2008-10-28
Police Numbers - Shortfall
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Over the past few weeks, there has been a string of media reports outlining a surge in criminal activity in and around the Nightcliff shops. Violent crime in the Northern Territory continues to spiral, property crime rose by 7% during the past year, and the road toll is, tragically, at near record levels. These factors point to significant shortfalls in police numbers. What are you doing to address this deficiency?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. We are a government that stands proud on our record of supporting our Northern Territory Police Force. We have seen our police force grow by over 200 officers during our first two terms of government. We have a commitment in this term of government to see an additional 80 officers out in our police force right across the Northern Territory.
The results are on the board, the police are on the beat. Crime, particularly if we are talking about property crime, is half of what it was across the Northern Territory when the CLP left office in 2001, so there have been significant inroads in reducing crime right across the Northern Territory.
The Leader of the Opposition wants to continue to run the line, based on quarterly figures, that this type of crime and that type of crime is up. There is no doubt, when you actually look at crime, since 2001, in all categories of crime, apart from assaults - and I will come to that in a moment …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister well knows that he cannot impugn language which was not used. I point out to the Chief Minister that it was not a quarterly comment that he made but, indeed, it was a figure from a whole year. I ask the Chief Minister to keep some shred of honesty in his answers.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, there is no point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. When you look at those crime levels from 2001 to 2008, apart from assaults, all levels of crime across the Northern Territory are down. In regard to assaults, we have had this debate and this discussion in this House ad nauseum.
Tragically, over 50% of all assaults in the Northern Territory are domestic violence. Until a couple of years ago, those accounts of domestic violence were not accounted for in the assaults category in police reporting. That is the tragedy of what is happening across the Northern Territory. As a government, we say that domestic violence is absolutely unacceptable. We have a discussion paper out in the broader community about mandatory reporting for domestic violence by anybody who believes that a person is at risk of domestic violence – and that is the story in and around the assaults category.
Our commitment to police is demonstrated. In regard to the police budget, it is around 70% more than it was when we came to government. We have more police right out across the Northern Territory, with more to come. Every initiative that we put forward in terms of police, such as the Police Beat initiative about which the Leader of the Opposition is saying is a waste of time and we should do away with it.
Our commitment is on the record, the police are on the beat, and crime is down from where it was at when they left office in 2001. This is a government that will continue to support our police force.
Government Transparency and Accountability
Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER
Can the Chief Minister update the House on the Henderson government’s plan to improve transparency and accountability in the parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. At lunchtime today, I outlined plans to improve accountability and transparency of this parliament. We have been the most reforming government since self-government in the area of transparency and accountability of parliament.
We introduced an estimates process, where members opposite and parliamentarians could ask questions of public servants - something that the CLP refused to do for 27 years. We introduced freedom of information legislation - again something the CLP refused to do for 27 years. Just last week, we introduced whistleblowers legislation, something the CLP refused to do for 27 years. We are introducing a code of conduct to the parliament, underpinned by legislation, something the CLP refused to do for 27 years ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I would like the Chief Minister to throw in the number of gag motions that this government has …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat, there is no point of order. Order! Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr HENDERSON: We have also updated the regulations around pecuniary interests of members and their families, something that had not been updated by the CLP since 1982. Our reforms are on the record, as opposed to what they did not do when they were in government.
Today, I announced that it is the government’s intention that parliament, subject to a referral to Standing Orders Committee and debate in this House, have three extra parliamentary sitting days a year. I also announced that the government intends to provide for video and audio streaming of parliament, so Territorians can witness and hear all of the debates in this House - and not only the debates but the actual manner and demeanour of parliamentarians in delivering those statements and contributions in this House. As I said at the media conference today, this is all 25 of us on notice that our demeanour will certainly be there for all to see in regard to our behaviour in this parliament.
The parliament will start at 9 am and conclude at 10 pm. These are significant reforms in regard to transparency and accountability of parliament, something the CLP - oh, I forgot one that they did not do. We have allowed the television cameras into the parliament, something the CLP refused to do for 27 years. Our reform agenda is locked in, and this will be the most open, transparent and accountable parliament since self-government in the Northern Territory.
Nightcliff – Police Resources
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
The string of break-ins in Nightcliff resulted in the closure of the local infant health centre, forced one of the local barbers to sleep in his shop, and caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. These break-ins took place in the dead of night, just metres from the Nightcliff Police Station, a station that closes at 4 pm. Are you satisfied that police resources are being distributed effectively?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I agree with the Leader of the Opposition – that criminal activity in Nightcliff was absolutely unacceptable. I say that - absolutely unacceptable that those good people who run businesses in Nightcliff were exposed to that level of criminal activity. However, I do praise the Northern Territory Police, who immediately dedicated a team of 16 police officers from the commander’s Tactical Team to actually investigate what happened in Nightcliff in Operation Lynx Two. In total, 18 offenders have been dealt with for offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful entry and stealing, traffic offences, drug offences, breach of bail, and antisocial behaviour.
This is a police force that is well resourced, with more officers yet to come. We have record recruitment rates in the police college. When the CLP were in government, it was lucky to have one recruit squad a year graduate - you were lucky to get one a year; in a good year you would have two. We now have the Berrimah college operating and churning out around four recruit squads every year, recruiting to be ahead of attrition, as well as building our police force. So, 16 officers were dedicated to investigating the offences that took place in Nightcliff, and 18 offenders have been apprehended - a good result for police.
Housing Numbers
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, you announced new plans to increase the number of houses in the Northern Territory. Can you outline this plan to the House and advise how it will improve the value of the housing stock?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. A very significant announcement was made by the government yesterday: a new grants scheme titled Buildstart, a scheme of $14 000 available to people who are buying or building a home or buying a unit in the Northern Territory. It is a scheme which has been well received by everyone in industry. This is a scheme to bring forward activity, new housing construction and unit developments in the Northern Territory, and to bring investors back into the marketplace to invest in properties for the rental market.
It complements the Commonwealth government scheme which went to first homebuyers; we are looking at everyone, apart from first homebuyers, benefiting by buying a new home, building a new home, or purchasing a new unit in the Northern Territory.
The details of the scheme, which was opened as of yesterday, will conclude when the Commonwealth government’s First Home Owners Grants scheme concludes on 30 June 2009, and construction must commence within six months of signing the contract to build and must be completed within 18 months of commencement of construction - a very real and significant boost to bring forward activity.
People talk about land availability across Darwin and Palmerston. There are more than 500 housing lots already available on the market, and we are expecting to see significant activity brought forward to get housing started on those 500 lots, with more than 200 to come online before 30 June 2009.
There are more than 180 units under construction in Darwin, and there are approximately 300 proposed developments with the Development Consent Authority. It will bring a lot of that activity forward.
I recognise that Alice Springs has similar problems to Darwin; this is a scheme which will apply across the Territory. There are around 90 vacant residential blocks in Alice Springs that this will immediately bring to bear upon, with 32 of those at Larapinta. We are very close to concluding the ILUA with the traditional owners in Alice Springs, which will see Mt John Valley provide 40 blocks in Stage 1 and 80 blocks in total, with the first land release expected towards the end of the year, because the headworks have been done.
This is about a government recognising that, as a result of rising interest rates, rising costs, concerns by investors in what is happening in the global financial marketplace, we need an incentive to bring forward activity to build new houses, new units and improve rental opportunities for Territorians right across the Northern Territory.
Nightcliff Police Station –
Extended Opening Hours
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
During the election campaign, you announced a plan to spend $12m over four years to establish so-called Police Beats at a number of trouble prone shopping centres around the Territory. Given the history of criminal activity around Nightcliff, and that it took weeks for police to crack the youth gang causing all the trouble, will you review the practicality of opening the Nightcliff Police Station beyond 4 pm?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Regarding ‘so-called Police Beats’: where was their initiative during the election campaign regarding actually targeting hot spots across the Northern Territory? Absolutely nothing.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This has absolutely nothing to do with the question. I ask you to call the Chief Minister back to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, the Chief Minister has only just started answering the question, and the question was in several parts, including something about Police Beats.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I certainly heard a question about Police Beats, and that is what I am responding to - a significant government initiative in recognition of the fact that these shopping centres, right across the Northern Territory, including in the Alice Springs CBD, attract antisocial behaviour and low-level criminal activity. They are the most used public spaces right across the Northern Territory. This is an initiative which has been very well received. If we talk about Casuarina Shopping Square, this is the most used public space in the Northern Territory, with hundreds of thousands of people moving through this space …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There was nothing in that question that remotely resembled Casuarina Shopping Centre. The question was very specific about the Nightcliff Police Station at the Nightcliff Shopping Centre, and the fact that it was closed at 4 pm. Can you please ask the Chief Minister to come back to the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. There is no point of order. I might add that when a question is asked, and there are a lot of points in a question, the minister who has the call may answer it as they wish.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could keep as close as possible to the question.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Fong Lim is trying to get himself kicked out by repeatedly calling points of order …
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, Leader of Government Business. Chief Minister, if you can keep your answer as close as possible to the question.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The question …
______________________
Motion
Dissent from the Speaker’s Ruling
Motion
Dissent from the Speaker’s Ruling
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, under Standing Order 82, I move dissent from the ruling of the Chair for the Chair’s failure to uphold the standing orders; for the Chair’s dereliction of duty to hold ministers accountable to this parliament; and, for the blatant politicisation of the Speaker’s position.
Madam SPEAKER: It needs to be in writing and seconded. I think it is a bit extraordinary …
Mr TOLLNER: It is in writing.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Please resume your seat, member for Fong Lim.
The question is that the motion be agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is a dissent motion and, as with any motion, there is a member on his feet who has the call. Surely, he is able to speak to his own motion?
Madam SPEAKER: I am closing down Question Time. Debate starts forthwith. The cameras will be removed, thank you.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, the central role of Question Time is to keep ministers accountable to this parliament and, therefore, the people of the Northern Territory. It is a fundamental right of members of parliament to be able to question ministers, and to expect answers to those questions. The need to constantly stand up, ask you to draw the minister back to the question, and you refusing to do so, I believe is a complete abrogation of your duty as the Speaker.
The fundamental role, as I say, of Question Time, is to make ministers accountable to this parliament and the people. We go through sitting days of complete debate and …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not have a copy of the motion that we are debating.
Madam SPEAKER: I have a copy here. I do not know if it has been photocopied for members. You may continue, member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I was saying, it is the obligation of this parliament during Question Time to hold ministers accountable to the parliament and the people of the Northern Territory. That is the fundamental role of Question Time. Every time I stand and raise a point of order, to be told by the Speaker that there is no point of order, that the Speaker has no ability to ask a minister to answer the question, I believe is a complete abrogation of the idea of Question Time. It is an abrogation of the standing orders, and it is an abrogation of your role as Speaker.
Madam Speaker, last week, you ejected me from the parliament for attempting to raise a point of order in relation to relevance. I will just step through the actions that led to my ejection.
I rose to call a point of order in relation to Standing Order 67, that the minister be accountable to the parliament and respond to the question that was specifically asked of the minister. Your response was, and I am quoting from Hansard:
- Member for Fong Lim, I remind you, as I have in various sittings that, in fact, the Speaker is not able to direct the minister in exactly how to answer a question. The minister has been on her feet and is still answering the question. You will remain seated, thank you, member for Fong Lim. Yesterday, you referred to the House of Representatives Practice book, which we all have copies of, and you read a certain part. There are also other parts which you did not read. It says:
- The latitude permitted to Ministers has often been quite considerable in the House of Representatives. Speakers have ruled consistently that provided the answer is relevant and is not couched in unparliamentary language Ministers may virtually answer questions without notice in any way you choose.
- It also says:
- … the interpretation of ‘relevant’ has at times has been very wide ...
That is selective quoting, Madam Speaker. What that actual excerpt says, because you have pulled up at a comma - not at a full stop but a comma. What the whole line says is:
- The interpretation of ‘relevant’ has at times been very wide, with a basic requirement being that an answer must maintain a link to the substance of the question.
- In practice the word has been frequently acceptable by the Chair as meaning relevant in some way or relevant in part, rather than directly or completely relevant. Nevertheless, although the test of relevance can be difficult to apply, ministers have been ordered to conclude their answers or resume their seats as their answers were not relevant. The Chair has also upheld points of order or intimations contesting the relevancy of a minister’s answer, for example, directing a minister to ‘come to the question’.
Madam Speaker, as I have said, the House of Representatives Practice and the standing orders all point to ways that a Speaker can ask a minister to be relevant to a question. We sit here continually in Question Time, watching ministers jump to their feet, answering questions any way they deem fit, wasting time, and you are refusing to draw them to be relevant to the question.
This is the fundamental role of Question Time - the fundamental role. Speakers must be relevant; that is why we have Question Time. Ministers must be relevant to questions asked by members from the floor. Those members are representing their electorate. They are representing the people of the Northern Territory. They have legitimate questions that they expect legitimate answers to. We do not want to hear more pollie-waffle coming from the government. We have endless amounts of brochures, glossy documents, paid government television advertising – a whole range of propaganda circulating around the place. What we want is real answers to the questions, and we are not getting it, Madam Speaker.
What we are getting is booted out of parliament. We are being abused in the media for asking the most basic question; that is, for ministers to be relevant. That is all I have asked since coming to this parliament. I have sat for six years in the federal parliament, almost on a weekly basis, watching Speaker after Speaker dragging ministers back to the question. I have been told at other times in this parliament, by you, that there is no ability for you to do that. You told me one day that that does not happen in federal parliament. As I say, it happens on an almost weekly basis, where ministers are being drawn to answer the question: ‘Come to the question or resume your seat’.
I am at my wits end as to how to deal with this because, constantly, I come into this place and ask ministers to be relevant. My initial desire was not to call a motion of dissent, but you leave me no other option, because you continually deny members of this parliament the right to have their questions answered. It is a complete abrogation of the parliament and I believe that this particular ruling of yours should be dissented upon.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, the member for Fong Lim is rapidly becoming the member for stunts, and this is nothing but a stunt.
Ms Purick: You are the gag person …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I will pick up on the interjection from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. She used the word ‘gag’. Well, this was a stunt to gag the Chief Minister from, absolutely, appropriately, his answer on a question that included the assertion ‘so-called Police Beats’, talking about what Police Beats are, and the effectiveness that Police Beats will have on the safety in our community. Quite appropriately, the Chief Minister very clearly was adhering to the standing orders of this parliament as, indeed, he was also adhering to the House of Representatives Practice, as mentioned on page 553 …
A member: Have you read it?
Ms LAWRIE: Have you read it? Well, yes, I have, and I am about to quote it back. It was quoted by the member for Fong Lim and I will quote it again:
- The interpretation of ‘relevant’ has at times been very wide, with a basic requirement being that an answer must maintain a link to the substance of the question.
- In practice the word has been frequently accepted by the Chair as meaning relevant in some way or relevant in part, rather than directly or completely relevant.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: This is a stunt. We know that it is part of the idea that the opposition has this fantasy. They say ministers are lazy, and that they are working 9 am to 5 pm, government business is finishing too early. We know that they have been layering on notices for their General Business Day tomorrow so that they can say: ‘They are rushing through the business of government today so they hope we are out early so that they can then drag their heels up Darwin and down ally tomorrow and say: ”Well, look, we are not lazy”’. This is simply part of a stunt that is being played out, and we will see played out over the next couple of days. Madam Speaker, I sincerely apologise that the impartiality of the way in which I have seen you, as Speaker, preside over this Chamber, has been pulled into a stunt by the member for Fong Lim, in a tactic by the opposition to play out this ludicrous notion that, somehow, we work 9 am to 5 pm as members of government – an absolutely ludicrous notion.
Very clearly, because the stunt was pre-prepared, and the member for Fong Lim is not exactly the brightest spark in the Chamber …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: He is all ready with his stunt when the Leader of the Opposition led with the question and included the words ‘so-called Police Beats’. When the member for Fong Lim called a point of order on the relevance, Madam Speaker, I recall that you directed the Chief Minister to link his answer to the question, going to the practice of the House of Representatives and, indeed, the way we interpret that practice here in this Chamber. Very clearly, the stunt was ready to go. However, it did not play out exactly how they would have liked the stunt to play out, because, Madam Speaker, quite appropriately, did her job and pointed out the practice within the House of Representatives and the practice that we adhere to in this Chamber.
The Chief Minister …
Ms Carney: Whose job you want.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … was clearly …
Ms Carney: And I reckon you will get it, because he is so bad.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Araluen, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: I will pick up on a frivolous interjection by the member for Araluen. Member for Araluen, I have no designs on the office of Chief Minister, because I know that we have the best Chief Minister in the Territory …
Mr GILES: A point of order; Madam Speaker! Could I ask that they direct their comments through the Speaker please, instead of straight across?
Madam SPEAKER: Please resume your seat. Leader of Government Business.
Ms LAWRIE: Very clearly, the stunt was pre-prepared, but it did not quite go according to their plan because, Madam Speaker, you had done your job very appropriately in pointing out the importance of linking to the question, as the Chief Minister was. He was responding to a question where there was an assertion around ‘so-called Police Beats’, starting to talk about the assertion and the validity of the assertion - which is important, given that the public is listening to the debate during Question Time and wanting to know whether Police Beats are so-called or if they are real and, if so, what they are. The Chief Minister was not given the opportunity to go on to talk about the Nightcliff Police Station, and we know the all important Domestic Violence Unit operates out of …
A member: You are doing a good job proving our point.
Mr Tollner: You have never answered the question yet.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: The opposition is known more for their stunts than their substance. This is an example today where they wanted to guillotine and gag Question Time, an important opportunity for the Territory public to hear the debate of parliamentarians - and no, they shut it down, they gagged with a dissent motion. Now they sit there and accuse the government of gagging and they shut down the Chief Minister in talking about what the police in the Territory will be doing to ensure community safety. That is disgraceful - absolutely appalling.
We will go on with the matters that the government has on the Notice Paper. This is a disgraceful stunt. The member for Fong Lim is the member for stunts. He had a very lacklustre career in the House of Representatives and he is starting out the same way in this parliament.
A member: Turn it up, that is a bit rough.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: That is about as kind as I could get.
We know that the Leader of the Opposition has a bevy of colleagues who want and aspire to his position. We know that they are all coming in here and beating their respective chests to prove to their colleagues: ‘Give me the numbers, because I am your man’.
Ms Carney: Oh, excluding women, you good feminist, you.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex, cease interjecting. Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Araluen, because she does want to be included in that group - yes, indeed. I would not rule out the member for Goyder either.
Madam Speaker, this is nothing but a low stunt. You have presided with enormous impartiality over this Chamber. I recognise that not only do you preside impartially over this Chamber but, I know, as Leader of Government Business, that you go out of your way outside this Chamber to engage all members of this House to ensure that they are aware of what you are doing in presiding, giving them the opportunity for discourse, discussion and their ideas.
You are the most inclusive Speaker that I have witnessed in this Assembly. You bring members of the public into the Assembly in numbers that we have never witnessed before. I have recollection of this Assembly, back to self-government, and I have recollection of the Legislative Council, so it is not a five-minute period in the Territory that I am talking about when I reflect on the job that this Speaker is doing in comparison to predecessors.
This is a stunt. It is nothing more than a stunt. Madam Speaker, I move that the question be now put.
Mr Elferink: For the purpose of the people in the gallery, we have just been told that we cannot debate the rest of this debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, cease interjecting!
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 13 Noes 11
Mrs Aagaard Mr Bohlin
Ms Anderson Ms Carney
Dr Burns Mr Chandler
Mr Gunner Mr Conlan
Mr Hampton Mr Elferink
Mr Henderson Mr Giles
Mr Knight Mr Mills
Ms Lawrie Ms Purick
Mr McCarthy Mr Styles
Ms McCarthy Mr Tollner
Ms Scrymgour Mr Westra van Holthe
Mr Vatskalis
Ms Walker
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: The question now is that the motion be agreed to.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 11 Noes 13
Mr Bohlin Mrs Aagaard
Ms Carney Ms Anderson
Mr Chandler Dr Burns
Mr Conlan Mr Gunner
Mr Elferink Mr Hampton
Mr Giles Mr Henderson
Mr Mills Mr Knight
Ms Purick Ms Lawrie
Mr Styles Mr McCarthy
Mr Tollner Ms McCarthy
Mr Westra van Holthe Ms Scrymgour
Mr Vatskalis
Ms Walker
Motion negatived.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Question time did not start until 2.05 pm, it is now 2.45 pm. Question time is not yet complete, despite this debate.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek advice from the Clerk. Leader of Government Business, do you wish to continue Question Time or to continue Government Business?
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, I know I indicated in my response that the government would be continuing with the Government Business. This was a stunt designed to kill Question Time …
Ms Carney: Go on, ask for advice; you do not know the answer. Yes, look at your staff.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Araluen, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: The member for Araluen is very excited today, Madam Speaker. Question Time started at 2.06 pm, according to what I saw, we are happy to take questions until 3.06 pm.
______________________
Buildstart Scheme - Benefits
Mr GUNNER to TREASURER
Can you please advise the Assembly on the economic benefits of the Buildstart Scheme?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Fannie Bay. There are vacant lots coming on to the marketplace in his very own electorate that this Buildstart Scheme will be quite appropriate for. Alongside the Chief Minister, yesterday, I was happy to announce the Territory government’s Buildstart Scheme. It is designed to help Territorians who are not first homebuyers. As the Chief Minister said, it is complementary to the federal government’s economic stimulus package. We are looking for people to come and invest in the Territory and Territorians to invest in the Territory, but this scheme is also available, obviously, for interstate investors to stimulate that economic activity that construction provides to the Territory.
Buildstart as you have heard, provides a grant of $14 000 for people who are buying or building a new house or, indeed, buying a new unit. It is a potential $6m injection into the Territory’s building industry, and a potential $6m investment into our economy right now. We estimate there are something like 800 new properties that can result from Buildstart; that is, both houses and units. With approximately 50 applications per month, that will provide more housing stock and, importantly, more rental options for Territorians.
The building sector is very excited about this initiative, because it will see people move on the vacant blocks on which they have been sitting, and get that all-important construction under way. We acknowledge our booming economy and our high population growth has led to pressure on the rental market. Buildstart will result in more houses and units being built, easing the pressure on rents and helping Territorians into home ownership, or to purchase their investment property.
Ms Toni Vine Bromley of NT Shelter, an advocate for more affordable housing, said today that this measure actually does something quickly, and ‘… will free up existing properties where people are planning to build’ ...
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is a positive; that being, the connection between the question and the answer is remarkably close. It is quite different when the opposition asks questions.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order. Resume your seat.
Mr Mills: You got the message.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, yesterday we heard a familiar story where a local family had purchased land some two years ago and had not yet built, looking at the interest rates that had risen and that we now see are coming down and, indeed, the rise in construction costs which affect the decision about whether or not to build. Buildstart will provide that family with the kick-start that they need to make their investment housing dream affordable - a $14 000 reason to build a home.
Already, my office has taken a number calls this morning from excited landowners keen to get their housing construction under way or people looking to buy a new unit. The $6m Buildstart stimulus to boost housing construction has been welcomed by the construction industry, the real estate industry, affordable housing advocates, and Territorians. It is a fresh idea that will deliver real results.
Madam Speaker, the CLP do not support it. They have no ideas - just negatives, just whingeing - and they want to talk down the Territory.
Land Release – Housing Crisis
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
In a very belated effort to combat the Territory’s housing crisis, your government yesterday announced the $14 000 grant to help established homeowners buy or build an investment property. Will you acknowledge that such a package is required only because of your government’s failure to get the Bellamack development going on time - now it is pushed out dramatically into next year - and your general and spectacular incompetence when it comes to land release? Where are the 500 blocks that you claim are ready to be bought and built on?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the shadow minister for her question. They escape the reason for Buildstart. It is about bringing forward construction in the Territory. We recognise that there is land available out there - 500 lots of land across Palmerston and Darwin. We have land available in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine. We also recognise that there are units under construction, and also units being brought forward before the Development Consent Authority for construction. This is an economic stimulus package. We have experience in Quick Start - a $5000 grant when we came to government in 2001 - where growth was 0.0%, the construction industry was in a nose dive, and we had long-term Territorians, subbies, leave the Territory, leave their families, and go interstate to find a job.
Mr Chandler interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Brennan, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: In response to the economic doldrums and the dire state which our construction industry was in when we came to government in 2001, we provided an economic stimulus scheme, which was Quick Start, at $5000. What we saw …
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! In relation to content of answers, we have actually been referring to page 553, if you would like to check it. In the bottom part of the second paragraph - we have read the first part - it says:
- It has been held that a minister ‘should not engage in irrelevances’, such as contrasting the government and the opposition, …
The Speaker has directed the minister so doing not to proceed. Members will find a contrast between exactly what is said on page 553. I ask that the member for Karama to go back to answering the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Sanderson, the minister was asked a question that had about four or five different parts. The minister is still answering the question. I am sure she will be coming to the point, but she is still answering the question, which has a number of parts to it.
Ms LAWRIE: Certainly, Madam Speaker, and in looking at whether or not to introduce Buildstart - the question was about Buildstart and the availability of land - is, indeed, whether or not it is the right type of economic stimulus package that you would want to stimulate and bring forward building activity into the marketplace.
In terms of the lots of land, very clearly, I said that they are located across Darwin, Palmerston, and Alice Springs, and we have put lots out in the marketplace in Tennant Creek, and we have activity in Katherine. We did a title search across all of the land. We have found where the land is, we know exactly the numbers. The 500 is not a figure we have made up. It actually stacks up. For example, if you look at an area like Bayview, it has about 65 lots of land there which people have been sitting on, which is why, of course, the scheme is attracting those investors into the marketplace. Why? Because it all has a flow-on effect and provides for new stock coming in, and frees up stock that exists. It provides more opportunities for people to live in the Territory.
Madam Speaker, it is about driving forward that economic activity in construction, knowing that we have a lot of land coming on - in excess of 3000 lots coming on from mid-2009 onwards - where you do not need this economic activity booster that Quick Start is. The 30 June 2009 date recognises that.
Literacy and Numeracy in English
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Last week, you made an announcement to close the gap of educational disadvantage by having all students undertake four hours of literacy and numeracy in English each day. Can you please update the House on this initiative?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. On Tuesday, 14 October, I announced that a teaching and learning program for the first four hours of school will be conducted in English from the start of our 2009 school year. Having made that decision, and certainly having the great support of the government, we recognise that making this decision and rolling out this policy is highly contentious. However, I am absolutely committed, as are all members of government, to making the decisions needed to lift the literacy and numeracy results in our remote Indigenous schools, and part of that is to improve our attendance rate.
I support maintaining our Indigenous language and culture. Community leaders and parents must continue to teach traditional culture and language to their children. However, parents and community leaders also have a responsibility to ensure that their children receive a quality mainstream education. It must be an education that leads to employment opportunities available to any other Australian.
The reality is, a quality education must be a thorough understanding of English. That is the currency that we have in Australia and worldwide, and we must ensure that Aboriginal children get that thorough understanding of English. Our Indigenous children need to be given the best possible chance to be literate and numerate.
Our schools will still be able to undertake Indigenous language and cultural programs, and I emphasise strongly here that I am not removing the resources from our two-way schools. There will continue to be Indigenous teacher assistants working in partnership with teachers in those classrooms in our very remote schools.
There will be continued support for the development of resources to teach language and culture, but there has to be a greater emphasis on English. I also acknowledge that increasing the amount of time English is taught in our remote and very remote schools is not the only silver bullet to improving literacy and numeracy, but we are absolutely committed to making the changes which will show results. There has to be real urgency around this to get the results. We cannot have another generation of illiterate and innumerate young adults.
The second part is looking at the skills of our teachers and teacher assistants; giving them the resources, ensuring their professional development, getting our teachers skilled in English as a Second Language, and ensuring we provide all the necessary professional development tools in those areas to ensure our teachers have access to them. There are also curriculum resources being developed to provide teaching programs and support materials for all classrooms and teachers in those remote schools.
I recognise that all our teachers need to have cross-cultural skills and understanding, and that is being built into the overall training and development package for those teachers.
There is a lot to be done. This is a major reform, but it is all possible because we are moving forward with implementing our Closing the Gap initiatives. With the Henderson government’s plan to transform Indigenous education, we can turn around the downward trend of Indigenous educational disadvantage. It is going to take time. We have to be brave enough to make some hard decisions, and there will be a lot of hard decisions, and it will be contentious. I will have discussions with a lot of remote communities. I will go with my colleagues into their bush electorates and talk to those communities, sit down with parents. We have to say ‘Enough is enough’, and our children have to learn and we have to turn that around.
Many of those programs are under Closing the Gap. The Leader of the Opposition says you have to have teachers in every classroom - have a look at Closing the Gap. We are recruiting our teachers under Closing the Gap; we are also working with the federal government to roll out 200 teachers, and that will continue.
Gamba Grass – Weed Management
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Has the government made a decision about gamba grass? If not, when can we expect a decision?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I acknowledge there is a problem with gamba grass in his electorate, and many other parts of the Territory as well.
As I travelled around the Territory as the Environment minister over the past few months, I paid particular attention to the damage that gamba grass can do; it causes hot burns and it crowds other species of plants. Gamba grass is a huge problem, not just in the Top End of the Northern Territory, but also in the bottom end of the Northern Territory. On the other hand, we also understand that there are some pastoralists who see value in gamba grass for pasture.
I can inform the House that tackling this issue is one of my major priorities. I have already received a range of scientific and economic information and consulted with key stakeholders. I also acknowledge the important contribution on the gamba grass issue made in the most recent report of the Sessional Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, which focused on invasive species.
This government will reach a balanced position on gamba in a timely fashion. It is the decision of this government. To this House and the member for Nelson, you will get your response. I have always said openly in this House that my door is always open, and I hope you take that opportunity.
Outreach Antenatal and Maternal Care
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you please inform the House what measures the government is taking to provide important outreach antenatal and maternal care to women in remote areas of the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage is a top priority of this government. In our Closing the Gap strategy, we are looking at all stages of life. What more important stage of life is there than in those months before and after birth? It is a well-known fact in health circles; it is called a Barker Hypothesis. It really makes a lot of common sense that what happens in utero really determines the future of a child into adulthood and also in terms of chronic disease - things like smoking, nutrition in mothers, the birth itself and, of course, those very important months after a child is born of feeding, breast feeding, nutrition and being cared for. These are all crucial elements of ensuring that children have better health.
This is why the government, particularly given the fact that the Northern Territory has been shown to have the highest fertility rate in the nation - around 4000 births in 2007. It is of vital importance to us to focus on this area.
There has been specific funding of $9.6m for an integrated early childhood and family service over five years, beginning in June 2008. As part of that, there has been extensive consultation with health providers and consumers to provide the best antenatal access and education for Indigenous women. There have been two additional midwife positions added. I must pay compliment to my predecessor, Peter Toyne, who established four midwife positions across the Territory, from memory, at a cost of $2.1m per annum, doing very important work. The extra two bring it from four to six - one based in Nhulunbuy and the other in Alice Springs. They will travel extensively along with the existing midwives. They will also provide clinical support to those communities which do not have resident midwives.
It will be about giving practitioners the opportunity to gain education skills, providing more information for Indigenous women around a whole range of topics and consistent key messages about health, including sexual health and the importance of early antenatal care. They will also participate in building networks across and within those communities. For those women who come into town to have their baby, they will be following up with them before the birth, wherever they are staying in hostels and other places, to improve the continuity of care.
Madam Speaker, we are very focused on improving outcomes for mothers and babies, particularly in our remote areas. Through our Closing The Gap initiative, these extra two midwives and the money we are investing over the next five years will yield results.
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