2011-12-01
Wickham Point Detention Centre – Consultation with Territory Government
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
As we are all aware, the federal government has announced a decision to house over 1500 asylum seekers in the Northern Territory. What the opposition and I would like to know is, when and who did you speak to from the federal Labor government prior to Canberra’s announcement that it was going to house asylum seekers at Wickham Point?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, of course I was advised of the federal government’s plan by the federal Immigration minister some time prior to a decision being made on Wickham Point. The federal Immigration minister has been keeping me up to date ever since then.
Territory Achievements in 2011
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please advise the House on the Northern Territory’s achievements in 2011 and what we can look forward to in 2012?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for her question.
Before I answer, I acknowledge in the gallery, a great Northern Territorian, Ferdy Mauboy, who had a terrible accident at the Casuarina Zone Substation a couple of months ago. It is great to see you here, Ferdy, making a full recovery. Everyone in this parliament wishes you and Sophie well. We also wish Ferdy’s colleague, Kevin Grant, who is still doing it pretty tough in Adelaide, best wishes and a speedy recovery.
2011 has been a very good year for the Northern Territory. We have faced many challenges, and there have been many successes. 2011 was a year of great economic uncertainty and the Territory has come through that relatively unscathed. We have completed two straight years of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at a time of extraordinary economic turmoil throughout the world. The most important thing a government can do during an economic downturn is protect employment and protect jobs. We took the courageous decision in last year’s budget to step into deficit to protect jobs, and protect jobs is what we have done.
In 2011, we have seen historic legislation go through this parliament to improve and protect our environment. Our Cash for Containers legislation comes into play on 3 January next year; our ban the bag legislation has seen single-use plastic bags banned throughout the Northern Territory. These are significant reforms for our environment.
For me, perhaps the most important achievement of 2011 - and I am extraordinarily proud of everyone who has been involved - is the fact we opened the clinical training school at Charles Darwin University. Now, a kid can grow up in Darwin and graduate as a doctor without leaving the Northern Territory. That is an enormous step forward for our Northern Territory community. Congratulations to Barney Glover and everyone at the university and Flinders. I thank the Commonwealth government and my colleague, the Health Minister. This has been a big team effort and a great step forward for the Territory.
A Working Future continues to deliver improved outcomes for Aboriginal people across the Northern Territory, with houses popping up and new health and educational facilities. We have a long way to go, but that policy is being developed. I have said many times that this century is all about north Australia and Darwin as its capital, and that is really moving ahead in the national psyche as well as international recognition.
2012 will see our economy step up. The final investment decision from INPEX will give everyone a really big boost in confidence to invest in our economy and more jobs will be created.
This Territory is going ahead. It has been a good year, it has been a tough year, but you would rather be here than anywhere else in this nation. You would rather be here than most places around the world. The Territory does have a great future, a bright future, and 2012 will be another good year.
Wickham Point Detention Centre – Police Resources
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please describe the impact on Northern Territory Police resources in securing and protecting asylum seekers based at the federal government’s new detention centre at Wickham Point? Can you describe how that will be managed?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, the first thing I will say is that every single dollar that police may expend, and have expended, in responding to events in detention facilities in the Northern Territory is met by the Commonwealth, every single dollar.
With regard to the detention facility referred to by the Leader of the Opposition, the Police Commissioner is negotiating with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship a contingency plan for responding to events at that facility. That work is being done now. I have every confidence in our police to be able to contain any event at those detention facilities. I remind honourable members that the police responsibility is outside the wire, not inside the fence. Any outbreak of unrest inside the fence at that facility is the responsibility of the Commonwealth.
Health – Delivery of Milestones in 2011
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
2011 marks a year of major health milestones which are building stronger health services. Can you please update the House on the delivery of these milestones?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, with great pleasure. Where do I start? Do I start with the medical school, the first medical school, which will deliver 40 new doctors in the Territory by 2014? Every year it will deliver 40 new doctors thanks to the partnership with CDU and Flinders University, and thanks to the assistance of the federal Gillard government.
I will mention the first anniversary of the Palmerston Super Clinic: 18 000 people have been seen by the super clinic, and 28 000 people have been seen by the after-hours clinic. That is 28 000 people who did not turn up at the emergency department increasing the waiting times. I heard the member opposite talking about the waiting times. As I pointed out yesterday, out of 140 000 people turning up at the emergency department, 91 000 could have been seen by a GP. That is why we are supporting a GP super clinic in the northern suburbs; something the CLP has opposed in the past, still opposes and, as they said, will oppose in the future.
I will mention the Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre, where 620 Territorians did not have to leave the Territory to be treated elsewhere; they received treatment here in the Northern Territory. A number of people have been looked after at Barbara James House; they did not have to go overseas or interstate. They stayed in the Territory, and they did not have to pay anything out of their own pockets.
The 10-year contract for the ambulance: the first time we have a long-term contract which provides certainty to St John Ambulance, and also provides leadership and better facilities, and safe emergency care for Territorians.
The e-Health records: now every Territorian, no matter where they live, can have their own electronic record with them, accessible by clinics and doctors wherever they go in the Territory. Fifty thousand Territorians now have e-Health records. It is so good that the federal government wants to copy it to implement nationally.
Should I mention our workforce? There are 2060 positions for nurses. We are not cutting nurse positions, we are increasing them. We provide support, and we now have less overtime than we had last year in RDH. We have safe patient loads and the turnover this year has only been 17%. We have the highest stability rate at 84%.
Yes, we have had many achievements in 2011 for health. Every Territorian knows about it every time they access a clinic, every time they go to hospital and every time they receive medical care from the wonderful staff, doctors and nurses.
Public Housing – Waiting Time and Availability
Mr STYLES to MINISTER for PUBLIC and AFFORDABLE HOUSING
How many people are on the waiting list for public housing? What is the average waiting time for a three-bedroom home? With up to 100 bridging visas per month being issued allowing asylum seekers into the community, how are these people going to find a house?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, for exact numbers on the waiting list I would have to get back to the member. The waiting lists are published on the Internet. They are publicly available to the member for Sanderson, as they are to every citizen in the Northern Territory …
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Dr BURNS: They vary from region to region. In Darwin, for a three-bedroom house it is somewhere around 60 months or five years, and that is way too long. I have laid on the public record previously, that there has been too much housing stock sold over the years. The CLP sold 2000 public houses …
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin! Order! Order! Member for Sanderson!
Dr BURNS: Bring on a debate about it! The member for Sanderson made that assertion based on figures without actually seeing what the footnote to the figures said in regard to industry housing. He misquoted the figures. I am more than happy to have a debate about it but I only have a couple of minutes to answer that question …
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Greatorex! Member for Sanderson!
Dr BURNS: … but I am convinced that you sold nearly 2000 houses in the last 10 years before you lost government. As I have said on the floor previously, that is not a negative thing because many Territorians got equity in their houses; similarly, with the 700 to 800 houses we sold since coming to government.
This is a government that has a replenishment plan, and in the next few weeks I will be announcing a public housing strategy over a 10-year period for replenishment and our asset management, which is more than you have. You have no policies whatsoever. We have expenditure of $50m …
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Standing Order 113. The question pertained specifically to the pressure that asylum seekers were placing on the housing market. I ask that he answer the question.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, there is no point of order. The question was much broader than that.
Dr BURNS: I know where this is going. There is a bit of dog whistling going on here. In relation to refugees, those arrangements are made through refugee centres like Melaleuca and private rental. When people are citizens of this country and are eligible, they are able to come on to the public housing waiting list. They take their chances along with everyone else in public housing.
The list is too long. We are a government that is doing something about it, in contrast to the opposition which has no policies whatsoever. In fact, they have some strange policies for the sale of public housing. I am more than happy to debate giving public housing away, charging half price to people who might have been in public housing for 20 or 30 years. We are not in that business. We are about being fair and equitable to our public housing tenants.
Humpty Doo Park and Ride Facility – Delays in Opening
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
In your media release on 13 September regarding the opening of the Coolalinga Park and Ride facility, you said the Humpty Doo Park and Ride facility would be open by the end of the year. The Coolalinga Park and Ride has now been open for a couple of months and the Humpty Doo facility appears to be finished but not operating. As we are nearly at the end of the year, can you advise when this facility will be open and why there has been a delay?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his interest in public transport for the rural area, and also the member for Goyder who contributed in a constructive way in the House this week talking about services for the rural area and the need for public transport.
I am proud to say that the Humpty Doo Park and Ride is being built on Challoner Circuit opposite Pater Street, and will be a great success for the growing rural area. It is a $1.4m project being delivered by local company Earthbuilt Pty Ltd. Thirty-five people are working on site throughout this project. Some of the facilities include a 12 m by 13.5 m covered bus stop drop-off terminal; CCTV surveillance; 40 car park bays; separate entry and exit roads for buses and cars; a secure pushbike enclosure; toilet facilities; water; and irrigated landscaping. It will provide for rural residents.
As the member for Nelson said, the Coolalinga Park and Ride is very successful. We have 117 public bus services that will use the Park and Ride from Monday to Saturday. Twenty-one school buses will drop off there in the afternoon. The prices are absolutely fantastic: $5 will get you unlimited travel for the day, or $2 unlimited travel for three hours. A seven-day weekly ticket can be purchased for $15. That is a good advertisement for people in the rural area, and also the urban area, to consider public transport.
The Humpty Doo facility follows the opening of a $1.8m, 60-bay Coolalinga Park and Ride facility. We are confident that this will be open this month. This is 1 December; we are confident it will be open in December. I am looking forward to the opening. In his work with me about promoting this, the member for Nelson has been very positive. When I come into town, I like to look at the Park and Ride at Coolalinga. The first time I looked at it coming into town, I counted eight cars, then there were 14, and the other day, my last trip into town, there were 16 cars. I did not count the pushbikes.
This is one of our government’s proud achievements. It is a green initiative. It gets people in and out of Palmerston, the CBD, the northern suburbs and to the hospital, cheaper and safer. We are very proud of it. The Humpty Doo Park and Ride will add to the transport network. It is about good public transport for a growing greater Darwin area, and for all of those rural residents as well.
Building the Education Revolution - Progress
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Building the Education Revolution is nearing completion. Can you please advise the House of the progress of this great program during 2011?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for her question. Over $270m has been invested in the Building the Education Revolution within the Territory, with around $206m in over 150 government schools, and $63m across 35 non-government schools. That is a fantastic investment. It has certainly been welcomed, benefiting over 40 000 kids across the length and breadth of the Northern Territory.
It has been my pleasure to attend a number of openings of BER projects, as have quite a number of other members. Here are some photos: Durack Primary School, library and classroom block extension - $2.37m; Moulden Park Primary, refurbishment of library extension, general learning area, assembly hall upgrade, opened on 18 November - $2.5m; here is a beautiful building, Casuarina Street Primary School in Katherine, classroom block - $1.9m; here is the Chief Minister and me at Anula Primary School’s multipurpose hall - $2.5m - oh, goodness me, I have run out ...
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Oh, yes, here it is. Here we are at a BER opening. The member for Sanderson is looking so happy. He is clapping there – so happy! He is really happy and he is taking photos to put in his electorate magazine. It is great to see the member for Sanderson there. He is active in his electorate and in his schools.
Fundamentally, the Coalition in Canberra opposed the BER …
A member: And here.
Dr BURNS: … and here – we had motions about it. We had a couple of campaigns about Larrakeyah Primary School. The member for Braitling had his fingertips all over that where they reckon they would get more value out of a Macca’s …
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! A real education revolution would be an improvement in academic standards.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: That is a frivolous point of order, resume your seat!
Dr BURNS: There we go - more opposition, more negativity, more Dr No about the BER. The parents love it, the schools love it, the teachers love it, and the kids love it. Everyone loves it apart from the members opposite - or some of them …
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine! Member for Araluen!
Dr BURNS: I remember the member for Katherine said it was a giant fraud, a spendathon, a waterthon I think he called it. He has been attending those BER openings, so why don’t you just come clean with your electorate and why don’t you support it too? It has been a great project within the Northern Territory.
Asylum Seekers – Employment and Training
Mr TOLLNER to MINISTER for BUSINESS and EMPLOYMENT
How many asylum seekers now living in Darwin have full-time jobs; how many have taken up general apprenticeships; and how many are undertaking skills training opportunities?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I welcome the question. We are seeing the CLP in their true form here - xenophobic. This is the whipping up …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Relevance: I simply asked a question about how many are in full-time employment, how many have taken up apprenticeships, and how many are in training.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, there is no point of order! The minister - resume your seat!
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, she has called us xenophobic!
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, you are on a warning!
Mr TOLLNER: Oh for God’s sakes!
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: The minister is 15 seconds into her answer. You are on a warning, member for Fong Lim! Minister, you have the call.
Ms LAWRIE: And is it not interesting when the truth hurts, when you press straight to the core of where this Question Time has been going. Question after question on the last Question Time of the sittings year, you would think they would be talking about issues the Territory government is deciding to do or not deciding to do, but they are romping around in the federal immigration asylum seeker space …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! The point of order is on relevance. I simply asked a question about apprenticeships, jobs, and skill training opportunities. I did not ask for a rant about xenophobia, or what our other views are or whatever she wants to make of it.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, thank you, member for Fong Lim! The minister is only part-way into her question. There is some breadth around relevance. I am not arguing, member for Fong Lim! Minister, you have the call.
Ms LAWRIE: Swimming in the cesspool of xenophobia, the CLP rump of the old …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker!
Ms LAWRIE: … is coming through in Question Time today. You know I am right, which is why you are so touchy …
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, please pause. Minister, resume your seat, please. Member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Acting Speaker, they are clearly unparliamentary comments. I am offended by it, and I ask you to ask the minister to withdraw.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat. Minister, I ask you to withdraw those comments please, and if you could come to the point quickly.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw. The party that preferenced One Nation is swimming against the tide of the multicultural proud Northern Territory, that party that preferenced One Nation …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker!
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, please pause. Member for Port Darwin, is this a point of order?
Mr ELFERINK: Yes it is, Madam Acting Speaker. Standing Order 113: the answer must be relevant and succinct. The question was about training opportunities for these people and we would like to have an answer on that.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Indeed. There is, however, some latitude around the question and therefore the answer. Minister, you have the call, but if you could come to the point, please.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you. I will get to the detail. The federal government does fund ESL training at Charles Darwin University. I have had recent meetings with Professor Barney Glover about the opportunities to expand the facilities for ESL training there. Melaleuca is a federally-funded organisation which links refugees into employment and training opportunities; we do not discriminate in terms of access to our training and employment. I had a meeting just last week with the federal Immigration minister promoting the opportunity for the Broome pilot to be extended to Darwin to support East Timorese workers in the Top End. We do not discriminate. You would want to, we know what you are like. We know how you have preferenced One Nation in the past …
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. Resume your seat, please.
I remind ministers, when you are answering questions, you must resume your seat when your time has expired.
Housing for Territorians Most in Need
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for PUBLIC and AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In 2011, there has been a great deal of work to boost public and social housing across the Territory. Can you please advise the House on the work the Territory government has done to increase housing for those Territorians who are most in need?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. It was a pleasure to be at Bellamack Seniors Village today for the official opening with the Chief Minister. That is a $10.3m project, with 40 new one- and two-bedroom units built for seniors. In Central Australia, we have 18 units under way at Larapinta at $5.6m.
As I said in a previous answer to the member for Sanderson, we are investing $49m over three years for 150 new public housing dwellings. That is on top of the $55m investment by the Australian government under the stimulus package which, incidentally, was also opposed by the opposition, the Coalition, in Canberra. That is 450 beds. There are some great projects in there by community groups.
The Chief Minister and I attended the opening of the Ted Collins Village at St Vincent de Paul. It has 20 two-bedroom units for affordable housing to help people get on their feet and secure long-term housing. Bath Street is a great project: 35 rooms for people needing accommodation when they come to town for medical treatment. There are 26 units at Percy Court - another one I have inspected - for transitional accommodation to give people skills to secure and manage long-term accommodation. There are also 18 units at Crerar Road; eight rooms for accommodation for homeless men at Alice Springs Salvation Army; and eight new units to accommodate mothers and children escaping domestic violence in Darwin. And there are other projects which are not mentioned here.
I believe the stimulus package has been great for the Territory, and particularly for Alice Springs. There have been many projects there and much money expended. As with the BER project, it has been wonderful for our local economy, principally for local builders. There was a local builder at the Bellamack Seniors Village, I believe it was Norbuilt. A whole range of builders have been building across the Territory as part of the Building the Education Revolution and the stimulus package, in terms of Northern Territory expenditure, as well as capital works expenditure in our schools.
We are a government that has invested in infrastructure, keeping the economy going, in partnership with the Commonwealth government. This is in stark contrast to the opposition which wanted to shut it all down – the scrooges opposite who did not really care about the economy in the Northern Territory, did not really care about local businesses, about tradesmen and tradeswomen putting food on the table for their families. They wanted to scrap it all, and I say shame on them.
We are a government that is prepared to go into deficit to support our economy …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! If the minister wants to see CLP policy, he should look around him at how many jobs this building created.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: There is no point of order, resume your seat. That is a very frivolous point of order.
Dr BURNS: How many more might there have been?
Building Amendment (Rural Relocation) Regulations
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
I was pleased to hand over a certificate of occupancy for the BER building at Howard Springs Primary School this morning. I might have been the last man standing, I am not sure.
Your department recently released Building Amendment (Rural Relocation) Regulations 2011. In it, under section 9A, it mentions relocation of approved Class 1a Buildings to approved rural land. Could you explain what this means? Could you explain what it means by ‘approved rural land’, and could you explain why, if it is good enough to relocate a class 1a building to rural land, why is it not good enough to relocate it to the suburb of Johnston?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. The question relates to our government’s ambition to provide housing options and housing affordability. Members may recall that, in June 2010, Defence Housing Australia put out a tender to demolish 61 elevated houses at the Larrakeyah Naval Base. Defence Housing Australia reached an agreement with the contractor so that the houses could be removed from the barracks and be sold. That was an agreement between those two parties.
At that time, in terms of regulations, the buildings being relocated needed to be upgraded to the current building standards. The contractor approached government with a proposal to amend the requirement to upgrade the buildings if they were being relocated into a rural area. That was the plan.
This approach was carefully assessed. Consequently, in light of the government’s commitment to provide affordable housing options, the Building Regulations were amended to relocate these houses onto blocks zoned Rural Living, Rural Agriculture, or Horticulture, as the member said.
It is important to note that the houses still need to meet a range of conditions, including:
`` the house either has an occupancy permit, or the house was built by or for the Commonwealth Crown;
`` the house was built after Cyclone Tracy;
`` the house was built on a site that has an equal or greater design wind speed than the site it is to be relocated to; and
`` the house was built on land in the Territory where building regulation applied at the time of construction.
So these changes to regulations mean the houses are providing an affordable option. They are required to maintain the standard that applied at the time the building was initially constructed.
In relation to the last part of the question, there have been many changes in styles and expectations over 30 years. People who are buying into our record land release programs and constructing new homes - and in Palmerston East it is a delight to see that activity - have an expectation that someone who builds close to them would build in a similar manner with similar materials and similar amenity. Residents in these subdivisions have that right of expectation. The government and I thought the rural area definitely has the opportunity of providing ...
Mr Wood: Berrimah Farm?
Mr McCARTHY: That is not on the pad yet ...
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
New7Wonders of Nature Competition - Costs
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE to MINISTER for TOURISM
Yesterday, in response to a question about whether taxpayers’ money had been used in the New7Wonders of Nature competition, you said:
... provide campaigns across the Northern Territory. The New7Wonders of Nature, Uluru, was one of those.
In fact, your annual report tabled yesterday indicates you spent $86 000 of taxpayers’ money on this competition. Can you please tell the taxpayers of the Northern Territory to whom this money was paid, and exactly what services you received in return?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Katherine. I believe we should cut straight to the chase behind this question, where the member, I am sure, is alluding to an article in The Guardian in the UK about payments to the particular organisation which ran the competition for New7Wonders of Nature, and that campaign was offering countries across the world particular financial support.
Let me say categorically to this House that Tourism Australia paid $99 to enter the competition; Tourism Northern Territory paid no money to enter the competition. Let us cut to the chase here, member for Katherine. You are very close to accusing Northern Territory Tourism of bribery in the questions that are coming forward ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order!
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Standing Order 113. Tourism’s own report said $86 000 was spent on this campaign. I simply asked the minister to tell taxpayers to whom the money was paid, and what did she receive in return.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, please. The minister is answering the question.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! The minister also made an unparliamentary comment. She made an accusation directed at the member for Katherine, and she either withdraws that comment, or should justify it through substantive motion.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: The minister actually used the words ‘close to’. Minister, for the sake of argument, I ask you to withdraw, please.
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Acting Speaker, I am very happy to withdraw if that allays the concerns of the members opposite.
We make no apologies for promoting Northern Territory tourism. It has been a challenging year for tourism across Australia, in particular the Northern Territory. We make no apologies for wanting to get out there to support the tourism industry, those individuals and organisations who are struggling …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Could I ask the Speaker to direct the minister to answer the question, which was: to whom was the money paid and what services were received? If she does not know the answer, I am happy with ‘I do not know’.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, there is no point of order. The minister is answering the question.
Mr Tollner: There is a point of order. It has to be relevant.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you are already on a warning! Minister, you have the call.
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Acting Speaker, I believe I am answering the question in that we put significant funds into campaigns to promote Uluru and Central Australia earlier this year. All of that funding goes towards either a code share arrangement, whether it is with Qantas or any other organisation. Happy to provide a briefing …
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. Please resume your seat.
Enough is Enough Alcohol Reforms
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for ALCOHOL POLICY
The Enough is Enough alcohol reforms are the most comprehensive alcohol reforms in the nation. We know the CLP is divided on this. Can you please update the House on what great outcomes the reforms have achieved during 2011?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, there has been a significant body of work undertaken in 2011 to deliver the most comprehensive alcohol reforms in the nation. These are reforms that turn the problem drinker off tap; that have seen a 22% reduction in alcohol-related incidents and a 15% reduction in alcohol-related assaults on average across the Territory in just the first three months of operation; and there has been a 20% drop in alcohol-related assaults in Darwin.
We have underpinned these reforms through a $67m investment across five years. These reforms have seen in excess of 1800 people now on the Banned Drinker Register. There have been over 1000 refusals of sale to banned drinkers at takeaway liquor outlets in the first three months. The Banned Drinker Register and the associated ID scanners have been rolled out to 92.9% of takeaway liquor outlets in the Northern Territory. This is way ahead of schedule.
There is increased capacity at motor vehicle registries and Births, Deaths and Marriages to deal with the increased need for ID and the provision of free ID. More than 2500 Territorians took up the opportunity for free ID. The SMART Court is operational; 52 Smart orders for treatment have been issued and 47 have commenced the treatment. The tribunal will gear up in full flight on 1 January; we have already had them assessing self-referrals.
We provided 24 additional rehabilitation and treatment beds, as well as increased the capacity of our existing rehabilitation and withdrawal services to include counselling, casework, and outreach services. We have completed training on alcohol medical interventions to all 71 primary health care services across the Territory, and 120 reform training sessions have been held with a range of treatment providers. Improved pathways have been put in place for withdrawal clients from the emergency department to the ambulatory services and the non-government agencies providing treatment. This has resulted in a referral to treatment or withdrawal occurring in less than three hours - previously it was eight days.
There have been extensive communication campaigns across the Territory with education tools targeting Indigenous Territorians, tourists, seniors, and other special interest groups. We established two call centres: one for licensees and one for the general public.
I sincerely thank all the government agencies involved in getting these reforms up. I sincerely thank the industry, the AHA, Liquor Stores Association and all the health service providers for working with government. The only people who stand in opposition to these critically important reforms are the CLP.
New7Wonders of Nature Competition - Costs
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE to MINISTER for TOURISM
I draw your attention to your own annual report which was tabled in this parliament yesterday. I refer you specifically to page 5 of the report, under Highlights 2010-11, where it says:
$86 000 promoting Uluru as part of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign.
That is the annual report. Can you please tell us if the annual report is wrong? Are you embarrassed and humiliated that you have been caught up in this scam, or have you misled this House?
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Minister, before you answer that question, member for Katherine, under Standing Order 112, there are a number of inferences and imputations to that question. Strictly speaking, it is out of order, but if the minister should wish to respond ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
ANSWER
Madam Deputy Speaker, let me categorically say what a disgrace it is that the member for Katherine is accusing Northern Territory Tourism of being involved in any scam. It is an absolute shame that the member opposite has not sought any briefing on Tourism for the two years I have been Tourism minister. In fact, for the last 12 months while I have had the new CEO in place ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Standing Order 113: I just want her to answer the question.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: There is no point of order. That was quite a lengthy question with a number of parts to it.
Ms McCARTHY: For the last 12 months there has been no request to understand or unpack any area of tourism by this lazy, very sloppy opposition member who chooses to come in here and discredit members of Tourism Northern Territory …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Standing Order 113: succinct and relevant to the question. The question was: did she mislead the House?
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: I heard the question. Resume your seat! The question had a number of parts and, as I said, under Standing Order 112 was actually out of order, member for Katherine. Minister, you have the call.
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Acting Speaker, I have said let us cut to the chase with where the member is going with questions about the Uluru campaign. Tourism Australia paid $99 to that campaign …
Mr Westra van Holthe interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, cease interjecting, or you will be on a warning!
Ms McCARTHY: … and his reference to the integrity of the staff and the CEO of Tourism NT in this is absolutely disgraceful. I call for an apology from the member opposite to all those hard-working people in Tourism NT.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker!
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: The minister has resumed her seat. There is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine, you are on a warning, and other members will shortly be following suit! There are far too many interruptions, particularly from this side of the House, but also from this side. All members, I remind you of Standing Order 51.
Health Facilities and Future Projects
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you please update the House on the delivery of better health facilities during 2011 and the projects planned for the future?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for giving me the opportunity to highlight to all Territorians what this government is doing to improve the health system in the Territory. I mention the hospital in Palmerston, a key initiative by the Gillard federal government and our government; $110m to deliver a real hospital in real time, not in the never-never like the CLP promised at the last election. We spoke to clinicians, stakeholders, and the community. We know accident and emergency services are the highest health priority for the people of Palmerston, and they want maternity services, children and youth services, and day surgery. In addition to that, a new emergency department has come to fruition in Alice Springs with $24m. I have been advised today that internal walls have been erected and it now has a roof.
We are on track to deliver the emergency department in Gove next year. Royal Darwin Hospital, Katherine and Tennant Creek emergency departments have been extensively upgraded. A new fast-track and triage area in Darwin will open in the next month, providing better and faster treatment times for the less urgent patients who form the bulk of this workload …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! I ask you to ask the minister to be relevant to the question. The fact is, this government has received the worst rating in Australia on health and he should respond to that.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, there is no point of order. It is a fairly broad question and it invites a broad answer, and I am not arguing!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Acting Speaker, we are building a new medi-hotel at RDH with 50 units, and we are going to build medi-hotels in other hospitals around the Territory. We expanded renal services, an area completely neglected by the CLP which refused to build any renal service outside Alice Springs and Darwin. We are building a new, expanded renal unit in Tennant Creek, replacing the current unit, and we will put a new one in Katherine, the one the member for Katherine is totally opposed to. He was criticised by the Mayor and other councillors on the Katherine Town Council.
We have invested a lot of money and, thanks to the federal government, we are putting $50m in to seven new remote primary health care centres at Robinson River, Ngukurr, Canteen Creek, Numbulwar, Elliott, Galiwinku and Ntaria. We upgraded four existing health clinics at Titjikala, Papunya, Maningrida and Docker River. This adds to the new remote health centres we have delivered in Milikapiti, Daly River, Yuendumu, Nguiu, Minjilang, Kalkarindji and Maningrida.
For us, the health of Territorians is very important. We do not care if they live in Maningrida or they live in Casuarina, they live in Alice Springs or they live in Yuendumu. Every Territorian has the right to, and will receive, appropriate health care from a good health system. Despite the criticism and what we hear from the opposition, I have to mention that there is no better argument for a GP super clinic in the northern suburbs than the document I presented yesterday from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which shows that the longest waiting times in emergency departments are caused by the inability of people to access GP services.
New7Wonders of Nature Competition – Government Expenditure
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE to MINISTER for TOURISM
Other finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition were requested to provide tens of millions of dollars in sponsorship and licensing fees, including Indonesia and the Maldives. Fortunately, Simon Hawkins from the Maldives Marketing and PR company was astute enough to observe:
The competition is a complete waste of time and taxpayers' money. Pulling out was the best thing we ever did.
Mr Hawkins is obviously not as gullible as you ...
Mr Henderson interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order, Chief Minister! Cease interjecting!
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: What due diligence did you undertake to justify spending $86 000 of taxpayers’ cash on this cash for comment scheme?
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Honourable members, I ask you to cease interjecting so that I can call on the minister to respond to the question.
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, let me make it clear again to the member opposite, because clearly he is not hearing. The Northern Territory government and Northern Territory Tourism paid no money to be a part of the Uluru New7Wonders of Nature campaign. Tourism Australia paid $99 to be a part of the campaign. It is an absolute scurrilous slur by the member for Katherine against the staff and CEO of Tourism Northern Territory ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Page 5 of the minister’s annual report refers to $86 000 being spent on that campaign. Can the minister explain that discrepancy between this answer and her annual report?
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat, please. I cannot direct the minister as to how to answer this question. Minister, you have the call and if you could come to the point, please.
Ms McCARTHY: Gladly, Madam Acting Speaker. It is an absolute disgrace that the members opposite have not even bothered to seek a briefing to understand what it is that is happening in tourism ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine!
Ms McCARTHY: I have said in this House that we did not pay any financial support for that campaign. What we have done in the general campaign for Uluru is to promote it nationally. I take great offence to the slur and the very sneaky questioning by the member for Katherine, implying close to bribery, implying that the staff and the CEO of Tourism NT had bribed their way into the Uluru New7Wonders of Nature campaign. Shame on you!
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! I will again draw your attention to the comments the minister is making in relation to the member for Katherine. They are clearly unparliamentary and I ask you to ask the minister to withdraw those comments.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, the question had a number of imputations in it. Minister, have you completed your answer?
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! The minister has accused them of bribery, all these types of things - very serious allegations that should be run through a substantive motion.
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim! Minister, in the interests of keeping the peace, if you could withdraw, that would be …
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Acting Speaker, I shall reword it. It is an absolute disgrace that the member for Katherine is shamefully discrediting the staff and CEO of Tourism NT.
Supplementary Question
New7Wonders of Nature – Government Expenditure
New7Wonders of Nature – Government Expenditure
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A supplementary, Madam Acting Speaker?
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: I trust it is a supplementary question, member for Katherine.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Yes, Madam Acting Speaker, it is.
In light of what the minister has just said, can she please reconcile for me why she says in one breath that she did not spend money on the New7Wonders of Nature campaign, despite what page 5 of the annual report says, where it says $86 000 was spent promoting Uluru as part of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign?
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Katherine ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine, you do not have the call and you are already on a warning. You are now on two! Next time and you are out for an hour.
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Acting Speaker, I would really like to have this clarified. The member opposite has been very deceptive in his questioning. He has been deliberately connecting the tourism campaign to the foundation that ran the New7Wonders of Nature campaign across the world.
I want to make it very clear to this House that there has not been any finance from Tourism NT to the foundation that ran the New7Wonders of Nature campaign around the world.
When the member refers to someone who has withdrawn from it, clearly he is trying to make a connection about the Northern Territory and the foundation that ran the New7Wonders of Nature campaign. That is absolutely grubby and it is despicable. When we talk about advertising for Uluru, we talk about advertising nationally, as we should to promote Central Australia instead of trashing the Territory like the opposition always does.
Essential Services – Major Infrastructure Update
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Can you please provide an update to the House on major infrastructure investments in essential services this year?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, the Northern Territory has a very bright future, a very strong economy, and we have people moving here for the jobs we have and the lifestyle we lead. A large part of this has been created by a very focused and united government with policies around boosting our economy. We believe in the future of the Northern Territory, and we know power and water is critical to our economy. This government is spending $1.8bn over the next five years to improve our power, water and sewerage facilities. It will deliver for Territory families and it will deliver for Territory businesses.
This year, we have seen the completion of the Owen Springs Power Station in Alice Springs; $153m this government has invested in the future of the economy of Central Australia. We have added two extra generator sets at Channel Island Power Station - $132m to boost our power capacity for the increased business and population coming to the Top End. We have augmented that with $26m going into the Archer Zone Substation to give us redundancy power for Palmerston, the rural area and the future city of Weddell.
We have been the only government to invest in Darwin’s regional sewerage infrastructure, with $57m to divert the Larrakeyah outfall and upgrade the Ludmilla treatment plant. Raising the Darwin River Dam by 1.2 m gives us an extra 20% capacity - $13m; and, vitally for Power and Water, our economy and our community, $325m going into repairs and maintenance, boosting the repairs and maintenance for an organisation which had been stripped bare by the CLP …
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … sacked 130 workers and was ready to privatise it; gutting the organisation to sell it.
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Sanderson, you are on a warning!
Mr KNIGHT: This organisation is vital to our economy and vital to the people of the Northern Territory ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, you will be too, shortly.
Mr KNIGHT: One of the most significant announcements we had was last Friday, opening a new training facility. It was great to have 30 there …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Could we ban this minister from red cordial during lunch, please?
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: That is a very frivolous point of order, member for Port Darwin. Minister, you have the call.
Mr KNIGHT: This is a really important subject. They deride the Power and Water Corporation and the workers - Ferdy is one of those people - who get out there and do the work for Power and Water, every single one of them, every single day. They go out in storms and this Wet Season they will be out there in those storms fixing the power supply.
The facility we have at the 19 Mile will be training our apprentices so they do not have to go interstate. Power and Water is doing a fabulous job and it has been an investment for this government.
Department of Education and Training – Advertising and Filling of Vacancies
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
On 22 November, there were 96 vacancies on the Northern Territory government jobs website for the Department of Education and Training, of which 18 were of unknown status, three had been cancelled, 12 were permanent positions, and 63 were for temporary contracts. You could say the temporary positions are backfilling maternity leave or long service leave; however, 44 are for the whole year, and around 35 of the temporary positions are in remote schools.
Is the filling of these positions on a temporary basis sending a message that education is an unstable career option in the Northern Territory, especially in remote schools? Why do you have so many vacancies? As recruitment is a time-consuming task, how is your department going to process 96 positions in six to eight weeks over the Christmas period and have them filled by January 2012?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the member for his good question. In terms of a stable career prospect, I believe the member should listen to the following.
There is a workforce of around 4000 employees in DET. There are 78, rather than 96 on the website; 18 job vacancies have since closed and been removed; and 61 of those are temporary positions.
When you talk about 4000 employees, there is a natural turnover, of course; there are also contract principals in there. They are classed as temporary positions even though those contracts might be for three or four years. There are people on long service leave and study leave. There are also people who may move into the department for a time to take on various project work.
I understand what you are saying. It does seem quite a large number. However, you need to look at it in the overall context of our schools and the fact we do have all those employees. Many of those will be on long service leave. Some of them may even plan their lives so well they are taking maternity leave during that time - that would be very good planning.
I believe it is quite reasonable. I take your point about the challenge of filling these positions within that time frame. I can assure you that is a discussion I am having with the department. It has been raised at my school councils as well. I want more time for schools to be able to fill positions, so it is an important discussion I am having with my department.
Fiscal Management of the Territory
Mr CONLAN to MEMBER for PORT DARWIN as SHADOW TREASURER
Pursuant to Standing Order 110, my question is to the shadow Treasurer. You have a motion before the House about the fiscal management of the Northern Territory. Can you explain what the motion is about, and are you aware of any other policies?
ANSWER
Madam Acting Speaker, I thank the honourable member for the question …
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Please pause, I have not given you the call yet.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! There is a provision under standing orders. It is never used by oppositions because they have to scrutinise government in Question Time. It is the one hour they get to scrutinise government, rather than have their flights of fancy around their take and their twist ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! You do not have the call! Resume your seat!
Ms LAWRIE: I will point out that the member for Port Darwin consistently gets his economic take wrong. He describes us as being akin to Greece ...
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Order! Minister, resume your seat immediately! I will seek some advice from the Clerk.
Honourable members, I have advice from the Clerk that I am quite entitled to rule this question out of order. Strictly speaking, the member does not have charge as a shadow. It is not in the Treasury area; it is not recognised as someone who has charge.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! I have a motion before the House pertaining particularly to this question and it is entirely in order, Madam Acting Speaker.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: That is not the advice I have. I will double check, member for Port Darwin, but just because you say so does not mean it is so.
Members interjecting.
Mr Tollner: Madam Acting Speaker ...
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Resume your seat! I am responding to a point of order. I have sought advice. That is why you need to resume your seat, member for Fong Lim.
Strictly speaking, member for Port Darwin, you do not have charge. That is the advice that has been confirmed for me ...
Mr Elferink: That is not correct!
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: It is correct, member for Port Darwin, and I am not arguing with you. That said, if you will allow me to finish without constant interruptions, I will indulge you on this one occasion. Strictly speaking, you do not have charge of this.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Acting Speaker, thank you for the call. This motion I have carriage of is about a tragedy - a lost opportunity this government has perpetrated on the people of the Northern Territory.
This financial year, if you include the Power and Water Corporation, the budget deficit for the Northern Territory is $610m, and that is what this motion is about. This government had the perfect opportunity to take the more than doubling of their income and to reduce the Territory’s debt to zero. That is what Howard managed, that is what Gallop managed, and that is what this government could have managed, but they chose not to do it.
What is their answer, Madam Acting Speaker? Their answer …
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! We do have a very different policy to the CLP: we will not slash jobs, we will not send Territorians onto the unemployment queues ...
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Acting Speaker, I have their policy here somewhere …
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, the level of interjections is clearly unacceptable. It is disintegrating into an absolute circus, as I heard one member mention over here. Member for Port Darwin, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Acting Speaker, I have their policy in my pocket; it is called a Visa card. That is their policy for the future of the people of the Northern Territory. Dare you ask a question about it - all of a sudden you are the person who hates jobs, and who hates the Northern Territory. Well, we do not. We do not want to give our children and our grandchildren a debt legacy that this Treasurer will leave for the people of the Northern Territory …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Relevance – he is meant to be talking about his motion and his policy. I point out that this is the Northern Territory’s debt, this is the nation’s debt, and this is the debt of Greece.
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, next time I call your name, you will be withdrawing for one hour!
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Acting Speaker, $610m this year alone, and what do we get from this government in terms of their honesty, openness and accountability …
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Acting Speaker! Standing Order 70: that the member no longer be heard.
Members interjecting.
Madam ACTING SPEAKER: The question is the member no longer be heard.
Motion negatived.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker ...
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Acting Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016