2008-09-16
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Conduct of Members
Conduct of Members
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call questions, during the sittings I have had, on several occasions, to ask members to withdraw comments that have been unparliamentary, offensive or inappropriate, to repeatedly ask members to cease interjecting and, generally, to call order for disorderly and sometimes disrespectful behaviour.
I have received complaints from listeners to the Internet broadcast, guests to this Chamber, and also from Hansard who are struggling to hear the member who has the call.
Whilst robust debate is an important part of the democratic process, rude and unparliamentary behaviour is not. As a result, I will be enforcing Standing Orders 51, 62 and 63, and asking members to withdraw from the Chamber, if necessary, under Standing Order 240A.
Members will receive a single warning. Thank you, honourable members.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Nurse Staffing Crisis
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Your Health minister’s bumbling defence of his responsibility for the nurse staffing crisis at Royal Darwin Hospital has torn his credibility and your government’s to shreds. During 2006 and 2007, the minister repeatedly boasted of the success of recruitment campaigns and howled down anyone suggesting any problems with nurse staffing levels. Now that the Coroner has found a nurse staffing crisis in those years, the minister has changed his tune. He has since claimed that he was told that the problems stemmed from difficulties recruiting nurses. That is, the minister now admits that there is a staffing crisis, a crisis he once vehemently denied existed. Here we have media releases: 9 October 2006, ‘Campaign Woos Nurses to the Territory’; on 6 February 2007, ‘Hospital Receives a Healthy Boost’ …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Is the Leader of the Opposition actually going to get around to asking a question?
Madam SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition has the call. Please continue.
Mr MILLS: … and on 15 February 2007, ‘Nurse Recruitment Campaign a Winner’.
How can you retain a Health Minister who deliberately deceived the public regarding the crisis in nurse staffing levels at RDH that resulted in the death of a patient …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to withdraw the comments about deliberating deceiving. As you would be aware, they need to be made by way of substantive motion.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Just by way of clarification, he made no reference to the member deceiving the House. He said the member deceived the people of the Northern Territory, a common reference to ministers in this government in this House.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to rephrase those comments, withdrawing those comments relating to deliberately deceiving.
Mr MILLS: Chief Minister, how can you retain a Health Minister who deliberately misled the public regarding the crisis in nurse staffing levels at RDH that resulted in the death of a patient?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. We debated this issue all last week. The death of Mrs Winter was an absolute tragedy. It was a death which received a full independent Coronial investigation. The report which was handed down identified five key recommendations which the minister is implementing. Particularly in regard to the rostering of nurses, an independent expert, Professor Christine Duffield, will oversight the implementation of that new rostering system.
In regard to the Coroner’s report, the Coroner, unprecedented, issued a public comment on 11 September, and I quote:
- Only one individual was subjected to adverse criticism, and that is why he was asked to be separately represented and indeed was by Mr Peter Barr QC.
The Coroner has very clearly said, not only in his report but in a clarifying statement, that there was one individual subject to adverse criticism, and that individual was not the Health Minister of the Northern Territory.
In regard to the issue of …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister would well know that this question goes to the issue of issuing public statements saying that there is absolutely no problem with the health system that now has been found to be the case, which resulted in a death. That is the issue and that is the question.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was getting to answering the question and putting it in context.
In regard to those media releases the minister would have put out over the intervening period, of course, the Health department, on an ongoing basis, is out there recruiting nurses to the Northern Territory. I am absolutely confident that the Health Minister did not say in his report that we have had no problems recruiting nurses to the Northern Territory and we have as many nurses as we need and we are ever likely to want.
The only person in this Chamber, the only person in Australia, who follows health debates who would not believe that there is a nursing crisis and shortage right across Australia - not only in the Northern Territory - would be the Leader of the Opposition. Of course, our hospital, our health system, is competing for nurses against all other jurisdictions, against every other hospital in this country on an ongoing basis. It is quite appropriate for the Health Minister to be issuing media releases talking about the effectiveness of various campaigns ...
Mr Tollner: Why would you continue to put out media releases saying it …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: It is totally appropriate.
Mr Mills: What? To spin and mislead deliberately. Inappropriate - that is inappropriate.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition is alleging deliberate misleading, which have been matters of previous points of order. If he wants to move a censure, move a censure.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek some advice. Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to withdraw those comments under Standing Order 62.
Mr MILLS: The comments being the media releases …?
Madam SPEAKER: The comments that you made in relation to the Chief Minister misleading the parliament.
Mr MILLS: I withdraw the words ‘misleading the parliament’, Madam Speaker.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, it is quite appropriate for the Health Minister to issue media releases talking about the success of relative recruitment campaigns over the period. There has been any number of debates in this House, and in the public domain, not only in the Northern Territory, about a nationwide shortage of nurses. The minister has never said that we do not have a problem with recruiting nurses in the Northern Territory; we have our full complement, and the full complement is there on an ongoing and permanent basis. Every jurisdiction has challenges recruiting nurses. There is a worldwide shortage of nurses, and it is totally appropriate for the minister to be putting out media releases talking about the successes of various recruitment campaigns.
In regard to the tragic death of Mrs Winter, the Coronial has been concluded, the recommendations are out there in the public domain, and the recommendations are being implemented.
Major Projects – Benefit to Business
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
In your Address-in-Reply, you committed to a strong focus on major projects to deliver an expanded Territory economy. As you know, the majority of Territory businesses fit into the category of small and medium business. How will you ensure that these major projects benefit small to medium business, and how will our government act to ensure these businesses are heard and do share in the economic growth?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. Small to medium businesses make up the majority of businesses in the Northern Territory by a very long way. There are more than 10 000 small businesses in the Northern Territory and they are the backbone of our economy.
Major projects benefit small and medium size businesses across the Northern Territory, both directly and indirectly - directly by being able to supply to these major projects goods and services in the development, construction, establishment, and ongoing operations of major projects; and indirectly as a result of population growth coming off the back of major projects in the Northern Territory. That population growth sees more consumption in the economy; more consumption means more opportunities for small and medium businesses. I am on the record as a champion to bring major projects to the Northern Territory, and that is because the whole economy benefits from these major projects.
We made an election commitment that my government has committed $200 000 this year to hold six forums across the Territory to explain to small business how they can benefit from major projects. That has been very much welcomed by business groups right across the Northern Territory, going directly into small and medium sized businesses and putting information out there about how they can get into the supply chain for these major projects. These are being planned now by the Department of Business and Employment and will occur over this financial year.
In addition to these forums, my Business minister, the member for Casuarina, will continue to host the Business Agenda NT. This is the body that has replaced the Business Round Table. It is assisting government in planning our business engagement and business education programs around the Northern Territory. We will also commit to continue to be the lowest-taxing jurisdiction for small business in the country ...
Mr Elferink: That is wrong. You forgot the under 100 by-line.
Mr HENDERSON: Businesses of 100 employees or fewer, which are the majority of our businesses in Australia, pay the lowest taxes …
The member for Port Darwin is so rude, he just cannot help himself. There are a lot of small businesses in your electorate that would be very keen to hear what the government is doing without your inane interjections.
That commitment to remain the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in Australia will continue through the life of this government. I will continue to pursue those major projects for the Northern Territory.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Nurse Staffing Crisis
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Under Part A of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act, the Chief Executive Officer, after consultation with the Commissioner for Public Employment, can dismiss an employee for providing misleading information. Given that the minister has claimed that he was misled by senior officials about the real reasons for the nurse staffing crisis at RDH, why has Mr Campos not been sacked by the CEO? And, how much hush money is he receiving to sit out his contract, a contract that was only renewed last year by the departmental CEO, David Ashbridge, despite the fact that there were serious allegations against him under investigation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. He has quoted from the Public Sector Employment and Management Act, and he has quoted correctly. It is within the purview of the Chief Executive Officer to determine those matters. We debated that here last week.
His assertion that somehow, over and above Mr Campos’ contract, he is being paid hush money is alleging corruption within the public service, which is not true. Unless he has substantive evidence about that, he should not make allegations like that in this House.
Unemployment Statistics
Ms WALKER to TREASURER
Unemployment figures were released last week across Australia. Can you inform the House how the Territory fared compared to the rest of Australia?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Nhulunbuy. The Territory’s unemployment rate is at a record 2.6%. This is the lowest in our nation, and the lowest on record in the Territory’s history. It is a remarkable achievement of which all Territorians can justifiably be proud. The unemployment rate is not just an economic indicator. We believe it is also a very important social indicator. The more people with jobs, the better it is for everybody in our society.
When we came to government, unemployment was around 7% and heading upwards. People and businesses were leaving the Territory in droves. With our commitment to turning around the economy, supporting business and training young Territorians, unemployment is now trending down, and has been since 2001, to the record low of 2.6% that we have just received.
Record unemployment is clearly good news. However, our booming economy does bring challenges. There is a worker shortage, both skilled and unskilled. We are working hard on these challenges, with a record number of people in training, and interstate job shows, and a new workforce unit.
We will continue to focus on training and job opportunities, particularly for our Indigenous Territorians, so that, right across our regions, people will benefit from this strong economic growth, delivering skill sets that we believe can underpin sustained growth. The Henderson government will continue to manage our economy to ensure that all Territorians can benefit.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Senior Management
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
In this place on Thursday, 11 September, you said:
- … the senior management team within the hospital has changed. Now, at the very top we have Dr David Ashbridge …
How can David Ashbridge have been ignorant of the real reasons for the nurse staffing crisis at the Royal Darwin Hospital, and how can you claim that you have cleaned out the Department of Health when David Ashbridge remains the head of the department?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Before I call the minister, I remind honourable members and the member for Greatorex that, while we have freedom of speech in this House, there is no right of reply for ordinary citizens, including senior public servants. I caution you in the comments that you make.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am sure there are many public servants who are actually listening to this broadcast today, and I am glad that members opposite …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: … up to now anyway, have shown courtesy and respect, as Madam Speaker has asked. Public servants can actually hear what is going in this Chamber today, and this has turned into a star chamber, where the member for Greatorex is hunting down a senior public servant by innuendo, by assertion.
There has been much said and debated about the Coronial, and that is appropriate. However, I really wonder, in this debate, how many people have actually read the Coronial very closely and followed its recommendations.
Nowhere in this Coronial was Dr David Ashbridge named whatsoever. I find it reprehensible that the member for Greatorex is going after the Chief Executive Officer, Dr David Ashbridge, and hunting down a public servant. I believe public servants listening here today will be very disconcerted by this, particularly on top of what the Leader of the Opposition said during the election campaign: NT News, 8 August 2008:
- Opposition Leader Terry Mills said he would get rid of 700 public service general staff and 40 executive officers over three years. The Public Sector Union said that this was 10% of the general public service.
ABC radio, 7 August 2008:
- CLP Leader Terry Mills has today vowed to phase out almost 5% of public service jobs over four years as part of plans to save $50m a year.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Minister, please pause. Member for Greatorex?
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister should stop trying to explain away his ignorance and answer the simple question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, there is no point of order.
Dr BURNS: I have finished that answer, Madam Speaker.
Mr Conlan interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Greatorex!
Training for Territorians
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
With the Territory economy experiencing such strong growth and unemployment at the lowest rate on record, can the minister please outline why training Territorians is one of the highest priorities for the Henderson government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question because she knows that the electorate of Nhulunbuy has opportunities for economic development with the Alcan Mine.
This is an important question. We know that accessible and appropriate training leads to long-term stable employment for all Territorians.
I have often said in this House that one of the greatest challenges for this government is putting in appropriate, but effective, training particularly in our remote and regional areas for Indigenous Territorians so that training then leads to employment in their communities. That will continue to be a challenge, but a challenge that the Henderson government is certainly up for.
With Jobs Plan 1, 2 and 3, we are on track in 2008 to meet the target of 10 000 trainees and apprentices. I know the Leader of the Opposition, and I will say it before he jumps up, always talks about the completion rates. I can tell the Leader of the Opposition that he was told very clearly by competent people from the department that we are within the national average for completion rates for our apprentices and trainees.
I am sure everyone in this House knows someone who has come to Darwin with loose change in their pockets, and has had an opportunity to work and gone on to build a better life and make something of themselves.
As a government, we are committed to ensuring our young people have the necessary skills to compete for the best employment opportunities. I am sure there are members in this House who have visited Taminmin High School, for example, and seen the fantastic work of that school and the Principal, Tony Considine. Everyone must applaud his work and vision as principal to give those young people the opportunity of getting the right training and the skills to go on to employment.
The strong economic management of the Henderson government means training does lead to employment because of our responsible management of the economy. It provides business with the confidence to take on increasing numbers of staff. I have said before, the incentives that we provide to businesses, such as BuildSkills and the Workwear/Workgear Bonus gives all Territorians the opportunity to find the right trade or job for them.
We gave a commitment that, in 2009, we will set a new target of a further 10 000 apprentices and trainee commencements.
In terms of the regions, Building Stronger Regions, the commitment from the Henderson government is to take Employment out of the Department of Employment, Education and Training and put it, rightly so, with the new Department of Business and Employment. We need to stimulate our regions and encourage economic development.
We are on target to ensure that not just Territorians in our urban towns but Territorians in the bush and in the regions benefit from our strong economy.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Senior Management
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
I refer you again to your comments in this place on Thursday, 11 September, and I quote:
- Just to repeat, the senior management team within the Department of Health has changed and it has changed since I have been Minister for Health.
Minister, isn’t it just dishonest, because the fact is …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is offensive for the shadow to continually allege that the minister is being dishonest.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister is being asked whether he is being dishonest, not the allegation that he is being dishonest. It is an important distinction.
Ms Lawrie: Listen to the phrasing.
Mr Elferink: Listen to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause! Member for Greatorex, I ask you to reword that.
Mr CONLAN: All right. Minister, isn’t it …
Mr Elferink: Confusing.
Mr CONLAN: Isn’t it just confusing, thank you member for Port Darwin, that the fact is that David Ashbridge was in charge of the department at the time of Mrs Winter’s death and during the nurse staffing crisis. Minister, why are you protecting your CEO and not holding him to account for the systemic failures at Royal Darwin Hospital?
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, minister. I remind honourable members that, as a parliament, we have agreed to a sessional order relating to freedom of speech. I will read this into the Hansard, because it is of concern when we start talking about people who are not members of parliament. It is part of my job, and it is, in fact, in the sessional order that I am to make these comments each time somebody is named:
- (1) That the Assembly considers that, in speaking in the Assembly or in a committee, Members should take the following matters into account:
- (a) the need to exercise their valuable right of freedom of speech in a responsible manner;
(b) the damage that may be done by allegations made in parliament to those who are the subject of such allegations and to the standing of parliament;
(c) the limited opportunities for persons other than members of parliament to respond to allegations made in parliament;
(d) the need for members, while fearlessly performing their duties, to have regard to the rights of others; and
(e) the desirability of ensuring that statements reflecting adversely on persons are soundly based.
I call the Minister for Health.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question, which is really a repeat of the question he asked previously.
Every member who was here last week remembers the focus of debate. The focus of debate was around the administrative tree that was identified by the Coroner. There was a lot of debate …
Mr Elferink: And you are the angel on the top of that tree, did you know that?
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, if the member for Port Darwin could afford me some courtesy, please.
Mr Conlan: You have to earn that, minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: There was a lot of debate in here last week about the administrative tree, which was identified by the Coroner. The Coroner certainly did not - did not - identify the Deputy CEO of the Health Department. It is absolutely reprehensible of the member for Greatorex to go after a senior public servant in the way that he is. I am sure, as I said before, every senior public servant who is listening to this broadcast today …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Dr BURNS: It is actually a bit of thuggery, Madam Speaker. Basically, if members opposite aspire to government, they need to be assured and they need to have confidence in the public service, and they are certainly not showing it here today.
Sensis Business Index –
Confidence in Economy
Confidence in Economy
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for BUSINESS and EMPLOYMENT
The Northern Territory’s economy continues to grow strongly, despite international and national challenges. Did the recently released Sensis Business Index provide any further evidence of business growth and high confidence levels in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is true that the Sensis Business Index released on 28 August 2008 shows a very interesting picture about the difference between small business in Australia and small business in the Northern Territory.
Most of Australia’s small businesses continue to be concerned about the current and short-term future of the economy, and impact of what is happening today in America may have on the Australian economy. On the other hand, our small businesses in the Territory continue to defy national trends. That is based on business confidence from a survey that was done including nine metropolitan and 60 non-metropolitan Territory small businesses.
Most of the indicators show that Territory small businesses have been the least affected by the economic downturn occurring in the rest of Australia. Northern Territory businesses have been largely enjoying buoyant trading conditions. In fact, the main concern of most Territory small businesses is not what is going to happen to the economy in the future, but where it is going to find the workers for the next few months.
Profitability since May 2008 has grown strongly, up by 24%. The Territory’s small businesses have the nation’s strongest expectation for sales and profit over the medium term. The demand for goods and services has gone up by 10 percentage points to 27% since May 2008. More than half of Territory businesses have experienced stronger demand while only one in five reported a decrease.
Many businesses are very proactive; they are planning for the future, advertising, and are looking at the goods and services they can offer their customers. Equally pleasing in this context is that Territory businesses have been more involved in exporting than in any other state or territory. This is very good news. It is very good news for the Territory and for small businesses. That is reflected by the level of confidence they have shown in our government, which is up 21 percentage points above the national average. Of course, this does not happen by accident. This is not government spin. This is the result, and it is published by a very credible company, Sensis Business Index, that you can see every time. And that does not happen by accident.
The reason that Territory business enjoys such a great economic environment is because the government is working very closely with businesses; we are providing the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in Australia; we are providing business management training; and we ensure that, with any project that happens in the Territory with Territory money - $5m or above - there is the local industry participation plan to include the local businesses taking part of the pie of what is happening in our economy.
It is great news for Territory small businesses and, in general, it is great news for the Territory.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Minister’s Knowledge of Staffing Crisis
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
In a media conference on Thursday last week, you said the department had misled you and that obstacles were put in the way of the recruitment of nurses. Is it not a fact that you received regular briefings from the CEO, David Ashbridge, and Mr Peter Campos? Are you seriously telling us that both you and the CEO had absolutely no idea about the real reasons behind the nursing crisis at Royal Darwin Hospital?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Greatorex. My press officer tapes what is said at the media conferences, and given the contentious nature of what has been going on in the last week, all of those have been transcribed. At no point in any media conference did I say that I had been misled by the department.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
NT Jobs Show
Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for BUSINESS and EMPLOYMENT
The business community has shown overwhelming support for our efforts to attract skilled workers. How successful has the skilled worker campaign been in raising awareness of opportunities in the Territory, and what was the response to the NT Jobs Show hosted in Melbourne last week?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As I said in my previous answer, the biggest problem small businesses in the Territory face is not what is going to happen with the economy tomorrow, it is where they are going to find the workers. We said before that our intention is to employ Territorians and, if we cannot find Territorians, then employ other Australians, and we keep our eyes and ears open following what is happening around Australia. When we find out there is a possibility to run a campaign to attract workers to the Territory, we do it. That is the reason why officers from my department went to Adelaide and Newcastle, and we had an NT Jobs Show that attracted 700 potential workers.
Last week, the Jobs Show was held at the Flemington Racecourse, together with my officers, and Mr Chris Young, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce; Mr Graham Kemp from the Territory Construction Association; and, from Engineering Australia NT Branch, Ms Bronwyn Russell. We organised the Jobs Show because Ford Australia announced it is closing its plants in Geelong and Broadmeadows – 200 people viewed in excess of 500 job vacancies. The details of those people have now been recorded on the department’s database and all this information is available to businesses throughout the Territory. In addition, my departmental officers met with Ford Australia to promote the Territory as a place of employment when Ford Australia is reducing its workforce, and that will happen for the next 12 months.
Apart from Australia, my departmental officers travel overseas. We had a Migration Expo in Cape Town, South Africa, where around 3000 people attended. Following that, we went to Johannesburg. We are expecting 8000 people to attend the Migration Expo for Australia. There are expectations that many of these people will decide to make the Territory their home because of similarities in culture and language. Following this, we are targeting New Zealand, United Kingdom and Germany.
We have the fastest growing economy in the country, and we have the lowest unemployment. Our problem is where to find qualified workers. We cannot produce qualified workers overnight. If the previous government had invested in the bush …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … after 27 years of neglect in the bush, has not produced any qualified worker in the bush.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Nurse Staffing Crisis
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
You know full well that bureaucrats do not act without clear and precise instructions. I put it to you that the decisions that led to the nurse staffing crisis at Royal Darwin Hospital, as outlined in the Coroner’s report, were made by you and David Ashbridge, and that Mr Campos was put in a position to be implementing those decisions. How can you say that the matter has been fully dealt with, when no action has been taken against Dr David Ashbridge? Is it not the fact that yourself, David Ashbridge and Mr Campos bear collective responsibility and should go?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we are getting to the heart of this ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Please, member for Fong Lim, afford me the courtesy of answering the question.
Madam Speaker, we are getting to the heart of this. The first question from the Opposition Leader was about ‘a nurse staffing crisis at Royal Darwin Hospital’, and making the assertion that I had denied, or did not deny, all the way through, that there were issues around nursing numbers at Royal Darwin Hospital. I can remember standing in this place, standing in front of the media on countless occasions, and acknowledging that there is a nursing shortage right across Australia. That is a fact, Madam Speaker.
Let us look at some other facts here ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: The member for Port Darwin asked me to table this graph here last week, which comes from Territory Health Services, as it was then, annual report, showing nursing numbers between 1996-97 to 1998-99, and showing 200 nurses stripped out of the system by the CLP ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, there is a lot of disorderly behaviour at the moment. I would like to be able to hear the minister’s response.
Dr BURNS: I hope that members opposite have availed themselves of the graph that I tabled last week. I am just looking to see a few heads down and seeing whether they have actually looked at it. This was an annual report ...
Mr CONLAN: A point of order; Madam Speaker! Could you please ask the minister to stop this pontificating rubbish and answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, there is no point of order.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I am answering the question. It is very clear from the Health Department’s own annual report, under the CLP government - listeners might be interested in this - that 200 nurses were stripped out by the CLP, and not replaced until 2000-01. I have another graph here that clearly shows the increase in the same report …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you are on a warning.
Dr BURNS: … that clearly shows the increase in nursing numbers since we came to power - some 430 nurses. The fact is that half of that was a catch up. It was a catch up for the 200 who were stripped out by the CLP ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: If you want to talk about nursing numbers and all the rest of it, acknowledge your own shortfalls first.
There has been baying for blood today by members opposite. I will reiterate that Dr David Ashbridge has my full support as the CEO of the Health Department.
Development of the Territory’s Regions
Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Can the minister inform the House about plans to support development of the Territory’s regions?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. I know the member for Barkly is a strong advocate, and will continue to be a strong advocate for the bush, alongside many of my colleagues on this side of the House.
This morning, we heard the Chief Minister’s statement on the economy and how strong it is in the current state. Strong and sustainable regions are vital to the Territory’s economic future, and planning for this future will include a strong focus on our regions.
One of my priorities is to ensure our regions are in a position to benefit from our strong economy. This government is already making a move to devolve decision-making to the regions. My department of Regional Development will be headquartered in Alice Springs, as I have previously said in the House. Local decisions on local issues will deliver real results on the ground. If there is one objective above all others in regional development, it is about jobs, jobs and more jobs, for all Territorians and for the bush.
An example of this successful program – and my colleague, the member for Casuarina and the minister for Employment can attest to it - which continues to produce results is the Indigenous Business Development Program, which has been operating for the past three years. Through the IBDP, there are 67 Indigenous businesses which have taken advantage of this program to create 134 jobs across the Northern Territory ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Please continue, minister.
Mr HAMPTON: I know this side of the House is genuinely taking the bush serious, because we actually did run candidates in all of our bush seats.
More than 40% of these businesses were in regional areas. There are challenges, there is no doubt about it. However, real economic opportunity in our regions can be achieved by working in partnership with industry, businesses and, most importantly, regional communities and the people who live there. In partnership, we can grow strong, sustainable communities that will be in a position to make the most of these opportunities that arise from the wealth generated in our regions, which plays a large part in driving our strong Territory economy. I would like to end by saying that regional development is everyone’s business.
Local Government Reform –
Protecting Workers’ Rights
Protecting Workers’ Rights
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Last year, your department and the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory ignored a proposed MOU from the Australian Services Union put to the NT Local Government Advisory Board to protect workers’ rights. Instead, you and LGANT came up with your own set of principles.
Is the ASU Industrial Officer, Lucio Matarazzo, right when he says that the principles are worth little as they are not enforceable in law? Considering there are no super shires which have a democratically-elected council, are not these agreements or principles null and void because they have not been approved by an elected body of councillors, only by a group of unelected, government-appointed officials?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. Member for Nelson, I was elected, and I was the minister who made sure that those principles reflected what the community and what the …
Mr Wood: No, you are not a member of local government.
Mr KNIGHT: You are not letting me answer the question.
Mr Wood: You are making a furphy.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, this local government reform has been much needed, much talked about …
Mr Wood: So democracy goes out the door.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … but it was only this government that had the guts to actually do something about it. We had a big task. Three decades of a mess out there; three decades of sorting out assets and organisations, and little empires out …
Mr Wood: Are you saying every council was a mess? That is an insult.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, you have asked the minister a question. Please allow him to answer the question.
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, there were 4500 local government employees involved in this local government reform. It was a mammoth undertaking to do something which was right, which we had the guts to do, which was talked about by the CLP for a very long time. They agreed with local government reform; the member for Nelson agrees with local government reform; but we had the guts to do something about it. We are well on our way to completing the local government reform.
Around 4500 employees had to transition from their previous organisations, from about 100 different organisations, across to eight new shires. We agreed with some principles to ensure that those local government employees were transitioned fairly across to the new shires. We agreed on a 12-month transition period, where those conditions would be honoured, and in that first 12 months, the unions, the ASU and the LHMU, would help negotiate a collective agreement for these local government employees.
These local government employees – a vast majority of those bush employees - have not had the opportunity to have a union represent them because they are across vast distances. They have been on individual agreements. So, now, for the first time in the Territory, we will have, for those bush shires, a collective agreement, negotiated in partnership with the unions, so that they will get some real conditions, they will get some fair conditions.
Member for Nelson, you would have to appreciate that there are some conditions of employment which far exceed what you would think would be fair and reasonable, and some of those people are coming out at the moment. Where there have been cases highlighted where perhaps conditions have not been transitioned, we have engaged with them and we have sorted them out. My door is always open to those particular cases and we will sort them out.
As I said, we are going to bring some fair conditions out bush to local government employees, because we want them to stay. We want to attract good employees, and we want to grow Indigenous Territorians and those people living in the regions into local government because it is a great sphere of government producing local services for local people.
Local Government Reform –
CDEP to Full-Time Employment
CDEP to Full-Time Employment
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Can the minister please provide an update on our work to transition Indigenous Territorians from CDEP positions to full-time employment in local government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Further to my last answer, the key objective of the local government reform has been getting better services out bush, and also creating jobs. It has been a commitment of the Henderson government through Closing the Gap of Indigenous Disadvantage to actually create real jobs in local government.
In January this year, the Northern Territory government signed a 2 year agreement with the Australian government. That agreement provided $25m for assisting to create real jobs with a dollar-for-dollar matching arrangement with the Northern Territory government, and this would go into operational funding for these new shires. Already, 408 real jobs have been created in those local government shires, so it is a great result ...
Mr Giles: How many of them are vacant?
Mr KNIGHT: Member for Braitling, you have form here, mate, and you had better keep your mouth shut! You have form all right, so just stay quiet.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please direct your comments through the Chair, thank you.
Mr KNIGHT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. In 2008-09, the shires have pumped $9.1m into matching funding into this program. We will see the full $20m, hopefully, in this financial year.
This really is creating real jobs. These jobs are in administration; financial management; civil works; environmental health; waste management; parks and gardens; libraries; and sport and recreation. This has a huge impact on local communities where employees are getting real money and that money is going back into those families. There are career paths being established …
Mr Giles: But the jobs are not being filled; people are leaving jobs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, cease interjecting!
Mr KNIGHT: There are career paths being established, so that people from the bush can transition right through to the Darwin City Council if they so choose. This is a really good outcome. I hope to report further on local government outcomes as they come about through this reform.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Nurse Staffing Crisis
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
On 15 February 2007, you released a media release titled, ‘Nursing Recruitment Campaign a Winner’ in which you boasted that the government’s nursing recruitment campaign was proving to be the most successful yet. On 11 September, you said that you were aware of the nurse staffing crisis at RDH which was a result of nursing recruitment difficulties. How could you say in early 2007 that there were no recruitment problems and, yet, now you are saying that there are? Is it not the case that you were dishonest then and you are being dishonest now?
Ms LAWRIE: He did not say that. A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member opposite is being offensive, accusing the minister of being dishonest. He is being brought to the attention of the standing order in terms of being offensive ...
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker.
Mr CONLAN: It is withdrawn.
Madam SPEAKER: He has withdrawn the comments. Thank you. Have you finished your question?
Mr CONLAN: Yes, Madam Speaker.
Mr Elferink: You get paid for the job you do; your performance is laughable.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, cease interjecting!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can only reiterate what the Chief Minister said. We make no apology for having recruitment campaigns and highlighting those. Of course, we would be remiss in our job if we were not having recruitment campaigns.
Once again, we go back to the facts. We go back to the Report on Government Services that the Commonwealth government puts out every year on government services. It assesses the number of doctors and nurses and other professionals within it ...
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Well, you are laughing; it was put out under your Howard government. Are you going to dispute it? I do not think so. I will table this as well. I hope that members opposite have a good look at this as well, because it shows, in terms of medical officers, nurses and other staff, that the Northern Territory, on a per capita basis per 1000 people, is leading in the numbers of nurses, doctors and the other professionals. This report on government services also shows that the per capita expenditure of the Northern Territory government, as has been reported just recently, is the best in Australia.
So, let us stick to the facts. Let us not try to spin media releases and verbal me. I make no apology for recruitment programs, and they will continue. We will continue recruitment programs and we will endeavour to try to recruit more nurses into the Northern Territory.
Economic Growth and Protection
of Environment
of Environment
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Can the minister inform the House of the government’s commitment to balancing economic growth with protection of the environment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for the question. I congratulate the member for Nhulunbuy on her appointment as the Chair of Committees.
Outlined here today, it is very clear that the committee’s terms of reference show a commitment by this government to have a balance between development and looking after our environment. It is a real commitment by the Henderson government to ensure that there is development with planning, sustainability and looking after our environment, and ensuring that we keep the future as pristine as possible for our future generations. That is a real commitment by this Labor government.
I mention the commitment of my staff in assessing the plans that they have within the department to make sure that EISs are done properly, to ensure that the advice that comes to the minister for the Environment is having a forward look to preserving the environment. It is very important that whilst we can have development, we must ensure we look after our environment. One of the logos we came up with at our workshop …
Mr Wood: Pity about Glyde Point.
Ms ANDERSON: … member for Nelson, on Saturday, two weeks ago, when we had our little interdepartmental talk, is to ensure that we tell all Territorians that we can have a Territory rich with healthy people and healthy country. I believe it is very important that we all remember that, that you can have development, but we also have to look after our environment, as it is very special to us as Territorians.
Royal Darwin Hospital - Nurse Staffing Crisis
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for HEALTH
Is it not the case that the nursing hours per patient day staffing model, which was recommended by the Coroner, was well known to you and your department since 2005; that your department had reviewed it on numerous occasions and recommended its implementation; that your government had agreed to its implementation in the now expired EBA with nurses in 2007; and that evidence from other states where the model operates shows that it increases the number of nurses employed, increases retention and reduces absenteeism?
Minister, why did it take the death of Mrs Winter for you to say that you would implement this model, and who determines health policy in the Northern Territory: the Coroner or yourself?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there is a number of questions in there. I will turn to the first one, which is about nursing hours per patient day. A number of elements mentioned by the member for Greatorex in his question are true., What he has not included in there is that, in the year since the EBA began, there has been engagement with the ANF and much progress made in the implementation of nursing hours per patient day. So much so, that I believe it provides a very good platform for Professor Duffield to now work with the department to implement it and also review it.
I will come back to the issue of who sets policy in the Northern Territory, and the function of the Coroner. The function of the Coroner is obviously to have inquiries, far-reaching inquiries, and the Coroner has far-reaching powers to inquire into matters. The Coroner has made a number of recommendations which government is implementing, and I have said, on the basis of the Coroner’s report, we would be implementing it very quickly.
In relation to who sets policy - government sets policy. I will come back to some of the major policy planks of this government. In the 2001 election, our centralist theme and plank was increasing nursing numbers. That was what we did in 2001. In the 2005 election, the same thing - increasing and undertaking to increase nursing numbers. We have done that; as I have said, approximately 440 nursing FTEs within the system. I have already alluded to the fact, based on the Health Department’s own reports, during the CLP time, that the CLP stripped out 200 nurses ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: It is true. I pick up the interjection from the member for Port Darwin. I am very interested to see how he actually rebuts - I tabled it the other day – how he rebuts it ...
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, cease interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, it might be the same mathematics that he used the other day about executive numbers. I have just been waiting for the question about that, but I might wait a little longer – I might go to that in adjournment …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order, member for Braitling!
Dr BURNS: … and it will reveal the silliness of the member for Port Darwin. He does not understand. Tonight, I will get in the adjournment and I will lay it on the table. The shadow Treasurer is demonstrating that he does not understand numerators, denominators, percentages or numbers. He is all over the place. You mob had better watch out
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Jetstar Aviation Hub in Darwin
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for TOURISM
Earlier this month, Jetstar commenced direct flights from Darwin to Ho Chi Minh City, an important milestone in the development of their hub in Darwin. What other destinations are likely to be under consideration and what economic benefits will flow from an aviation hub in Darwin?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is a great question. The arrival of Jetstar in Darwin to establish an international hub is great news for the Territory, and it is great news for Territorians. It is also great news for Australia because it affords the opportunity to thousands of people to fly out of Australia to a destination in Asia and, at the same time, brings thousands of tourists from other destinations to Australia ...
Mr Elferink: Any hotel boom?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes. Of course, people can make commercial decisions to build hotels since they know there is a tourist boom in the Territory and we will certainly need more accommodation.
Jetstar now flies to Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, and recently announced another flight to Denpasar starting in December. The fact that Jetstar is using Airbus 320 aeroplanes with a flying range of about 5 hours 20 minutes, opens many South-East Asian cities as destinations, such as Kota Kinabalu, Phuket, and Kuching. Previously, you would have used two or even three planes to reach these destinations from Australia. This gives more choice to Territorians and more choice to Australia.
The information is that Jetstar is working collaboratively with European airlines, like Air France, and people can now book from Europe and fly from Europe to Singapore to Darwin without having to chase and reload luggage onto different flights.
The arrival of Jetstar in Darwin is not only giving opportunities for tourism, it gives opportunities for businesses in Darwin. By establishing the base in Darwin and because of the flight time between Darwin and the southern states, where most of the aeroplanes are maintained, Jetstar has made a decision that the aeroplanes will be maintained in Darwin. It is a unique opportunity for the airline industry in Darwin to partner with Jetstar to maintain the aeroplanes.
In addition to that, I have been advised that Jetstar will be advertising in the next few days to recruit in Darwin for cabin crews. We are talking about 280 people who will be based in Darwin. Jetstar …
Mr Chandler: What happens when they get the 787? They fly right over the top do they?
Mr VATSKALIS: The problem with the 787, member for Brennan, is that it is quite a long time away. It looks like it is going to get longer and longer because Boeing recently announced another delay in the arrival of the 787s. You have to remember that the 787 will be used on routes from Asia to Europe, rather than from Australia to Europe.
In the next five years, the hub is expected to bring $160m into our economy, create more than 570 jobs, and bring in an additional 250 000 tourists to Australia. This is great news.
Darwin is fortunate, because we are, as real estates agents would say, location, location, location, with regard to the southern capitals and also the South-East Asian capitals. So it is good news for Territorians; it is good news for Australia.
Prison – New Site
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
This question is about location, location, location. Before the election, you were asked on ABC radio to say where the new prison was going to be built. You told listeners that it was not going to be built anywhere near residential areas, however, you were not willing to say where the three proposed sites were. If the sites being investigated are not near residential land, then why would you have a problem saying where those sites were? Surely, as an open and transparent government, you can tell people the sites, or has your government seen sense and decided to leave the prison where it is?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what I can say to the member for Nelson and to this House is that options are still being worked out and put forward. This is a significant commitment that we have made towards a new prison for the Northern Territory. Regarding its location, we have made an absolute commitment that it will not be near any residential areas. Those options are still being worked out and are yet to come to Cabinet.
Central Australian Drag Racing Facility
Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The minister recently officially opened the Central Australian Drag Racing facility. Can the minister please update the House on this exciting initiative for Central Australia?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. It certainly was an exciting event. My history with the Drag Racing Association goes back a fair way. I recall one of the first meetings I was involved with, back in 2001, when we had the Drag Racing Association coming in to say: ‘We need a new drag strip urgently’. They had been asking the CLP for years and that request had been falling on deaf ears. So it was great to be there in front of a huge crowd together with some great members of the Drag Racing Association.
The Northern Territory government has supported CADRA’s aims for a permanent drag racing facility in the Centre for quite some time. We granted the land, adjacent to the Finke Desert Race start/finish line, some time ago. We have invested over $1m in that drag way; an investment that was welcomed by the Central Australian motor sport community. It is money well spent. It looks fantastic and it is very important infrastructure in terms of our sporting facilities in Central Australia.
I acknowledge the work done by CADRA in working with this government to get the drag strip up and running. In particular, I acknowledge CADRA’s President, Guy Watts, for his hard work on this project. I especially pay tribute to the former CADRA Secretary and motor sport icon in the Centre, the late Mr Alan Stainer. At the opening, I shared with people a story about Al’s passion and dedication for the sport. I recall, at the first parliamentary sittings in Alice Springs, Al was there with his car and his placards, as loud as ever, lobbying for a drag strip. That is something that will stick in my memory for a long time. I would like to place him on the public record for his passion for the sport.
The Inland Dragway is a fantastic sporting facility in Central Australia, and highlights this government’s commitment to motor sport across the Territory. As Minister for Sport and Recreation, I look forward to seeing its continued growth and attending more successful meetings at the Inland Dragway.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016