear. Does he admit he was wrong because he is saying Power and Water price hikes are superficial?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: The relevance - good question. You found your relevance now, have you not? You are in opposition. This is wonderful. You can point at all the decisions a real government is taking, criticise them, and gloat when you have angry protesters we had the courage to present ourselves respectfully to and take those concerns on board ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Why do you not govern for Territorians, not just yourselves and your old mates?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. Please be seated. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: The real question for a considered response is if you are in government, acknowledging there is a massive debt problem, what would you do? All those people who were out there yesterday have to consider what Delia would do in real terms. Nothing …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Gas to Gove
Mr STYLES to CHIEF MINISTER
Last night in London the board of Rio Tinto made a decision on the future of Gove and whether it would continue the mining and refinery operation in that town. Could you please update the House as to the outcome of that most important meeting?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson. It is a most important question and one I would have thought would be top of mind for the great Labor Party that wants to keep a ...
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Anyway, to advise those who have a real interest in the future of the Northern Territory and how governments operate, I advise members of this Chamber and Territorians that the Rio Tinto board met last night, Territory time, and was informed at that meeting of the decision made by Cabinet on Monday. They consequently made a decision to keep the refinery in operation.
From here, colleagues and Territorians, a number of steps need to be followed. First, the Commonwealth needs to ensure the underwriting of a gas pipeline, now we have gas, so we can progress these discussions. The second aspect is the finalising of commercial arrangements for gas supply. The third is environmental and land access clearances. Work can now commence on the conversion of the refinery from oil to gas.
I thank the traditional owners because this has been an extraordinary event where there have been so many stakeholders across the Northern Territory, and nationally, who have lined up together on both sides of politics. Martin Ferguson, I commend and thank you. I also thank my Coalition colleagues federally for their support, Ian McFarlane in particular.
I also acknowledge the difficulties faced and endured by the Nhulunbuy community. Klaus Helms, I thank you. Dr Ted Campbell has done an extraordinary job and won the admiration of all those he has negotiated with. Sadly, that respect has not been evidenced by the Opposition Leader.
I acknowledge the work of Mike Burgess and Gary Barnes - they have done an extraordinary job behind the scenes - and the team which has worked with them to assist in getting us to this point; Jason Schoolmeester, who has always been there; and particularly the burden carried by the task force in developing, very thoughtfully, the contingency plans if the decision was made to mothball the refinery. They were very real plans and had to be worked through. We had those plans well advanced, but I always worked on the basis that we needed to make every effort to make gas available so we can keep the refinery going. I am very pleased that decision was made in London last night ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Cost of Living Increases
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
You have ignored thousands of Territorians who have said your broken promise on the cost of living is hurting them. I table this booklet that is a litany of your broken promises ...
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, you need to seek leave to table a document.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table the document.
Leave granted.
Ms LAWRIE: The community’s outrage at your broken promises is unprecedented. People who have lived here for many years are packing up and leaving town because they cannot afford to live under your increases to the cost of living. There is unprecedented hostility towards you. After yesterday’s protest, will you finally listen to Territorians? Will you admit that your cost of living increases are unfair and too harsh? Will you back down and at least listen to them? Will you admit you got it wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is interesting the Opposition Leader is urging me to at least listen as though I am not hearing. I am. With my colleagues, I spent over an hour listening and hearing. When I had the opportunity, when the crowd was a little quieter at the beginning, I was able to speak to my fellow Territorians and hear the story from their point of view. I am open to making sure I hear those concerns.
If there is this huge expectation that Terry listens and hears, it was quite sad when the opportunity was then requested - because I made myself available, as did my colleagues, to hear and to listen - there was no capacity to respond with this great degree of tolerance and expectation that we were listened to. Anyway, that is just an observation I make. There is, in fact …
Mr McCarthy: You scarpered! I saw you float, mate.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, you are on a warning!
Mr MILLS: If you want to go down that path, brave one, who has now found his courage in opposition, members of this government were very busy and had a range of existing obligations. However, I was very proud to stand there with a team yesterday to demonstrate we are a government which has the courage of its convictions and, given the opportunity, will stand to make explanation.
However, the issue is I have been asked whether we will listen. Absolutely! However, I do not think people will be listening too much longer to the Leader of the Opposition when the truth comes out. You can go for five months down this line, but we all know the old stories about the little boy who cried wolf, Henny Penny, and lots of little fables. They carry very strong messages. Those strong messages are: after a while you do not trust people who make accusations and declarations such as you have. There are many Territorians who have had a good education, have good instincts, and can spot something that stinks.
There is much in here that does not stack up. However, what is particularly interesting is that this was crafted in the Opposition Leader’s Office. You had a spin doctor working in that office. I wonder who that spin doctor is and what they are doing now. I wonder if this bears up under any real scrutiny? I notice he did not provide any real effort to mount a defence to the revelation of the extraordinary levels of debt in the Northern Territory. Those real numbers …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Power and Water Tariff Increases - Protests
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
For the benefit of Territorians who may not have heard the interjection of the member for Greatorex, protest people at the rally yesterday have been described as grubs, and that is disgraceful ...
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We are waiting to get to the question. This is Question Time. It is not an opportunity for statements.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down. There is no point of order.
Ms WALKER: Speaking of relevance. On Monday, after four months, you backflipped and agreed to provide gas to Gove. One good backflip deserves another. Territorians are screaming at you to backflip on your $2000 Power and Water price hikes. Will you listen to them and will you admit you got it wrong?
ANSWER
I understand you have an education background. I said before that those who need to be provided with some leadership, if you were going to craft this argument that because we have a debt - even people I had an opportunity to have an exchange with at that crowd yesterday said they acknowledge there is a debt problem. I wonder how that occurred. They acknowledge the problem is not all the cost of power. They acknowledge there has been an over 200% increase in the cost of housing.
Did that happen in the last five months? No, it did not. Why do you guys not take an honest approach, provide real leadership and explain the real situation …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. It was a direct question: will you backflip, listen to Territorians and not hike up their Power and Water bills by $2000?
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, with respect, these interjections are frivolous, mischievous and a misuse of the procedures of parliament to advance weak debating points …
Ms Lawrie: What? Answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: I am in the process of answering the question; however, when I start answering the real question you arc up and find ways of trying to stop the answer, like what happened yesterday. It is in your DNA. Once you start hearing the truth you have an aversion to it and find ways of trying to block that, ‘We do not want anyone to hear this because we just want to make a political point. We do not want to be bothered with the truth’. Once the truth starts coming out you have to start engaging, and that is something you do not want to do ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. The question was about Power and Water price hikes and he is not answering it.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: There were, with respect, a fair few - as we have heard in previous adjudications on such matters - permutations and imputations. There are all sorts of loaded aspects to the question, and you pick out the one you want me to respond to. Well, I am responding to it.
There is a real problem and, if you are going to really respond to this real problem, you need an honest and objective approach. There is not a skerrick of that to be seen on the other side.
I reckon there are a lot of Territorians who have a real sense of what is going on and they, ultimately, know these real problems will require a real government to have the courage of its convictions to work this through. It is not over yet.
Wanguri By-Election Dirt Diary
Mr STYLES to CHIEF MINISTER
The spin doctor, and now Labor candidate for Wanguri, has produced a dirt diary for the Leader of the Opposition, who has distributed them to the good folk of Wanguri as an election stunt. Given your previous comments in the previous answer in relation to that book, can you enlighten ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The allegation is wrong. Nicole Manison did not produce this. You are wrong, so be careful with the question and the answer because this was not produced by Nicole Manison.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, there is no point of order. Member for Sanderson, if you would repeat the question.
Mr STYLES: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Chief Minister, could you enlighten us further on those comments, please?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I prefer to go to the place which is probably of real interest to the families of the Northern Territory who really want to have some sense of what all of this means. This does not provide any nourishing food to help them understand what is going on. Let us go to the back of it. ‘All these promises have been made and they have all been broken’, says the big, bold allegation made by the Opposition Leader.
We are well aware - and the community is too if you tune in and listen - that lying seems to be a part of the Labor DNA. What they may not be aware of, as we have seen federally, is the Leader of the Opposition is proving to be every bit as talented in that department as her federal boss. True to the Labor lying DNA, it seems their spin doctor in Wanguri, who is now traipsing around with this as spin, needs to be held up short with what some of their facts are …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition has already made it very clear, and I concur that the candidate in Wanguri has nothing to do …
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order, Please be seated. Chief Minister.
Mr MILLS: This is a defensive tactic because, once we start biting in, you said, ‘Let us find some way of stopping this because we have an aversion to the truth’.
Anyway, the claim is that I have broken promises. Let me detail just how active my government has been and look at our 100-day action plan since coming to office. I may not have time, unfortunately, to list them all. Here is a checklist: 43 action items; 40 action items completed and three action items in progress. On Day 1 we abolished the Banned Drinker Register. We advertised 120 police positions. On the second day, we appointed a safe streets task force to conduct a detailed analysis of police crime statistics by both location and crime ...
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr MILLS: You do not like truth? Yes, we did that, and their initial discussions are now well under way.
Day 3, we appointed an expert team to conduct an independent review of the Territory’s finances, and they have publicly released their progress report.
We instructed the Under Treasurer to conduct a review of government waste.
On Day 4 the Commissioner for Public Employment ...
Ms Lawrie: By creating a bit of paper.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition Leader, cease interjecting.
Mr MILLS: How offensive is the truth to you?
The Commissioner for Public Employment was asked to review temporary contract positions and move key workers immediately to permanent contracts. Teachers are a very good example of that. On Day 4 we instructed the Chief Executive of the Department of the Chief Minister to review all government spin doctors and a report has been submitted to Cabinet ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Mr MILLS: I am only up to Day 5.
Humpty Doo Fire Station
Mr VATSKALIS to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, you heard directly from Territory firefighters - the ones the member for Greatorex call ‘grubs’ - that your frontline budget cuts were putting the community in danger. You are putting the lives of Territorians at risk. Will you immediately restore the Jaws of Life and reopen the Humpty Doo Fire Station? Will you admit you got it wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there are several aspects to the question. Yes, I was at the meeting and several of my colleagues were able to attend as well. I heard every one of those accounts, particularly of the firies. I made specific reference to the firies. I was going to elaborate in my response; however, such are those who demand that I listen, they refused to hear when I was given the opportunity to respond, which I find curious. Nonetheless ...
Ms Walker: No respect.
Mr MILLS: No, that is quite clear, they have no respect but they expect respect from me. If I dare say anything which even touches on a response, the shutters come up. The behaviour was quite surprising.
Since my time in the parliament, I have not seen a Chief Minister front such a meeting. I did it because they are Territorians and I fully respect their right to make such a protest and to make their point. I was genuinely there to hear what their concerns were. Make no mistake, member for Casuarina, I heard every word of that and, if you were able to hear over the savage interjections as I was endeavouring to respond, I did make a response and there is more to come.
Wanguri Election Stunt
Ms LEE to CHIEF MINISTER
The spin doctor and now Labor candidate for Wanguri has produced a book of lies for the Leader of Opposition ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That is not true, the CLP has been advised Nicole Manison did not produce the booklet. They should withdraw that allegation, it is not true.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated. Member for Arnhem, continue.
Ms LEE: ... which she then distributed to the good folks of Wanguri as an election stunt. Can you comment on page 3 in the Wanguri book of lies?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Again …
Mrs Lambley: Throw her out!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, you are on a warning!
Ms LAWRIE: … that is not true. She did not produce it or distribute it.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. Chief Minister if you could answer the question from the, member for Arnhem.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for a very important question. Just to clarify things, was Nicole Manison, your candidate, in her previous employment a spin doctor? Does she walk around Wanguri with this? You could draw a few conclusions from that. However, I am just going to draw attention to ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Have a crack at this, by all means; I can understand you are sensitive. However, Nicole Manison did not produce it and volunteers distributed it to letterboxes.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, you have made your point. Chief Minister.
Mr MILLS: What the member for Arnhem has asked is about page 3. I turn your attention to page 3 which talks about the employment of mates. That is right, Labor’s spin on page 3 of its Wanguri book of lies:
- The government’s Renewal Management Board has identified hundreds of millions of dollars of mismanagement and waste.
One of our commitments was to find out the level of waste. It has worked hand in hand with Treasury and senior public servants to forge a plan for the Territory’s future. That waste is due principally to the ignorance and arrogance of the Leader of the Opposition.
This government team is comprised of some of Australia’s foremost public finance experts and has dug the Territory out of the debt ditch the Leader of the Opposition and former Treasurer put us in.
I am predicting some interjections now and points of order. Let us look at some of Labor’s consultancies, those masters of spin. The Australian Labor Party’s preferred advisor, Hawker Britton, was paid $300 000 from March 2011 to June 2012 for intergovernmental and ministerial relations - political. It gets worse because, in addition to the $300 000 of taxpayers’ money, their contract provided for accommodation at $300 a night. That is, pro-rata, $2100 a week.
But wait, there is more! Do not send the money now because - can you believe? - the contract specified those consultants did not have to provide written reports unless they were specifically requested. ‘Just send the money, thank you very much’. That is a contract for real mates. Deloitte, by the way, was paid $600 000 …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Your mates are staying at C2 on the Esplanade for how many thousands a week?
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired, Chief Minister.
Nursing Services – Funding Cuts
Mr VATSKALIS to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, you heard directly from nurses that frontline nursing services are being slashed by your funding cuts. Will you immediately restore funding to nursing services? Will you admit you got that wrong as well?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, no.
Child Protection – Current Status
Mrs PRICE to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
The opposition has had much to say publicly about child protection recently, including in the Wanguri book of lies. Can you please clarify for the House the current state of child protection in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for her question ...
Members interjecting.
Ms LAMBLEY: We have certainly hit a soft spot today, haven’t we, Chief Minister? The book of lies written by Nicole Manison, the candidate for Wanguri, has certainly hit a soft spot ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member should withdraw. She has been advised on the Parliamentary Record on several occasions that Nicole did not write this. Withdraw!
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. Minister, I have looked at the booklet. There is no evidence of who has written this booklet so please do not reference people in the parliament who cannot respond.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Certainly, Madam Speaker. The book of lies peddled by the candidate for Wanguri contains mistruths and lack of fact ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You just ruled that there is no reference to who produced this. I ask her to withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mrs LAMBLEY: She has, indeed, been peddling this pamphlet. She has been seen walking around the streets of the electorate of Wanguri holding this pamphlet and spreading the lies and mistruths of the Labor Party.
I will answer the question asked by the member for Stuart. She is concerned about the welfare of children and families throughout the Northern Territory. We, as a government, are committed to continuing to fix 11 years of failures in child protection of the former Labor government ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr Westra van Holthe: This better be a point of order.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, you are on a warning as well! Do not question the Chair’s judgment. Opposition Leader, think carefully, it has to be a point of order.
Ms LAWRIE: Absolutely. It goes to relevance. She is talking about the contents of this book and then goes off on a tangent on her view about ...
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The minister is addressing the question.
Ms LAMBLEY: I also mention the three media releases issued by the Labor Party in recent times, written by Nicole Manison, the candidate for Wanguri, stating the lies and fictitious nonsense coming out of the Labor Party concerning child protection. When you peddle lies you hurt children and families ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! She should withdraw ‘lies’, otherwise make the accusation by way of substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mrs LAMBLEY: The candidate for Wanguri has written these ...
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Most people consider that quality productions are a reference. The only reference we see here is to the Labor Party ...
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated. There is no point of order.
Ms LAMBLEY: This government has increased funding for the Office of Children and Families to conduct the business of child protection by $10m in this mini-budget. The lies peddled by Labor are hurting the good families and children of the Northern Territory. Lies and mistruths, shame on you ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
SMART Court - Evaluation
Mr WOOD to ATTORNEY-GENERAL and MINISTER for JUSTICE
The Northern Territory was the last jurisdiction in Australia to have a SMART Court. There are 2700 similar courts in the United States working successfully. SMART Court alcohol and drug programs are much cheaper and more effective than imprisonment. SMART Courts have shown to have reduced recidivism by 14%. In Western Australia it was shown that 46% of participants did not reoffend, and it is supported by both sides of politics in Australia. In the United States, as stated by the conservative Texas Public Foundation, it is impossible to ignore the mountain of scientific evidence that proves their efficacy.
You have spoken, when in opposition, about the benefits of the SMART Court, and it has only been operating for 18 months. Will your government please not scrap the SMART Court or, at the very least, let it operate for a number of years so an independent evaluation of its effectiveness can be made before any decision is made?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. The SMART Court process relies on a concept essentially described as therapeutic jurisprudence. I am not entirely sure where the member quotes me as having been in support of it because I have been, on a number of occasions, quite critical of the concept of therapeutic jurisprudence, particularly in the way it was cobbled together by the former government.
If you are going to do therapeutic jurisprudence through the SMART Court process, you have to resource it effectively. Whilst I appreciate you have relied on the United States and experiences in Western Australia, the experience of the operation of the SMART Court in the Northern Territory was not producing the same results over the 18 months it ran. It was a considerable drain on the public purse.
I also say to you, member for Nelson, the SMART Court dress-up the former government engaged in was already being done by the courts in another fashion, which was called the Credit Courts. The Credit Courts were a similar principle, but were not underwritten by large amounts of taxpayer money because they were doing it within the capacity of the court system. Nothing prevents the courts, if they wish to pursue doing it within their own capacity - without further draining the public purse - to return to that policy approach if that is what they want to do.
However, the results in the SMART Court thus far in the Northern Territory have not been encouraging. There has been a high incompletion rate and, from memory, the amount of successful candidates who have gotten through the system after 18 months was about 50. I do not have the briefing note in front of me, but it was about that many.
To spend substantial amounts of dollars, and I am talking about millions of dollars, is not a particularly good outcome for the taxpayers who have to underwrite these forms of therapeutic jurisprudence.
If people want to come back to me and this government with a suggestion of how the system works in a cost-effective way, which does not cost an arm and a leg for the taxpayer, then I am all ears. However, until now, I am unsatisfied and this government remains unsatisfied with the results the SMART Courts have produced in the Northern Territory ..
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the Attorney-General to make reference to any formal assessments or evidence to support what he is saying.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. Are you finished?
Mr ELFERINK: I am done, Madam Speaker.
Education Budget
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for EDUCATION
The Labor Party has continued to claim that 10% has been carved out of the Territory’s Education budget for 2012-13. This blatant lie has been used to incite fear among Territory families, and upset …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Daly has called it a lie. It is in the minister’s media release for the mini-budget.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr HIGGINS: This blatant lie has been used to incite fear among Territory families and upset their expectations of achieving quality education outcomes at schools. Can you please provide clarification of this outrageous lie?
Members interjecting.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I note the sensitivity of the members opposite. I presume the shadow Education minister, who is currently waving a media release around - apparently his review of the mini-budget is not to read the mini-budget but to read a media release and, moreover, misread it. Perhaps he would like to go back to school. My daughter is doing Lexile at the moment; she could give you a few tips on how to read.
Having looked at this pamphlet, there is a ‘mistake’ - no, lie - in this pamphlet. Here is a picture of a young man, and ‘our children suffer’, according to this pamphlet. I draw the honourable member’s attention to Budget 2012-13 produced by that government for which the Department of Education, et al, received $831m. However, in the mini-budget, if you look at the line items, it is $843m.
This is very curious because, according to the shadow Education minister, that is a 10% cut. Moreover, the economic illiterate who occupies that chair, who would be the educator of our children, would argue we have taken $85m out of Education.
To achieve that, I would have to shut down several high schools and sack hundreds of teachers. Where are the bodies? Where are the closed high schools? It is an outrageous, incomprehensible lie and you stand condemned for your utter failure …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There are cuts occurring at schools right across the Northern Territory. Talk to the Australian Education Union ...
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Please be seated.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, this is the incomprehensible outrageousness of the members opposite. There is not one skerrick of truth in this assertion, but they peddle it anyhow. They proudly announce, ‘We are shoving it into the letterboxes of the people of Wanguri’. You are lying to those people. That is the problem. This is a lie. I have not taken $85m ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the Attorney-General to withdraw calling the Treasurer a liar.
Madam SPEAKER: He was not calling the Treasurer a liar, member for Fannie Bay. It was a collective against the party.
Mr ELFERINK: I have not taken $84m. They peddle this nonsense in the most outrageous fashion and they should be ashamed and embarrassed ...
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired.
Leanyer Primary School Funding
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER referred to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Yesterday, your Education Minister said claims that Leanyer Primary School has received a funding cut were a lie. I table a copy of the letter from Leanyer Primary School to parents, which I quote from:
- The change in model has come about from significant funding reductions experienced across all schools in the Northern Territory.
Do you condone the Minister for Education calling this information from Leanyer school a lie? Will you immediately cancel your frontline Education cuts and admit that you got it wrong?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fannie Bay, you have to seek leave to table that letter.
Mr GUNNER: I seek leave.
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. It would be most appropriate if the Minister for Education responds to it ...
Ms Lawrie: You are the Chief Minister.
Mr MILLS: Yes, I am the Chief Minister.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was: does the Chief Minister condone the Minister for Education calling the information from Leanyer school a lie? It was a question to the Chief Minister and he should answer it.
Mr MILLS: Yes, I should, should I? Thank you. What I should do is to test any allegation or assertion you make. In order to do that, to provide a proper answer, I refer that to the Minister for Education. I do not trust you.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The allegation it was a lie came from the Education minister in a media release yesterday. Chief Minister, did you miss the media release from your own minister?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, there is no point of order. Minister for Education, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK (Education): Madam Speaker, the people I accuse of lying are the Labor spin doctors who respond to any issue with an untruth. Indeed, the quote is correct. I also point out further down in the same letter:
- The Special Education Teacher will also continue to work with parents in the same manner experienced previously and this will not change. However, in 2013 there will no longer be a provision for individual one to one support within the classroom for our students at Leanyer. This model of support is not sustainable in our school and is not the best model to provide a mainstreamed education which is in the best interests of the child’s long-term education.
Perish the thought that I would make a determination, as the Minister for Education - or that any of my educators would make a determination - which has the best interests of the child’s long-term education at heart …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker. How does the Minister for Education explain:
- The change in the model has come about from significant funding reductions ...
Mr ELFERINK: I was getting to that. The problem we have is they want answers to questions but they will not allow us to answer them. I was getting to this point. The answer to the question is this is done on a formulaic basis. The same amount of money - $5.8m - is being spent; there is no cut. It is done on a formulaic
basis so the right formula ...
Mr Gunner: It is a funding reduction for every school.
Mr ELFERINK: The teacher erred, and I will not punish her, or them, for that. I will explain to this House, and Territorians, the bucket of money is applied where the need is. It is still $5.8m, it was before, and will be applied appropriately ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
East Arm Wharf Incinerator – Storage of Waste
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
On 6 November last year, the government shut down the incinerator at the port. In your media release you said alternative arrangements for the waste were being established. The waste is being stored and arrangements are being made for it to be sealed and sent to South Australia. You also said the Territory receives about one container of biohazard waste from international aircraft and ships every day. This means there should be at least 14 containers somewhere.
Could you say if the waste is being stored in containers; how many containers are there; where are they being stored; has any of the waste been buried and, if so, where; and has any of the waste been shipped to South Australia?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. You were right to read off that media release. It is a very sensitive issue. I explained to the Chamber last sittings the issue around the incinerator at East Arm Wharf. The situation was what I would describe as an unsafe environment as declared by the EPA.
The previous Labor government sought extensions of two years on a number of occasions to try to get another licence for the East Arm incinerator. It was granted that without trying to provide a long-term solution. Upon coming into government we identified …
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr GILES: It is true and I will produce the evidence. On coming into government, we identified that as being a significant issue. I immediately, once I identified the issues around dioxins and so forth, shut the incinerator down.
We sought approval from the federal government to provide an alternative measure. There was a time frame it had to be completed in. We met that time frame. Veolia now has a solution to that, and I am more than happy to provide you a briefing about where the waste is going now.
There is a solution. It is not being stored; it is not being buried. The solution has been provided. I am happy to give you a full detailed briefing on that if you like.
Mr Wood: Can I ask, Madam Speaker, is that public information?
Mr GILES: I am happy to come back into the Chamber tomorrow and make an announcement or put a release out; it is all public information. It has not been announced but the solution has been provided. I am happy to give you that, and I am happy to come back tonight and make an adjournment about all that information for you.
Motor Vehicle Registry - Improvements
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
Can the minister inform the House on the latest service to assist Territorians conduct their business at the Motor Vehicle Registry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his important question …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Are we pre-empting debate on a GBD motion today?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I will seek some advice.
Minister, answer the question. There is no point of order.
Mr GILES: Thanks very much, Madam Speaker. There was never going to be a point of order; this is just delay tactics. They do not like three minutes of copping it in the neck.
The MVR Quick Pay online pay station is a new initiative as part of the ongoing reforms at MVR. It is an exciting initiative.
I thank the MVR staff who showed me around this morning. I met all the staff. They said things are going great and they are really excited about the changes we are making. They said the inertia over the last 11 years of government, where nothing happened, was causing great concern, but now all the exciting things coming are really good.
The MVR Quick Pay online pay station system being launched today at Goyder Road MVR, the busiest MVR, is a system of two iPads where people who do not have access to the Internet can register vehicles and renew licences online. The system is only a small change but an important change in the schematic of things where we are changing the MVR system and a range of things.
I do not want people to have to go to MVR. I want a whole new system where people can do things online and be free to do their own things. They do not have to go to MVR and take War and Peace; they can conduct their business quickly.
Today’s launch of the MVR Quick Pay online system is about two iPads in a station. There will be a host there to show people how to use the system - introduce them to the system and walk them through it - in an effort to not have people line up and wait in the MVR queue. It is a really good initiative, and I thank staff for that.
While I am talking about transport, it is important to reflect on the book of lies. I encourage people to look at page 6 of the book of lies, which I like to call ‘50 shades of lies’; we have to give the book a name. For those who would like to check out page 6 of the Labor spin doctor document, you will see all those rego fees listed are completely incorrect: $159 for four-wheel-drive rego - it is only $105 - large cars $105 - it is only $57. It is 50 shades of lies …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Member for Arnhem – Alleged Misappropriation of Funds
Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER
The member for Arnhem has been accused of covering up allegations of her brother, Preston, misappropriating Jawoyn funds. She is accused of preventing the allegations from being presented to the Jawoyn board. As Chief Minister, do you believe people on boards should try to cover up alleged fraud?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is very nice of you to ask that question because you are so concerned.
If we take the loaded front end of that question and deal with the conclusion you arrive at, of course I do not agree. However, the first two parts of the question are about accusations which have been made.
I do not know if you really know me or not, but, granted, I am Chief Minister and am here in parliament, and answered these types of questions yesterday …
Ms Lawrie: No, you did not answer.
Mr MILLS: Not in a way you wanted me to. When accusations are made about any of my colleagues, people hear rumours, you guys and people around the traps say all types of things; they say things about the Independent member, all types of accusations are made. I do not form judgment until I have verified and have an objective view on that. That is why there is a very important step that needs to occur before this Chief Minister will take that step, that is, respect for a process that verifies the accusation’s veracity before a conclusion can be reached ...
Ms Lawrie: Spoken to Larisa?
Mr MILLS: You are not actually interested, and I do not think there is a genuine – obviously, there is not. Anyway, the issue is these are accusations, and these accusations need to be properly tested. I will wait until the conclusion of an investigation ...
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! For the public record, I do not know the Chief Minister and I do not trust him.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, sit down. That is uncalled for, member for Barkly.
Back to School Payment Scheme
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for EDUCATION
To get back to the truth, will you explain to the House how the doubling of the Back to School Payment Scheme has made a significant difference for parents in getting their children back to school at the start of the New Year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is the keeping of one of the many promises we have kept as the government of the Northern Territory. This is one we are particularly proud of, because we acknowledge there are expenses involved with getting your kids back to school.
The idea the Labor Party ran with, their $75 Back to School voucher - pilfered from us, by the way, in the 2008 election - was something they were not intending at any time to increase ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Not true! It was in our costed election commitments. We were doubling it to $150.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Sit down.
Ms Lawrie: He is lying.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Sit down! Opposition Leader, you are on a warning!
Mr ELFERINK: They had no intention of increasing this into the future, but we did. We went to the election saying we would increase the amount to $150, something we are particularly proud of.
For example, in the unrepresented Wanguri electorate, some 1092 students have already accessed their Back to School payments. Is that not good news for the people of Wanguri? Whilst the Labor Party is happy to abandon Wanguri in this House, we on this side of the House, of course, are not. The Wanguri Primary School has been provided with $58 800 in 2013 for parents to use at school. This amount is up from $29 400 just 12 months ago.
Leanyer Primary School has been provided with $83 100 in 2013 for the use of parents at the school, up from just $41 550 in 2012.
Henbury school has been provided with $12 000 in 2013 for parents to use the school, up from $6000, an increase of 100% - the maths is correct - from 2012.
The Territory students who go to these and other schools are enjoying the benefits of this scheme. It pays for uniforms, books and stationery, and enables parents to ensure their kids get a good kick-start at the beginning of the year ...
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: I hear the squealing and bleating from the members opposite because they think they have some right to all the good ideas in the world. Well, guess what? This was a CLP idea that went way back many years ago. Unfortunately, not only do they produce lies, they also are larcenists ...
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired, minister.
100-Day Plan –
Removing Drunks from Streets
Removing Drunks from Streets
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, you said you had achieved everything in your 100-day plan. On the front page of that plan you said you would, ‘immediately remove all problem drunks from our streets’. How can you, with a straight face, possibly claim to have achieved removing drunks from our streets? Do you seriously expect Territorians to believe you? Will you admit that you got it wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. You have asked this question a couple of times before, poor fellow ...
Mr Gunner: People are still interested in having an answer.
Mr MILLS: Yes, that is right. This is the level of public debate we have, typified by the Labor response. If you are going to …
Mr Gunner: You promised it!
Mr MILLS: Yes, I know. You have already made that assertion. That is fine, I got your point. That is okay.
Just like the cost of living issue, you guys are standing there like Grade 4 debating champions debating against university students in trying to make this point. I will give you a round of applause, good effort. When you say the cost of living, for example, would immediately drop - we just pass money out. We are not the Labor Party, you see ...
Mr Gunner: You said it, not us.
Mr MILLS: Yes, I got your point; you have made a very strong debating point. It is okay. Just relax.
To immediately change the cost of living, just as if you wanted to get your own affairs and you own ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. The question is about merely removing drunks, not about the cost of living. That would be another question.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: I thought I might help you out. Conceptually, it might be a bit hard for you to grasp ...
Mr Gunner: So, drunks are conceptual now, they are not real? They are conceptual.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fannie Bay, allow the Chief Minister to answer the question.
Mr MILLS: Talk about drunks. Okay, I will talk about drunks ...
Mr Conlan: Start with him.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, please stand and withdraw that comment.
Mr CONLAN: Sorry, I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Mr McCarthy: Wauchope Hotel!
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, I note the interjection of the member for Barkly. This is a member who, making sledges across the Chamber, and in response to your big point you just made ...
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did not sledge across the Chamber. I was sledged by this man over here. I will have it on the public record I do not drink alcohol.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, please be seated. It is not a point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: The point you …
Madam SPEAKER: If you could address your comments through the Chair.
Mr MILLS: Thank you. The member for Barkly gives me the opportunity, by way of the comments that were just made, to go back to the previous issue raised by the member for Barkly. There are a number of allegations, assertions, and accusations, that could be made of a number of members in this Chambers …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Including you. However, I would never use this Chamber to advance those accusations ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Sport Vouchers - Update
Ms LEE to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Could you please update the House on the role of the $75 Sport Vouchers and how they are helping some children play sport?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the buoyant lot today. They have a spring in their step after that wonderful Labor Party function held outside the steps of Parliament House under the grand marquee. I guess we can expect a bit more of the fine Labor Party hospitality.
However, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. As we know, the benefits of sport are widespread throughout the community: keeping fit and healthy and a great way to strengthen our community in learning about discipline, focus and mateship ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point or order, Madam Speaker! Then why did they scrap the Arafura Games?
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, there is no point of order.
Mr CONLAN: Madam Speaker, we know about the discipline in sport, the focus and the mateship, and the respect you can learn through participating in sport. That is what our $75 Sport Vouchers are about: providing more children with this very important opportunity by helping parents with the cost associated with these sports.
An example, if we pluck out a particular part of Darwin – Wanguri, for example - there are about 1100 students who attend school in the area of Wanguri. That is 1100 Sport Vouchers that have gone into family households to help with sports participation and costs throughout the area of Wanguri.
On top of that, there are a dozen sports and recreation clubs entrenched in the area, which include, baseball, basketball cricket, various darts clubs, AFL clubs, Aussie Rules, of course, which runs Auskick programs, netball, softball, and baseball. The Wanguri Oval also has junior cricket during the Dry Season ...
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I want to know if it is available for ballet and scouts, as your Chief Minister said before the election?
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated. It is not a point of order.
Mr CONLAN: Good to hear your voice, Ken, for the first time in 2013. It might be the last time, though.
Overall, approximately 45 000 children across the Northern Territory will have the opportunity to benefit from the scheme. The vouchers can be used to fund club or team memberships, including insurance and registration fees, participation in holiday or after school programs from eligible organisations, uniforms and equipment. All students, from preschool to Year 12 will receive the voucher which can be redeemed at registered sporting clubs.
Sport and exercise is an essential part of the Territory way of life. It is an essential part and priority of this government. That is why the $75 Sport Voucher Scheme is so well supported by the community.
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