2014-03-20
Government – Confidence in CLP and Chief Minister
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Madam Speaker, my question is to the current Chief Minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, withdraw that comment.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw the word ‘current’. There are other epithets, but I will not use them.
Your CLP government is in crisis; it is evident with the turmoil last night, when your government voted with the opposition to force you to discipline the member for Greatorex for the abusive language and bullying. Your plea to amend the opposition motion went unanswered by your own, very embarrassingly.
Reports this morning say you are in crisis talks with the members for Arnhem, Arafura and Namatjira, who are putting demands to you that you meet an increase in funding for bush communities and give one of them a seat in Cabinet. If they have no confidence in you, how can Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. In last night’s parliament there was a motion about anti-bullying. The motion put forward by the opposition had a great theme of anti-bullying, especially against women. The suggestion I made was it should be expanded to not just include women, but also men and children. I thought it would be a good way to move forward with the motion. We accepted the motion because we believe in putting the message about anti-bullying out.
We support anti-bullying towards women, but we also support it towards men and children in all areas of our society. As I said last night, there is often robust debate within all meetings on all sides of the Chamber. When Labor was in government, and now in opposition, it also has robust discussions. There are times when, as Chief Minister, you have to pull people aside and have a chat, to discipline or provide guidance, mentoring and support for individual members or collectively to provide change.
When you talk about the Territory, confidence and how things are going, Territorians are confident the plan made by the Country Liberals is the right plan: to develop northern Australia, primary industries and agricultural opportunities; build the Palmerston regional hospital; build $106m worth of roads in bush electorates; develop Mitsui contracts with woodchip development on the Tiwi Islands; build two new Supreme Courts in Alice Springs; have the most land release in the Territory’s history; have mandatory alcohol rehabilitation addressing the issues, needs and concerns of those who chronically abuse alcohol in the Northern Territory; keep people out of our gaols, or working while they are; and drive crime to the lowest levels in the Territory’s history.
If you start asking Territorians about plans, they will tell you they want property crime down and violent assaults down; motor vehicle theft down; jobs for the Territory’s future; and for the Northern Territory and northern Australia to be developed.
They will say there is only one parliament, one team, one party within the Northern Territory which has a plan and is driving direction. Then they ask what the alternative is, I say there are no alternatives because the Labor Party, divided as it is - four all - does not have a single policy. So are Territorians confident? They are confident in us, because we have the plan and are heading in the right direction.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Government – Confidence in CLP and Chief Minister
Government – Confidence in CLP and Chief Minister
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Thank you for your election stump speech, Chief Minister, because you may well be going to an early general election. Can you update the House on the crisis talks you are holding with the members for Namatjira, Arafura and Arnhem? Can you confirm they are asking for a seat in Cabinet to oversight additional spending in the bush, so your government does something to start delivering on the billions of dollars in unfunded election commitments you signed up to in contracts across the bush?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, imagine if we were going to a general election right now. Imagine what people would say. The Country Liberals have plans to build the Palmerston hospital, are building bush roads and are opening up jobs and development in rural and remote areas. What do Labor have? Name one policy …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was quite direct: update the House on the crisis talks you are holding with the three members who are threatening to break away from your government.
Mr GILES: At a general election, people would ask, ‘What policies does Labor have right now?’ You do not have one policy. You used to have the Banned Drinker Register policy of bringing it back, but now you have been corrected because ABC fact checkers have said the BDR policy did not work. It is not having any impact on hospital …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We have been listening and you are not answering the question. Update the House on the crisis talks you are having with three members of the CLP, who sit in this parliament, have your government in crisis and put demands to you, as Chief Minister, to increase bush funding and have a seat in Cabinet.
Mr GILES: I refute the interjection because our government is not in crisis. I am talking to the members for Arnhem, Arafura and Namatjira, but I talk to every member about what they want in their electorates. They know we have policies and we have plans to drive the Territory forward and we will develop the Northern Territory, unlike Labor, which does not have a plan for the Territory’s future.
Fracking in the NT
Mr HIGGINS to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you update the Assembly on this government’s plans to investigate the environmental issues surrounding the use of fracking in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I like the way the member for Daly emphasised the word ‘plans’, because he knows we have plans for the Territory’s future. He knows our plans on wanting to build a pipeline between Alice Springs and Moomba, or Tennant Creek and Mt Isa and the plans to connect us to the national gas grid. He knows what it will do to change the economic nature of the Territory. He knows about the jobs it will develop in rural and remote areas of the Northern Territory and provide a long lasting future. He also knows our plans must not be at the sake of the environment; we must ensure we protect our environment to the utmost. This is why last night, during the adjournment debate, I gave notice of the appointment of Dr Allan Hawke AC to head up an inquiry under the Inquiries Act to look at the issue around hydrologic fracturing, or fracking as it is commonly known.
We have appointed Dr Allan Hawke to undertake the inquiry; it should be done within six months, but we are saying by the end of the year. It will provide an opportunity for a public inquiry where Dr Allan Hawke can take evidence, review scientific information and have a complete analysis of the Northern Territory about our rock formation and the way that any hydraulic fracturing may be undertaken in the future. This will provide certainty to Territorians. We are not taking this lying down; we are making sure we manage our environmental concerns and processes and we will provide a sense of empowerment to any companies wanting to invest in the Northern Territory so they know there is certainty for the future around the gas industry. We must get the balance right. We will not go through an individual ERI process all the time with the process of hydrologic fracturing, we want to ensure we have certainty in the industry.
I table a copy of the terms of reference, so members of the general public have knowledge of those for the inquiry. Dr Allan Hawke, as some would know, has had many roles. I was fortunate enough to work with Dr Hawke back in 2000, I think, when he was the head of a review into ATSIC, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. He was also Chief of Staff for former Labor Prime Minister, Paul Keating. He is the head of the Australian National University and, I think, he was the High Commissioner to New Zealand. He has also undertaken a number of reviews for governments in the past, including something called the Hawke Report into the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. He is a highly accredited person. He does not come cheap, but it is best to get someone who is well-credentialed, has worked on both sides of politics, has a good understanding of the issues and comes with credit in being able to undertake and conduct public inquiries. We look forward to the outcome of the inquiry, as well as taking advice and leadership from the findings and recommendations so we can provide certainty for the Northern Territory in our future endeavours around gas development.
Bullying in the Workplace – Motion Result
Mr VOWLES to CHIEF MINISTER
You have persistently denied the member for Greatorex bullied and harassed the member for Namatjira, but last night you supported a motion to discipline the member for Greatorex for his unacceptable behaviour. Is that not an admission your original denial of the member for Namatjira being abused did not reflect what happened? What does this say about your honesty?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is interesting when you hear these questions. The first answer I gave to the Leader of the Opposition was about our plans. The second answer I gave to the member for Daly was about our plans for the gas industry, fracking and addressing community concerns, but there have been two questions about internal matters, looking at us rather than looking at themselves. Perhaps they could spend some time developing policy for themselves. Let us have a look at bullying, member for Johnston. We all understand bullying. We passed a motion last night that no one supports bullying, especially around women, but we do not support bullying of any form, against anybody, in parliament, the public service or the broader community. I will give some examples of bullying. There is an Independent candidate running for the seat of Blain by the name of Mr Cranitch, who has accused the Leader of the Opposition of bullying him against running as a candidate in Blain.
The accusation of bullying by the AEU official, who is running as a political candidate against the Leader of the Opposition, has gone unanswered. I wonder why the Leader of the Opposition will not respond to the bullying campaign. Yesterday, there was a claim in the NT News from Mr Cranitch, complaining your electoral officer was allegedly cyber bullying him. I have not seen you come into his Chamber and make a response to the claim.
If you want to talk about bad behaviour, bullying, and poor performance, let us have a look at what happened last year in this Chamber. In 2013, Labor members were thrown out of parliament 10 times for bad behaviour. If you start talking about bullying and bad behaviour, you have to ask what is going on.
In 2014 we have had only have nine days of sittings, including today. Already, Labor members have been thrown out of the Chamber three times for bad behaviour. I am pretty sure the Leader of the Opposition was thrown out of parliament for 24 hours, which was the first time in 11 years. When you talk about bad behaviour and bullying, you have to ask why they do not reflect on themselves about it ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Last night, the Chief Minister voted to discipline the member for Greatorex. What form has the discipline taken?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr GILES: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The member for Greatorex has been disciplined. He offered an apology and I have accepted it.
In 2012, on Wednesday, 28 November, the Leader of the Opposition called the Deputy Speaker, the member for Daly, a ‘grub’ while he was chairing a committee. Talk about a reflection on the Chair in this parliament! That is disgraceful behaviour. If you want to have a look at bullying and bad behaviour, have a look at the way you operate, come up with some policies, re-join your divided collective of eight, and see if you can come up with better initiatives and policies for the future of the Territory.
Mining and Oil and Gas Sectors
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
You recently attended the national gas industry outlook and Alice Springs hosted Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar. Can you please update this House on the status of the mining sector and the oil and gas sector?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. When I talk to the member for Daly, which I do regularly about economic development, he understands the mining, oil and gas sectors are important now and will be important for the future.
It gives me great delight to advise the House the Territory has shot up in the global mining attractiveness ranks and is gaining attention as a province of vast potential. The Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies is designed to assess how mineral endowments and public policy factors, such as taxation and regulatory uncertainty, have an effect on exploration investment.
In the 2013-14 survey, the Territory was placed in the top three Australian jurisdictions in all major indices and criteria. In indices and criteria influenced by government factors, such as regulation, policy, and geoscience data, the NT, SA and WA were consistently ahead of all of the eastern states.
The NT topped Australia in the geological database category, which ranks the quality and ease of access of government geoscience. In that category, the NT was ranked ninth in the world, which is fantastic - a testament to the work being done by the Department of Mines and Energy and the support this government is giving the department through regimes such as the CORE activity.
On to the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar, I am pleased to report over 200 delegates attended the event. I was in Alice Springs on Monday and met with some of the delegates. A total of $113.3m was spent on mining exploration in the NT last year, which is a huge figure given the global downturn in mining activity across the world, which is affecting Australia and the Northern Territory.
In our petroleum sector, a total of $280m was spent on onshore and offshore exploration. This highlights the power and potential of our oil and gas sector. Whilst we have confirmed major discoveries onshore and offshore, it is exciting to see more can be uncovered.
Speaking two weeks ago at the Gas Outlook conference, I confirmed to oil and gas companies the Territory is not looking at a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. This is a strong statement to industry, to tell them there will be no moratorium on a practice which has been occurring in the Northern Territory for over 30 years without environmental incident. I want that to be recorded on the Parliamentary Record. That said, I support the independent inquiry into fracking in the Northern Territory and think it will provide much certainty to industry.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Bullying in the Workplace – Discipline of Member for Greatorex
Mr VOWLES to CHIEF MINISTER
The member for Drysdale is missing this fortnight’s sittings as she is in the Maldives on her honeymoon. The seat of Blain is unrepresented and the members for Arnhem, Arafura, Namatjira are no longer supporting you. This means you currently have only 11 votes in this parliament. I guess you are relieved the Speaker has the casting vote. Is this why you are not disciplining the member for Greatorex? An apology is not disciplining. What actions will you now take to discipline the member for Greatorex?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Member for Johnston, Standing Order 109(2) states:
- Questions may be put to a Minister relating to public affairs, to proceedings pending in the Assembly, or to any matter of administration for which they are responsible.
You are asking questions in regard to party matters and your question is out of order.
Ms LAWRIE: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. We are following up from a motion passed last night in this Assembly, calling on the Chief Minister to discipline the member for Greatorex. We are asking what actions have been taken - a motion of the parliament was passed.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, I have made a ruling, there is no point of order.
Remote Housing Tenders for Maintenance
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HOUSING
Your department has announced the successful tenderers for tenancy and repairs and maintenance for remote housing. During the tendering process, your department gave the West Arnhem Regional Council the indicative price of $85 222 for repairs and maintenance for houses as Warruwi and also Minjilang, compared to the council’s quote of $288 000 for each community.
How could any council expect to pay for a tradesman, a local trainee, vehicle, house, computer, tools, time for assessment reporting, ordering and storage for $82 000?
The West Arnhem Regional Council, which was unsuccessful, says 15 of the current staff – many of whom are Indigenous - will lose their jobs and training will finish. Did your department take into account the social impact - the loss of local jobs - caused by the loss of these contracts to local councils, or was it based on the lowest price and a cost cutting exercise?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. You read through some of those early figures very quickly so I did not pick them up. However, let us go to the second part of the question with regard to local jobs.
There is a misnomer somehow we have stripped the bush of local jobs. This is not the case. There is also a misnomer we have not embarked on any consultation. There was substantial consultation in the bush with regard to remote contracts. I can run you through some of the consultations which took place.
Extensive consultation occurred with regional councils, regional staff and community members on current delivery of remote property and tenancy management. A remote housing working group was set up with the Chief Executive Officers of regional councils, and departmental staff, to review the current contracts and assist in the design of the new contracts. The outcomes from this working group were: fixed costs to be paid up front for defined job roles; at least a three-year contact with the ability to extend for two more years; and minimum agreed income level.
Consultation sessions with asset management officers were held in January 2013, some 12 months ago. Information sessions were held at all regional centres in February 2013, showing proposed models of service delivery and consultation feedback from regional Executive Directors regarding proposed models and identification of clusters occurred in March 2013.
There has been widespread consultation across the regions in regard to this model. The shires were made aware of how much money was involved in this - it was a $26m contract over five years. They were asked, ‘Can you amend or work with this contract? You know what the amount of money is, what can you offer and not offer?’ None of the shires came back to the department or engaged in that process.
Let us look at the employment. This is a point you might like to hear, member for Nelson; I am sure you will take some interest in this. The regional councils previously employed 81 local people and the new contracts are expected to employ 129 local, community-based staff.
I am not sure where you went to school, or where your mathematics is, but this is a significant increase in local people on the ground with regards to these remote housing contracts. It is a great policy and we are committed to lifting people out of the welfare trap and getting them into meaningful working environments. Meaningful workplace choices for the people in the bush, let us say it again: 81 people previously employed with the local regional councils and the new model is expected to employ 129 local community based staff. I hope this goes some way to answering the question.
Alcohol – NT Culture
MR GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
The CLP scrapped the Banned Drinker Register and we saw alcohol-related hospital admissions and assaults go up. You defend the Territory’s drinking culture as a core social value; you said critics of the government’s alcohol rehabilitation plan were lefties who should, I quote, ‘Piss off’. The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency’s Priscilla Collins said:
- … that is the most horrible thing to even hear our leader say …
Former Australian of the Year, John Boffa, said:
- … these comments are not only unacceptable and inappropriate but they're also grossly untrue and show a level of ignorance that is not becoming of a Chief Minister.
Who has it right? You or respected Territorians like Priscilla Collins and John Boffa?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I did not hear the last part of the question, but you come back to this statement about alcohol being a core social value. We do not want to penalise or belittle anybody who feels like a drink after work, or does not mind having a beer on a weekend after they have mowed the lawn. We do not want to say those people are criminals in society, we have to defend the freedom of those people to participate in something which is a legal commodity in our society.
Ms Fyles: It is a privilege.
Mr GILES: A privilege? A lot of the biggest critics - I will side step for a minute - of consumption of alcohol drink. Many of the critics we all talk about will sit down and have a beer with me. They are critics in this political environment, I understand this. But, I will not demonise or belittle those people who do not mind having a glass of wine or beer. I recognise there are people in our society who have a chronic alcohol problem and we want to assist them, which is why mandatory alcohol treatment is such a good policy. It is giving people the ability to get off the grog for three months, restore the cognitive ability in their brain and make functional decisions in their life about whether they want to have another drink or not.
We are giving people the opportunity and we think this is a good thing. I might have used colourful language in the back office of a Country Liberal Party meeting, people may not like it and I have said before …
Ms Lawrie: And in front of the media - offensive language.
Mr GILES: Keep bullying me and belittling me from over there, Leader of the Opposition. We are working hard to ensure those people with chronic alcohol problems do not succumb to it for the rest of their life and we are giving them an opportunity. They might get back on alcohol, we know a lot of them will, but we are giving them an opportunity. In regards to hospital admissions, numbers have been going up, because our police are doing a different job now regarding where they take people. Some go to sobering-up shelters, home or protective custody and some who need medical assistance are going to hospital. I said before, the ABC fact checking department have gone through some of these false claims that scrapping the BDR made a difference. It did not make a difference. Hospital admissions were going up before BDR, they went up more during the BDR, and it continued on the same trend.
The change in statistical data has been since the mandatory treatment program and APOs came in, or since our policing approach has been more compassionate to give people an opportunity in their lives. Things are starting to change and people are getting better lifelong outcomes, which is positive and I ask you to join the approach with us and give people a fresh start in life.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Education – Infrastructure in Palmerston
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for EDUCATION
What is being done to ensure one of the Territory’s fastest growing regions has the educational infrastructure it needs, especially for the crucial early years?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. I acknowledge his commitment to early education, which this government has continued to make a priority as we seek to improve educational outcomes.
In 2014, we invested an extra 63 teachers in the early years because we recognise it is where you need to build a solid base to foster learning for later in life. This decision was met with anger and endless rhetoric from those opposite, who refuse to divorce themselves from a failed education system, of which they are the architects. As we continue to invest in the early years, I was proud to announce this morning …
Mr Giles: Nathan Barrett.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes, Nathan Barrett in Blain, who will do a fabulous job. As we continue in early years, this government will invest $1.2m in the expansion of the Rosebery preschool to increase the capacity by 44 places. This expansion will double the existing infrastructure, while also adding new landscaping and play areas. This announcement comes after last year’s commitment to a similar expansion at Durack preschool for another 44 places. In total, this is an additional 88 preschool places in the Territory’s fastest growing region, which will continue to grow. There is 52% of Palmerston residents under 30 and 10% are under five, so preschool is an area high on my agenda as well as this government’s.
We have committed to building the Palmerston child and family centre in Farrar, which will deliver 50 new childcare places. Last week, I announced the NT government will take ownership of the Moulden and Gray childcare centres from the City of Palmerston. This decision will secure affordable and community-minded childcare centres for some of the most disadvantaged areas of our community. We have a great Country Liberals team in Palmerston and I look forward to working with our candidate for the forthcoming Blain by-election to keep the best interests of Palmerston well represented in parliament.
Labor, on the other hand, could not be bothered to find someone who lives in the electorate, let alone Palmerston. They have the man from Moil, who would not know the water park from the water tank. It shows the contempt Labor has for the people of Palmerston. They did not plan for Palmerston while in government and they have no plan for Palmerston now.
Government – Leadership
Ms FYLES to CHIEF MINISTER
You have a record of calling those who disagree with you names. You laughed at clinical emergency department nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital in parliament. You said:
- I don't respond to any comment by Vince Kelly from the Police Association, I think that he plays politics rather than trying to provide a positive outcome to change people's lives in the Territory …
You called the Pedestrian Council’s Harold Scruby a ‘moron’, and we all know what happened to the member for Namatjira when she called you a ‘spoilt brat’ and a ‘little boy’. Are these the traits Territorians expect from a Chief Minister? When will you lead for the Territory and what are your plans?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, I will allow the question.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can go through the plans again. I went through them in question one, but what people want is: someone who stands up and has a fight, who stands up for the Northern Territory and for their electorate. Someone who stands up for issues they are passionate about; alcohol mandatory treatment in the face of so much national and international criticism. Someone who stands up and says, ‘We will put those victims of alcohol abuse first’ and who stands up to the victims of property crime in the Northern Territory and says, ‘We want change’. Someone who stands up to the gas and environmental industries and says, ‘We will have a fracking inquiry to prove the success or otherwise of this industry, to make sure there is sustainability into the future’. Someone who is not afraid to say, ‘We support the rights of someone who wants to have a beer after work’.
We will not demonise and belittle them, but we will help the people who have a chronic problem. People want someone who is prepared to stand up in the face of all these Indigenous housing contracts in the bush and say ‘Sure, the shires may have lost the contracts, yes, there were people in those jobs on those contracts who have lost their jobs, it is unfortunate’. There is a new contract now and more people are now getting jobs. The response times in fixing repairs and maintenance in the bush has more than halved in times to get there. The cost of doing it has improved, so there is now more money to do repairs and maintenance. We will stand up and fight for it, but if you want to talk about bad language, as I have said, we will not race to the gutter in this debate.
The member for Johnston wants to - you are all having your little shots today, so let me put this one on the record. Through all the time we have had this debate about Gove, the questions which occasionally come from the member for Nhulunbuy - I know this will fire her up, but I will be frank. There are colleagues on my side who have witnessed this. When I am answering questions from the member for Nhulunbuy, trying to do the right thing by her, I have watched her, under her breath - without saying it in the microphone - tell me to eff off, or to get effed …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, House of Representatives Practice, offensive or disorderly words:
- A Member is not allowed to use unparliamentary words by the device of putting them in somebody else’s mouth, or in the course of a quotation.
Chief Minister, if you could please withdraw and refrain from using that kind of expression in your statement.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, I withdraw. I was going to give that example in my first answer and I thought not to as I do not want to race to the bottom. I thought the second answer or the third answer. We are probably on the fourth or fifth question now.
This has occurred on a regular basis in this Chamber. I have consulted with many of my colleagues about Gove and how we respond and provide the assistance. Our conversation is, ‘Can you believe the member for Nhulunbuy does not participate in solutions?’ They have come to me and said, ‘What about what she says under her breath?’ I do not talk about it, because it is not about this; this is about helping the people of Gove and the Nhulunbuy region. You want to play this bullying tactic, it is important …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. The Chief Minister has still not answered the question from the member for Nightcliff. Instead, he prefers to attack a person in this Chamber. Could he step up for a change and answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down, it is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: I am prepared to answer any question on policy and provide leadership and direction, but you need to have a look at your side and see some examples of what happens there.
I reflect on the performance of the member for Barkly to the Minister for Community Services a couple of weeks ago in the Chamber. The outrage and the insult, with the venomous language which came across, I thought was appalling and you need to have a look at yourselves.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Banned Drinker Register – ABC Program Determination
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for ALCOHOL REHABILITATION
As the Chief Minister has already alluded to, yesterday the ABC Fact Check team confirmed the Banned Drinker Register had no effect on the long-term trend of increases in alcohol-related presentations to Territory hospitals. Can you please outline for the House how the ABC has determined when it comes to telling the truth, Labor cannot be trusted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. Unlike the former Labor government, now opposition, we are looking at real strategies to address the serious alcohol problem across the Northern Territory. By a matter of coincidence, not instigated by us in any way, the ABC Fact Check team did their own independent analysis of the figures we gave them a few weeks ago, that we made public, pertaining to all alcohol-related presentations to our emergency departments across the Northern Territory.
We have provided the people of the Northern Territory 10 years of data; it is publicly available. The ABC Fact Check team has picked up on this. These figures are quite unique across Australia. I am told by the Department of Health that nowhere in Australia can you obtain the level of data we have provided to the public in this respect. They picked up on this and found that the Banned Drinker Register had made no impact on reducing alcohol-related presentations to our emergency departments across the Northern Territory. This is what they said, and I quote from the ABC Fact Check investigation:
- … alcohol-related emergency department admissions in Northern Territory hospitals … did not decrease while the register was in place and the upward spike began before it was removed.
There was no impact when the Banned Drinker Register was implemented and no impact when it was dropped because it was a failure. It was a register of drunks, people who had an alcohol problem. It did not stop people from accessing alcohol. I further quote from the ABC Fact Check investigation:
- There is no obvious reduction in admissions following the introduction of the banned drinker register.
A similar report from Jason Ferris from the Institute for Social Science Research at the University of Queensland, who was also consulted by the ABC, said:
- … the introduction of the register "doesn't appear to have had an observable early effect on the admission data". While it was in place, the trend turned significantly upwards …
We, on this side of the Chamber, rest our case. The Banned Drinker Register had no effect on hospital emergency department admissions related to alcohol. It was a failure, it was a flop. Let us cease talking about this failed Banned Drinker Register.
Government – Shane Stone’s Comments regarding CLP
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The CLP elder statesman, Shane Stone, recently described your government as dysfunctional and wasting time with bickering members of parliament. Instead of learning lessons from Mr Stone and taking the advice on board, your deputy described him as:
- … "sad old man" suffering from "relevance deprivation".
When the CLP statesman, Shane Stone, last spoke out against leader Jodeen Carney, she was dumped and replaced by Terry Mills. How much damage will you do to your party, to your government and to the Territory before your web of lies, the deceit you wove in the bush …
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw those comments, Opposition Leader.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving to censure the Chief Minister for lying and failing to govern in the interest of Territorians - urban, regional and remote - ignoring election commitments and focusing instead on his own benefit.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Before we start the debate, honourable members, I would like to acknowledge and welcome the presence in the gallery of two Year 11 Legal Studies classes from Darwin High School, accompanied by Anita Barrow and Kym Wilson.
On behalf of honourable members, I would also like to extend a special welcome to the rural constituents, Beth Hubble from Bees Creek, Elliott Williams from Bees Creek, and Caelan Ikin from Virginia.
We are now in a censure motion so the students might start to see something for their Legal Studies. Welcome one and all.
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Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): The government will accept this censure motion. This is the second attempt by the opposition to censure the government this week. Let us have the debate.
Madam Speaker, I move that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016