2009-10-20
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT referred to TREASURER
Your government has stated that pay rises for Territory public servants will be no more than 2.5% per annum. For a public servant on an average weekly earning of $61 360 per annum, that amounts to a pay rise of just $21 per week. Last year, the median rent prices on a three-bedroom home in Darwin jumped by 25%, or $100 per week. Why should the family of an ordinary public servant be left $79 a week out of pocket just to pay the rent?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a very important question. As we have seen with the EBAs over the years, the public service has done very well from this Northern Territory Labor government with pay rises …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, if they do want to know the answer, wage rises have been between 3% and 4%. I know the CLP is very keen to slash the public service. They have made those statements on a regular basis. This Labor government has been committed to growing the public service in those key areas of Health, policing, and Education. We have supported the public service. I do not think the opposition realises the extent of the economic downturn we have seen in this country that …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: ... we are facing. As the CLP has highlighted, our GST revenues are reducing. It is a time, in this economic cycle, where we have to show maturity and restraint. And that includes us, member for Port Darwin, in this House, showing restraint in our wage rises as well. It has been this side of the House which has shown the leadership on this issue.
I do not know if the Treasurer has any more to add about the economic situation, but it is a time of showing some leadership, maturity and restraint in the current economic situation.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, the Minister for Public Employment has put this question into context. He mentioned the economic downturn which all jurisdictions are grappling with. This is a time when restraint is needed to save jobs. Labor is focused on saving jobs, on ensuring …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Administrative Arrangements in the Northern Territory say that questions in relation to the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment should be directed to the Minister for Public Employment. That is where the question was directed. I am curious as to why the Treasurer is on her feet.
Dr Burns: Well, you should have been listening.
Mr ELFERINK: I was.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, we are only on the first question. The minister referred it to the Treasurer as part of her portfolio.
Ms LAWRIE: If the shadow Treasurer does not understand the implication of a wages cost to the budget, then he really should not hold the mantle of shadow Treasurer.
If you look at wages restraint, going forward, the Territory is not alone. If you look at New South Wales, their wages policy going forward is 2.5%.
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am having a lot of trouble hearing what the Treasurer is saying. Once again, the opposition has slipped back into their low level interjections to try to disrupt proceedings of this parliament. I believe they should show some respect. We have heard the feedback from the public over the last week or so, and they are continuing to backslide into their old, arrogant ways of interjections.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51:
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance, which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Treasurer, you have the call.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. In New South Wales, their wages policy, going forward, is 2.5%. In Victoria, their wages policy going forward is 2.5%, similarly for Queensland and South Australia.
The wages policies of the smaller jurisdictions are: Tasmania - 1%; and the ACT - 2%. What we are trying to do, as collective governments around Australia, is exercise sound financial management in grappling with the reduction in the GST and the result of the economic downturn on our budgets going forward. Clearly, it is sound financial management to be in line, in step, with every jurisdiction around Australia to show a wages policy of restraint going forward.
In fairness, through the Minister for Public Employment, we have started discussions with the unions on this.
Protecting and Growing Jobs – Delivery by Government
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
A major economic priority for the government is protecting and growing jobs. Can you please advise the House if the government is delivering on this priority?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. There is nothing more important for government than to protect and grow jobs. People can live their life to the fullest extent possible if they have good jobs and good wages in a growing economy. The Access Economics report released yesterday showed that employment and jobs growth will run at an average of 2% over the next five years. This is the highest in the nation, and way above the national average of 1.5%. It shows that the policy settings of government - our openness to investment - is stimulating investment and jobs growth in the Territory.
We have a participation rate in our economy of 74%, where it is 65% nationally, and an employment growth rate of around 4000 jobs per year. At a time of the global financial crisis, and with many other jurisdictions in Australia and around the world seeing unemployment queues lengthen, in the Northern Territory we have created 4000 jobs this year, and we are well on track for another 4000 jobs next year.
We cannot rest on our laurels; we have to continue to focus on growth. The investment in infrastructure in the budget this year - $1.3bn to support 2500 jobs, to build infrastructure across the Northern Territory - is about government stepping forward at a time when the private sector has shrunk back to a degree, given problems with access to capital. That is keeping jobs going in the Northern Territory. We have focused on attracting major projects, such as INPEX and the waterfront. We still have Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the waterfront project to complete – again, creating jobs directly and indirectly in our economy.
The Sensis Business Index shows a very confident business sector. It is great to see our small businesses so confident, which expect growth into the future. Retail sales are growing at 13% - again, the highest in the nation - and that retail sector provides many jobs in our economy. We are a government which is very proud of being the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in Australia for small business - something this government has achieved, and that we will maintain. We recognise there are other inherent cost factors in doing business in the Territory, such as the tyranny of distance, whereby we have to have policy settings which are attractive for small business and investment.
Madam Speaker, an anticipated 4000 extra jobs in the Territory next year is what this government is focused on.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
The public servants who are only going to get a 2.5% pay rise are now paying 18% more for their electricity. That amounts to $9 a week, or more, for a family of four. Why should a family of a public servant, renting a home in Darwin and keeping the lights on, be more than $88 a week poorer under Labor?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I know at least 700 of them would still have a job under this Labor government, as opposed to the CLP …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … they would actually have a job. Under the CLP proposal, they would slash them.
As the Treasurer and I have indicated, it is a time of working within our fiscal parameters, within our budgets, at a time when the world is experiencing economic downturn. We are still not out of the woods. Every other jurisdiction in the country has shown restraint in its wages policy. We have some 18 000 public servants in the Territory. The wages of the Northern Territory Public Service takes account of a huge proportion of our budget. They do a great job, we do recognise that, and at the times when we do have budget capacity, we have increased salaries significantly – for example, teachers getting 3% and 4% when the CPI figure was well below that. This is the time, in our economic cycle, when we have to show maturity, leadership and restraint. When the good times come, obviously the wages will improve as well. Today, there are 700 public servants who do have a job who would not under the CLP.
Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report 2009-10
Mr GUNNER to TREASURER
This morning, you tabled the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report for the year 2008-09. Can you please update the House on the report?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. The Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report on the financial outcomes for 2008-09 is an important report to table. It shows a cash surplus for the Northern Territory of …
Mr Elferink: Yes, it is all smoke and mirrors. It is all federal money you are sitting on from 30 July to 30 June.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: It does show a cash surplus for the Territory of $136m for the 2008-09 financial year. That is the seventh consecutive surplus that this Labor government has delivered for the Territory. We recognise that it is a better than expected result due to late - received in June - tied grants from the Commonwealth, but also a better result from mining royalties.
Every time a minister of the Northern Territory goes to meet their federal counterpart, we go out hard and lobby for funding for the Territory; this better than expected result shows that. It comes in clearer commitments to municipal and essential services, but also to that all important transforming Alice Springs plan that we need to implement.
The government is still forecasting a temporary deficit in 2009-10, climbing out of that in future financial years. The TAFR reports that the good news is an improvement in our debt position. Our nett debt for 2008-09 is $837m; that is $50m lower than the 2007-08 position. Our capacity to service the debt is also improved – that is important. Our nett debt to revenue ratio has dropped to 20%. In other words, our annual revenue is five times more than our nett debt. This is a huge improvement on the 61% we inherited from the CLP in 2001-02.
Even in the economic downturn, with the consequences of the global financial crisis, this government has managed to create 4000 new jobs in the last year. We will continue with this government’s focus on strong financial management, and absolutely continue with our focus to protect jobs.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
The Northern Territory Treasury review of grocery prices for 2009 reports that the average cost of a surveyed basket of goods in Darwin increased by 5.5% in the last year. On a weekly family grocery bill of $400 a week, that amounts to an extra $22 per week just to purchase the same goods. Why should the family of a public servant on average weekly earnings, renting in Darwin, keeping their lights on, and eating three square meals a day, be $110 a week poorer under the Henderson government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, 700 public servants do have their jobs today under the Labor government who would not have done under the CLP government - teachers, nurses, police officers - key workers. These were jobs that the CLP had in their sights for being slashed.
In real terms, this 2.5% increase each year is around $40m; that is $40m extra going into wages across the Northern Territory’s public servants. It is responsible. We always like to offer more money to our public servants, but it is a time in our economic cycle where we have to show responsibility and leadership. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Groote Eylandt - Men’s Safe House
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
I have been told the selection of the site for the location of the men’s safe house in Groote Eylandt was not discussed with members of the community. As a result, the men’s safe house has not been constructed in an area that men will go to. Have any men utilised the safe house on Groote Eylandt? If not, what is it going to be utilised for in the future?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I was at Groote Eylandt a couple of months ago talking about this very issue with the men and women. One of the things I have been concerned about, as we have been rolling out 19 shelters across the Northern Territory, is just how they have been going. On Groote Eylandt, the women were asking me about the men’s cooling-off shelter, which has been established in Angurugu for quite some time. The women’s shelter has been slow in getting up and running. Let us keep in mind that, when we look at the role of getting these safe houses across the Northern Territory, of course, some of them are going to happen quicker than others.
The good news for Angurugu is that the men’s cooling-off shelter was built. When I held a women’s meeting at Angurugu with the federal minister for women, Tanya Plibersek, the women raised the very issue of wanting to use the men’s cooling-off shelter while their shelter was being built. I spoke with Jabini Lalara at Angurugu shire, to talk to the men about how they felt about this. Clearly, the need was for the women first, that they had a place to go to, and it was agreed that the men’s cooling-off should be used by the women first while their shelter was being built.
I said to the women in the meeting that this had to be cleared with the men. I did not want to get caught in the middle of an argument over whether the men should be in that space or the women. It was an agreement between the clan groups that the women go into the men’s cooling-off shelter, and then once the women’s shelter is completed, the women will go over there, and the training has been happening this month.
Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report - Infrastructure Spending
Ms WALKER to TREASURER
Can you report to the House the details of the infrastructure spend last year as outlined in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. The Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report details that, in 2008-09, we spent a record $911m on infrastructure. This is an additional $41m over what was budgeted for. The actual spend posts a record; it smashes the previous record spend in 2007-08 by $258m. The infrastructure not only saves jobs, it also creates jobs. The extra spending includes $16m in repairs and maintenance. Those are jobs, real jobs, which go to small business, to the tradies. We have created 4000 jobs in the last year alone. It helps us grow the Territory, it builds infrastructure for our growing population to meet the demands right across the Territory.
Our strong investment in infrastructure will continue. We made a deliberate decision in the 2009-10 budget to go into temporary deficit to support a $1.3bn spend on infrastructure to meet the needs of our developing jurisdiction, to create some 2500 jobs, to support our construction sector during the economic downturn, and ensure that we see economic strength with strong financial management.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
A public servant on an average wage currently clears about $940 per week. A year ago, that average family renting a three-bedroom home in Darwin, keeping the lights on and feeding the kids, would have spent $872 per week on the essentials of life. They would have had about $68 per week left for treats, or to put towards a deposit on their own home. Today, they face a bill of $1002 a week for shelter …
Ms Lawrie: They have a job. Under you, they would have lost their job.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: … food and lights, putting them in the red to the tune of $41 per week. How have you managed to create this financial hardship for ordinary public servants?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I remind the opposition that the CLP was going to slash the public service, $50m, jobs gone …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: We are showing restraint. Annually, we spend almost $1.5bn on wages in the public service. It is a significant investment in services and facilities for Territorians, providing those valuable services - $1.5bn. Just work out the sums; it is nearly $15m per 1% increase. We are experiencing difficult financial times. We have a decrease in GST revenues. It is the time in the Territory’s history about showing fiscal restraint, and we need to do that.
We acknowledge that this government also has to support those Territorians who are experiencing tough financial times. That is why we have frozen power prices for pensioners and carers; that is why we are putting $65m to subsidise power and water to all customers and small businesses - that is $753 subsidy per connection; the back to school payments - $75 for every child enrolled in a school, to assist them with the education costs, that helps families; free bus travel for students, pensioners and carers; $1000 to apprentices and trainees to help with their work gear.
The list goes on. We are helping Territorians in most need. It is a time of economic restraint. We are trying to protect jobs in the public service. The alternative is slashing jobs in the public service, and that is exactly what the CLP would do.
Pastoral Properties – Requirement for an Environmental Impact Statement
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Recently, two cattle stations on the Sturt Plateau were asked by your department to provide an Environmental Impact Statement as part of an application to clear 3800 ha, or 2.5% of their properties. Such an EIS is very expensive, around $100 000 in this case, and is usually considered a requirement for large developments such as INPEX or McArthur River. Considering land clearing controls do exist in the Northern Territory, and considering there is a Best Practice Committee on the Sturt Plateau, why then does your department require an EIS? Is this move by your department meant to inhibit or halt reasonable agricultural development on stations by putting financially prohibitive requirements, such as an EIS, in the way?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his very important question. Over the last couple of months, I have taken the opportunity to meet with representatives from the agricultural and pastoral industry. Member for Nelson, I am listening. I have certainly taken those concerns on board. Land clearing does have a substantial impact on our environment. It is development land clearing, so we need to put that in context. We need to balance development and also our environmental needs.
I understand, through the environmental impact assessment process, that applications for land clearing over 200 ha or more are referred to me for consideration of an EIS. The advice I have received is that there have only been a few which have required an EIS, and those applications have been over 1000 ha. While there have only been a few, there have also been some that have been approved without going through the EIS process, and those applications were over 500 ha or greater.
I am meeting with them; I hope to get to Sturt Plateau myself and meet with representatives and constituents, as that is in my electorate. I certainly understand their needs and their concerns. They are required to go through the process. I encourage them to go through that application. I have explained the EIA process, and not all of those require an EIS, through my powers as the minister. Our government’s policy rules are very clear. I certainly encourage them to go through that process.
Power, Water and Sewerage Services - Improvements
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The Territory population is continuing to grow. Can you please outline the projects under way to improve our power, water and sewerage services?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her very important question. We have a growing economy, and there is confidence in our economy. People are coming here for the jobs that have been created. It is important to stay ahead of demand with essential services; that is, power, water and sewerage. That is why it has been this government which has invested a record amount of money in upgrading those facilities of power, water and sewerage - $1.4bn over five years into those key areas. Rather than strip out and sell the organisation, which is what the other side tried to do, it is about investing in the organisation.
To give an update, thus far, from the 2008-09 financial year when the program started, $275m has been spent - a significant contribution to the companies in the Territory in those key areas.
You have seen the new power station at Weddell, providing extra generation capacity for the growth of Darwin. In Alice Springs, work is going along very well and they will have a new power station - a state-of-the-art facility - outside town. It shows the confidence the Northern Territory Labor government has in Alice Springs’ growth. There has been augmentation of power supplies in Katherine, Tennant Creek and Yulara. All through the regions as well, there has been investment in those centres. Construction work, as you may be aware, has started on the Darwin River Dam, raising the dam wall and the spillway. That will increase the capacity of Darwin River Dam by 20%, which gives extra capacity for the growth of Darwin.
We have new bore drilling fields happening in Alice Springs, Mataranka, Borroloola, Larrimah, and Tennant Creek – again, investing in those regions, looking for water for the growth of those areas.
Sewerage, although not so glamorous, is an area of need. You cannot do without it. We have put new infiltration basins in Alice Springs. We have expansion of treatment facilities in Palmerston, Katherine, and Borroloola. We have installed a new sewerage system in Borroloola. There is confidence in those regions.
The Darwin Sewerage Strategy - $60m this government has invested in the future of sewerage in the Darwin area. After 40 years of sewage being pumped out of the Larrakeyah Outfall, it is this government which will be closing it.
Palmerston is a huge growth area. We have new water transmission lines going there. You can see work going on along the Stuart Highway to supply new water lines into Palmerston. Augmentation of existing storage facilities at McMinns Lagoon will give increased capacity. People may have noticed also, on the way to Weddell, the new Archer Zone Substation. Work is well under way; it is almost complete. That gives us added redundancy and capacity.
This government has invested $1.4m in a vital organisation for the growth of businesses, jobs, and for Territorians and their lifestyle. It is this government which will protect them, not the CLP, which would have sold off Power and Water and ripped the guts out of it.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
The Access Economics report, which the Chief Minister was lauding in this place in this Question Time, forecasts that, over the next six year estimates, the average annual inflation rate will be 3%. Your government wants to freeze public service wages at just 2.5%. Over the course of the next enterprise bargaining period, your miserly government expects public servants to, effectively, take a pay cut. On top of all the other financial pressures public servants face, how do you expect them to make ends meet when you want public servants to have an effective pay cut?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a 2.5% pay rise.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: This is our wages policy. I have not heard any wages policy from the other side of the House, but I suspect, where they would find the money for …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … pay rises – the loss of jobs. This is where you will save the money.
Madam Speaker, people tuning into Question Time, and probably people who tune in other times, have heard consistently the bashing of public servants in this House by the opposition …
Members interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: … the turn of the opposition to suddenly be the champions of the public service when they were going to get rid of jobs, when they were bashing public servants every single day. It has been this side of the House which has been responsible, been mature and shown leadership at a time of economic downturn.
This pay rise will equate to almost $40m a year in increased salaries into the public service. It is about a time of showing maturity and restraint but, again, the opposition is going to cut public service jobs. You were going to slash them.
Alcohol Policy – Initiatives to Address Challenges
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for ALCOHOL POLICY
We know that alcohol is the cause of many issues facing Territorians. Can you please outline to the House the types of initiatives this government is taking on to address these challenges, particularly in relation to Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is a very serious issue. I recall, when I was asked during the Estimates about alcohol consumption in the Territory, I quoted the Menzies School of Health Research, which indicated that Territorians are the biggest drinkers in the world. We surpassed the Irish and we surpassed the Czechs. I have to tell you, I was not very proud when a friend from overseas sent an article from the Ethiopian Times citing that Territorians are the biggest drinkers in the world)
In 2008, we consumed 2.7 million litres of pure alcohol. In 2008, it was the first time we have seen a reduction in the consumption of alcohol. There was a reduction in Katherine by 14%; in Nhulunbuy by 22%; in Alice Springs by 18%. This reduction is actually a 19% reduction in the consumption of cask wine; and mixed spirits reduced by 21% compared to 2007.
Madam Speaker, the statistics are frightening, and when I read about this, I am really not very proud. In 2006, Alice Springs consumed 135 000 litres of cask wine. That dropped to fewer than 20 000 litres in 2008. Why did it happen? Because we put measures in Alice Springs, we put in restrictions.
I was shocked and very disappointed - I have a great respect for the member for Araluen, but I have to tell you, the proposal to bring back the opening hours to 10 am is extremely disappointing.
Ms Carney: We look forward to this debate in Alice Springs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, I was disappointed to hear the member for Braitling say that of course the drinkers will buy alcohol; they buy over the Internet from the liquor suppliers. I wanted to find out, so I asked the department to look into it. They spoke to Australia Post, the biggest courier in Alice Springs, and they spoke to other couriers. The reply from them was that they had not seen any significant increase of alcohol, but …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … with a laptop that would allow them to order from Cellarmasters in Sydney, plenty of casks of wine, delivered in 10 days.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Now, let us get real. Alcohol is a big problem. Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition was asking questions about assaults, and we have told him, time after time, and the Police Commissioner told him, that the biggest problem with assaults and any other crimes are that they are alcohol related.
I find it disappointing that he has been very silent on this. ,He listens to his colleagues; one suggests to change the opening hours to 10 am, increasing the time that people can consume alcohol, and the other is saying, ‘oh, they order it over the Internet’, and he stays silent there, not saying anything, not pulling them back into order.
This is a crazy suggestion, bringing back the opening hours to 10 o’clock, increasing the drinking time for another four hours.
It is about time they had some leadership …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … it is about time they recognised alcohol is the real problem, and he should pull his members into order.
Mr Conlan: If it is such a success and not an imposition, why do you not do it in Darwin?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex!
Mr Conlan: Why do you not …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, you do not have the call.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
The ABS has calculated that an average mortgage in the NT amounts to just under $300 000. Just last week, the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Glenn Stevens, predicted aggressive interest rate increases over the short term, saying it would be a mistake to be ‘too timid’ to raise interest rates. Financial markets have responded by tipping a 2% increase by May next year, or over $100 per week.
How do you expect these public servants you pay to meet their mortgage repayments?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, again, I go back to this: this government is increasing the wages of Territory public servants in a reasonable and sensible fashion, given the current economic circumstances in the Territory. This is about protecting those jobs in the public service. Some $40m in wage rises annually are going into the public service. It is about being responsible. Again, I go back to the fact the CLP - this is where they would fund additional pay rises in the public service – they would slash the public service. That is where you would find the money.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: It is about being responsible. We are seeing in the other jurisdictions - New South Wales - 2.5%; Victoria - 2.5%’ Queensland - 2.5%; South Australia - 2.5%; Tasmania - 1%; ACT - 2%. Every other jurisdiction has realised they have to show restraint to protect jobs, because we are obviously facing a downturn in our GST revenues in the coming years, and we have to be responsible and protect the public service from job losses.
Selection Panels for School Positions – Exclusion of School Councils
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
School councils have been informed that your department has changed its approach to selection panels for senior staff, that is, principals and assistant principals in schools. It appears the department intends to exclude school councils from sitting on these panels in their own school. This move ignores the established principle that school councils sit on all selection panels for senior staff in their own school. Can you clarify why school councils will not be a member of selection panels for senior staff in their schools?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. In getting to the answer, I am absolutely determined, as is the new Chief Executive of the department of Education, to ensure that, in every principal position in the Northern Territory, we have the best possible educational leader we can possibly find. We are not going to compromise in any way having the best qualified people to be principals in our schools. It is a key position and ...
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, if I was a principal in schools, these clowns would be at the back.
Ms Purick: Thank goodness you are not.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: They really are incredible. This is a very important question, and I would have thought members opposite would want to hear the answer, as opposed to inane, juvenile and childish interjections.
We need the best possible person for each of these positions. School councils are involved in selecting principals for schools. The government intends for school councils to remain involved. The conversation taking place at the moment, and no decisions have been made, is, what sort of training we can provide to school councillors who sit on selection panels to really work with those school councils in training people to ensure we get the possible person to run each of our schools in the Northern Territory. At the end of the day, it is the kids who benefit. It is about educational leadership. All of us know, when we walk into a school, if that school is flying, or if it is struggling. If it is flying, it is flying in a very large order because of an excellent school principal and school leadership team.
This is what the debate is about. I give an absolute commitment that school councils will be involved in sitting on selection panels for principals and key people. There is a debate going on at the moment about how we ensure we have appropriately trained people to sit on those panels.
International Trade Strategy – Update
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for ASIAN RELATIONS
You recently released the government’s new strategy to grow international trade. Can you please update the Assembly on the key elements of the strategy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Growing our international trade is a top priority of this government. As I alluded to in the House yesterday, in the Northern Territory, that trade accounts for 40% of our GSP whereas, compared nationally, it is 21%. It is of crucial importance to us to maintain and grow our international trade.
In 2008-09, merchandise goods exports increased by nearly 40% to $6.3m, and there was an increase to $4.4bn for our imports, making a goods trade surplus of around $2bn. This is significant trade we are talking about. In order to grow that trade, recently I released the Growing International Trade Priority Action Plan for 2009-13. It is a very important framework for us to move forward to grow our international trade.
It focuses on our core existing markets of Japan, China and Indonesia, and also looks at the emerging markets of Vietnam, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and, of course, Timor-Leste. The features of the strategy are to grow our existing core strengths and capabilities, and to provide targeted and practical assistance to those businesses engaging in international trade.
We also need to maintain continuity and presence in our selected markets, some of which I have just mentioned, and to continue to work together with business to support export opportunities. Yesterday, I alluded to our Trade Support Scheme, and the wonderful uptake of that scheme by business, and the way in which business acknowledges the wonderful support through that.
The AustralAsia Railway and trade route is of crucial importance. I will place it on the record again: the AustralAsia trade route and the port was a very visionary project, through Barry Coulter and the previous CLP government - I believe credit has to be given where credit is due. We have taken the elements of that, and where the route focused through the port on container shipments, we have changed the emphasis, if you like, to bulk goods and that has been very successful.
As a government, we are developing our own strategies. I know my colleague, the minister for Resources, is going overseas soon to China and further, putting the Northern Territory front and centre.
Our capabilities as a mining supply and service centre, particularly with the advent of oil and gas, with further projects on the horizon, is a real strength we can build on.
Other areas are the live cattle export, and I will not steal my colleague’s thunder, he has a great story to tell about that; international education, which is a priority of mine. I know CDU is looking at a number of markets, including Hainan in China and having partnerships with the university there, and even establishing a Confucius Centre at CDU. Barney Glover and the CDU are to be commended for their efforts in that regard. I believe we can really build on that type of market.
I will table the Growing International Trade strategy for the benefit of all members. I assure this House that this is a government focused on international trade. We are driving further improvements in international trade and supporting local businesses to reap the benefits of international trade.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
What advice would you give a public servant, with a family, on an average wage, who is just short of having enough of a deposit to purchase their own home, but will now be watching their bank balance being reduced every fortnight. How will this family ever get into your outrageous housing market? Is it not the case that Labor has created a cost of living pincer movement that is squeezing the life out of the home ownership dream for ordinary Territory families?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, they will have a job …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … they would not under the CLP …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I seek leave to table a statement by the Leader of the Opposition dealing with that issue months ago. It is dishonest …
Madam SPEAKER: No. Member for Port Darwin …
Mr ELFERINK: It is dishonest …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, it is not a point of order. Order!
Mr KNIGHT: This is what you would do to fund any higher pay rise to the public service: you would slash jobs …
Members interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: … so people would be receiving the 2.5% pay rise; but they would lose their job. The reality of a CLP government would be to slash the public service. Every day in this House …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … negativity about the public service, and their disdain for the public service …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale!
Mr KNIGHT: Even the police officers in exile, who spent many years …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … as a constable, they are critical of the police officers out there in a police service that we have grown. Their jobs exist at the moment - 18 000 public servants - and the idea of this wages policy - and I have not heard of a policy from the other side, except to slash jobs - is about protection of those jobs we have.
We have grown the public service in those key areas of education, health, and police. That is what we have done; that is our commitment. We are very conscious about the cost of living.
Only a couple of months ago, over this last 12 to 18 months, we have had historic low interest rates. The public servants have been receiving up to 4% increases in their wages; over that period of time when the CPI has been low, when interest rates have been low. It was only a couple of months ago they received their last increase of 4%.
It is a time of restraint. It is about being responsible; not reckless, not economic vandals like those on the other side. It is about being responsible, and that is exactly what this government is doing. This government will protect jobs.
Cattle Industry – Growth Initiatives
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
Can you outline the initiatives currently under way to grow our cattle industry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. The Territory’s pastoral industry directly contributes $365m to our economy - a 73% increase over five years. The industry will continue to grow. It will grow by improved infrastructure and refined management practices. My department is working very closely with the industry to increase the carrying capacity sustainably, to look at the fertility of the herd in the Northern Territory, introduce cross-breeding, and improve the Brahman fertility.
There are a number of markets around the Territory, and the biggest, and the only one until recently, was Indonesia. Indonesia imports thousands of cattle from the Territory - last year, approximately 280 000 cattle. The Indonesian economy grew about 6%, and there is an increase in the number of people in the middle class with disposable income. In addition, Indonesia prefers our cattle, because the Brahman breed is the one they prefer. Importers can import Territory cattle, put them in feedlots and fatten them so their margin of profit increases, and also Territory cattle are disease free. Territory cattle, like all Australia cattle, are free of foot and mouth disease.
There are a number of competitors; the biggest one is Brazil. Fortunately for us, it is not free from foot and mouth disease. Should Brazil acquire a disease-free status, it will be the biggest competitor, not only for the Territory, but for Australian live cattle export. I have said it before, and I will say it again: it is risky to put all our eggs in one basket ...
Mr Westra van Holthe: This is in your statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Of course, it is not important, member for Katherine …
Mr Westra van Holthe: What I am saying is, it is in your statement. I do not know why we have to have a question about it now.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, one of the things we want industry to do is find other markets. I am pleased to say, we actually managed to break into one of the developing markets in Vietnam. There were many attempts before, and many of them by the previous government - never succeeded. This time, not only have we signed an agreement, a memorandum of understanding and cooperation but, recently, we had a delegation from Vietnam sign the first contract to acquire cattle from the Northern Territory. By the end of the year, the first shipment of 1000 cattle will travel to Vietnam. The reason we brokered it is not because of the quality of our cattle, it is because we are prepared to work together with the equivalent department in Vietnam, importantly, the same way we have done with the Indonesian and Malaysian departments.
It is a big industry, and it is a very important industry in the Territory. If our own market collapses, we are going to be in serious trouble, because the Australian market will not be able to absorb our cattle. We are working very hard to find new markets, and we will work very hard to further grow the Territory’s pastoral industry.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
This week’s Access Economics report forecasts average weekly earnings in the Territory over the next five financial years to be 3.8%, 4.3% …
Ms Lawrie: Did you read their population projections; their unemployment projections?
Mr ELFERINK: … 4.4%, 3.9%, and 3.2% …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! In the interests of fairness, it is the constant interjection and monologue that is running underneath the radar here on that side of the Chamber. In the interests of fairness, I ask you to direct your comments to the member for Karama …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I will call Standing Order 51, but I might say that, in fact, Standing Order 51 relates to every member in this Chamber - opposition, Independents and government. When I say Standing Order 51, I am referring to all members. Please continue.
Mr ELFERINK: Minister, without repeating those numbers, why should Territory public servants be expected to cop a 2.5% pay increase, which is lower than the inflation rate and the anticipated average weekly pay increase for the general Territory population?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr Elferink: Well, why do you employ these people if you cannot afford to pay them? What planning is that?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Minister, you have the call.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Port Darwin probably does not know that, because the CLP would not trust him with a ministerial portfolio when they were last in government …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr KNIGHT: We brought to bear, with the comparisons, jurisdiction to jurisdiction, with similar pay levels of particular public servants, and professionals and technical officers. That is what happens in negotiations. We are consistent with the rest of the public service, right across the nation, with respect to that. Why is it that all of those jurisdictions have shown restraint in their public service? It is because the public service makes up a huge proportion of the budgets of those jurisdictions. Nearly $1.5bn of our budget goes to wages. Any sort of added percentage has a significant impact. I will just correct the record: this is the platform of the CLP …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr KNIGHT: They would allow for a general reduction in the service of 700 positions over three years. They are the facts …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Honourable members, I will read out Standing Order 51, which is titled No Interruption:
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance, which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Minister, you have the call, but could you please come to the point fairly quickly.
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, I will make a point that it has been this government which has grown the public service. There are some 339 more police since 2001, that is a reality; some 298 education officers since 2001; 179 doctors; 632 nurses …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr KNIGHT: It has been this government that has grown the public service. It has been this government, through …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling! Member for Greatorex! Minister, you have the call.
Mr KNIGHT: Everyone is aware of what they get up to, what they think of the public service, about what they will do to the public service if they get into power …
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: This is the reality, Madam Speaker. It will be this government which protects jobs, protects jobs through a reasonable and sensible approach. We have to show restraint. As I said, over the last 12 months to two years, the public service has been getting 4% wage rises. This is the time to be responsible and not reckless.
Prison Officers - Increase in Number
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
The Henderson government is committed to stop the cycle of reoffending. Can you please update the House on how the Henderson government is increasing the number of prison officers in our corrections system to help stop the cycle of reoffending?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for a good question, not only about creating jobs, but keeping our community safe. We have heard from the Chief Minister, the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and we have heard for the minister for the public sector, that we have a record spend on police, and we have record police numbers throughout the Northern Territory. This equates to better and more efficient policing. Unfortunately, the consequence in my portfolio is that there are more prisoners in our prisons.
That is a story of keeping our community safe, which is a good story. The people under my duty of care in our custodial system need intervention and they need care. The strategies outlined in this House are the basics of education and rehabilitation.
We go to the public servants who are our frontline people who deliver this service, people facing huge challenges with disadvantaged Territorians, to turn this cycle around – and they are our prison officers. I am very pleased to say that we are increasing numbers. We are on the job about turning this cycle around. We are increasing the rehabilitation of our prisoners, and that equates to an increase in the total number of prison officers in the Territory to 379. That is public sector jobs.
I have personally been to a number of graduation ceremonies, and have spoken to these graduating prison officers. I have explained that we are on this journey together. These 379 new prison officers have a new minister specifically devoted to Corrections, and specifically devoted to reducing the cycle of reoffending.
These are Territorians who are proud of what they do. These are Territorians who are public servants, who will go about delivering the change and, in effect, making our community safer.
Equity of NT Public Servants’ Pay Rises
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
Charles Dickens created a character called Wilkins Micawber, who had some sound advice on financial matters. You might remember this, minister:
- Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Why are you condemning the public servants of this jurisdiction to misery?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, that question is fairly out of order. Minister, you may answer the question if you wish to.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I take this matter very seriously. We take our wages policy very seriously. As the Minister for Public Employment, I care about the interests of our 18 000 public servants, the allowances they get, and the terms and conditions they are employed under. They do a great job for Territorians under difficult circumstances, under relentless criticism from the other side of this House, day in, day out. At this point in time, we have a wages policy which is reasonable, which is showing restraint in the downturn in our economic situation with the Northern Territory government.
We are being responsible; the opposition is being reckless.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: They are squealing like market pigs on the other side, because they know that the jig is up with what they are trying to do.
We are funding our public service. We are retaining jobs, and we are protecting jobs. The only increase they will get above our wages policy is to slash public servants in the Northern Territory.
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