2010-11-24
Yuendumu - Removal of Residents
Mr GILES to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, you accused me of encouraging people to leave Yuendumu after the outbreak of serious riots in the town. You claimed that encouraging people to leave was counter to the wishes of the police, foolish, and recklessly irresponsible.
Tracey Brand from the Office of the Minister for Central Australia was actively involved in the transfer of the Yuendumu people to Adelaide, and did so with the member for Stuart’s approval. Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. Why do you insist on clinging …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He knows he cannot use that sort of language without a substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: I will allow it. Keep going, member for Braitling.
Mr GILES: Chief Minister, your hypocrisy knows no bounds. Why did you insist on clinging to the ridiculous notion that forcing people to stay in a community where they are likely to be seriously assaulted is a sensible policy? Is it not the case you have breached your duty of care to the people who were viciously assaulted at Yuendumu on Monday?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Braitling keeps digging a bigger and bigger hole for himself. The member for Braitling, as these issues were unfolding, denied encouraging the people from Yuendumu to run away to Adelaide. Rather than confront the issues, to …
Mr Bohlin: Your staff used your resources.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … sit down and mediate, he denied …
Mr Bohlin: Your paid staff.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Drysdale!
Mr HENDERSON: … encouraging people to run away to Adelaide. He did not seek advice from police and he denied he did it. Yesterday, he said in this House that he …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … encouraged people. He has proven he is not a man of his word and …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is misleading the House. I ask you to encourage the Chief Minister to withdraw those comments. There was no encouragement at all.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, there is no misleading.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was whether his office was involved in the transfer of these people, and that is the question he should be answering.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, as you would be aware, there was a long preamble. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr HENDERSON: There was only one person, from my understanding, who was encouraging people to run away from the situation, and that was the member for Braitling.
Mr Giles: You brought people back to a dangerous situation. You know exactly who was involved.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Braitling!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Sanderson! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: We have been steadfast in encouraging people to come together to seek a mediated solution. The member for Braitling has done nothing other than seek to gain political advantage; and get a headline for himself. The only thing the member for Braitling is interested in is a headline. He is not interested in the size of the problem.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. The core element of this question is the involvement of the Chief Minister’s staff in this process.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Giles: Go on, deny your involvement. You knew all about it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling! Chief Minister, if you can come to the point. There was a very long preamble, which the Chief Minister is allowed to respond to.
Mr HENDERSON: I have absolutely no advice. I will take on board a very unsubstantiated allegation, because that is all it is. The fact is, the member for Braitling is up to his ears in this. He has no genuine concern – none whatsoever ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale! You may continue, Chief Minister.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. If he had any genuine concern to see resolutions to these issues, he would have sought briefings from police and Justice, who then try to get mediators …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired Chief Minister, resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: All he has tried to do is to get cheap political advantage, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat, Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Honourable members, it is only the second question we are about to call and there has been a ridiculous level of interjections. I am having trouble hearing what is happening. There are a number of members who are interjecting on the opposition side. I will be naming people.
Montara Oil Spill – Government Response to Commission of Inquiry Report
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
Can you please outline to the House the Northern Territory government’s response to the Montara special Commission of Inquiry report which was released today?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her very important question. Today, the federal Minister for Resources and Energy released a special commission inquiry report into Montara and the federal government’s response, which will be open to a three-month consultation period. The Northern Territory government has also received a final copy of this report.
The inquiry found the source of the blowout was a result of the primary well control barrier failing. The report concluded that PTTEP Australasia did not observe sensible oil field practices at the Montara oil field, and found there were widespread and systemic shortcomings of the company’s procedures. The inquiry found that well control practices approved by the regulatory body, the Department of Resources in the Northern Territory, would have been sufficient to prevent the loss of well control; however, PTTEPAA did not adhere to these practices or its own well construction standards.
The inquiry found the Department of Resources’ regulatory approach at the time meant the practices of PTTEPAA were not discovered, something that disappoints and angers me. The inquiry recommends, at a minimum, the federal government establish a single, national, offshore petroleum regulator, something I have been supporting and advocating for a long time. I find it incredible that an organisation in Darwin would monitor a well 150 to 200 miles off the coast of Broome in Western Australia.
The Northern Territory government will be considering the inquiry report in detail and will respond to the federal government’s response to the inquiry. Our government is of the view that we acted within the existing Commonwealth legislative framework at all times, and we were pleased with the recommendation to review the legislative framework.
It should be noted that, since 2004, the system has changed from a prescriptive system to a self-regulatory system. Since 2004, it has been the role of the regulatory authority to assess applications against standards promulgated by the company which is seeking approval to ensure the activities proposed in the application are in accordance with good oil field practices.
Following the incident, I instructed the department to review all procedures and processes in order to achieve best practice. The Northern Territory government has been working with the federal government to improve the regulatory practice on behalf of the Commonwealth government regulation. The federal minister today noted in his statement that the Northern Territory government has cooperated fully.
We undertook the following actions to improve our regulatory functions, including: requiring the company to provide proof of integrity of all current activities; all assessments for approval request and subsequent compliance data monitoring have been co-assessed with Western Australia and will continue to do so; and clarifying the approval and compliance responsibilities of the Territory as a delegate of the Commonwealth to establish a platform to develop best practice regulations across other regulatory jurisdictions.
Madam Speaker, we have fully cooperated with the federal government. We have put in place processes and procedures to ensure this will not be repeated. It should be noted, this is the first incident that happened offshore in Australia; however, I would like to remind ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Child Protection Inquiry – Implementation of Recommendations
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER referred to MINISTER for CHILD PROTECTION
On 31 October, you told this House that all 34 of the urgent recommendations of the Growing them strong, together inquiry would be implemented within a six-month time frame. Yesterday, the Minister for Child Protection revealed the target for the urgent recommendations is now nine months, and that did not include all 34 recommendations. True to form, in just one month you are already three months behind schedule and abandoning commitments at a furious rate.
Inquiry Co-Chair, Muriel Bamblett, has attacked your pitiful report, stating:
- Paul Henderson said he was committed to have all the recommendations implemented. Now, implemented to me does not mean ‘started’. Implemented means that they would clearly be on the ground and operating. And, furthermore, it is disappointing to know that they have only picked out a few of those recommendations to implement.
Why are you abandoning children vulnerable to neglect and abuse to a failed protection system?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we will be implementing all of those 34 Category 1 recommendations. In regard to Professor Muriel Bamblett’s comments today, my colleague, the minister for Families, will be speaking to Professor Bamblett, or has already, so maybe he can advise us. Obviously, Ms Bamblett was misunderstood or misinformed as to the position of the government. The position is very clear. We have committed an additional $130m over five years to implement these recommendations. In order to …
Mr MILLS: A point of order! Relevance. It is not about how much money this government has spent. It is about adhering to the commitments they have made to this Chamber. That is the point …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There are far too many interjections. I cannot even hear the point of order. Chief Minister, if you could come to the point.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, it is obviously a tactic to have points of order to stop ministers from speaking. We will be implementing those recommendations. We are taking those recommendations urgently. We have allocated the additional funding to implement those recommendations. We have selected and appointed an oversighting committee which will report independently on the government’s implementation of the recommendations.
There is nothing more transparent than what we are doing. I will hand over to my colleague, the Minister for Children and Families, who has had a discussion with Professor Bamblett, and maybe he can update the House.
Mr VATSKALIS (Child Protection): Madam Speaker, it is another example of the Leader of the Opposition not only misleading Territorians, but I bet you he has not read any of this report. If he had read the report he would know that the recommendation is six months for the commencement - not to be completed within six months - to be commenced within six months. We have already started implementing the recommendations weeks after the inquiry tabled the report …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Opposition members!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, yesterday, I was misquoted. I specifically said we are starting the commencement of the recommendations as required by the inquiry report. Unfortunately, the media put it a different way. I understand from the information received from Professor Bamblett that she was taken out of context. We spoke to Muriel Bamblett. I left a message for her, and I advised her there would be communication with her every two weeks, together with the other members of the inquiry, to provide information on the progress of the recommendations. I suggest to the Leader of the Opposition, instead of making statements, sit down and read the report.
Investment in Northern Territory – Meeting between Chief Minister and Prime Minister
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please update the House on your recent meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. Last week, I did meet with our Prime Minister in Canberra, together with a number of senior federal government ministers, to continue to build the good working relationship between my government and the Gillard government in Canberra to the benefit of all Territorians. The Territory is …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: Aside from the doom and gloom merchants opposite, the Territory is doing very well. I also had the opportunity to attend a dinner with Foreign Affairs minister, Kevin Rudd, the Vice Mayor of Shanghai and the new Chinese Ambassador to Australia to reassert and reaffirm the Territory’s close relationship with China. I was the only state leader at that dinner, and such is the strength of our relationship with China, that was an important exercise.
In meeting with the Prime Minister, we talked about continuing the strong and secure relationship we have, issues of national significance and, importantly, making the case to the Prime Minister to really focus the investment of the Australian government in northern Australia. It is northern Australia which will be driving the economy of this nation over the next five, 10, 20 years. It is northern Australia which will see billions of dollars worth of investment in its resources sector, which will benefit all Australians, not just Territorians.
I told the Prime Minister I wish to work cooperatively with her and the Premiers of Queensland and Western Australia to ensure our nation benefits as much as possible from the investment which is coming. Darwin is the capital of northern Australia and we should be the focus in working across state boundaries, not going to Canberra with a begging bowl individually as states, but working across state boundaries to secure the investment to drive the nation’s economy and secure jobs for our region. It was a pitch which was well received by the Prime Minister, who is hoping to come to the Territory early in the New Year to continue that discussion.
First and foremost, as we said in Question Time yesterday, it is about jobs. The people of the Territory want to know they have a strong economic future in this place, that there are jobs for their children, that they will see investments in their homes increase over time, building wealth for their families and providing jobs for their children.
That is the vision we have for Territorians. All we get from members opposite is doom and gloom, and no faith and confidence in the Territory.
Montara Oil Spill – Performance of Minister
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
The federal Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, today tabled the final report of the Montara Commission of Inquiry and the government’s draft response. Your federal colleagues savaged your ministerial performance in that report. The federal minister concluded that the Northern Territory Department of Resources was not a sufficient diligent regulator and had adopted a minimalist approach to its regulatory responsibility giving it little chance of establishing PTTEPAA’s poor practices.
Isn’t it the case that you are not a sufficiently diligent minister, giving your department no leadership and no chance of doing its job properly?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, either the member does not know the federal regulation or she is ignorant. That is probably why they did not renew her contract with the Minerals Council. Otherwise she would know that the federal minister does not delegate to the minister of the Northern Territory; he delegates authority directly to a departmental officer.
That was the case under the CLP government; that is the case under the Labor government. The difference between this government and the previous CLP government is, the minister does not give direction to cut the environmental bond so a mine would be built in his electorate. The minister in the Labor government takes immediate action to fix the shortcomings instead of trying to cover-up, like with Mt Todd in the member for Katherine’s electorate.
It was the minister at the time, the member for Katherine, who instructed that no more than $8m would be put as a bond …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance.
Ms Lawrie: Very relevant.
Mr MILLS: It is not relevant.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you can come to the point. It is very difficult, I know, with all the interjections.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, that is exactly the point, The member asked about ministerial responsibility; my responsibility is directing the department to immediately fix the shortcomings. Their ministerial responsibility was to look after their electorate and stuff the environment.
Alice Springs – Childcare Waiting Lists
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Michael and Sarah France’s letter in the Centralian Advocate on Tuesday, 16 November stated that Alice Springs is an unrealistic place to raise a family. Childcare waiting lists in Alice Springs are closed and family day care requires at least 14 new carers before they will open their list. What are you doing to support the families in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her interest in children. I understand very well the plight of parents; I was in the same situation when I had to put my son on a waiting list for eight months before he could attend childcare. Because we are a young population, there is always demand for childcare services.
The Northern Territory government is the only government in Australia which provides a childcare subsidy. Many of these places are fully funded by the federal government, not the Northern Territory government. We are pleased to work with the federal government to provide more spaces, and we beg the federal government to supply more places. We will do our bit, we will provide the subsidy. I sympathise with people who cannot find a place for their children.
CLP Candidate for Lingiari – Opposition Leader’s Alleged Breach of Commonwealth Electoral Act
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Can you please inform the House of the actions which should be taken if there is reason to believe a person has breached Commonwealth electoral law?
ANSWER
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, it is interesting that I had not even begun to respond to the question when members opposite started to interject. My tip is they will interject all the way through my response because they do not want the public to hear this very serious matter. You can keep on trying to speak over me, or you can listen.
As we know, an allegation has been raised in the media, both in Alice Springs and repeated in the NT News today, that the Leader of the Opposition has breached the Commonwealth Electoral Act by offering a job to the CLP candidate for the seat of Lingiari if he withdrew his candidacy.
This is a very serious allegation, and anyone who is aware of such an allegation should report it – which I have done. As Attorney-General, I have referred the media report to the Australian Electoral Commission and, based on the Leader of the Opposition failing to deny the allegations for some days running now, I have requested …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … that the Australian Electoral Commission investigates. I will table the letter to the Electoral Commissioner of the Australian Electoral Commission for members.
Mr Elferink: You are desperate and sad.
Ms LAWRIE: It is interesting, I tipped they would keep interjecting; and they do.
Trying to influence a person’s candidature by offering a benefit of any kind is a very serious matter. History has shown how serious it is. In 1992, Nick Greiner, the then Premier of New South Wales, was forced to resign after a similar scandal. An offer of a senior position at the Environment Protection Authority had been made to Terry Metherell, a former Liberal MP, gone Independent, should he resign his seat. The outcry which followed forced Nick Greiner’s resignation.
It now appears the Leader of the Opposition is in a very similar position and he refuses to deny it. Did you break the law and try to bribe a candidate who you had tried to disendorse? Did you make this offer in front of the CLP management committee? When will you provide Territorians with an answer to these very serious bribery allegations?
Montara Oil Spill – Government Responsibility
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
Today in federal parliament, the Resources minister, Martin Ferguson, said the inquiry into the Montara oil spill was not about attributing blame, and then he proceeded to pour a bucket of blame over you and your government. The inquiry report says the Northern Territory Department of Resources was not a diligent regulator and its minimalist approach to regulatory responsibilities gave it little chance of discovering the widespread and systematic shortcomings adopted by PTTEPAA. Why did you adopt a minimalist approach to your regulatory responsibilities which contributed so substantially to one of the worst environmental disasters in Australia’s offshore history?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, first, the member opposite should know that four independent reports have found that no environmental damage has been inflicted either on the Australian coastline or the Indonesian coastline - fact No 1. Fact No 2: what was our responsibility as a regulatory authority – no visits to rigs, do not go into specifics, wait until the company puts the information to you and then consider? Who did that? The Howard government in 2004.
The member opposite knows that very well because she used to work at the Minerals Council and she was one of those who advocated for self-regulation. She was the only one to advocate against the EPA. She wrote a report condemning the EPA …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He should be answering the question and not going on this frolic of his own.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you could just come to the point?
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, this is exactly what she asked me, and exactly what I am answering. She spoke about the environmental damage, and I mentioned her opposition to EPA. She mentioned regulation of the department, and I mentioned how ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I just asked the minister to answer the question …
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is answering the question. Resume your seat.
Mr VATSKALIS: ,,, and I mentioned that the department operated as it should be operated from 2004 when the Howard government changed the legislation.
Madam Speaker, if we look carefully at the report, the main accusations are directed at the company. The commissioner has said that had it adhered to the recommendations of the Department of Resources, it is most likely the well would not have failed However, the company did not adhere to our recommendations.
Affordable Rental Housing Company - Establishment
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for PUBLIC and AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Can you please update the House on any developments in affordable housing in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. He and I were at the Wirrina redevelopment today to announce the successful proponent for the affordable rental housing company. The successful proponent is actually a consortium of Unity Housing Company from South Australia, and Housing Choices Australia, which is based in Melbourne.
Last week, I had the opportunity …
Mr Tollner: Could not find a Darwin house builder?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: I am coming to that. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit both of these entities in Melbourne and Adelaide. I was mightily impressed by the developments they have undertaken. For instance, Housing Choices has an asset base of hundreds of millions of dollars; they are developing many properties. They are a registered charity, along with Unity Housing from South Australia.
What they will do in the Northern Territory is form a board which will have representatives. It will be a local company. We are relying on their expertise to build an affordable housing rental company within the Northern Territory, both in Darwin and Central Australia.
There will be at least three representatives of the Northern Territory on that board. Already, this afternoon, they are meeting with developers and other proponents in Darwin. They will also, over coming weeks, be making contact in Central Australia. This is a very important step in providing more affordable housing properties for rent for Territorians.
The phenomenal growth of these companies astounded me - 25% to 30% per annum. When I looked at the board members, as I am sure members opposite will - I am sure the member for Port Darwin will have a look at the people who are on the boards of these companies - there are some heavy hitters. There are senior partners in Mallesons, and people who are very experienced developers. These are people who are also giving their skills and talents to the community. I believe it is a wonderful thing for the Northern Territory. It will be a long journey. They will start with Wirrina; a property in Palmerston; and they will also start with seed funding of $300 000 from the Northern Territory government.
Madam Speaker, we have already started discussions about what other properties they may develop, what other entity …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale! Member for Fong Lim!
Dr BURNS: What I saw in Adelaide and Melbourne was these companies working with the private sector and undertaking their own developments. I was very pleased with what I saw in Melbourne and Adelaide, and I am sure it will be replicated in the Territory, albeit with a Territory version of it, and it will highly benefit Territorians.
Larapinta and Namatjira Drives – Sealing of Dirt Sections
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
In the past few weeks, tourism business operators in the West MacDonnell region have been warning government of the dangers of the dirt sections of Larapinta and Namatjira Drives. These sections not only remain unsealed, but they also have been unmaintained and unrepaired for significant periods of time. Will you today advise the specific date by which you can guarantee the sealing of Larapinta and Namatjira Drives will be completed?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. Sealing roads through the Territory is a massive job, as the member for Macdonnell would know. When we totalled it up there is about 8600 km left to go. In Budget 2010-11, we have seen $331m go into Territory roads. When we talk about Central Australia, the conditions of 2009 and 2010 have been exceptional. All the members from the bush know it has been a very difficult year across the Northern Territory with exceptional weather conditions. I can advise this House that we have been on the job every day. We have been completing work in the bush, only to find there has been the onset of more wet weather and we are back to square one with some of these jobs. It is never ending; it is a huge challenge.
The tourism operators in Central Australia form a very strong, articulate lobby group, and I welcome the member’s comment. I have met with a number of operators in that area, and it is a work in progress, because this is a huge task for any government. The Territory government has outlined our commitments to community, mining and beef. Community encourages tourism, we factor in tourism, and we are on the job of servicing that industry.
I cannot give an exact time frame of when that sealing will be complete. When we talk about sealing roads in Central Australia - if we could talk about the Tanami Highway and sealing 4 km, that is a major project but a very small bite of an incredible piece of country and an incredible piece of roads infrastructure.
I am afraid, member for Macdonnell, that is the story. We are chipping away at this. This is a long-term plan. This is a plan that government is working on every day of its existence, and I thank the member for her question.
Montara Oil Spill – Role of Territory Government
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
Your government has presided over one of the biggest oil spills in Australia’s history. Your mismanagement and failure to properly regulate the Montara field has been described in excruciating detail by the Chair of the Montara Commission of Inquiry, David Borthwick. Why did you place so little importance on the role of the Territory government to regulate the Montara field? Will you apologise and accept responsibility for your environmental vandalism?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is hilarious listening to the member for Goyder talking about environmental vandalism. The government left us with 2000 legacy mines, and the biggest legacy of all, Mt Todd, which we are still trying to fix.
The inquiry found that the main culprit for the well blowout was the company. The commission found that information provided to the Department of Resources and to the Commonwealth authorities by the company was incomplete and out to mislead. In addition to that, they said that if they had adhered to a recommendation at the time, most likely the blowout would not have happened.
I would like to mention that paragraph 17 of the minister’s response to the parliament today clearly identifies that the reason for the blowout was the failure of the company. It was the failure of the company to do the well …
Mr Bohlin interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: I suggest you read the minister’s speech, if you can read. In paragraph 33, the minister makes it clear who he delegates to and in paragraphs 35 and 37 he makes it clear that he met with me and the Chief Minister and we agreed to a plan of action. On page 37, he advises that the parliament of the Northern Territory has cooperated fully, putting in place new procedures and processes to ensure something like that never happens.
This is the first incident in Australian waters in 25 to 30 years. There is another incident, the Varanus in Western Australia, which happened a year ago, which the federal minister is still trying to get information about, but the Liberal Western Australian government prevents him using any legal technicality to gain information.
We understand there was an incident and we are extremely concerned about it. We do not want it to happen again, which is why we moved very quickly to ensure the department is adequately equipped. We employed technical staff; we will provide a package of an additional 30% of the actual salary to attract suitable people to ensure this never happens again. We assured the federal minister that we will cooperate fully. He was happy with that and we are working very closely with him.
Wadeye - New Health Centre
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you please update the House on the development of the new health centre for Wadeye and what it means for that community?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to report to the House on the opening of the new health centre in Wadeye. It is a $7.6m investment in the Wadeye community and a strong step forward to provide A Working Future. I was very pleased my colleague, the member for Daly, was able to represent the Northern Territory government when the clinic was opened by the Honourable Warren Snowdon, Minister for Indigenous Health, on 9 November 2010. It was a wonderful community event and I visited the clinic very recently. It is one of the best clinics I have seen in a remote community, not only in the Northern Territory, but also in Western Australia where I spent quite a bit of time.
Thank you very much to Bishop Hurley who blessed the opening of the building. Wadeye is a strong Catholic community and I am very pleased the community participated in the event.
The centre now has two distinct roles. The fully upgraded and refurbished original building is the Wellbeing Centre and the other building is the clinic which is 1000m2. The clinic is fully equipped. It now has a digital X-ray machine. People present at the clinic, an X-ray is taken, which is then e-mailed to Royal Darwin Hospital for assessment, so people do not have to travel from Wadeye just to have a simple X-ray.
The new centre is recruiting and developing the local workforce at all levels of operation, from cleaners, gardeners, and drivers to Aboriginal health workers, Aboriginal community workers, Aboriginal nurses and doctors.
I thank the community members who were involved; the scoping study consultants, Build Up Design Pty Ltd; project managers, Irwinconsult Pty Ltd; building contractors, Athanasios Athanasiou Pty Ltd; and staff of the Department of Health and Families and the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health for their efforts. It is a great facility for Wadeye and we are looking forward to more of them in the future in remote communities.
Montara Oil Field – Oversight by Territory Government
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
How many people did your government employ to regulate the Montara field? Why were you prepared to operate the division on such a skeleton staff, given the importance of your regulatory responsibilities to oversee the Montara field and others? In the light of the findings contained in the Montara commission report, will you resign as the Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the department was fully staffed at the time of the Montara approvals, the same way it was staffed during the CLP days. Today, not only is the department looking to employ more qualified and better qualified people, it is prepared to pay better salaries and provide better conditions to compete with the mining industry. Because of the mineral boom under this government, we find it very difficult to employ suitable people. I assure the parliament and the people of the Territory that we took further steps and we are working very closely with Western Australia to have a second tier of processing and approvals …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question is quite simple: will this minister resign for his incompetence?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister has been asked a question; the question had many aspects to it. Minister, if you could keep it as close as possible to the question, but there was a preamble.
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. One thing I want to assure parliament and the people of the Northern Territory of is, despite what happened with Montara, we will make the best endeavour to employ the best people to ensure this will never happen again in the Territory or Australia.
Bushfires Council NT - Government Support
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
Recently, Bushfires Council NT celebrated its 100th meeting, and council members warned the public of the potential for big bushfires in Central Australia following the rains over the past year. After the last big rains in 2001, fires burned a significant portion of the West MacDonnell National Park. Have you provided additional resources to bushfire councils to cope with the increased likelihood of large-scale fire?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her very important question. I also congratulate the Bushfires Council for reaching such a significant milestone. They do a fantastic job. I saw the recent fires at Howard Springs. I took a helicopter tour with the pilot who controlled the air surveillance around the bushfires, so I am aware of the dangers of bushfires in our community and the significant damage they can cause to property but, more importantly, to lives.
In Central Australia, I have had the opportunity on a couple of occasions to visit the Bushfires Council’s property in Elder Street. We have recently provided an extra vehicle to assist volunteers and the council to fight fires during the upcoming season. They do much work with the volunteers, particularly in Central Australia, in preparing for that. My department acknowledges the great work they do and will continue to support them with the resources they need.
Signing up to the national aerial firefighting program means we will receive extra dollars by being a member of the national body, which will come in handy when we need to fight big fires in Central Australia, and call on the expertise of aerial firefighters as well as the troops on the ground. I acknowledge that. I have been there several times. We recently provided an extra vehicle to assist Bushfires NT members in Alice Springs and we will continue to work with them.
National Training Awards – NT Apprentices and Trainees
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
We know we have a high-performing training sector in the Northern Territory. Could you please inform the House of how Territory apprentices and trainees fared at the recent National Training Awards in Sydney?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question and also congratulate her on her appointment as Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Training. We are focusing on the very important school to work transitions, because we want to see all our kids across the Northern Territory who finish Year 12 ending up in the workforce.
The National Training Awards provided outstanding results for the Territory. I was pleased to visit Kerry’s Automotive Group with the member for Nhulunbuy on Tuesday this week to meet with a young lady, Yazmin Brown, who has been named Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year. What a fantastic young woman she is. She has been studying a Certificate III in Automotive Technology specialising in light vehicles. She is a student at Casuarina Senior College and will be receiving her Year 12 Certificate on Friday night. It was great to see the enthusiasm of this young woman and her passion for training.
Her great ability in winning a national award makes me very proud to be the Chief Minister, and she has succeeded as a mechanic in a very male-dominated industry. She puts up with a bit of ribbing from the guys in the workplace but, member for Nhulunbuy, she gives as good as she gets and is really enjoying the apprenticeship. Congratulations to Yazmin.
Another great outcome was the Department of Health and Families winning the National Award for Government Industry. It recognised the department’s efforts to build the Territory’s Indigenous health workforce - another national award for the Northern Territory, which is great to see.
Other exceptional young people represented the Northern Territory as finalists in a range of categories: Amy Lewis, the finalist as Vocational Student of the Year, who is a community service trainee with Red Cross; Solomon Renata, a finalist in the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Student of the Year, who is an engineering trainee employed by Rio Tinto Alcan in Nhulunbuy; Michael Molina, the finalist as the Australian Apprentice of the Year, who is an ICT trainee with Territory Technology Solutions; and Graham Havens, also a finalist as an Apprentice of the Year, who is an apprentice carpenter with Nowland Builders.
I say this in Question Time today to celebrate the strength and quality of the training sector. This is the quality of the training sector in the Northern Territory. Seeing so many Territorians competing in and winning national awards goes to show we are on track to our target of creating 10 000 apprentices and trainees. It is not just any old 10 000 apprentices and trainees, this is real quality.
Madam Speaker, this is a sign of the Territory going ahead, as opposed to the doom and gloom merchants opposite.
Montara Oil Spill – Call for Minister’s Resignation
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
On 30 June 2010, you told ABC radio in Darwin that the Territory did not fall down in its responsibilities in respect of the massive Montara oil spill. Today, your federal colleague, the minister for Resources, has exposed that duplicitous claim totally. You deliberately misled the people of the Territory regarding the Henderson government’s failing, and your personal ministerial failing, in this environmental catastrophe. Why do you not do the honourable thing and resign for your calculated deception about Australia’s worst environmental disaster offshore?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I find it fascinating that the member for Goyder still talks about environmental disasters when four independent reports have said there was no such thing as an environmental disaster. There was an accident, there was a blowout of a well, and there was a spill of oil which was dissipated by natural means. I also find it amazing …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members!
Mr VATSKALIS: It is very interesting. She has a very interesting selection of pieces of the report that serve her purposes. She totally ignored the 90% of the report which says the blame is clearly with the company.
Make no mistake, we accept we played a role in that, but the reality is, the report says had the company adhered to our recommendation, the incident would not have happened. So, from one side the report it says it is the company’s fault and, on the other, it says there was a minimalist approach by the department but, even if they had followed our advice, this incident would have occurred.
I find the call to resign fascinating, when the Leader of the Opposition clearly is in breach of the Commonwealth legislation about elections. A member of the opposition who is on the record talking about repealing legislation to protect young Aboriginal girls is asking me to resign. I think you should direct your comments to your Leader of the Opposition.
Ms PURICK: Supplementary, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Yes. Minister, I am a bit concerned about that comment which you made regarding the Leader of the Opposition. I would like you to withdraw that part of the answer, thank you.
Mr VATSKALIS: Which one, Madam Speaker? About breaching the Commonwealth legislation or about the young girls?
Madam SPEAKER: Just withdraw.
Mr VATSKALIS: I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Montara Oil Spill – Damage to Environment
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
If it has not been an environmental disaster, why is the Indonesian government seeking compensation from the operator of the Montara oil field for the oil that is going into their waters? If it is not an environmental problem, a disaster, what has it been?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, anyone can put any claim on anyone. The reality is we have four independent reports by four different people from different organisations - not one, not two, but four. The member for Goyder has decided to align with the Indonesian government - good luck to her. The reality is, I take advice from the four independent reports that indicate it did not do any damage to the Australian environment or the Indonesian environment.
Literacy and Numeracy - NT School Principals Meeting with Minister
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Recently, you held meetings with all Northern Territory school principals. Can you please inform the House on the nature of these meetings and the expected outcomes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. Yes, we convened meetings in Darwin and Alice Springs for all principals throughout the government school network in the Northern Territory. I believe they were very productive meetings. The focus of these meetings was, first, to thank them for their efforts, because many of them work in very adverse situations and face enormous challenges. As minister, I, and I believe this parliament, recognises the challenges faced by our principals and teachers.
We are also facing enormous challenges in literacy and numeracy. We all know the scrutiny, and rightly so, which has been brought about by the NAPLAN testing and the My School website. All of us - government, principals, teachers, communities - have to work together to ensure each one of our Territory children realises their potential in education. The meetings were to align that effort and that focus. I was heartened to meet with those principals, to hear their enthusiasm, not only about lifting literacy and numeracy, but also attendance, which is one of our major challenges. I am very hopeful that, in the school year, our efforts will be aligned.
As well as discussing these matters, Professor Geoff Masters, who heads the Australian Council for Educational Research, has agreed to support the Northern Territory effort in lifting literacy and numeracy results. He addressed each one of those meetings. His focus was clear; it was all about quality in teaching and leadership in our schools. What he will be doing, together with the department, is supporting our principals and our teachers to deliver the goods to our students. He will be reporting independently to me and to the CEO of Education.
I am very glad that Professor Masters has joined our effort. Recently, he supported Queensland in its efforts to significantly raise its NAPLAN results, which has been very successful. Professor Masters was very clear that we can have improvements in the next NAPLAN and the one beyond, but all these things will take time. I have every confidence we are working at our best to try to lift the results for our students across the Territory. Literacy and numeracy really is the key. It is the key to employment, the key to a better life, the key to participating in the economic benefits of the Territory and, more importantly, to contributing in the community.
Montara Oil Spill – Call for Minister’s Dismissal
Ms PURICK to CHIEF MINISTER
Federal Resources minister, Martin Ferguson, has laid the blame for the Montara oil spill fair and square on your government’s doorstep. The minister said that at the heart of this matter is the failure of the operator and the failure of the regulator to adhere to this regime: ‘Montara was preventable’. Given the damning assessment of your incompetent Resources minister, will you sack him from his job as Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I find it quite bizarre that the honourable member, who campaigned so hard and so vociferously against an EPA for the Northern Territory, is the person who so hypocritically is leading the Question Time today. She spent an entire career in the private sector campaigning against an EPA for the Northern Territory.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. The question was simple: will he sack his minister for being incompetent?
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: I met with the Resources minister, Martin Ferguson, in July this year to discuss the interim findings. At that meeting, we agreed to immediately improve practices in the Resources Department which had come to light - immediately to include a cooperative regime and a co-assessment for all future approvals by authorities in Western Australia …
Mr Elferink: In other words, it was taken out of your hands.
Mr HENDERSON: We did act immediately, not as a result of this report which has been handed down today …
Mr Elferink: SIHIP was taken off you. This is happening …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin! Member for Katherine!
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin!
Mr HENDERSON: I wonder when the member for Port Darwin is going to cut down the Leader of the Opposition and take his job, Madam Speaker. The simple reason for the consistent interjections is to grandstand and try to get the numbers from those people opposite …
Mr Elferink: I had the numbers yesterday.
Mr HENDERSON: He said he has the numbers. If you have the numbers, why don’t you use them?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Because you do not have the ticker. That is the answer, Madam Speaker, he does not have the ticker.
The department was not diligent enough with these approvals. That issue has been resolved with a co-assessment program being put in place. Very clearly, I spoke with Martin Ferguson this morning …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was: will he fire his minister. He has 30 seconds to answer that.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat!
Mr HENDERSON: I spoke with Martin Ferguson this morning, along with the minister for Resources and, very clearly, if you read the minister’s statement in the House and the report, it was a failure of the company in that it was its operations which led to the blowout of the well. There were deficiencies in the department. Those deficiencies were resolved in July.
Alcohol Reforms
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for ALCOHOL POLICY
Alcohol misuse places a significant burden on the health system. Can you outline to the House how the proposed alcohol reforms will help reduce the health costs associated with alcohol misuse?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. She has seen the result of the government’s alcohol management plan in her electorate, specifically in Nhulunbuy, and the reduction of crime and antisocial behaviour in that community. When you take tough intervention in a community and put the tools in place for a banning system, which the permit system in Nhulunbuy is, you achieve real results.
The opposition is running this line that we are going to do something against the whole of the Territory community. That is not true. We are going hard after the problem drinker, the recidivist, the habitual drunk, to ban that drinker to get them off-tap so we can see a resultant reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour, like the reductions we have seen in other parts of the Territory, such as Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt. We have certainly seen reductions in serious assaults in Alice Springs.
What we have seen in the Territory though is that people are moving to follow the grog. If they are off-tap in one place, they will move to follow the grog. We have seen those results coming through the crime statistics in Alice Springs.
The number of alcohol-related deaths in the Territory is far too high. It is three times the national average. The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in the Northern Territory is more than double the national average. We know that 60% of all assaults are alcohol related. We know that 67% of domestic violence assaults are alcohol related.
Seventy per cent of the grog consumed in the Territory is purchased off-licence. We need a consistent approach across the Territory, which is what our reforms provide. It does not matter where you live in the Territory, from 1 July we will have a consistent approach to automatic bans for recidivist, habitual drunks and problem drinkers who are going in and out of police protective custody. They will be turned off-tap and banned from purchasing or consuming alcohol. We will have secondary supply measures; there will be bans there as well.
We will be establishing a new tribunal to deal with chronic alcoholism and put in place mandatory treatment and rehabilitation. We will also be rebuilding and strengthening the Alcohol Court, merging it with the Drug Court into a court which has broader powers than it has currently.
We are clearly saying enough is enough. The problem is the problem drinker, the target is the problem drinker; we are turning them off-tap. We are using an ID system as the tool to enforce that. Curiously, the CLP’s response to date is to build a 200-bed facility in Katherine, but have no tool of enforcing any ban they want to bring in, no tool at all. So you could just go around and have a drink, because there is no tool to enforce any bans. They are on their own, they want people to drink early, fall down when they are drunk, and then they will lock them up.
Montara Oil Spill - Government Responsibility
Ms PURICK to CHIEF MINISTER
If your government is incapable of administering the offshore fields, why should you be trusted to oversee significant planned development projects such as the INPEX project? Why should Territorians trust your government to protect our environment and ensure the safety of Territorians working offshore? Will you finally take responsibility for your government’s incompetence and sack minister Vatskalis from his job as Resources minister as a result of his appalling mismanagement of the agency that contributed to the Montara spill?
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Move Proposed Motion of Censure
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I move - That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this Assembly from censuring the …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! She is reading a censure motion. She has moved off her question and gone straight into a censure motion.
Madam SPEAKER: She is able to do that.
Mr Elferink: The Leader of Government Business now stands up and does something; however, he is asleep at the wheel.
Ms Lawrie: No, anyone is capable of taking it.
Madam SPEAKER: The process with suspension of standing orders is that you read the motion and we ask the Leader of Government Business whether the government will accept the suspension of standing orders. You can read that, thank you, member for Goyder.
Ms PURICK: Madam Speaker, I move - That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me censuring the Northern Territory government for its completely incompetent handling of its duties regarding the Montara oil facilities and other facilities under its command and protection, forthwith
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, we will accept the censure motion. I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016