2010-08-17
Domestic Violence - Public Office
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Domestic violence is a blight on Territory society. I have made my position of no tolerance regarding domestic violence crystal clear. Your position remains unclear. Do you believe people who have domestic violence orders standing against them are fit for parliamentary office?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the Leader of the Opposition because everyone in this parliament, including me, condemn domestic violence; it is a blight on our society. We recognised this issue as a government, being the first government in this country to make mandatory reporting of domestic violence an act of law - people have to report domestic violence.
Regarding domestic violence orders, this is an issue where, tragically and unfortunately across the Northern Territory and Australia when marriages or relationships are falling apart, on many occasions both parties in a relationship take out a domestic violence order against each other. It is a mutual order which sets the boundaries between two people; an order which establishes how these people can communicate and have space from each other during a difficult, emotional and distressing time. That is how these orders are used.
I would not endorse any political candidate running for the Labor Party who had a conviction for domestic violence. I would not knowingly endorse any candidate running for office in the Labor Party who I believed had physically assaulted his partner. The issue of a domestic violence order being applied to a person works both ways. I condemn domestic violence and would not endorse any candidate running for the Labor Party who had been found guilty of a domestic violence offence, pleaded guilty in a court of law to a domestic violence offence, or who I had any concerns had physically assaulted and abused his partner.
Supplementary Question
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
We have three days to get to the bottom of this. I ask you again: do you believe people who have domestic violence orders standing against them are fit to be parliamentary representatives?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have been very clear: I would not endorse or support any candidate who had been found guilty of a domestic violence offence.
Having a domestic violence order attributed to a person is not an admission of guilt. It is a procedure used by both parties, on many occasions, which sets out the boundaries between two people of how they can communicate and have space from each other during a difficult separation.
I do not condone and would not support any political candidate running for the Labor Party who had been found guilty of a domestic violence offence, or had pleaded guilty in a court of law to domestic violence.
Jobs for Territorians
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you tell the House the importance government places on creating and supporting jobs, and what actions it has taken to ensure Territorians have jobs? Can you outline any threats to Territory jobs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for not falling around laughing asking that question this afternoon. The Territory recorded its lowest-ever unemployment levels since statistics were taken - 2.6%. That is a fantastic result for the Northern Territory because it is not just a number; it means people are working.
Those statistics also show the Territory now has 121 403 in the workforce. That is the highest number in our history, and that is fantastic news for Territorians, Territory families, and the Territory economy. This has occurred at an extraordinary time, despite the global financial crisis. When we look around the world at the dole queues in the USA, the UK, and many parts of Europe, they are lengthening. In the Northern Territory people are finding work and getting jobs. It is a great outcome.
How did we achieve that success? Predominantly and primarily through government spending which the opposition has attacked both locally and federally - the Commonwealth government cash stimulus and our stimulus through our capital works program of $1.8bn being spent this year, coming on top of more than $1bn last financial year. This is providing jobs for Territorians. This is supporting and protecting around 2500 jobs in this economy.
Those big injections have been made in a number of ways: the commitments to schools through the Building the Education Revolution; housing through emergency housing and Defence Housing packages; roads and rail crossings; and other key infrastructure.
The choice for Territorians on Saturday in regard to the economy is jobs. We are not out of the woods in the global financial crisis; there are shock waves still reverberating around the world. Labor, federally and locally, is committed to jobs and keeping the spending going. The federal Liberal Party would rip money out of the Northern Territory, and ripping money out of the Northern Territory means Territorians will lose their jobs, and small business will struggle. That is something which is a clear dividing line in this election on Saturday. Labor is the party of jobs and small business. It is the CLP and the Liberal Party that will see people go onto the dole queues, and higher taxes for small business. Nothing could be clearer.
Domestic Violence - Labor Party Policy
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You have repeatedly claimed to have a zero tolerance position regarding domestic violence. Doesn’t the fact the Labor member for Solomon, Damian Hale, has had a domestic violence order …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 62 for a start, and also Standing Order 114.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, I have not heard the question yet. I will listen to the question and make a decision.
Mr MILLS: You have repeatedly claimed to have a zero tolerance position regarding domestic violence. Doesn’t the fact the Labor member for Solomon, Damian Hale, has had a domestic violence order taken out against him make a mockery of your zero tolerance policy?
Madam SPEAKER: I will allow the question.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the only mockery occurring around this debate is the mockery the leadership of the CLP is taking with the Leader of the Opposition. This is all about the opposition and the mess they have themselves in. It is about the division which exists in the CLP where, quite clearly, the Leader of the Opposition has no authority - no authority whatsoever. It is about the Leader of the Opposition’s inability to lead a united party on what is a very sensitive and difficult issue. It is the Leader of the Opposition’s credibility that is in tatters here.
Mr Hale’s relationship breakdown has been extensively publicised. I urge all members to take account of the fact there are children involved in what will possibly play out in the parliament this afternoon.
If the Leader of the Opposition is a man of principle, he has to explain what principles enable him to come in here to seek to gain political capital from these matters. People should be going to the polls on Saturday making a decision in the best interests of this nation.
There is nothing new in the very difficult and traumatic breakdown of someone’s marriage. We have all been around family, friends, or loved ones who have experienced a difficult matrimonial breakdown; things are said in the heat of the moment. Domestic violence orders are issued by both parties. These are not an admission violence has actually taken place; these provide the rules of engagement about how people can communicate through a difficult time, and are mutual orders which set out the boundaries between two people.
For the Leader of the Opposition, who parades himself as a man of integrity, to seek to gain political capital on this particular issue is beneath him.
New Equipment Purchases – Tax Breaks
Ms WALKER to TREASURER
The federal government’s stimulus plan delivered tax breaks for business for new equipment purchases. Can you update the House on how this initiative has flowed through the Territory’s economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. The federal government’s stimulus plan targeted business investment by delivering significant tax breaks for businesses buying new equipment. The detail is tax cuts provided an extra 30% tax deduction for eligible assets costing $1000 or more for assets which were purchased in the post-GFC period, 31 September 2008 to 30 June 2009, and installed by 30 June 2010; and the second tranche was eligible assets from 1 July 2009 to 31 December, which was a 10% tax break if installed by 31 December.
With these significant tax breaks we saw an initiative designed to directly support investment by business to support jobs. With 12 000 small businesses across the Territory eligible for the initiative, it was estimated to provide approximately $27m in combined tax relief for Territory business.
Motor vehicle sales are a good indicator of the take-up of this initiative. The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ data shows the sales of motor vehicles increased by over 14% between June 2009 and June this year. Prior to the stimulus tax break, the level of motor vehicle sales was down. A picture tells a thousand words: you saw at the GFC a complete drop-off in the sale of motor vehicles, which shows a dramatic decline, income to tax breaks, and a pick-up of 14%.
This initiative directly supported Territory businesses. It certainly supported our Territory motor traders at a time of economic instability. It helped to protect Territory jobs. I commend the federal Treasurer and the federal Labor team for the tax break initiative which delivered support to our all-important motor trades industry in the Territory.
Member for Solomon –
Domestic Violence Order
Domestic Violence Order
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
The issue of the member for Solomon’s domestic violence order has not been adequately examined in public. The voting public has the right to know what led to the court issuing a domestic violence order against the member for Solomon ...
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 62(1) - offensive or unbecoming words. It is beneath this parliament to go down the track the Leader of the Opposition is embarking on.
Madam SPEAKER: I will allow the question to be completed so I can make my decision.
Mr MILLS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The voting public has the right to know what led to the court issuing a domestic violence order against the member for Solomon. Can you tell Territorians why your candidate for the seat of Solomon has had a domestic violence order issued against him?
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause. I am going to seek advice on this.
It is quite tenuous in whether it is allowed or not, but I will allow the Chief Minister to answer it, giving him latitude in his answer, if he wishes to answer the question.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is not an issue about Damian Hale; this is an issue about a deeply divided Country Liberal Party which is in absolute turmoil - turmoil of their own making - on this particular issue. It is about the Leader of the Opposition, who has no ability to enforce his leadership within a party which is divided on this issue and other issues.
I will address what is becoming a very sad and sorry day for this parliament, where the break-up of someone’s marriage is going to be trawled through this House like a kangaroo court by the Leader of the Opposition.
In the case for the member for Solomon, his long marriage was disintegrating; an obviously emotional time for both parties. The Leader of the Opposition seeks to gain political capital from this in the lead-up to an election. It is absolutely beneath him.
This is not a case of police taking out a DVO. This is not a case of a criminal offence. This is not a case of a DVO being breached. This is a case of a marriage falling apart that you want to exploit for political capital - and shame on you, Leader of the Opposition.
This is two people having a hard, difficult time. The court never had to consider whether there was violence; it was not an issue. The police never interviewed the member for Solomon, they never laid charges and, unlike Mr Leo Abbott, never applied for a DVO. We have faith in the police and the court system, not the kangaroo court the Leader of the Opposition wants to turn this parliament into this afternoon. This mutual court order gave these two people the time and space they needed as their marriage was falling apart, and it worked.
This is a very different case to the matter of the CLP candidate for Lingiari, Leo Abbott. The police lodged a domestic violence order against Mr Abbott, and Mr Abbott breached that domestic violence order. Domestic violence is unacceptable. The CLP endorsed a candidate for Lingiari in the full knowledge of the domestic violence orders that surrounded him. Acting President, Richard Teo, said on Monday the CLP knew about Mr Abbott’s issues. He said:
- We actually knew about it when he went up for pre-selection at Central Council. He told us exactly what happened. Perhaps the words ‘domestic violence order’ were not used, but he did say that he pleaded guilty to charges of sending e-mails, SMSs and all that was, you know, in front of 60 to 70 people …
And they still endorsed this candidate.
This is an issue for the opposition and it is not about Damian Hale.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Building the Education Revolution Program –
Homeland Learning Centres
Homeland Learning Centres
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
You say that the under the BER program, $205m was allocated to the Northern Territory. Can you provide a list of approximately 40 homeland learning centres the department of Education operates for Indigenous students and the amount of BER funding to be spent on each homeland learning centre?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am more than happy to provide a list of BER projects through the Northern Territory - the complete lists - to the member for Macdonnell. If the Coalition was to gain power on Saturday, those remaining programs I outlined in this House last week - somewhere around $100m - would be at risk. I will provide the list of BER projects throughout the Northern Territory, both in government and non-government schools, to the member for Macdonnell.
National Broadband Network
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS and TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Under Labor’s National Broadband Network, how long will it take to legally download a movie in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs? Are you aware of any alternative policies?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the issue of broadband access is critical in the member for Fannie Bay’s electorate as it is in all our electorates. It will take around seven or eight seconds to legally download a 1000 MB movie such as 102 Dalmations, for example, from an Australian site like BigPond under the NBN.
However, I am aware of an alternative. If you happen to live in Anula, for example, and you only have one copper line to your house, under Mr Abbott’s policy it will take up to 28 hours to do the same thing. For Mr Abbott’s plan to work you need a wireless tower on every street corner. By the time Mr Abbott has the backbone in, it would be 2017 and most of the NBN we see being rolled out in the Territory now would be up and running.
Labor’s NBN is not only visionary, it is also world-class. It will provide distance education, smart infrastructure, and e-Health. In recent days …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HAMPTON: In recent days, there has been endorsement of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s announcement, with delivery yesterday of online medical consultations, an after-hours GP videoconferencing service, making Medicare rebates available for online consultations in rural, regional and outer-suburban communities, and support so practitioners could provide triage and basic medical advice online to people in their own homes through the National Broadband Network.
Labor’s NBN will, as we heard the Australian Medical Association President, Dr Andrew Pesce, say yesterday, allow doctors to overcome the tyranny of distance when providing care and advice for patients in rural and remote Australia. This is very important for Territorians. We have also had the Royal College of General Practitioners President, Chris Mitchell, say Labor’s policy was innovative and exciting, adding that patients were exposed to unnecessary risks without e-Health and improvements in medical information management systems.
Mr Abbott’s policy lacks vision and leadership, and the CLP should be ashamed they have sold out Territorians by supporting it.
Member for Solomon –
Domestic Violence Order
Domestic Violence Order
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You have said to this House you have no concern in your mind regarding the conduct of Damian Hale regarding the issuing of a domestic violence order. What inquiries have you made to come to this conclusion?
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I turn to Standing Order 62 which refers to members of this Assembly and members of the Australian parliament. It reads:
- … nor shall a member attribute directly or by innuendo to another Member unbecoming conduct or motives; and all offensive references to a Member’s private affairs and all personal reflections on Members shall be deemed to be highly disorderly.
The Leader of the Opposition continues along this line of questioning. It does not do him any good, it does not do parliament any good, and I ask you to rule on Standing Order 62.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek some advice. Honourable members, I remind you of standing orders in relation to freedom of speech:
- (1) That the Assembly considers that, in speaking in the Assembly, or in a committee, Members should take the following matters into account:
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this Question Time, I believe, is setting a new low where the Leader of the Opposition is seeking to exploit a marriage break-up, where there are children involved, for political capital.
Shame on the Leader of the Opposition for bringing this parliament to a new low. The people of the Northern Territory should be making decisions about the election on Saturday on substantive and significant issues, not allegations thrown around by the Leader of the Opposition in this kangaroo court.
In regard to this particular issue, I put my confidence and faith in the Northern Territory Police Force and our legal and judicial system, not allegations which are being thrown around by the Leader of the Opposition who is seeking to exploit the very difficult break-up of a marriage where children are involved, for his own grubby political capital on an issue of his own making. He has demonstrated he failed in his own leadership to get his party to disendorse a candidate who has pleaded guilty in a court of law for breaching a domestic violence order.
These issues are chalk and cheese. I said before that the court did not have to consider whether there was violence; it was not an issue. The police did not interview the member for Solomon, they did not lay charges, and they did not apply for a DVO.
Madam Speaker, it is not for me, as the Chief Minister, to trawl through people’s private lives. It is for me to put faith in our police and the court system. For the Leader of the Opposition to use the parliament Question Time as a kangaroo court to smear a political opponent regarding issues of the break-up of a marriage is absolutely beneath this parliament and the Leader of the Opposition.
Rehabilitation Services - Access Improvement
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Can you please advise the House of recent developments to improve access to rehabilitation services for Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for this question which is very important because we all know the impacts trauma, injury, or a work accident can have on people, especially when they have a chronic and debilitating illness. Rehabilitation can do miracles for them and their families.
I am pleased to say, in 2008, the Australian government provided us with $1.2m in order to have another look at Ward 4A and convert it from a general ward to a rehabilitation/restorative ward. Our government provided $250 000 on top of the federal money, and I am pleased to say the new ward is now a 30-bed ward compared to the eight-bed ward it was before.
We now have the ability to care for 60 rehabilitation patients at any one time, and 14 people who have suffered a stroke and require restorative services to improve their physical functionality. This ward has now been fully operating since 6 July.
We also have the ability to hire more specialists such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and social workers. In addition, we redeveloped the bathrooms to meet the needs of people who are making use of rehabilitation services, and also the dining area because, sometimes, people have to learn the very basics we take for granted when they recover from a trauma.
We work very closely with the federal government. We have seen many benefits from the federal Labor government. However, if we have the misfortune of Tony Abbott being elected the new Prime Minister of Australia, we better kiss a lot of money goodbye. The first thing to go will be the $220m we would be getting from the federal government as part of the hospital and health reform plan. We have to kiss goodbye the health services. He has clearly said he is not going to do it. Of course, he will close down the super clinics. In a place where we have half the number of GPs per 100 000 population, Tony Abbott is going close down the super clinics. They are vital to provide services for people who cannot afford to pay $85 or $90 for a visit. They are vital for people who cannot access a GP after hours.
Madam Speaker, this is a Tony Abbott special if we are unfortunate enough for him to be elected as Prime Minister of Australia.
Correctional Services –
Training Program for Inmates
Training Program for Inmates
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Last Friday, I visited Mango Downs, the cattle station and stock camp at the Berrimah Correctional Centre. Eleven inmates are doing a Certificate I Rural Operations course - or a stockman’s course in plain English. I was impressed seeing these men returning on horseback from working at Robbie Robinson Reserve where they had a display of horsemanship and showed off their fencing and the cattle yards they had just built.
You say this is a new era in Corrections. Will you stand by that statement and ensure this stockman’s course does not run out of funds in two week’s time, and is guaranteed long-term funding?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. More importantly, I thank the member for visiting the Darwin Correctional Centre and taking an interest in the programs operating there which are making a difference. The course we are talking about is a pilot program to train inmates. It is Certificate I in Rural Operations and, as part of the new era in Corrections, it represents a focus on delivering training and education and the link to real jobs.
It is interesting for members to know the Department of Correctional Services has employed a new Director of Industries. This Director of Industries is working closely with the Director of Education in the process of assessing this training initiative. It is important the outcomes relate to qualifications and real jobs. It is important, in this particular program which relates to the pastoral industry, we can identify those linkages and make it very clear so the taxpayers’ investment is going into an area which will deliver training qualifications and real jobs on stations and in the pastoral industry.
I have been advised there have been negotiations regarding increased costs for this program moving forward. I am committed to investing in training and funding rural programs if it is shown they are viable and tangible outcomes in training, and job opportunities are the real outcomes for our new era. This is just one of many areas we are working in and investigating. Once again, I thank the member for his interest and his question.
Member for Solomon –
Endorsement by Chief Minister
Endorsement by Chief Minister
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
In a media release issued on 18 February last year, you claimed the Territory government is saying ‘Enough is enough’ and ‘domestic violence will not be tolerated anymore’. Why is it, after making that statement, you supported the endorsement of Damian Hale as a Labor candidate for Solomon?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Damian Hale has not been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, domestic violence. This is the fundamental issue here.
Let us look at the division, the lack of leadership, and the total inability of the Leader of the Opposition to lead a united opposition on this or any other issue. I never thought I would say ‘good on’ 8HA in Alice Springs, but one Steve Brown who, I believe, is on Central Council who was part of the decision not to disendorse Mr Abbott, said on Radio 8HA:
- But what this was all about was moved by some who thought that if we disendorse Leo we could then look, you know, sort of take a high moral ground and call for the disendorsement by Labor of Damian Hale in Solomon who also has DVOs against his name.
Steve Brown has spilled the beans here. This is not about some principled decision; this is about a political strategy hatched by some in the opposition to take a high moral ground and call for the disendorsement of Damian Hale. He went on to say:
- Now it was a dirty low horrible act and the people within the party have come out and instructed Terry Mills that he will not proceed and that we are not happy with it, okay. That is an act of decency. The act they were intending to perform was a low mongrel act and we in the party have said ‘no’.
The issue with Leo Abbott is totally different. Here is a man who has pleaded guilty in a court of law to breaching a domestic violence order. The police have never interviewed the member for Solomon; they have never laid any changes, unlike Mr Leo Abbott; and have never applied for a DVO. This is a desperate Opposition Leader taking this parliament to a new low in regard to the tragic breakdown of someone’s marriage.
Budget 2010-11 – Infrastructure Projects
in Alice Springs
in Alice Springs
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Budget 2010-11 saw a record investment by the Henderson Labor government in infrastructure projects across the Territory. What will this mean for the residents and businesses in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question, which is very important. Budget 2010-11 was all about responding to the global financial crisis. It was this responsible government on this side of the House which saw the need to invest money into our business community and our construction industry through infrastructure projects. It was a record budget.
Coupled with that, we had the massive spend on Power and Water - $1.6bn over five years going into Power and Water; vitally needed. That work is going on in a whole range of areas across the Northern Territory. We have power generation upgrades at Channel Island and Weddell. Unfortunately, despite part of those upgrades and the works going on, we had an outage the other day. I sympathise with people who had that short outage, but you cannot fix 26 years of neglect overnight. We are fixing the power system, the water system and the sewerage system - 26 years of neglect from the CLP.
A good chunk of that money is going into Alice Springs. Alice Springs is a great community. They deserve first-rate power, water and sewerage facilities, and we are investing in Alice Springs. The Ron Goodin Power Station has come to the end of its life. Those generators belong in a museum, not in a power station, and we have decided to build a new power station. That is great news for Alice Springs.
The new Owen Springs Power Station is a $136.4m project – a massive injection into the Alice Springs community. There are many local trades which have gained work there. Ross Engineering has a significant part of that work which has brought the town alive. They had a recent information day and we hope to have an open day there so everyone can see this massive investment from this government into that area.
There are also upgrades at the Lovegrove Zone Substation and the Roe Creek Bore Field. There is $19m going into the Roe Creek Bore Field. The power reticulation has also been upgraded. This is really good news for Alice Springs and shows our government’s commitment.
Whilst the CLP will neglect Power and Water, we will invest in it. Where they will get rid of Power and Water jobs, we will recruit. We will invest money, they will strip money out. Ultimately, their current position is to privatise Power and Water, and that means higher power, sewerage, and water prices.
Domestic Violence - Reporting
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
There were 2867 reports of domestic violence in 2007-08. Despite that disturbing figure, it is widely acknowledged most incidents of domestic violence go unreported. How does pre-selecting the member for Solomon, when he has a domestic violence order against him, encourage the victims of domestic violence to come forward and report the matter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition’s own party, and the Leader of the Opposition by his own admission, have stated publicly they knew about the domestic violence orders pertaining to Mr Abbott when they endorsed him. The Leader of the Opposition knew. For him to ask that question shows the hypocrisy in which he is taking this particular debate.
The issuing of a domestic violence order is not, in any circumstances, an admission of guilt that domestic violence has occurred. The Leader of the Opposition said he was okay with the fact that they had pre-selected a candidate who had admitted, in front of 60 to 70 people, to having a domestic violence order issued against him. What he was not prepared to cop was the fact that the person had breached the domestic violence order.
I go to a media release from the Leader of the Opposition dated 15 August where he said:
- I’m surprised the party’s management committee has shown it is prepared to condone domestic violence ...
I ask the Leader of the Opposition: how can you sit there as a leader of a political party which, in your own words, condones domestic violence? If you had any principles or integrity there is only one path you could take. The Leader of the Opposition is seeking to make political capital, under a controlled and direct political strategy as identified by Mr Steve Brown, to make political capital in the lead-up to a federal election on Saturday in a marginal seat of Solomon based on the unfortunate, very difficult, and very public break-up of Mr Hale’s marriage where there are children.
This is not an act of principle because, if it was, I do not see how you could be the leader of a political party who, by your own words, Leader of the Opposition, condones domestic violence. There are two ways this can end for the Leader of the Opposition: either the party machine finally takes leave of their senses and disendorses Mr Abbott, who has pleaded guilty in a court of law to a criminal offence in breaching a domestic violence order; or the Leader of the Opposition has to resign on a point of principle.
Tiger Brennan Drive - Stage 3
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for CONSTRUCTION
My question is, once again, about Stage 3 of Tiger Brennan Drive, which is the Berrimah Road bridge over the railway line. You mentioned in your statement last week there is now a contract called an early contract involvement contract. Could you explain what this means, what work is happening under the contract, how much is that contract worth, and which company has the contract? Is this picture of a sheep’s foot roller operating near the rail crossing part of that contract?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question about the Australian and Territory governments’ $110m Tiger Brennan Drive project. What I said last week about the early contractor involvement delivery model was true. That is a model which has proven successful, and we are currently working with the contractors involved in that model.
I outline for the House an impressive list, with the head contractor Macmahon, and others being BGC Contracting Pty Ltd, Steelcon Constructions NT, the Ostojic Group, John Holland, Thiess, Leighton Contractors, Laing O’Rourke, Sitzlers, BMD Group, and the Larrakia Development Corporation. That is the model, and we are very happy with how that is progressing.
Regarding the variation to the ECI contract, there is a process, as I outlined for the House. Currently, the process is at the stage where it has not been formally varied, and we have to go through further negotiations as part of this process, which relates to one aspect of agreeing on the price. As the minister, my and our government’s focus is on keeping costs down and delivering the final stages of the project …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. My question was specific about the early contract involvement contract. I asked: what does it mean, what work is happening under this contract, how much is the contract worth, and which company has the contract. That was the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Yes, Madam Speaker. What it means is the delivery of $110m worth of major road transport infrastructure. The contract model is to progress a contract which is applicable to efficiencies in delivery, efficiencies in cost, and maximising involvement of Territory companies. As I said, my focus is on keeping costs down. I outlined for the House the probity process and independent auditors involved …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. I will keep it very simple. Who has the early contract involvement contract?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point very quickly?
Mr McCARTHY: I outlined to the House the head contractor and the impressive list of contractors involved in this project.
In relation to the last part of the question, we are allowing some works to proceed, such as clearing and placement of fill material as there is excess fill material from Stage 2 of the project. This action is being undertaken in relation to a cost-effective approach to …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Lookrukin Indigenous Women’s Leadership Program students, accompanied by Ms Fran Gusthart from Charles Darwin University and Mr Matthew McNeill from Major Training Services. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Alice Springs – Residential Land Release
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Can you please inform the House of the progress being made in releasing land for residential development in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his very good question. Being an old Alice Springs boy, he is certainly aware of the issues in Alice, particularly that of land release.
It was good to join Warren Snowdon, the federal member for Lingiari, along with our Mayor, Damien Ryan, and NT Airport Corporation’s CEO, Ian Kew, at the airport last Friday, particularly as the airport land has now been given the tick of approval from the federal minister, Anthony Albanese, for the Alice Springs Airport Master Plan.
The master plan provides for further land releases in Alice Springs, which is much needed, particularly with the release of the new suburb of Kilgariff. What we are looking at is an integrated development of around 4500 dwellings over the next 20 years. So, 4500 dwelling for a population of up to around 15 000 is a significant announcement for Alice Springs.
We will work together with the Airport Corporation and the Commonwealth government, and with the traditional owners and their organisation, Lhere Artepe, in developing the new suburb of Kilgariff and also the airport land, in an environmentally sustainable way. This is really important because we do not want to make the same mistakes we have seen in some bigger cities down south.
We also announced in Budget 2010-11 $10m for headworks at the new suburb of Kilgariff. This is a great kick-start for both the airport land and Kilgariff. I thank the Treasurer for her support. There have been up to 300 dwellings approved by the Development Consent Authority recently, and those developments are all by private developers which gives great confidence to Alice Springs. It is great news.
We are prepared to work, as always, with native titleholders. We are getting on with the job of securing land and homes for Alice Springs, which has a great future. It will grow and prosper and we look forward to the next 20 or 30 years in Alice Springs.
Member for Solomon –
Domestic Violence Order Conditions
Domestic Violence Order Conditions
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Whilst I appreciate the differences you have outlined between the Abbott and the Hale domestic violence orders, that is not the real issue here. The question which needs to be answered is: what acts and actions of Damian Hale led to the DVO being issued against Damian Hale? Surely, the voters have a right to know that?
Madam SPEAKER: Just pause. I will seek advice on this.
The question is out of order in relation to the standing orders. If the Chief Minister wishes to respond to the question, he may do so.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will respond to the question because it is important for Territorians to understand how low the level of questioning has become here today.
As I said before, as the leader of the Labor Party, on this particular issue I put my faith in the hands of the police and the courts, not in a kangaroo court which the Leader of the Opposition has tried to establish today to smear a political opponent in the lead-up to an election on Saturday in a very close marginal seat, with a very clear and planned political strategy as outlined by Mr Steve Brown.
This is not a point of principle; this is a political strategy to smear an opponent with untested, unfounded allegations.
In regard to the court, again I say the court did not have to consider whether there was violence; it was not an issue. The police did not investigate or interview the member for Solomon, they did not lay charges, and they did not apply for a DVO.
This is different to the matter for the CLP candidate for Lingiari, Leo Abbott, where the police lodged a domestic violence order against Mr Abbott, and Mr Abbott pleaded guilty to a breach in a court. These two issues are totally separate. These are issues where the police applied for a DVO against Mr Abbott in a court, and the court granted the DVO on application from the police. The police, obviously, felt there was enough evidence against Mr Abbott to take the matter to court. They did not do that in the case of Mr Hale.
The Leader of the Opposition is using this parliament to smear. I call on the Leader of the Opposition, if the party is contemplating letterboxing the seat of Solomon in the lead-up to Saturday’s election – as they have done in the past – with a grubby political pamphlet that is unauthorised, unattributed, and making attacks and smearing the member for Solomon, we will know where that has come from.
The CLP has form. They did this in the lead-up to the 2005 Northern Territory election where a number of candidates were smeared by the CLP regarding the changes we made to the age of consent. I call on the CLP not to go down this path in the lead-up to Saturday and exploit a very difficult and traumatic break-up of the member for Solomon’s marriage where there are children involved ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Palmerston - Recreational Fishing Infrastructure
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
Fishing is part of our great Territory lifestyle, and this government is always looking to make having a day out on the harbour even easier for Territory families. Can you please advise the House of upgrades to recreational fishing infrastructure in Palmerston?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is an important question for Territorians because families do go out fishing together. Fishing is a favourite recreational activity in the Territory.
This government has spent a significant amount of money to upgrade fishing infrastructure. We spent $4m to upgrade the Palmerston boat ramp. When we designed that ramp, we sought advice from the stakeholders’ working group including the Palmerston Game Fishing Club. I congratulate them on the information and advice they gave us. Based on this advice, we designed a ramp that is going to be one of the favourite ramps for Territory families. It will include a floating pontoon making it easier for families to go fishing, a land-based fishing platform, disability access, security lighting, and power and water to the ramp.
The tender for the construction was awarded on 10 May 2010 and work has already started. The ramp will stay closed for two weeks from Friday, 20 August, to upgrade the ramp as is necessary. Further closures will take place because work will have to be done, and the public will be advised. The project is on track to be completed in December 2010.
It will provide fishing access for a significant number of people who are going to live in Palmerston in the next few years with 670 houses in Bellamack, 480 in Johnston, and 1400 houses in Zuccoli. All these people, I bet you, are going to buy boats and will want access to the sea to go fishing.
In the past few years, this government has bought back 15 commercial net fishing licences, bought barramundi licences, closed the Bynoe Harbour and Finniss River - the one the member for Katherine did not want to close – and we have changed the bag limits. If you look at what the CLP did when it was …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Katherine! Member for Arafura!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, the photographs speak for themselves. I do not have to say why we closed Bynoe Harbour.
Let us look at what the CLP did. They sold out the East Arm boat ramp to a local business. We had to spend millions of dollars to construct a new one so people had access to the sea there. We know very well what they were proposing to do. It was Senator Scullion who came to an AFANT meeting and said the Howard government was proposing to close a significant number of coastlines around the Territory because of the significant cultural value, and the wildlife. It was something that made Alex Julius write a very bitter article condemning Senator Scullion, who actually said what he proposed to do was close just about the entire Northern Territory coastline.
Madam Speaker, it is our government …
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: It is our government which has made significant investment in fishing infrastructure for the people who still like to go fishing …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Mr VATSKALIS: … and are still able to go out fishing, thank God, because the Coalition government’s plan never came to fruition ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you time has expired.
Member for Solomon –
Domestic Violence Order
Domestic Violence Order
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
The member for Solomon, Damian Hale, agreed in a domestic violence order that he would not, and I quote: ‘Threaten, assault or harass his estranged wife’. That implies the Labor member for Solomon had previously threatened, assaulted, or harassed his ex-wife. The member for Solomon, Damian Hale, has never denied threatening, assaulting or harassing his wife ...
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 62: offensive and unbecoming words. I ask you to rule on that, attributing conduct …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, I will wait for the end of the question.
Mr MILLS: This is on the record.
Madam Speaker, these issues go directly to the character of the member for Solomon, Damian Hale. Did Damian Hale threaten, assault or harass his wife?
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause. I am going to seek advice.
The question is out of order in relation to Standing Order 62(1) which cites:
- No Member shall use offensive or unbecoming words against the Assembly or any Member of the Assembly or against any House or Member of another Australian Parliament ...
- … a Member’s private affairs and all personal reflections on Members …
I am also concerned that, with the questioning this afternoon. We have moved into Standing Order 114 relating to repetition.
Leader of the Opposition, I will allow the question, but it is out of order. If the Chief Minister wishes to answer the question he may do so, but if he does not wish to that would also be acceptable.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is an appalling new low for this Territory parliament where, with the break-up of someone’s marriage – and let us remember there are children involved in this, Leader of the Opposition – that you seek to exploit the very difficult and public break-up of someone’s marriage for your own political ends. This is absolute contempt of this parliament because this is all about your leadership. This is about your lack of authority within your own party. This is all about, as Steve Brown who sits on your Central Council - or management committee, whatever you call it - has publicly stated, a political strategy to shine the light on Mr Hale’s very difficult and traumatic marriage break-up.
The Leader of the Opposition likes to cloak himself in principle. He has stated his own party, that he represents, condones domestic violence. If he was a man of principle he would not sit there leading a political party which, in his own words, condones domestic violence.
The police did not apply to the court for a domestic violence order against Mr Hale. It was a mutual court order which gave those two people the time and the space they needed. In regard to the DVO and the words that are printed, they are not an admission of guilt by Mr Hale at all. They are an undertaking that was mutually given, in what should be a private document registered in the court between two people who are having a difficult and very traumatic marriage break-up.
For the Leader of the Opposition to come in here with no evidence; to smear, to seek to gain political capital in the lead-up to an election, certainly casts a very large shadow of doubt on his integrity. If he had any integrity he would put some evidence on the table.
I stand by our Northern Territory police who did not even interview the member for Solomon, unlike the police who lodged the domestic violence order against Mr Abbott. They did not interview the member for Solomon, they did not lay any charges, and they did not apply for a DVO.
The Leader of the Opposition is seeking to establish a kangaroo court. It is absolutely beyond contempt that he would seek to politicise a marriage break-up, where children are involved, for his own political ends ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016