2012-02-22
One Punch Homicide Legislation – Government Position
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
I have just given notice of my intention to reintroduce one punch homicide legislation to this House. Your government rejected it out of hand the last time this was introduced. Given the backing of the Police Association, public support of commentators, and the goodwill of many Territorians, will you now commit to supporting, at least in principle, one punch homicide legislation in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge that this is an important matter. I would like to revisit history. Our government did not vote against that bill without very significant and serious consideration. We have, given this is very serious issue, referred the proposed legislation to the Law Reform Committee for consideration as to its efficacy in Western Australia where, as I understand it, is the only place this legislation exists. It has not been in place in Western Australia for very long. We have asked the Law Reform Committee, headed up by Austin Asche, who everyone in this House would know is one of the most esteemed and revered legal minds in the Northern Territory, to advise government as to the application and how this law would work in practice in the Northern Territory.
We have not dismissed this out of hand. We have referred it to the Law Reform Committee. We are awaiting a response from Austin Asche and the Law Reform Committee as to the application of this law, the efficacy of this law, and how it may or may not operate in the Territory.
Building a Healthier Territory
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please update the House on the government’s commitment to build a healthier Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. At the core of my government’s agenda is affordable, accessible healthcare, and improving health outcomes for all Territorians. That is why our health budget is over $1.1bn now, more than half of it dedicated to hospitals. Since we came to government, statistics show that we have more than 724 additional nurses; an additional 250 doctors and specialists; and 127 more beds in the Northern Territory. We have upgraded the emergency department at Royal Darwin Hospital. In Alice Springs, currently under way is a new $24m emergency department. We are also planning, and have committed funding for, a new hospital in Palmerston.
Our government supports GP super clinics. The opposition would close the GP Super Clinic in Palmerston and the new one for the northern suburbs. They would slam the door shut on the GP super clinics because Tony Abbott has issued his instructions to the Leader of the Opposition and they would close them down.
We also have the new medical school at Charles Darwin University, with the second intake of medical students this year. My congratulations to all those students. The medical school was opposed by the opposition and Tony Abbott at the last election in terms of the additional funding for remote medical students.
We have invested heavily in the bush. We have more clinics, more doctors, and more specialists. I congratulate the Commonwealth on its investment - I believe it is around $60m - for new health clinics into the bush. Under my government, 60% of our health budget is Indigenous related.
We know the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer are hell-bent on bringing the budget back to surplus. The Opposition Leader has this mantra that spending is not an outcome. Well, Leader of the Opposition, I have to ask you: how do you pay for an extra 720 nurses, an extra 250 doctors, and 127 new hospital beds? How do you pay those wages without an increase in spending ...
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am happy to answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a question, resume your seat.
Mr Mills: Ah, a rhetorical question in Question Time.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Conlan: Well, what is he talking about? He has to answer a question. He is either answering a question or asking a question. What a coward!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw that, please.
Mr CONLAN: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: We know they would take the axe to health spending, because they believe that spending is not an outcome. For 27 years, the CLP declined to provide renal services outside of Darwin and Alice Springs. We have spent money on additional renal services and as a result, life expectancy for people on dialysis has increased by seven years. I call that a real outcome; an outcome that would not have been achieved without spending extra money. The Leader of the Opposition’s intention is very clear: the CLP would take the axe to health spending if it was in government.
Crime Statistics
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Crime in the Territory is getting worse. This week, crime victimisation rates - member for Casuarina, you think that is funny - were released showing actual rates of crime are much higher than the crime that is reported. Violent physical assaults are up. In 2009-10, there were 6800 victims of physical assault, climbing to 7400 last year. If you have statistics that demonstrate anything other than increasing rates of violent crime, I challenge you to provide them now and table the official quarterly crime statistics you have held back from public scrutiny since last year.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the figures released were perceived levels of crime, not actual levels of crime, with a phone canvas of 872 people in the Northern Territory. Very clearly, the ABS statistics said that alcohol and drugs are perceived to be involved in most assaults. That is not only factual, but the perceptions are out there. The only people who are in denial that alcohol is the main contributing cause to assaults ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: ... and violence are the opposition. We have the shadow spokesperson for alcohol saying there is a negligible link between alcohol and crime. That is why we have the toughest alcohol laws in the country: to push down the rates of alcohol-induced crime. Since we introduced our Banned Drinker Register, new statistics are coming out which show in the first quarter there was a 20% reduction in alcohol-related crime in Darwin and Palmerston. We have released those statistics. Another major statistic that is well documented is that 60% of all assaults in the Northern Territory are domestic violence related. The fact is, tragically for too many women in the Northern Territory, you have more chance of being assaulted in your own home than on the streets. That is a tragic fact and supporting that is most of those assaults are alcohol-fuelled within the home where the victim knows the perpetrator. Those are the facts.
The Leader of the Opposition, in an election year, sees every crime story as an opportunity for good news for the CLP. He sees it as an opportunity to jump on the latest crime story ...
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! On relevance, Madam Speaker. Imputations and ironical expressions aside, the thrust of this question is: where are the crime statistics so that which is asserted by the Chief Minister can be verified?
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, the facts are in the ABS media release, where victims aged 18 years or over were asked whether they perceived alcohol or other substances to be a contributing factor to their most recent incident. It was estimated that nearly two-thirds, 64% ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question seeks the release of the quarterly crimes statistics specifically. Can he answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, can you come to the question?
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, they asked for statistics. We are giving the statistics from the ABS media release. The issue here is that the CLP is hell-bent on beating the law and order drum in the lead-up to the next Territory election. The CLP has no policies to address the issue ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Royal Darwin Hospital - Expansion
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
The Henderson government has an ongoing commitment to expand and improve the major hospital in the Territory’s health system, Royal Darwin Hospital. Can you please update the House on the program of expansion and improved performance at Royal Darwin Hospital?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his important question. I am very proud of Royal Darwin Hospital and the staff working there. We have put much into Royal Darwin Hospital over the last 10 years and will continue to do so in the future. We have increased resources by over 181%, to date $315m. There are 99 extra hospital beds and 350 additional nursing positions. We have 900 nurses currently working at RDH and 130 more doctors. Currently, there are 300 doctors working at RDH, and there is a 90% increase in professional allied health staff and physical staff.
The secret plan of the CLP is to downgrade Royal Darwin Hospital to make it a second-rate hospital. Our plan …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance: the question was about what the government has done to improve health services. It did not ask whether there are any other policies or any other views; simply what is he doing at the hospital in Darwin.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: The Leader of the Opposition is on record, stating publicly on radio ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance: he is clearly straying way outside the ambit of the question. I ask you to draw him back to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Mr TOLLNER: He was not asked about the Leader of the Opposition or the CLP ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Mr TOLLNER: ... he was asked about his responsibilities.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, when I ask you to resume your seat that is what you do. Minister, come to the question, please.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, I am comparing our policy to the CLP policy to show that we care. We have an input for Royal Darwin Hospital ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance: he was not asked to compare their policies to ours. He was asked about what he is doing at Royal Darwin Hospital.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, I am listening to the answer. He seems to be answering the question. Minister, can you come as close as possible to question.
Mr VATSKALIS: I am very pleased that the member for Fong Lim is interested in finding out what this Labor government is doing for Royal Darwin Hospital. What we are doing is designing two extra operating theatres. If you look at Royal Darwin Hospital, you will see a new hospice; a new birth centre; the Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre - the one you could not deliver but we did; the current construction of a 50 unit medi-hotel; and 12 units for Indigenous pregnant women.
We upgraded the fire safety works, and $43m for the chillers and power generation. We are doing more. We are going to advertise tenders for a new building for the Menzies School of Health Research and the new medical school facility.
We see a bright future for Royal Darwin Hospital, not a second-class hospital as the CLP does.
Teachers – Alleged Violent Incidents
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Last night in the House you detailed a number of assaults against Northern Territory teachers. You said there were, on average, 12 assaults on teachers by students, and another three or four assaults on teachers by parents. That takes care of the serious incidents reported through official channels. Could you advise the House of the total number of violent incidents, reported or otherwise, physical or verbal, committed against teachers last year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an important question. I am very concerned about violence in schools. There is a spectrum of behaviours in our schools, as there is in every jurisdiction in Australia, from unruly behaviour to extreme incidents like the incident at Nightcliff Middle School a year or so ago. As I said yesterday, there are around a dozen very serious incidents involving students and teachers - physical assaults on students, and on teachers - and probably another three or four of parents on teachers.
In the range of other incidents which occur in schools, one of the difficulties is actually categorising what they consist of. For instance, there may be an incident where a student pushes a teacher, or pushes against a teacher. There may be something more serious where a teacher intervenes in a schoolyard fight and the teacher may receive a blow from that student.
I am very concerned and focused on bringing some categories into this situation. I have been in conversation with the department and the Australian Education Union. What I am proposing is a working group between the Australian Education Union, the department and other educators, as we had last year, and senior principals, and the Australian Institute for Teaching and Learning. This will assist us to have a clear and transparent process about the more serious incidents, that everyone is aware of what should be reported and what may be a relatively minor incident, and have that incorporated into the annual report.
I am interested in transparency around this. It is important we know what the situation is. I reiterate that the very severe, extreme incidents probably number a dozen every year and they are dealt with. In the main, they are referred to police and action is taken and those students are suspended. In the case of the student at Nightcliff Middle School, that person faced the courts and, I understand, received a penalty. They remain expelled from that school.
We are taking action. The short answer to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - we really need to categorise these. It is very difficult to give a number on the basis of the question he has asked.
Supplementary Question
Teachers – Alleged Violent Incidents
Teachers – Alleged Violent Incidents
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Given your response that there is a body of work to be undertaken to categorise the nature of the assaults and incidents between students and teachers, and between parents and teachers, will that be incorporated into this year’s annual report?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, that is a good question. No, it will not be incorporated in this year’s annual report. I am looking at its incorporation and reporting in the 2012-13 annual report. I believe that is important. It is important that we come to agreement with the Australian Education Union. I am very sympathetic of teachers who have to work in this environment, even if it is unruly behaviour. Extreme behaviour is another matter. There is a range of strategies we can use regarding unruly behaviours.
There is a plan of action for extreme incidents. I have said publicly that we are in the process of establishing a reengagement centre in Darwin. We found the money for that on the back of the report and the recommendations of the report done last year. We are taking action on this matter, member for Blain. The short answer is that it will be incorporated in the 2012-13 annual report.
Girraween Primary School – Government Strategy for Growth
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
The Girraween Primary School is growing at a rapid rate and is struggling to meet the needs and to provide services and programs required by the school community. In other words, they are growing at a much faster rate than the current infrastructure program. Girraween Primary School is a great school but it needs help – it is bursting at the seams. Can you outline what strategic approach your department is taking to address this situation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. The short answer is we have invested heavily in Girraween Primary School through the Building the Education Revolution funding, which was almost $2m, to double the preschool capacity, and two additional transportable classrooms. The school has also received $300 000 in our election commitment plan from the last election for every primary school in the Northern Territory. The school priority was building an outdoor learning area. So, there have been funds expended.
I am aware that Girraween Primary School has a number of priorities: an additional multipurpose teaching space to cater for specialist programs, such as music education; and a dedicated outside school hours care facility. In the longer term, the school will need an extension to the staffroom, replacement of transportable buildings, and a traffic management plan for buses and private vehicles, which probably means a bay or something similar for the school.
Department of Education and Training planning and infrastructure officers visited the school late in 2011 to discuss these. Girraween priorities will be considered together with all competing priorities within our budget.
Last year, in the 2011-12 budget, we spent around $110m - that is combined infrastructure, minor new works, and repairs and maintenance over the whole of the Territory. I will be fighting hard in the upcoming budget discussions but there are competing priorities. We have a Greater Darwin Land Use Plan. We are looking at growth in that area. All I can say to you, member for Nelson, is that it is one of competing priorities. I hear what you say. However, there are also other schools needing work, so that is the difficulty of making these type of decisions.
Northside Shops Disturbance – Alleged Non-response by Police
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Last week in this House, the member for Braitling made a series of allegations against police, saying they failed to respond to a call he made in relation to a disturbance at Northside Shops in Alice Springs. Can you please advise the House if you have followed up this matter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. This is important. I listened to that debate and I followed up on the matter. The member for Braitling made a number of allegations against police. His allegations were: that the call did not even get through to police; and that the call taker said, and I quote from the member for Braitling:
- Well, if you have not seen the knife we cannot do much about that.
And a quote that the call taker also said:
Well, we won’t send anyone.
I asked the Police Commissioner to respond. As I have said in this House, every call taken at the communication centre is recorded. The call did get through to police. No one said they could not do anything if there was no knife, and no one said they would not send anyone. In fact, the transcript shows the police told ...
Mr Giles: Did they turn up? Did they turn up? That is the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: ... the member for Braitling that they would send one. They did attend the scene and they did not leave until peace had resumed. The member for Braitling knows this. He knows the truth. I table an e-mail he sent to police two days after the incident. It says:
Thanks for yesterday and your immediate efforts. Having spoken with several shop owners last night and today they are extremely impressed with you and your police response.
He congratulates police. He claims he will be letting the public know about the increased efforts of local police. He did no such thing. Instead, he hit Facebook complaining that police never turned up to the crimes. The member for Braitling has deliberately undermined ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! If the Chief Minister wants to bring in different issues here and try to confuse the situation about different criminal acts that occurred, he is misleading parliament ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat.
Mr Giles: He is misleading parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling! If you wish to make a personal explanation you can approach me after Question Time.
Mr Giles: He is misleading parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, I ask you ...
Mr Giles interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, he deliberately undermined the police. He congratulates them privately, but bags them in public. I also table the transcripts of the two phone calls, one made by the member to police, and one from police, that clearly demonstrate that the member for Braitling has deceived the public and misled this House ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Chief Minister, I ask you to withdraw.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I ask you to withdraw the last comment regarding misleading the House.
Mr HENDERSON: Okay, I will say he deceived the public because, very clearly, the police said. ‘... we will get someone there ...’
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You gave the Chief Minister a direct instruction. He has not obeyed it. Will he withdraw?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: I withdraw, and I table the transcripts showing that the member for Braitling deceived the public ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, have you withdrawn the comment?
Mr HENDERSON: I have.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: And I call on the Leader of the Opposition to get the member for Braitling to apologise or stand him down ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Members interjecting.
Mr Giles: You are completely misleading ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling!
Members interjecting.
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.
Honourable members, if you wish to call a point of order, first of all I remind you that it needs to relate to an actual standing order we have. In addition, you must wait for me to acknowledge you. You do not just launch into some kind of a speech. Someone always has the call, and then you need to wait to have the call as well, an acknowledgement for a point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister made some allegations several times after he was asked to withdraw it, and he made them again. He has not withdrawn those allegations, and if he wants to persist, he should do so by way of substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: I understand that the Chief Minister withdrew the comments regarding misleading the House. Is that correct?
Mr HENDERSON: I did.
Mr Tollner: No, you haven’t.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you can just repeat the comments, please.
Mr HENDERSON: I did withdraw.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! It appears that some members have not heard this. Chief Minister, would you mind just withdrawing now.
Mr HENDERSON: For the sake of cloth ears over there, I did say that I withdraw ‘misleading the House’, but he did deceive the public, and I have tabled the documents that very clearly show that ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, can you just resume your seat now please, thank you.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You will withdraw that. Madam Speaker, that is an unparliamentary comment and I ask him to withdraw it. He cannot make those comments; he has not deceived anyone.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat, please.
Chief Minister, would you mind rewording or withdraw that comment.
Mr HENDERSON: Which one?
Madam SPEAKER: About the deceit, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, if anyone has been offended, I withdraw. All I will say is read the transcripts of the conversation between the member for Braitling and police. People will draw their own conclusions as to who was telling the truth here.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Chief Minister, resume your seat.
Nurses – Numbers of Alleged Assaults
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you advise the House how many nurses were assaulted in the Territory last year, and can you describe the processes that are in place to determine the actual rates of violence against nurses in our hospitals and health clinics? If you cannot give the precise figure, could you please explain why not?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, first of all we condemn any violence, physical or psychological, to any person in the public service in the Territory. That includes political violence by threatening to cut their jobs if they come to government.
There have been nurses assaulted in remote communities. When this happens, the person is immediately withdrawn from the service. They are provided with any support from the department. The department takes immediate action, first of all to refer the assault to the police so the person who committed the crime is prosecuted; and second, to ensure that all other members of the community are provided with a service. I cannot give you the exact number now. I can provide the House at a later date with the number of nurses who have been assaulted.
One thing I make clear to the department is that every single case of any person who works for the Health Department has to be immediately referred to the police and every person has to be supported.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the minister to answer the second half of the question ...
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has finished his answer
Mr ELFERINK: ... which was if you cannot give the figure, why not?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat! Minister, have you completed your answer?
Mr VATSKALIS: I have, Madam Speaker, but ...
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Resume your seat. Minister, could you please cover that sign on your computer.
Police - Allegation of Failure to Respond
Mr GUNNER to MINSTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Last week in this House, the member for Braitling made the allegation that police failed to respond to a report of a stolen vehicle in Alice Springs. Can you please advise the House if you have followed up this matter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I take all these allegations made very seriously, and I have followed up on the matter. The member for Braitling said that three weeks ago a car was stolen and 10 blokes rolled it sideways down the street at 4 am. Under the cover of parliament, the member for Braitling alleged – and I am quoting the member for Braitling: ‘Did police turn up? No, no police’. Well, police did turn up. Police were on the scene and located the vehicle six minutes after taking the call. A call was made at 5.28 am and police were at the location of the vehicle at 5.34 am, six minutes after the call was taken.
The member for Braitling cannot be trusted. Any allegations he makes against police cannot be trusted. He owes the Northern Territory police a formal apology for this incident and the previous example I gave. He has made the allegations in this House under parliamentary privilege. I have followed up. I have tabled two transcripts of conversations recorded between the member for Braitling and the police call centre, which show the allegations he made are patently false. Not only are they false, but he also e-mailed police and congratulated them for their magnificent response time. He needs to correct the Parliamentary Record. If he does not correct the Parliamentary Record, the Leader of the Opposition has to compel him to do so or stand him down.
It is one thing to attack the government’s law and order policy, but quite another to undermine public confidence in our police force, talk down the competency of our police force in not only taking calls but responding to calls, and making those allegations in the House. Now that he has been caught out in the veracity of those allegations, through a transcript of conversation, and advice I have from the Police Commissioner having gone back through the call logs that police did attend this incident within six minutes, he owes this House an apology, he owes the police an apology, and if he does not apologise, the Leader of the Opposition should stand him down.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Have you finished? Thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: The Chief Minister knows that if he wants to pursue these …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, you will resume your seat.
Mr Elferink: That is not very fair, Madam Speaker. He has no right of reply in this place. Talk about a kangaroo court. Move a motion against him and have the debate.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind honourable members that you do not have the call or have an acknowledgement for a point of order unless I have called your name.
Litchfield and Coomalie Councils – Consultancy
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
It is about three years since your department led a consultancy to look at the future of the non-council areas around Litchfield and Coomalie councils. Has the consultancy been completed? When will the government make an announcement on the future of these areas?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his very important question. We have consistently said in this House, and the Chief Minister said at the beginning of our reforms in local government, that any moves in regard to the unincorporated areas across the Top End would require complete consultation with those groups.
A very strongly led consultancy has been taking place in that region. A consultancy to the Coomalie Community Government Council considered boundary expansion options in the region. The work looked at options for expanding existing councils into the unincorporated area. There were some areas of the proposal that did not have full community support, and Coomalie Community Government Council has decided not to progress further work at this stage.
Coomalie received a total of $178 500 in special purpose grants for this work over the 2008-09 and 2009-10 financial years. Not all of these SPG funds were expended on the project. I understand around $40 000 was reallocated for another purpose.
Most recently, residents of the Dundee area have expressed an interest in looking at transition arrangements for this region. I understand the progress association is considering applying for a special purpose grant to further their expansion plans.
Darwin, Wagait and Belyuen councils have also been looking at options for potential shared service arrangements or amalgamations between the councils. Darwin City Council has received a special purpose grant of $99 500 for this work in 2010 and 2011. Given that we are now right in the middle of election nominations for local government across the Northern Territory, it will be an ongoing discussion once these new councils have been voted in towards the end of March.
Madam Speaker, I also take this opportunity to mention that Mr John Hughes, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Coomalie, has now left. I thank John Hughes for the work he has done in the Coomalie region. Ms Melissa Kerr has been appointed as the Acting Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to working with the next group of councillors who come on after 24 March.
Madam SPEAKER: Before calling the next question, I remind visitors in the gallery that no photography or use of phones is allowed in the House.
Teacher Retention – Lack of Government Support
Mr CHANDLER to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
The latest teacher retention figures for the Territory show that almost half of the teachers in remote schools do not stay in the same job for a single year. Just 61.7% of teachers stayed in 2008; in 2009, it was 67% and, in 2010, only 59.2% of teachers completed the full year. How can students be expected to learn when teachers are leaving through lack of support from your government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I take any figures or assertions by the member for Brennan with a big grain of salt. I have learnt through some of the paperwork and figures he has asserted through the NAPLAN results that he is completely wrong.
I said yesterday that retention rates for teachers across the Territory in Northern Territory government schools increased by 10% last year, and in very remote Indigenous schools it increased by 13.6% from 2010-11.
I have a different view from the member for Brennan. That view is, yes, we need to do more to retain our teachers in the very remote regions. It is a hard life out there, it is challenging, and it is demanding. However, we are doing the best we can through a number of avenues. Through the EBA we made study options for teachers more attractive, particularly for those living in very remote areas. We believe we will retain them that way. We are also offering avenues for professional development for these teachers, which is very important. There is also support of their peers. We started the Remote Teaching Service, which is a great innovation. It has been taken up by other jurisdictions such as Western Australia and Queensland.
We are very mindful of improving our retention rates. We can do more. Unlike the member for Brennan, the fact that we have increased retention rates in the very remote schools from 2010 to 2011 by 14% I believe is a pretty good figure. We need to do more and we will do more. We value our teachers. We have employed over 400 teachers since we came to power in 2001. We value our teachers. We certainly worked with them through the EBA. I have mentioned how we are working with them on the issue of violence, assaults, and behaviour management in schools. We are a government with policies for education, and I outlined them in my statement yesterday. We are still waiting for the member for Brennan - how about a tip, member for Brennan? You reckon Monday might be it for the release of the policy?
Mr Chandler: In the fullness of time, minister, the fullness of time.
Dr BURNS: The fullness of time. Well, let us hope the policy is full. It could be full of something.
Super Clinics - Impact
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HEALTH
The Labor government opened the Palmerston Super Clinic and is continuing to work hard for the families of the northern suburbs to have their own clinic. Can you please update the House on the super clinics and the positive impact this is having for health services in the region?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, with great pleasure. Super clinics make a difference in the Territory. The Henderson Labor government works very hard to leave a strong health system for Territorians. As I have said before, I want Territorians to have a health system similar to those in Perth, Adelaide or Sydney, and we have done so. Despite the fact we have the lowest number of GPs per 100 000 population, the super clinic in Palmerston continues to deliver health services to Territorians. In the past 15 months, 24 000 people have gone through the super clinic - a super clinic which operates seven days a week. The after-hours patient care has seen 31 000 people – 36 people every night who would otherwise turn up at the emergency department.
We have 15 new student doctors employed at the super clinic, training our own so we can keep them here. The super clinic in Palmerston, and I hope the members there are listening, offers not only GP services, but also nurses, allied health, women’s health clinics, Indigenous Closing the Gap clinics, mental health services, respiratory physicians, psychology, family planning, and pathology collection. Of course, we have outpatient specialist clinics from RDH in pain management, immunology, palliative care, maternity, renal, pre-surgical admissions and others – a comprehensive super clinic supported by this Labor government, opposed by the CLP and also by Natasha Griggs, who publicly said she would not support a super clinic in the northern suburbs.
The super clinic in Palmerston does such a good job we want the same model to be applied to the northern suburbs, because mums and dads deserve to have a bulkbilling clinic for their children.
I met the federal Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, who confirmed that the $5m promised by the Labor government in Canberra will stay here in the Territory and a new super clinic will be viewed favourably for the northern suburbs.
To give you an idea of the demand for GPs in the northern suburbs, there is a new clinic in Vanderlin Drive, Casuarina which bulkbills. The doctors who operate it told me they have seen 250 people a day because it bulkbills. You can understand the demand is out there, and that also shows why the emergency department is clogged every afternoon and night by people who cannot access a GP in the Territory.
Madam Speaker, we support a super clinic in the northern suburbs. I will let the people decide who actually brings better health services for Territorians – this Labor government or the CLP which opposes the super clinics.
Remote Schools - Teacher Turnover
Mr CHANDLER to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
A mere 13.2% of Year 9 students in very remote schools are reaching the national minimum standard in writing achievement. Your government blames this appalling result on poor attendance. When a student does not know who their teacher is going to be from one term to the next, is it any wonder you are struggling to get kids going to school? I assume exit interviews are done, so can you please explain to me what teachers are telling you about what is going on and what is wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have just been handed a note. I am advised that teacher retention overall in the Territory has increased by 38% - nearly 40% - from 1999 to 2002. First of all, do not come in here trying to spin things up about teacher retention. The second thing is you have a bit of a hide coming in here ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Does the minister have any statistics more current than 2002?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the other point I was going to make was in relation ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the second point I was going to make ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Port Darwin! Member for Greatorex!
Dr BURNS: The second point I was going to make was in relation to schooling in the bush. The member for Brennan has a big hide coming in here talking about the schooling of Indigenous kids in the more remote areas of the Northern Territory when we know it was CLP policy not to offer senior secondary education in the bush. In fact, the release of the 1981 Cabinet papers shows ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: ... shows – 1981 Cabinet papers, very important ...
Mr Mills: 1981!
Dr BURNS: 1981, Madam Speaker ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Will the minister answer the question relevant to this century?
Madam SPEAKER: The member for Port Darwin will resume his seat.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: ... because the CLP had the opportunity in 1981 to institute senior secondary education in the bush. They refused to do it. It was their policy for the next 30 years ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister is making this a circus. Can you please ask him to answer the question. Goodness me, he is talking about things 30 years ago ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, it was a ridiculous question to begin with, because the assertion was that every child in the remote areas of the Northern Territory did not know which teacher they had from one term to the next. It is an absolutely ridiculous assertion ...
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was about exit interviews. What are teachers telling you with what is going wrong?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan, resume your seat. Minister, do you have any further things to say?
Dr BURNS: No, I do not, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: There are 15 seconds left. No.
National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre – Achievements
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for HEALTH
Royal Darwin Hospital’s National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre is recognised in Australia and internationally for its readiness to provide medical care in emergency situations. Can you please update the House on recent achievements of the trauma centre in preparing our region for emergency responses?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, with great pleasure. The Royal Darwin Hospital’s National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre is one of the jewels of the Territory health system. How good is it, Madam Speaker? When I hear the minister for Health in Queensland saying that if a Queenslander is injured overseas he will personally ask to be transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital to be looked after by the trauma centre and then to be transferred to Queensland. When I hear that the United Nations invited the trauma centre to provide a training course for 40 UN personnel in Timor - UN doctors and nurses, personnel from the UN Emergency Response Team and Fire Service, plus doctors from the Portuguese and Australian Embassies - then I know that the trauma centre is good. When I hear the President of East Timor ask the trauma centre to send people to Timor to look after the Tour de Timor, then I know the trauma centre is an important instrument for the health system in the Territory.
Dr Ian Norton is Director, Disaster Response and Preparedness. Ms Bronte Douglas, who is the Trauma Nurse Coordinator, was awarded a medal for her participation in the Afghanistan and Pakistan campaigns. The Education Program Coordinator is Mrs Ronnie Taylor, and Dr Brian Spain is the Director of Anaesthetics at RDH. They presented a two-day course and both received accolades from the people participating.
Madam Speaker, our government provides the funds, and supports and assists the trauma centre. Recently, $400 000 was provided for three mannikins which imitate humans, two adults and one baby. They have facial expressions and can move their limbs. They bleed, breathe, shed tears, and even vomit sometimes. People can even practice giving injections with these manikins. They are state-of-the-art; I have never seen anything like that.
The trauma centre provides training places for health personnel in the Territory and around Australia. More than 1300 places will be offered in 2012, making the Territory a safer and stronger place to deal with the critical incidents that come our way. It is good that we have forged strong links with the Sanglah Hospital in Bali. We will soon be signing a memorandum of cooperation with that hospital to train nurses and doctors in trauma response.
Madam Speaker, the trauma centre in the Northern Territory is one of the best facilities in Australia.
Alice Springs – Crime Increase
Mr GILES to CHIEF MINISTER
In recent nights in Alice Springs, at the north end of Todd Street Mall outside Oscar’s Restaurant, there are dozens of intoxicated people fighting, drinking alcohol, humbugging, and participating in antisocial behaviour. I am told the cinemas have had their doors broken twice in recent weeks. Cars are often vandalised in the car parks; people come out of the movies and see their windows smashed. The Police Beat shopfront is between Oscar’s and the cinema. Why do you allow these criminal acts to go on? What are you proposing to do about it, or have you simply run out of answers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Braitling just follows one foot with the other in continuing to attack our police in Alice Springs. I find it highly offensive that he consistently attacks our police in Alice Springs. He makes statements in this House about the lack of police responses to incidents in Alice Springs that turn out to be wrong, and then he follows up again with more allegations that I will have tested.
Police do a magnificent job under very difficult circumstances in Alice Springs. The operations over this summer have seen a 50% reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs. I have not heard one comment in this House from the three stooges opposite who represent seats in Alice Springs …
Mrs LAMBLEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I object to the Chief Minister referring to me as a stooge.
Mr HENDERSON: I withdraw that, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: The three poor excuses for parliamentary representatives from Alice Springs who sit opposite would do themselves a favour by acknowledging the good work of our police in Alice Springs in reducing crime and antisocial behaviour by 50% over the summer period. They should acknowledge the significant amount of work that has been done through the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan to get those kids off the street during the summer period.
Of course, there are still incidents and problems with crime in Alice Springs, but those need solutions. They do not need three hollow vessels banging the law and order drum every single time they get an opportunity, with no solutions, no policies. They are quite happy to talk their town down to the detriment of tourism, to the detriment of business, to the detriment of house values in Alice Springs, at every single opportunity ...
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The point of order relates to relevance. The thrust of the question is to inquire of the Chief Minister what he is doing about it. All we have heard is investigating the member for Braitling rather than investigating crime.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: If the Leader of the Opposition has any leadership left to show, he will investigate and have a good look at those transcripts I provided …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am curious as to whether the Chief Minister is going to be relevant to this question at any stage.
Madam SPEAKER: There have been quite a few points of order. Chief Minister, if you could come to the point.
Mr HENDERSON: If he has any leadership abilities, he will get the member for Braitling to come into this House and apologise to the Northern Territory Police Force for the misleading comments he has made ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Enough is Enough – Contributing to a Healthy Territory
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for ALCOHOL POLICY
The Enough is Enough alcohol reforms are the most comprehensive alcohol reforms in the nation. Can you please inform the House how they are contributing to a healthy Territory?
ANSWER
Thank you, Madam Speaker ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, thank you. They cannot help themselves, they are truly a rabble. There is no doubt that the Enough is Enough alcohol reforms are the most comprehensive range of reforms to tackle the misuse of alcohol in our community, the harm that occurs to the individual, and also, of course, the harm that occurs to our society.
It is appropriate in this law and order debate in the Chamber today because, as the Chief Minister quite rightly pointed out, alcohol-fuelled violence is behind the vast majority of crime - whether it is hard crimes of assaults, obviously fuelling domestic violence and those assault numbers, but also those antisocial behaviour crimes the community is sick of.
Studies show that alcohol misuse caused the Territory $642m in economic consequences of the health system, corrections system, police system, treatment systems, and the like. Hospitalisations for chronic health issues are included in this important data. That is why our government has committed $67m over five years to tackle the scourge of grog in our community. This includes $34m to expand treatment and rehabilitation options.
I will give you a quick snapshot of our achievements since putting the reforms in place in July last year. There are 24 additional rehabilitation beds to improve the capacity of our existing rehabilitation and withdrawal services; increased counselling, casework and outreach services; and improved pathways for withdrawal clients from the emergency department to our ambulatory services and to those all-important non-government agencies.
I am advised that a referral for treatment and withdrawal is now occurring in less than three hours, when previously it took eight days. In the first three months, we have seen 32 SMART orders for treatment issued, and 29 people commenced that treatment. Training and delivering alcohol misuse interventions for GPs and clinicians has occurred across the Territory.
Key to the reform, of course, is that Banned Drinker Register, turning the problem drinker off tap at point of sale. In that first three months, that first quarter, 1500 people were turned off tap with the Banned Drinker Register. Police have said it is the most powerful tool they have been given to tackle alcohol-fuelled crime and antisocial behaviour.
We know the CLP has said there is a negligible link between alcohol and crime. We know the CLP has said it would remove the Banned Drinker Register. The CLP does not really have a cohesive policy. In the first three months, more than 1500 problem drinkers were banned …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was about the Enough is Enough campaign, not comment on what the CLP will do. I ask her to be relevant.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Ms LAWRIE: I am not surprised the member for Fong Lim is a little worried about the lack of CLP policy ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Aboriginal Land – Lease Payments and Rates
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Aboriginal land is not rateable; however, once Aboriginal land is leased to a third party, the provisions of the Local Government Act allow for that land to be rated. Your government has agreed to lease the land upon which government assets sit, which will make that land rateable. First, can you confirm that the lease payments will cost Territory taxpayers around $6m; and, second, have you done any modelling to establish the rates value of that leased Aboriginal land, and what that will cost Territory taxpayers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for his question. It is good to see the opposition is showing some interest in this, given that it has had no interest whatsoever in wanting to grow the regions of the Northern Territory, and to work with the Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory to uncover the fact that these areas can grow once there is mutual respect and a shared process in doing so. That is what our government is doing.
Of course, when we talk about rental for the regions of the Northern Territory, we are talking about nearly half the Northern Territory land mass. We recognise that the assets on these lands need to have security of land tenure. It is security of land tenure that the Henderson Labor government has worked through in a very difficult situation ...
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms McCARTHY: It is clear, from the objections on the other side of the House, that they have had no intention whatsoever to work with Indigenous people of the lands across the Northern Territory ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance: the member asked a very specific question in relation to rates and leases. That is what we are trying to get an answer to. I ask you to ask the minister to be relevant.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat, member for Fong Lim. Minister, can you come to the question, please.
Ms McCARTHY: I am coming to the point, Madam Speaker. Our government has agreed to pay rent to the traditional owners across the Northern Territory in order to have the security of land tenure for government agencies, for housing, and for all the facilities that come under the Northern Territory government. We are growing the regions of the Northern Territory and we recognise, even through local government, that we must look at the rates. This is …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I have been pretty patient, but I am calling the minister on relevance. The questions were fairly specific. Can the minister confirm that the lease money will be around $6m, and has she done any modelling? How much is it going to cost Territorians for the rates payable on that land? Fairly specific questions.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine, I do not remember mention of $6m in your question.
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I am coming to my response. This is a very lengthy response because it is a complex situation. The member for Katherine well knows that we are growing the regions through our A Working Future policy. We know that in order to grow these regions we need the security of land tenure, which then takes us to next step of being able to negotiate directly with the land councils. We have hundreds and hundreds of traditional owners across the Northern Territory ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. Resume your seat, minister.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That was the most hopeless answer to a question I have ever heard in this House.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, resume your seat. That is not a point of order.
Public Dental Services
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HEATH
Public dental services in the Territory are leading the nation in accessibility and availability. Can you please update the ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Fong Lim and member for Katherine will cease interjecting.
Ms WALKER: Can you please update the House on the dental services provided to Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, that is right. Territorians have the best access to public dental services in Australia. That is confirmed by the report on government services which highlighted that in the Territory there are more dentists and more people accessing the public dental services per head of population than anywhere else in Australia. Dental services are provided to eligible Territorians in community clinics and schools, and in health clinics and mobile dental trucks in remote communities.
In 2009-10, a dental blitz was conducted. Prior to this, the maximum waiting time for Territorians was 52 months. Today, the average time in Darwin is 11 months and in Alice Springs it is three months. The waiting times are amongst the best of any public dental services in Australia ...
Mr Conlan: Where would we be without you?
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you very much, member for Greatorex. You finally recognise that our Labor government is achieving real outcomes. We train our own, providing Certificate III in Dental Assisting, and support final year dental students.
I take this opportunity to highlight the wonderful school dental services that this Labor government offers to Territory children. All children attending school are eligible for government-provided dental services.
I also take this opportunity to make particular mention of the Bakewell Primary School dental clinic. Last week in parliament, the member for Brennan made allegations against the member for Nhulunbuy with regard to a school dental person. He alleged that somehow the member for Nhulunbuy used her influence to transfer that dental nurse from Bakewell to Nhulunbuy. Unfortunately for the member for Brennan, that particular person won the position in Nhulunbuy after she went through the public service process: no favours, no influence. The person was the best person for the job and she won it. I congratulate her for deciding to work in East Arnhem.
The Bakewell service will resume prior to the end of this term. In addition to that, the member for Brennan said that all kids were advised to seek the services of a private dental clinic. No, Madam Speaker, wrong again. They were advised to get free dental service, through the Northern Territory government, from the Palmerston Dental Clinic. If the ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Put that down please, member for Brennan. Member for Nhulunbuy, put that down.
Mr VATSKALIS: ... member for Brennan has any concerns about what is in this newsletter, he could easily ring me, or e-mail me or write to me, but he did not. He jumped at the opportunity to have a cheap shot at the member for Nhulunbuy but he was caught out. Again, he was wrong, wrong, wrong. He chooses to play politics. We choose to treat children and Territorians.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, have you completed your answer?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, Madam Speaker.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Supplementary Answer
Teachers – Alleged Violent Incidents
Teachers – Alleged Violent Incidents
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I wish to clarify statements I made in relation to Nightcliff Middle School and a student there.
After that particular incident, the student was immediately suspended, as I told the parliament. Before a decision to exclude that student could be made the mother voluntarily withdrew the child from the school. That was done in writing. The child has not returned to the school after the incident. My advice is that that child is in a re-engagement program.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016