2009-02-19
Hospital Management Board Reports - Tabling
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Yesterday, in a dismal performance and a display of confusion and ignorance ..
Dr Burns interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of Government Business should know the principles of Standing Order 51.
Madam SPEAKER: Indeed. Leader of Government Business, cease interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Yesterday, in a dismal performance, and a display of confusion and ignorance, you claimed that Katherine, Gove and Tennant Creek Hospitals never had boards, and I quote:
- There was a problem with Katherine, Gove and Tennant Creek - there is no functioning medical board. There was never a functioning medical board, even in the CLP days.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table hospital board reports for the Katherine, Tennant Creek and Gove Hospitals from 1998 through to 2004 inclusive.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: Even in the CLP days, fully functioning hospital management boards for Tennant Creek, Katherine and Gove Hospitals. I can further table the Gazette listing the relevant appointments of these board members; just so you have all the facts, minister, because we clearly have all the facts.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex, can you please get to the question? First, you need to seek leave to table those documents. Have you sought leave?
Mr CONLAN: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table those relevant documents.
Madam SPEAKER: Is leave granted?
Leave granted.
Mr CONLAN: Minister, the question is: why did you make such a foolish statement yesterday? And is there not clear evidence that you are clearly not up to the job of running the Territory health system?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am not here to perform for the public. I am here to do my job as Health Minister. The only one who does a performance, and it is an awful one, is the member for Greatorex.
The CLP was in power for 26 years, and he comes here and presents reports from two years of the CLP, 1998-99 and 2000. Today, we do not have functional boards in those hospitals. I have instructed my CEO to sit down with whoever is sitting on those boards – the so-called boards – and produce the reports so I can table them in parliament. I will do so, but I am telling you that I will be introducing legislation to strengthen the boards and have boards in every single hospital in the Northern Territory.
Bombing of Darwin – Inclusion in School History Curriculum
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
You have called for the inclusion of the Bombing of Darwin and the defence of Australia to be an integral part of the Australian school history curriculum. Can you outline any moves you have made towards realising this ambition?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. Today is a significant and very important day. It is a day when, in Darwin, we commemorate the Bombing of Darwin, the 290 people who lost their lives, and the awful tragedy that befell this city 67 years ago today. It was very uplifting at the commemoration, not only at the memorial of the USS Peary, but also at the Cenotaph, to meet with so many of the surviving Diggers who fought here during that period. Many of them are still very sprightly and clear-eyed, with very clear memories of what happened all those years ago and the horrific months that followed.
I have also been heartened by the number of schoolchildren who attended the event today, and also at Anzac Days. I took the opportunity to walk to the end tent and it was packed with schoolchildren from non-government and government schools. I had an opportunity to talk to some of those kids. They had all been doing units of work on the Bombing of Darwin and were looking forward to today’s commemoration. It really lifts your spirits to know that our young people want to understand and remember what happened in the past.
It is a story that is not known throughout most of Australia. This book that was launched earlier this week by Peter Grose - I met Peter at the same function last year when he was writing the book, and we met him again today. I urge all Territorians to get a copy of this book. It is a very easy read. It tells very clearly, not in historical narrative, but in storytelling narrative, what happened in Darwin. Today, I have announced that I will ensure there is a copy of this book in every middle school and high school library in the Northern Territory. I will be writing to all of my ministerial colleagues enclosing a copy of the book, calling on them to ensure it is in every school library. I will continue my push, as the national curriculum is developed for history, to ensure that the Bombing of Darwin is part of our national history curriculum.
I also announced today an annual history scholarship prize for Year 12 students in the Northern Territory to undertake a research project, and to present a project and a paper based on the history, not only the military history of the Bombing of Darwin, but it could be on the social history, oral history and political history of the time. This scholarship will be geared towards achieving excellence in historical research by Territory students in our secondary schools. This time next year, I will award the first prize to a Territory student. It will be a scholarship prize to the value of $1000 and, year on year, I will see that those research projects are lodged with the State Reference Library so we can build a collection over time – and I hope this initiative lasts for many years - to ensure that we keep building on the body of knowledge, understanding and history of what happened here 67 years ago.
To the 150 veterans who have come to Darwin to share the commemoration of the Bombing of Darwin with us today, my thanks. Those wonderful men and women stood and defended this country at a time that people in this House could not even begin to imagine. My thanks on behalf of all us to those wonderful people who have come to Darwin today.
Hospital Management Boards –
Minister’s Comments
Minister’s Comments
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
I have tabled annual reports for the Tennant Creek, Katherine and Gove Hospitals. You said in Hansard yesterday that there were never functioning medical boards even in the CLP days. These reports clearly demonstrate there were. The facts are here.
Did you or did you not mislead the Chamber yesterday when you said there had never been hospital boards in Katherine, Gove or Tennant Creek? Did you mislead the House or not?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex well knows he cannot accuse the minister of misleading the House unless by way of substantive motion.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. No such allegation has been made. The question has been put: did he or did he not - that is not a breach of standing orders.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. He can come here and tell us what he likes, but the board in Katherine last met early in 2006. The board in Tennant Creek met early in 2007, and in Gove in 2003. Most of their meetings did not have a quorum. Do you call them functional boards? I do not.
Let me tell you something else: we advertised for a board in Katherine …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr VATSKALIS: We advertised for board membership in Katherine …
Mr Conlan interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, the member does not want to listen to the answer because he does not like it. I can sit down.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Greatorex! Minister for Health, you have the call.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, if the member thinks that he is still in the studio where he can cut off anyone because he has control of the microphone, he is wrong. This is parliament, and everyone has the right to respond to a question, unless, of course, the member does not like the answer.
Madam Speaker, the last time the board met in Katherine was in 2006; in Tennant Creek, early 2007; in Gove, 2003 - six years ago. I do not call them fully functioning boards. We advertised for board members in Katherine twice since 2006.
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister has misunderstood the question.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat, member for Greatorex. There is no point of order. Minister, you have the call
Mr VATSKALIS: We advertised twice in Katherine in 2006; we advertised in Gove in 2004, we did not advertise in Tennant Creek in 2007-08 because we are about to amend the act.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: I do not have a problem. It is your Question Time.
Madam Speaker, there were no functioning boards even in the early days of the CLP. I challenge the member to go back and find out how many there are. I bet he will not find them. He comes out with four reports and says: ‘We have boards’.
Madam Speaker, unfortunately, the way the act is at the moment puts many onerous requirements on people in small communities and they cannot fulfil them. We are going to change the act so that people in the community can be part of the local board. We do not want to put a lot of demands on them. We are going to be quite clear on the responsibilities so that we can have fully functional boards. I am alarmed that we do not have functioning boards for hospitals, and we are determined to fix it.
Alice Springs – Initiatives to
Tackle Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Tackle Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
Today, the Chief Minister and the Minister for Central Australia announced a major initiative to tackle youth crime, both in the immediate and the long term in Alice Springs. This is a bold, multipronged initiative that will see far greater coordination in the delivery of services in Alice Springs, and improved delivery in education and police services. Will the Chief Minister advise the House on the implementation plans for these reforms?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. The package of initiatives announced today is the most comprehensive action plan to tackle youth crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs. We as a government, and I know this parliament, take this matter seriously and we have acted accordingly.
I am grateful for the excellent work done by the member for Macdonnell, the new Minister for Central Australia, and members opposite who have Alice Springs seats. It has been a significant piece of work that has been brought together and endorsed by Cabinet, and will be funded by Cabinet, to tackle youth crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs.
These reforms will be implemented as from now, in a comprehensive and planned way and it will not be rushed. We will make sure of this, because these reforms involve police services, education services, service coordination and security services. They involve coordination with the Alice Springs Town Council and with the non-government sector in Alice Springs.
I pay tribute to the Mayor of Alice Springs, Damien Ryan, for the great leadership that he shows in Alice Springs, and I mean that sincerely. He works in a bipartisan way across the political spectrum and he is not a mayor who talks his town down. He talks Alice Springs up at every opportunity. He is a man who is consistently searching for solutions and does not amplify the problems.
The reforms will see the ANZAC Middle School and the Alice Springs Middle School merged into one, more effective, better focused middle school, but with two campuses. Both campuses will remain open, but they will be able to be utilised with a different focus in each area. It will be a big body of work, in consultation with everyone involved to make the best use of those two facilities. One of those facilities will be used to re-engage kids who have dropped out of the education system with innovative, different educational approaches, with a boarding school associated with it as well, to re-engage kids with the education system.
I look forward, as the debate rolls out, to seeing those schools merge into one middle school with two campuses for the beginning of the 2010 school year. Cabinet will receive an implementation brief on this in the near future.
We will be talking with the Australian government about the boarding school and proposal that has been put forward. This will be the first time there is a boarding facility on the campus of any government school in the Northern Territory. It will be very interesting as we work through the issues about the kids who will be there and how the boarding facility will be run. I look forward to working with the community as that unfolds.
The Police Beat is expected to be in place in July; we have brought that forward. It will be a key part of providing a very visible face of policing in the CBD to help reassure people and businesses in the mall, and security patrols will stay in place until the Police Beat comes online.
There has been talk about transferring CCTV monitoring to Darwin. I am open to that. I know the police have had significant difficulty recruiting police auxiliaries in Alice Springs. I believe they have had some recent success. I believe the current arrangement for monitoring in Alice Springs is not as effective as it could be - that is not denigrating the people who are monitoring that now - this is a specialist tool. We have committed an extra $1.1m to expand CCTV monitoring through the CBD, and $200 000 a year for monitoring. We are open to how the monitoring can take place better than it is now.
The youth coordinator funding will be available from now. It will be a question of how long it takes us to find the right person for the job. The Police Youth Club and the coordination of youth services will occur when this person is in place.
I thank all members who have taken part in this debate, and the member for Macdonnell, who facilitated the original meetings. I believe that once we implement this suite of initiatives, it should improve antisocial behaviour and youth crime in Alice Springs.
Health Department - Performance
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Yesterday, the 10th Annual Report of the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission was tabled in this parliament. It carries a complaint that a woman who suffered a miscarriage spent eight-and-a-half hours waiting in the emergency department to be seen. When she was seen, the treatment was totally inadequate. Is this not just another shameful example of the bumbling performance of the Health department in the Northern Territory?
Mr Henderson: You are offensive to everyone who works in the system.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Conlan: You are the offensive one …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask you to remind the Chief Minister of Standing Order 51.
Madam SPEAKER: Indeed, all honourable members, Standing Order 51 – No Interruptions. Minister for Health, you have the call.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member very much for his question. I also thank him for tabling these documents about boards. Let me tell you something about the Gove Hospital. In 12 months, a quorum was only obtained twice. You call this a functioning board? In 1999, board members in Katherine met, but there were no …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order; Madam Speaker! The question was specifically in relation to an issue raised in the annual report of the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission in relation to a lady who had spent eight-and-a-half hours after a miscarriage waiting for treatment. It had no reference to any hospital board whatsoever.
Dr BURNS: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister was illustrating, once again, the slipperiness of the member for Greatorex with the questions he asks and the information he puts before this House in a very selective way. I think he should be able to continue.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seats. Minister, if you can continue your reply and answer as closely as possible to the question which has been asked. Thank you.
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Quite rightly, my colleague pointed out that the member for Greatorex is very loose with figures sometimes, and I think we should bring him back to reality.
I absolutely agree with you. It is despicable that someone has to wait eight-and-a-half hours, and I say that from my very own personal experience. In 1994, my wife had a miscarriage and she was forced to wait wearing a hospital gown; I was not very impressed. She has specifically given me permission to mention her case because it can happen to other women. I certainly do not want it to happen to other women. It happened to my wife, and I do not want any other wife, any other woman, any other person to undergo that.
That is exactly why we have the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission: to independently investigate these complaints, to provide information to us, and to ensure that we put mechanisms in place for this to be avoided. I have no problem with you bringing these issues here, but I have a problem when you play with the figures.
I will give you another example. How important is it that this commission comes to us with a number of complaints? We have a significant number of people going to hospital, and I have asked for some figures. Last year, 2007-08, 372 000 Territorians went to the hospitals in the Territory.
Mr Conlan: In emergency departments?
Mr VATSKALIS: Including the emergency departments. We received 10 complaints; one complaint in every 23 000 people. One complaint is one too many, I agree with you. But one in every 23 000 people? The hospital system in the Territory is very good. And that comes from the independent Commissioner’s report.
In 2006-07, 177 000 Territorians were hospitalised in Royal Darwin Hospital - we received 16 complaints. In 2007-08, 185 000 Territorians were hospitalised, and the complaints were down to 10 - a 37% decrease for complaints. That is not political spin - unless you are going to allege that the Health Commissioner puts the spin in; that is what comes out of the report.
These complaints will be taken seriously. We will find out the recommendations and we will put mechanisms and processes in place so the 10 complaints become eight, seven, five, zero. My intention is to not get complaints about the hospitals. Territorians deserve the same treatment received by any other Australian anywhere in Australia.
Alice Springs – Initiatives to
Tackle Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Tackle Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Earlier today, a comprehensive plan to reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs was announced. Can you outline to the House some of the initiatives that will be introduced to make Alice Springs safer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. I am excited, not only as the Minister for Central Australia, but as a local resident of Alice Springs about this no-nonsense plan.
The Alice Springs Youth Action Plan is the most comprehensive plan for youth ever developed in Alice Springs. The plan will help young people avoid getting into trouble, and ensure they face the consequences of their actions if they do. Like many Alice Springs residents, I am tired of seeing young kids out on the street late at night running amok, and it is simply not on.
As I announced earlier this week in the House, we have continued the security patrols in the CBD until the Police Beat shopfront is operational. We have also committed to supporting a voluntary no school/no service code of practice for Alice Springs businesses in what I believe may be a Territory first. I will be meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders in Alice Springs shortly to determine how the government can assist businesses to develop the code of practice.
A key element to the success of the policy will be ensuring that kids go to school. The plan includes a strategy to bring together the school-based constables, the Juvenile Diversion Unit, Aboriginal and Islander Education Workers and the home liaison officers into one group to coordinate efforts to reduce school truancy. Improved education options; better coordination of youth services; accommodation alternatives; and law and order and patrolling initiatives all form part of the jigsaw.
Madam Speaker, I am confident this plan will make a difference. I am determined to improve the safety and security of all people in Alice Springs.
Regional Maternity Services
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Minister, you might like to have a look at 1999 and 2000 - full functioning boards in those hospitals.
It has been revealed that maternity services at Gove Hospital will cease in March. Some 200 women give birth at Gove Hospital every single year. Your government has already closed down maternity services in Tennant Creek, and now it is closing down maternity services in Gove, despite the millions of dollars in GST revenue that you receive every year. Tennant Creek, next Gove. Why is it that this Labor government could not care less about maternity services in the regions of Tennant Creek and Gove?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. One of the problems we have is that we do not have many GPs who have trained in obstetric services ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: We have two GPs in Gove trained in obstetric services. Their contracts are finishing. I have instructed the department to extend their contracts, if possible and, if that is not possible, to ensure they have a doctor every week in Gove on a rotation basis from within the system.
Alice Springs – Initiatives to
Tackle Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Tackle Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for YOUNG TERRITORIANS
Today’s announcement by the Chief Minister and the Minister for Central Australia is the most comprehensive youth plan ever announced for Alice Springs. Can the minister advise this House what initiatives will be taken to ensure that kids are safe at night?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms McCARTHY: I can outline to the House with, no doubt, the full support of the Chief Minister and the two ministers of Central Australia, that this package brings additional services to Alice Springs and is a real action plan to helping our young people in Central Australia.
It is about ensuring that existing government and non-government services are collaborating and coordinating their efforts, as well as developing and establishing new services. It must be acknowledged that existing service providers are doing a great job, and I commend them for their efforts. This plan will give them greater assistance with providing much needed services.
The announcement of a dedicated youth coordinator based in Police will be of benefit to both government and non-government services. The coordinator will ensure that youth services in Alice Springs are integrated and working well. This will improve the overall effectiveness of youth service provisions in Alice Springs.
I am pleased to say that the Gap Youth Centre will receive $75 000 per annum to assist, and it will provide after-hours youth recreational services. Together with Tangentyere Council and Congress, it will form an important spread of youth services in the region. The planned youth service hub includes a Police Citizens Youth Club, which will mean a greater variety of youth recreational options. Well coordinated community patrol and transport services are integral to ensure that people can get home. The youth coordinator will mean better coordination of night and day patrol services, ranger services and, most importantly, the Return to Country program.
It is also critical to address the need for a safe place for kids to go at night when they have nowhere else to go, and I am very pleased to say that an additional safe house will be established. This will provide greater capacity for police and youth services to safely accommodate young people found on the streets at night with no other safe alternative.
It is a comprehensive plan, and I will ensure that my department will play a key role in ensuring young people have appropriate recreational and care alternatives in Alice Springs.
Alice Springs – Police Numbers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA referred to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
With respect to the package of measures that were announced this morning, which amount to a good first step to tackling law and order issues in Alice Springs, you announced that a police shopfront would be established in Todd Mall in July. Can you advise whether it will be staffed 24 hours a day, and if it will be adequately staffed so that police will be based at the shopfront and staff will patrol the mall? The announcement of 10 new constables is an existing commitment from government. When exactly will these 10 extra police arrive? And, why did you not promise any police officers over and above what has already been promised, because, as you know, we need extra police now?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I acknowledge again the bipartisan approach to these issues in Alice Springs with my colleagues on the other side.
In regard to police matters, I am happy to hand over to the Police minister shortly, but I can add that operational times will be decided by police, based on community consultations, police statistics and other police intelligence.
Ms Carney: So you do not know whether it will be 24 hours a day?
Mr HAMPTON: The Police Beat will be located in the CBD area, member for Araluen. That site is to be chosen by the police, given all that information.
The 10 additional police officers is a commitment from the Henderson government and that is to be delivered in the next financial year.
Mr HENDERSON (Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to provide more detail to the member for Araluen. I am pleased to see there are some members on the other side who think that our initiative for police beats is actually a good idea, unlike the Leader of the Opposition, who said on 15 December that he would close them down. I still have a bit of an issue in terms of whether they actually support police beats or not, Madam Speaker. I am glad the member for Araluen does, and I think the member for Braitling does as well, so that is good.
The commitment is to staff the shopfront. It is funded. It was an election commitment, which will be for two shifts of police. Police will determine operationally how that will work; that will be an issue for the police.
In regard to the 10 additional police, that is scheduled for the 2009-10 financial year. It will happen as soon as we possibly can within the 2009-10 financial year, as scheduled. This government has a very strong track record in supplying more police to Central Australia than ever before. This is a good initiative; it has been brought forward. The 10 additional police will be in Alice Springs, as scheduled, in the 2009-10 financial year.
Professor Mick Dodson – Challenge for
School Attendance
School Attendance
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Speaking at the National Press Club this week, Professor Mick Dodson, the 2009 Australian of the Year, has set down a challenge to get every school-aged child in the country into a classroom by Australia Day next year. Can you tell the House how the Territory government will work with Professor Dodson to achieve this goal in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I congratulate Professor Mick Dodson, in his speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, for making the focus of his year as Australian of the Year to improving education outcomes, not just for Indigenous kids but for all Australian kids, particularly kids from disadvantaged backgrounds who are not attending school on a regular basis. I read reports of his speech and I noted that he will be spending a lot of time this year, as Australian of the Year, visiting schools around Australia. I called Professor Dodson yesterday and congratulated him on his initiative …
Mr Giles: Have you called Peter Garrett yet? You can call Mick Dodson. You cannot call Peter Garrett? Three hundred jobs in the Territory, but you cannot call Peter Garrett.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … and invited him to start his national tour in the Northern Territory, because there is nothing more important than improving attendance rates.
Mr Giles: Have you called Peter Garrett yet?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: I am amazed that the member for Braitling, who professes to have deep concerns about Indigenous education, would not be interested in this answer.
Mr Giles: You can call Mick Dodson but you cannot call Peter Garrett about 300 jobs.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, cease interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: I called Professor Dodson. We had a long conversation. He admits his ambition to have every child in school by Australia Day next year is nave. He said we should have a crack at it. Well, we will have a crack at it in the Northern Territory. I have already said to our schools that they should be at 90% attendance at the end of the year, because unless you set a benchmark it is very difficult to gauge how far you are progressing. I believe that will be very difficult to achieve, but I have challenged all our schools to achieve that. There is a range of initiatives that are being put in place to support that.
To have Professor Dodson come to the Northern Territory and engage Territory communities, not just remote Indigenous communities, but also some of our regional and urban centres, as Australian of the Year, throwing down the challenge, getting stuck into the debate, is an opportunity I was not going to miss.
I congratulate Professor Dodson. I thank him for taking up my offer to start his national tour in the Northern Territory. We are in touch with him to schedule his visit as soon as we can. I go back to the words of the Minister for Indigenous Policy in a speech yesterday, that there is nothing more important than to give kids in the Territory access to those rivers of opportunity. They will not get access to those rivers of opportunity unless they go to school on a regular basis. I thank Professor Dodson for starting his tour in the Northern Territory.
Alice Springs – No School/No Service Code
Mr GILES to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA referred to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
After eight long years of Labor neglect of Alice Springs, it is positive to work in a bipartisan manner with ministers on the other side of the parliament. I welcome the bipartisan announcement today that your government will support a voluntary ‘no school/no service’ code of conduct for local businesses as an additional tool to try to get kids to school as part of the first step.
What educational and promotional material will government provide, and what resources have been allocated to ensure that as many businesses as possible sign up to the code? Will the Education Act be enforced so that parents who do not send their kids to school will be prosecuted?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for his question. The voluntary ‘no school/no service’ policy has been talked about in Alice Springs. Work will commence immediately on that policy. That is something we will have to incorporate with the Chamber of Commerce and the business community of Alice Springs. I welcome your input and the input of other Alice Springs’ members into the policy.
In terms of the Education Act, I am obviously not full throttle on that. If you do not mind, I will hand that to the Education minister, regarding what legislative requirements we need to strengthen.
Mr HENDERSON (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, attendance is critical. We are participating in a trial with the Commonwealth government regarding quarantining welfare payments of parents who do not send their kids to school. That is a trial in place at the moment.
I have also asked the department to bring forward other options in ensuring parents send their kids to school on a regular basis. There is a range of policy options we could be adopting. We are trialling the quarantine of welfare payments, which has not occurred anywhere else in Australia to date. I am committed to seeing the parents live up to their responsibilities to their children by ensuring their kids go to school on a regular basis.
There will be further work in this space. We are participating very willingly - in fact it was the Territory government which called on the Commonwealth government to have a trial on quarantining welfare payments. I have asked the department to bring forward options for other measures.
China Minerals Investment Attraction Strategy - Arafura Resources
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
Arafura Resources has announced an agreement with the East China Exploration and Development Bureau to establish joint ventures and secure funding for exploration. Is this linked to the government’s China Minerals Investment Attraction Strategy? Are you aware of any other developments arising from this strategy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I am very pleased to say that this agreement announced yesterday by Arafura Resources is a direct result of our government’s China Minerals Investment Attraction Strategy. As a matter of fact, Alistair Stephens, one of the directors of Arafura Resources, rang me on Sunday at midday from China to tell me they have the deal of the century and it was going to be announced the day after, or on Tuesday.
The Board of Arafura Resources has signed an agreement with the East China Exploration and Development Bureau, which is based in Jiangsu Province in east China. This agreement has two parts. The first is an $8.5m injection to initially develop the Nolans Bore ore body, followed by a further multi-million dollar investment. This is the fifth significant investment by Chinese commerce in the Northern Territory minerals industry in the last two years.
Some of these investments include Legend International Investment Pty Ltd and NuPower in a joint venture exploration; CITIC and Thor Mining, an all state agreement for products from Molyhil mine; and Exploration and Resources Development Pty Ltd for the outright purchase of the a Northern Territory exploration and mining company. The Chinese Investment and Attraction Strategy has facilitated three Chinese companies to establish offices in Darwin. A number of Chinese companies are applying for and obtaining exploration licences themselves. There is a large number of proposed visits to the Territory by a variety of Chinese investment companies and officials over the next few months.
We are the only jurisdiction in Australia which has strategies for China and Japan. Other states are now copying our strategy in order to get into China, but it is a bit late. It is two to three years too late. We have been there for the last three years. We know the people. We know their mining companies are interested in joint ventures or investments. During the last visit to China, they were so impressed by our presentation and the quality of the people we had with us, that investors with us had to delay their departure for a day or two because of the continual demand for meetings.
The good news does not stop there. Yesterday, one of the Western Australian companies, Stirling Resources Limited, announced it paid $4.8m to acquire Matilda Minerals. Today, they announced that they bought Matilda Minerals and they will again start the extraction of mineral sands on the Tiwi Islands this Dry Season.
The news is getting better, and the news is that China is renegotiating on prices. China is starting to come back again, which is great news for the Territory and our mining industry.
Members: Hear, hear!
Economic Stimulus Package - Accreditation Reimbursement for NT Businesses
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
Projects over $3m directly funded or projects over $5m indirectly funded by the federal government require head contractors to be accredited under the Australian government Building and Construction OHS Accreditation Scheme. A number of NT businesses have spent tens of thousands of dollars to achieve that accreditation. Under the stimulus package, projects in the NT will be funded by the federal government. Is it true your government is considering giving an exemption to NT companies from the federal government’s requirement for this accreditation? If this is true, will you or the federal government reimburse the accredited Territory companies for the tens of thousands of dollars they have spent to gain federal government accreditation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It is a very important question. It has been a concern for some time of the Northern Territory construction sector. We are lobbying, and will continue to lobby, for an alternative or different thresholds in the Northern Territory because, quite frankly, I share the member’s concerns in regard to the amount of time and money that it takes for small Territory businesses to get accredited under this particular scheme.
We all share the ambition that our workplaces and our worksites should be absolutely safe. I have recently had a discussion with someone who owns a fairly small construction business and employs, indirectly, up to 20 people. He is actually a friend of mine who is going through this process at the moment, and it is costing him a whole heap of money. His advice to me was that, currently, he has accreditation under Australian Standards for occupational health and safety. He believes that that meets the benchmark in the Northern Territory. However, this additional impost in what people have to be accredited for is over the top and excessive for contracts between $3m and $5m, and $5m and above.
We cannot opt out of that system. If it is Commonwealth money, we are required to ensure, even if we tender the projects out, that companies have this accreditation. We will continue to take that up with the Commonwealth. Part of the rationale and the argument in taking that up with the Commonwealth with the money that is going to flow through the stimulus package is that, if the Commonwealth wants this money to flow as quickly as possible, then there are only a small number of Territory companies that are actually accredited. It is an ongoing debate. I share the member’s concerns. Unfortunately, we cannot not impose this occupational health and safety regime on Commonwealth money.
For members opposite who might not be aware of this debate or have followed the debate, this policy was initiated under the previous Howard government; it has been followed through with this government. Therefore, this is not an issue about politics. This is an issue about practicality, about common sense in smaller jurisdictions such as the Northern Territory on smaller projects. I share your concerns; we continue to take the issue up with the Commonwealth.
_______________________
Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Charles Darwin University Tertiary ESL Certificate IV students in English Proficiency, accompanied by Ms Jill Rathbone and Ms Deanna Chadwick. On behalf on honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
_______________________
Home Ownership Schemes
Mr GUNNER to TREASURER
The federal government’s first homebuyers boost and the Territory government’s Buildstart $14 000 grant are supporting home ownership for Territorians. Can you update the House on how these government schemes are helping Territorians into homes and keeping our real estate industry strong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. Territory homebuyers are welcoming the support from the federal First Home Owner Boost and the Territory government’s own Buildstart grants. The latest figures I have to hand are that, as at the end of January, the Northern Territory Treasury, which administers these schemes on behalf of the Commonwealth and our own scheme, Buildstart, has received 275 applications for the First Home Owner Boost and 75 applications for Buildstart.
The First Home Owner Boost provides a $14 000 grant towards the purchase of an existing home, and a $21 000 grant towards a new home. We are seeing that underpinning a surge in first homeowners entering the market. The Australian Bureau of Statistics data on housing finance commitment show first homeowner/occupier purchases in the Territory increased by 30% to 103 in November, and increased again by 29% to 133 in December of last year. This is great news for our housing market and further proof that the first stimulus package of the federal Rudd government, followed by our own stimulus through Buildstart, was and is good for the economy and support of jobs. These are stimulus packages that, of course, we know the CLP is rejecting. In doing so, we know that they are risking Territory jobs.
Territorians have embraced and welcomed this economic stimulus, and it has been helping families get into the housing market. At a national level, the share of first homebuyers in the property market reached a seven-year high in December, supported by that First Home Owner Boost and falling interest rates.
The Territory government wanted to help Territorians who are not first homeowners through our Buildstart Scheme. Buildstart provides a $14 000 grant to non-first homeowners. We set up our scheme to complement the federal government’s Boost scheme, and that is to buy a new house or unit to live in or to rent out. That was designed to stimulate the construction of new housing and unit developments. Buildstart was designed to trigger new housing construction on the more than 500 housing lots across Darwin and Palmerston that were sitting vacant and landlocked.
Seventy-five applications have been received for the $14 000 Buildstart grant, with 24 paid and just over half awaiting property settlement. The Territory government has advertised Buildstart widely, and we are hearing through the industry that many people are moving to enter housing contracts to take advantage of the scheme before it closes on 30 June. The First Home Owner Boost and Buildstart are supporting our strong housing market, construction activity and, importantly, Territory jobs.
Tennant Creek - Certificates of Occupancy
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The public service is alive with rumours at the moment that you personally directed the CEO of Planning and Infrastructure to drop a case that was already before the courts. Did you politically interfere in a criminal prosecution that was already before the courts?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, no.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order; Madam Speaker! I am sorry I did not hear the answer to the …
Mr Knight: Well, stop interjecting then.
Mr ELFERINK: Well, that is what I wanted to do. I want to hear the answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: The case of Red Rooster in Tennant Creek was a case that I did discuss with the CEO of my Department of Planning and Infrastructure. I discussed the case with him following representations from the proprietor, and also inquiries by the media. It is somewhat of a famous case in Tennant Creek. I made it clear to my department that I was very concerned with the case proceeding, despite Red Rooster having gained a Certificate of Occupancy for the premises.
I had been requested to intervene. I sought legal advice on my powers and my responsibilities in this regard in my role as Minister for Planning and Lands. Following my legal advice, I decided to make no direction to my department regarding this case. The department has undertaken to further its assessments of building compliancy issues in Tennant Creek, because this was at the nub of my concerns - what is the status of buildings in Tennant Creek in terms of their Certificates of Occupancy - and, on that basis, decided to discontinue the prosecution pending a further detailed assessment of properties across Tennant Creek.
Dr BURNS: A point of order; Madam Speaker! Standing Order 26: Member Excused from Service. The member for Fong Lim is absent today. I am not aware of any application from him to be excused from service. The question is: where is Dave? He spat the dummy here yesterday, and he is absent today. He is treating this parliament with contempt.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, there is no point of order. It is entirely up to the member if they wish to seek an absence.
Junior Rugby League – National Competition
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Can you advise the House how the government is assisting the Territory’s junior Rugby League teams to compete on the national stage?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. I believe she is a Wests Tigers fan - I will not hold that against her.
I am pleased to inform the House that the Henderson government has provided $50 000 to the Northern Territory Rugby League to assist in fielding two junior teams to play in the Northern Queensland component of the national competition. The national competition, which will be played over eight weeks, kicks off on 21 February. The Territory Titans will play the Wide Bay Bulls as a curtain raiser for the Cronulla Sharks versus Gold Coast Titans game at Richardson Park on Saturday.
Spectators will not only see the best of the Territory’s NRL Under 18s and Under 16s playing, they will also be able to see another first class sporting event being played in the Top End. I actually had the pleasure of visiting some of these young players at Richardson Park the other day, with Gary Launt and Mick Palmer. They looked fantastic in their uniforms.
The young Territory players will be watched by NRL talent scouts this weekend and we already have two young Institute of Sport athletes, Reece Coleman and Sam Irwin, as scholarship holders with the Gold Coast Titans. Last year, Quenton Pomare-Anderson from Alice Springs was signed with the North Queensland Cowboys.
The Territory government is proud to be part of this new initiative of the NTRL and the Territory Titans. This is another example of how this government supports sport and our budding young sporting stars.
Tennant Creek - Certificates of Occupancy
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Is it not the case that, after your conversation with the CEO of Planning and Infrastructure, that he prepared a letter for your signature in the form of an instruction to him from you that you were instructing him to withdraw the case, and that you refused to sign that letter? Is it not also the case that the CEO then sought advice from the DPP in relation to the instruction that you gave and that, on the basis of that advice, he withdrew the case, not you?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Port Darwin. I can advise that the government received a letter from the member for Katherine imploring the government to ensure that the legal action being pursued by the department in terms of Red Rooster in Tennant Creek cease. I know that the CLP was very keen to see the legal action cease. As I stated previously, I was approached by the proprietor through my officers; the media from Tennant Creek and the like were inquiring. This was a very concerning matter. I said in my previous answer that I had a conversation with my CEO, where I raised issues and questions about the way this was proceeding.
Mr Elferink: Why did you not sign the letter that he provided?
Ms LAWRIE: He did not listen to my previous answer, obviously, that in my meeting with my CEO I made it very clear that I shared the concerns of the community in Tennant Creek, as was relayed to me; I shared the concerns that the member for Katherine held about this matter. I asked them, very clearly, about the status of buildings in Tennant Creek in terms of certificates of occupancy, knowing that Red Rooster, whilst they had been in breach for a considerable period, which was also of significant concern to me, had met its certificate of occupancy.
They went away, loaded with many questions from their minister to answer, including …
Mr Elferink: Will you table the correspondence? Table the correspondence you were provided.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: There is no correspondence to table other than the letter from the member for Katherine, which I believe went to the then Attorney-General. I will ask my staff to find that letter.
As I said, DPI has given me an undertaking to audit buildings in Tennant Creek, because to me that is seriously at the nub of this matter: which buildings in Tennant Creek that are being used do not have a certificate of occupancy which would be in breach of our legislation. I have asked for that audit and I have asked for that advice.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Economic Stimulus Package –
Environmental Initiatives
Environmental Initiatives
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Can the minister outline the major environmental initiatives in the Rudd government’s $42bn stimulus package?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question – at long last I get up. The $42bn stimulus …
Ms Carney: You have to be firm with these buggers, Alison.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, I ask you to withdraw that comment, thank you.
Ms CARNEY: Sorry, Madam Speaker, I withdraw.
Ms ANDERSON: The $42bn stimulus package includes a $3.9bn energy efficient homes program. This will provide $1600 to install ceiling insulation; $1000 to install insulation in rental homes; and an increase from $1000 to $1600 for the solar hot water rebate. Given the relatively low number of houses in the Territory with ceiling insulation and the high uptake of solar water systems in the Territory, this is great news for Territorians. It is about greening the Territory. I applaud the stimulus package and the $3.9bn program.
Tennant Creek - Certificates of Occupancy
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Will you table all correspondence in relation to this matter between yourself and the department, as well as correspondence and e-mails and those sorts of things from Richard Hancock to his own staff in relation to this matter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I have clearly stated on the record and I am happy to state it again: I received a range of inquiries in regard to Red Rooster in Tennant Creek from a variety of sources, including the member for Katherine - all raising concerns they had with the prosecution that was pending for the Red Rooster in terms of a certificate of occupancy. I raised my concerns in regard to this matter with a list of questions to my CEO during a meeting. I asked for a whole lot of detail to come back to me about the issue bubbling away in Tennant Creek; about what buildings had certificates of occupancy and which did not. I made it very clear that I had real concerns with the path the department was following.
I am happy to find the correspondence from the member for Katherine and table that. I have already indicated that. There is no big paper trail between me and anyone. It was a meeting I had with my CEO where I made my position very clear.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker. This matter could be cleared up very easily. The minister simply tables the …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat. Minister, you have the call.
Ms LAWRIE: As I said, I had a meeting with my CEO, which I have on a weekly basis.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016