2010-02-17
Anti-Discrimination Commissioner - Appointment
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Can you confirm Mrs Pat Miller, the woman you hand picked for the job of Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, has turned down the job? If this is true, will you now be offering the job to the member for Johnston’s mate, Matthew Bonson?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can confirm I am in discussions with the incoming Anti-Discrimination Commissioner regarding her starting date as set at the time of her appointment. She has, of course, to finish up working for CAALAS, where she has worked for some 20-odd years, and has those obligations to complete before she can start as Anti-Discrimination Commissioner. I can confirm we are simply talking starting dates.
Palmerston – New Suburbs Update
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please update the House on new homes for Territorians in the new suburbs of Palmerston?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay. The Territory government is housing 15 000 new people in Palmerston over the next five years. This is the strongest growing region in the Northern Territory because of strong economic growth, strong population growth, and people coming to the Territory because of the lifestyle and the jobs available here - 6000 blocks of land and 15 000 new people over the next five years.
Bellamack is well under way. In January, I announced Johnston Stage 1, with housing of up to 364 dwellings, was allocated to two very well-known Territory developers, the Tomazos Group and the Hannon Group. Land has already been sold off the plan.
Today, the government has announced further land turn-off in Palmerston. We have announced the successful developers for the two medium residential unit blocks. They are developers, Mitchell & Thompson, and Mousellis Properties. Congratulations to both of those fine Territory developers who will do a great job with that medium density residential land. These two blocks will see units built in this area which will provide residents not only with a choice of the type of housing they want to live in, but will also add to the rental stock. Very importantly, we need to get more rental stock into this market, and 15% will be for affordable housing.
The government has further announced today the start of Zuccoli. Stage 1 of the development will be handled by the Land Development Corporation. That is another 400 lots in Palmerston. We announced in February last year the LDC would be taking on a residential development role. They have already been involved in the development of Bellamack Gardens, and that contract has gone out as well. The private sector will be involved in this as joint venture partners. That is about the LDC partnering with the private sector to develop another 400 lots at Zuccoli. This will be in the same way the Defence Housing Association operates at Lyons and Muirhead. Both of those have been very successful. Again, 15% will be for affordable housing.
This is part of the fastest land release the Territory has seen since self-government – 15 000 people and 6000 lots over five years. This government is committed to affordable housing, and housing for all Territorians.
Power and Water Corporation -
Power Network – Poor Planning
Power Network – Poor Planning
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
You described the most recent failure of the Top End’s power network as ‘an act of God’. You chose the same words to describe the 2008 meltdown of the Casuarina Substation. I seek leave to table the article.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: Is it not a fact the lack of maintenance on the Casuarina Substation, and a failure to build redundancy into the network are decisions of Power and Water management, as opposed to acts of divine intervention? Why do you insist on pretending the tens of thousands of Territorians left without power are victims of divine vindictiveness and not your poor planning?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I need to make the point that it has been a result of lightning. Everyone accepts it has been a result of lightning. Somehow, the member for Port Darwin seems to be able to stop lightning. It is an incredible power you have, member for Port Darwin – to stop lightning …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Obviously, you have the power …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: This was an extraordinary situation. In the 30-odd years this infrastructure has been there, it has never been simultaneously hit by lightning. The system worked properly by shutting down the generators. It would have destroyed the generators if they had been left without anywhere to send power to …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: We are rebuilding this organisation after you crippled it in the late 1990s. You stripped …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Have a look at this! This is the capital expenditure. This is what you, the CLP, did in the 1990s – nothing! A minimal amount of capital expenditure. Look at what the Labor government has done and will continue to do. This is what we are doing …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Mr KNIGHT: As Merv Davies said …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Listen to the answer. Merv Davies highlighted in his report about the Casuarina Zone Substation that there had been a culture which had permeated into the organisation, a lack of responsibility, a lack of reporting, and systematic failure in the maintenance area. That had permeated into the organisation, as he had stated, from the time when there were massive staff cuts because the CLP was going to sell it off.
Where would a private company be today? They would not be in this parliament answering questions. They would not be in front of a media pack answering questions. They would be bunkered down in their corporate offices, not being accountable to Territorians. Power and Water needs to stay; it does not need to be sold by the CLP into private hands …
Members interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: … you need to invest in it. We are investing in Power and Water. We are recruiting and training staff. We are putting the money into the organisation, not stripping it out, not sacking staff, and not selling it off. You have to invest in this organisation. And you need to stop running down Power and Water staff, and running down the business of the Territory.
Territory Economy – Update
Ms WALKER to TREASURER
Can you update the House on how the Territory economy performed in 2009, and the challenges we face in 2010?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Australia was the only advanced economy to see positive growth in the last financial year. Indeed, the Territory had the strongest growth in the nation - very good news for our nation, and extremely good news for Territorians.
If you look at the Territory’s facts, they are very strong. We had the highest economic growth in the country in the last financial year, coming in at 2.6%, with the national average down to 1%; the highest jobs growth in the nation with 6000 new jobs created in the past year; and the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 3.3%. We have the highest growth in retail trade, reflecting business and consumer confidence, coming in at 9.3%; the highest growth in building approvals at 43%, we saw negative in the last quarter nationally; and the highest business confidence in the country at 69%. If you want a job, you can get a job in the Territory - quite a remarkable achievement given the effects of the global financial crisis on the jobs figures.
Certainly, 2010 holds its challenges. Access Economics recognises this in their prediction for 2010. They recognise we are in between major projects, underpinning the importance of the work the Territory government is doing to secure major projects such as INPEX. Access Economics is predicting, though, we have the strongest economic growth going forward in the nation for the next five years. We have deliberately invested in jobs growth in the 2008-09 budget, knowing it was going to be a tough private sector marketplace as a result of the global financial crisis - a record $1.3bn to support jobs growth through that record infrastructure spend. We will continue to ensure our investment equals jobs for Territorians and strength in our economy.
Power and Water Corporation –
Power Network
Power Network
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Since you tried to dismiss the meltdown of the Casuarina Substation on 4 October 2008 as an act of God, the Northern Territory News has reported blackouts in Darwin on: 23 October 2008; 26 October 2008; 3 December 2008; 27 January 2009; 12 February 2009; 4 March 2009; 2 April 2009; 9 June 2009; 29 July 2009; 8 October 2009; 24 November 2009; 11 December 2009; 24 December 2009; and followed up by an article in today’s paper, if I am not mistaken.
Do you accept the performance of the Northern Territory’s power network has been abysmal, and will you perhaps create something like a grass-fired power station?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will refer to Merv Davies. Since Merv came to the Northern Territory on the back of the Casuarina Zone Substation switchboard blowing up, he has a high degree of respect and is a very authoritative figure. He has worked in a number of major national energy companies, and still does today. We are lucky to now have him on the board. He is someone who is truly respected, someone who truly needs to be taken in high regard. What he said, in media conferences when he tabled his report, the report we made public, was that you can …
Mr Tollner: Shift the blame.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: These are his sentiments, member for Fong Lim – ‘You can punish a power utility, you can punish equipment for many, many years before it actually blows up’, and that is exactly what happened.
What happened was similar to what happened to other utilities around Australia ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … it has got to these utilities …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members!
Mr KNIGHT: … it got to these utilities and they started stripping back money.
Mr Tollner: What is your excuse? You have had nine years to fix it?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim, order! Resume your seat, minister.
There are far too many interjections, honourable members, and you are aware that the minister has a time limit. Minister, you have the call.
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, what Merv Davies was showing was that, here, under-investment by the CLP resulted in major problems here …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr KNIGHT: … and that is what it is basically saying, and the culture of people who thought they were going to lose their jobs because it was going to be privatised, the systems were breaking down.
What this shows is a $1.4bn investment by this government - not by the CLP government, the CLP government was going to strip …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Sanderson! Member for Fong Lim!
Mr KNIGHT: … $1.4bn going into this organisation, dozens of new staff being employed …
Mr Bohlin interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale!
Mr KNIGHT: … working with other utilities in the nation to get their training up to a higher standard. That is our commitment to the organisation. We will not sell it off. We will keep it in public hands so we can be accountable. That is our commitment. Your commitment is to sell it off. You have not changed your position. Your position is to sell it off; get it into corporate hands where they are not accountable. I am accountable to this House.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: A corporate business is not going to give answers to the general public of the Northern Territory.
Urremerne Outstation - Government Support
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT
Why has the new Urremerne Outstation, 30 km south-west of Alice Springs, recently received direct assistance from government agencies to develop new infrastructure, including water supply and power connections, when the government’s Outstations/Homelands policy clearly states the Northern Territory government will not financially support the establishment of new outstations? Is the government’s uncharacteristic support of this new outstation linked to its location, adjacent to the Angela Pamela uranium deposit?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. I did have a problem hearing most of the question, but I understand it is in reference to an outstation near Alice Springs in your electorate. With my understanding of what I heard of the question, it is an issue around funding for outstations. Across the Northern Territory, we have had a chance to look at each of the outstations. A report is coming to me regarding what the outstations and homelands would like, where we are at …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Would it be possible for the member to ask the question again so the minister can hear it and we can actually get a proper answer to the question that was asked? If the minister could not hear the question, it is only fair she has the opportunity.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, would you like to hear the question again?
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I understand it is to do with an outstation in Central Australia.
Madam SPEAKER: Would you like to hear the question again, minister?
Members interjecting.
Ms McCARTHY: I am happy to answer the question as I am.
Madam SPEAKER: We will continue as it is.
Ms McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Tollner: She does not even know what question she is answering.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call and she does not have very much time.
Ms ANDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This question is very important to the residents of Alice Springs. If the minister has not clearly heard the question, then I would like the opportunity to read the question again.
Madam SPEAKER: The issue is with the timing; we have timed questions and answers.
Member for Macdonnell, I suggest you speak much louder next time. Minister, resume your seat. Member for Macdonnell, you can repeat the question, but bear in mind this may reflect on further questions to Independent members during Question Time.
Ms ANDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Minister, why has the new Urremerne Outstation, 30 km south-west of Alice Springs, recently received direct assistance from government agencies to deliver and develop new infrastructure, including water supply and power connection, when the government’s Outstations/Homelands policy clearly states the Northern Territory government will not financially support the establishment of new outstations? Is the government’s uncharacteristic support of this new outstation linked to its location adjacent to the Angela Pamela uranium deposit?
Ms McCARTHY: As the member for Macdonnell well knows, we were given $20m for 500 outstations across the Northern Territory. Clearly, as our policy with A Working Future is to focus most definitely on the 20 growth towns across the Northern Territory, we certainly want to see a future for every outstation across the Northern Territory, provided each of those outstations can stand strong, and can have a fiscal arrangement about what they see as their vision for the future. My department has certainly spoken to each and every outstation across the Northern Territory.
Power and Water Corporation –
Reliability of Electricity Supply
Reliability of Electricity Supply
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The Power and Water Annual Report for 2008-09 shows the average time each customer was without electricity reached 386 minutes in Darwin; 300 minutes in Katherine; 245 minutes in Tennant Creek; and a whopping 593 minutes in Alice Springs. Those average times are between 150% and 500% higher than Power and Water’s own targets. After that dismal performance in 2008-09, you increased the price of electricity for Territorians by 25%. Will you guarantee an improvement in reliability of supply of electricity this year,, or are we expecting God to intervene again?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this government is investing in Power and Water. We are putting the biggest ever spend into this organisation since its commencement: $1.4bn. We have staff on board to change the culture which Merv Davies highlighted in his report. That is happening. The culture within the organisation is changing - it is getting better. The organisation is getting better. I can look you in the eye and tell you the organisation is getting better.
I will tell you what this government is doing: it is spending $200m …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, I am on a time limit here and there are continual interjections.
Mr Tollner: Answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Listen to the answer! $134m on Owen Springs Power Station – that is our commitment. We are spending $57m on the Darwin sewerage strategy.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr KNIGHT: That is our commitment, not yours. The Archer Zone Substation - $24m being spent. Augmentation in Katherine, Tennant Creek and Yulara - $10m. These are our commitments …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: It is not this. You do not spend anything. We are spending money …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 51, continual interjections by the opposition. We have three minutes for the ministers to answer, and if this mob wants to hear, they should be quiet, otherwise the three minutes will be filled up with your interjections.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Speaking to the point of order, the Leader of Government Business jumps up and down about interjections. But surely the minister has to be relevant in some way to the question. That question had nothing to do with how much money government was spending. It was simply a question about can we expect a more reliable power supply into the future.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. There are far too many interjections. It is very difficult to hear the minister who has the call.
I remind honourable members that if you ask a question, the question must be succinct, concise and direct, and should not exceed one minute. Certainly, it did not exceed one minute, but it had a long preamble with many things which the minister appears to be responding to. Minister, you have the call and you only have 40 seconds.
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, this is the repairs and maintenance spend. What happens when you do not spend money on repairs and maintenance? This is your spend; this is our spend. We are fixing your mistakes. And guess what? Power and Water is getting better and better every single day.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling! Member for Drysdale!
Mr KNIGHT: This organisation is getting better. You do not like that, I know. You want to get it ready for sell off. We are going to keep it; we are going to make it better, and Territorians will get accountability and better services into the future.
Employment Levels
Mr GUNNER to TREASURER
Can you please update the House on current employment levels in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. If you want a job, the Territory is the place to live. We have the highest …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: They truly are a rabble. They cannot help themselves, not for a minute.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale!
Ms LAWRIE: We have the highest jobs growth in the country. If you want a job, the Territory is the place to live. We have the highest workplace participation rate. We have the nation’s lowest unemployment rate. Six thousand new jobs were created in 2009 and, importantly for Territorians, most of them were full-time jobs. Our employment growth is a very healthy 5.2%. Our full-time employment growth - a critical figure in there - is an even healthier 8%.
Jobs growth is an underlying sign of a strong economy as businesses invest in growing their workforce. Our government has deliberately focused on developing jobs. We delivered that record $1.3bn infrastructure spend to create some 2500 jobs when we knew the private sector was going to do it tough. We know the opposition railed against the $1.3bn infrastructure spend. We know they railed against the federal government’s stimulus spending, which is flowing through to jobs in the economy, critical jobs during the tough times in the private sector.
We have made the Territory the best place to do business, with the lowest taxes for small and medium businesses, supporting jobs. It is the best place to do business, with the lowest taxation regime for small and medium businesses – supporting jobs. The highest growth in the country with 6000 more Territorians in a job is very good news for Territorians.
Power and Water Corporation –
24 November 2009 Power Failure
24 November 2009 Power Failure
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The 24 November power failure left 14 000 Power and Water customers without electricity. We know the gas supply transported by NT Gas was shut down on that day. Almost three months later, there has been no official explanation as to why the gas was shut down. Can you tell this House why the gas was shut down on 24 November and, if not, why not?
ANSWER
Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I guess this goes to my point. I know the media was certainly making inquiries of NT Gas, a private corporation, about what was going on with the power supply. They were issued with a press release …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: … they were issued a press release; they were not offered interviews. This goes to the point of the CLP philosophy of selling off power utilities.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. I draw your attention to relevance. This is irrelevant. It does not address the issue of the question at all.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if can you come to the point soon.
Mr KNIGHT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. So NT Gas, a private corporation, not accountable to the NT public, issued a press release on a major incident like this …
Mr Elferink: You do not care about your gas supply?
Mr KNIGHT: … Power and Water, upfront, facing the public; me up here facing the public as well. So your philosophy is sell it off …
Mr Elferink: You do not care about the gas supply. You do not know why it stopped.
Mr KNIGHT: … certainly highlighted the problems with that. Member for Port Darwin, there is …
Mr Mills: Relevance, Madam Speaker. It has nothing to do with it.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point soon and then resume your seat.
Mr KNIGHT: I am, Madam Speaker.
Mr Elferink: You have no idea why the gas stopped – no idea.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, the opposition has asked a question, please allow the minister to answer it.
Mr KNIGHT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are several inquiries going on with respect to that gas, by both Power and Water and by NT Gas. They are still on foot, but I guess we will see what happens with the result of those inquiries and whether they will be public. There are also legal issues around it as well, obviously, with compensation.
Northern Territory Public Service –
Claims of Bullying
Claims of Bullying
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
As a recent survey revealed, widespread bullying is taking place in the Northern Territory Public Service. Can the minister explain to this House what steps he is taking to counter this totally unacceptable behaviour?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, once again, I had difficulty hearing the question from the member for Macdonnell. I believe it went to the recent survey that has been carried out on our …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can we ask that the question be heard again? I believe it was an important question and it is only fair the minister be given the opportunity to hear it properly.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, do you wish the question to be re-put?
Dr BURNS: Yes, I would appreciate that.
Madam SPEAKER: Just bear in mind that this actually eats into Question Time. Member for Macdonnell, can you please speak very closely into the microphone?
Ms ANDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As a recent survey revealed, widespread bullying is taking place in the Northern Territory Public Service. Can the minister explain to this House what steps he is taking to counter this totally unacceptable behaviour?
Dr BURNS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I heard it much clearer that time, and thank you member for Macdonnell.
As part of engaging with our public sector, yes, there was an employee survey carried out by the Commissioner for Public Employment last year and, as the commissioner promised, the results of that survey were released earlier this year.
As I understand it, the main issues raised within that survey related to feedback from employees about management, and about promotion and selection criteria. Member for Macdonnell, I have to say I am not aware a major finding in that particular report related to bullying.
However, bullying in the workplace, and bullying in school, is completely unacceptable. If you have incidents you wish to raise with me, specific incidents about bullying in the workplace, I am more than happy to discuss them with you and follow up. Certainly, bullying is unacceptable in any place, and we will not tolerate it within the Northern Territory Public Service.
I thank you for your question, member for Macdonnell.
Business Confidence Levels
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for BUSINESS and EMPLOYMENT
The most recent Sensis Business Index showed Territory small and medium businesses have the highest levels of confidence in Australia about business prospects for the next 12 months. Could you please advise the House what you have learned about business confidence in the Territory since becoming minister?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. The Sensis Business Index is one of the largest survey tracking companies measuring small to medium business enterprises. It is Australia’s leading information source.
In their December report, they reported the Northern Territory does have the highest confidence rating in the nation. These are businesses, 150-odd businesses throughout the Northern Territory, which expressed a view on the confidence they have in the way the economy is going. They expressed their confidence at a rate of some 69% nett, which is above the national average of 52%. The economy is very strong in the Northern Territory, despite the global economic crisis.
Just this lunchtime, I was at the Chamber of Commerce, discussing with them where things were going. The issues being discussed were issues of growth, of confidence, of businesses wanting to invest into the future in the Northern Territory. They are challenges of a growing, successful, prosperous economy - a far cry from some other economies throughout the rest of the nation.
Territory businesses also experienced the largest increase in profitability for the quarter, equally with the ACT. That is a great result for those local businesses as well. It also shows that the Northern Territory is certainly punching well above its weight. After I became minister, I visited many businesses in the New Year, at Casuarina, Palmerston, in the light industrial area, and in the CBD. People are confident about where the Territory is going, and where we are going in the next 12 months. We are obviously looking at these major projects coming to the Territory, and we are engaging with business, engaging with the representative groups in all the various sectors to accommodate the challenges which will come from those major projects.
This is about good government in the Northern Territory. This is about the Labor government delivering for business here. They are confident about it, and they are certainly confident about us leading them into the future.
Power and Water Corporation –
Recovery of Costs from ENI
Recovery of Costs from ENI
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The delay in the provision of Blacktip gas supplied by ENI to Power and Water proved very costly last financial year, and will have a significant impact this financial year on Power and Water’s bottom line. I have now been informed that the matter of liquidated damages between ENI and Power and Water has been settled.
My two-part question is this – and I would like you to listen carefully to it, because I would like an answer – did Power and Water recover all costs incurred as a consequence of ENI’s failure to deliver the gas as contractually agreed; or, if not, what losses have Power and Water incurred?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the advice I have from Power and Water is they did recover all liquidated damages for the additional costs for the power not coming on line on 1 January.
Child Protection Inquiry - Update
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for CHILD PROTECTION
In November last year, the Northern Territory government announced the most comprehensive independent public inquiry into child protection ever undertaken in the Territory. Can you please provide an update on what actions have been taken to date?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his very important question. I have gone on the record to say that, for me, the safety of children in the Territory is paramount. Our government is committed to ensuring all children in the Territory are safe. That is the reason we have committed to the most comprehensive review of children’s services in the Territory ever.
We have announced an independent public inquiry, co-chaired by Dr Howard Bath, Professor Muriel Bamblett, and Dr Rob Roseby. We will provide whatever resources and whatever time it takes to complete that inquiry. Public forums have already commenced in Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek. I have written to all public servants in Family and Children Services, encouraging them to take part in this inquiry; to provide information. I have assured them, despite the misinformation we have seen in the media, all these people are protected. The CEO of the department has actually signed the necessary instrument.
The inquiry will also consider the recent reports provided to me by the Children’s Commissioner. I have received an interim report on the intake system, and a report on a specific case, Baby BM. I am tabling those two reports today in this House.
The intake report shows the notification investigation system was under enormous stress. We have an increase in response for Category 1 from 50% to 84%, but that is not good enough; it has to be 100%. We are talking about children in danger and children at risk; it has to be 100%.
It is a tragic situation. I have a graph which shows that in a year – only a year - notifications for children in the Territory has gone from 3688 to 6190 - a 69% increase. This is tragic, and it reflects on our society – it reflects on all of us. We have a situation which reflects on our families too.
We have a situation with 370 notifications awaiting formal outcomes; 785 child protection investigations have not commenced; and 1190 cases were not actioned within the agreed time frame.
As I said before, I am prepared to change structures and policies within the department; I have already started. I have already spoken to the Acting Director. I am not prepared to wait until the outcome of the inquiry. I have asked the Acting Director to review all training programs for central intake, and I have asked her to develop new strategies to improve the efficiency of the intake system. I have asked her to get more staff to receive notifications, review workloads and to consider the long-term safety of infants and young children who come to the attention of the department; to give greater consideration to advice we get from specialists and doctors; and to address the backlog of case work, and address, as soon as possible, the recruitment and retention issues.
I said before, Madam Speaker, the safety of our children is paramount, and I am prepared …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Power and Water Corporation –
Recurrent Expenditure
Recurrent Expenditure
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES referred to TREASURER
Under your stewardship, Power and Water is now carrying liabilities approaching $1bn. Can you confirm for the House that Power and Water is currently borrowing money to pay for recurrent …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am the shareholding minister for Power and Water; the financial questions should go to me.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, if the minister feels he is not capable of answering the question he can flick it over to the shareholding minister for all I care.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! This is part of your time …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr ELFERINK: Do not be an idiot. Please, just calm down.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, I ask you to withdraw that comment, thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: I withdraw ‘idiot’.
Madam SPEAKER: Is your question finished? The time has nearly expired.
Mr ELFERINK: No, Madam Speaker, my time was consumed by a point of order.
Madam SPEAKER: The bell has not gone, member for Port Darwin. Ask the question.
Mr ELFERINK: Minister, is Power and Water borrowing money to pay its day-to-day expenditure, yes or no?
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to provide the answer to the question. The member for Port Darwin well knows I am the shareholding minister, but he will never ask me about the financial …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … he will dodge around, but certainly will not ask me the question.
You are scaremongering. Power and Water is paying its debt. Power and Water has the capacity to pay its debt. The Andrew Reeves report went straight to the heart of the financial sustainability of Power and Water. The report went out, the executive summary and the information went out. We also have a Statement of Corporate Intent, which you know provides a financial picture for Power and Water Corporation, and that forecasts - as a corporation - nett profit after tax is $51.6m in 2009-10.
The Statement of Corporate Intent is similar to a business plan of a private sector company. It outlines Power and Water’s objectives, activities, the key risks it faces, financial and non-financial targets, and performance benchmarks. What the Statement of Corporate Intent was able to capture was the Reeves reform, the information that set the tariffs going forward, which is about sustainability. It set the price path for electricity, water and sewerage. That had an immediate benefit …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113, in relation to relevance.
Ms LAWRIE: It is totally relevant. What you take in is relevant …
Mr Elferink: It is not. It is a straightforward question: are they borrowing to cover recurrent expenditure?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members! Minister, resume your seat.
There are far too many interjections. It is quite difficult to hear the answer being given to us. Minister, you have the call. Can you come to the point pretty quickly?
Ms LAWRIE: Yes, certainly. The difficult decisions made in and around the tariff paths of power, water and sewerage contained within the Reeves Report went to the revenue for power and water. It put in the price path to provide for the sustainability of Power and Water, and it does show, certainly whilst it has a significant $1.3bn capital investment program - a significant $269m R&M - they are forecasting nett profit after tax of $51.6m.
When you are making a profit you are paying your debt. Power and Water borrowings appear in the budget books every year. We make no excuse for ensuring that Power and Water is out there repairing the system the CLP broke.
Education for Teenage Mothers
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
The Northern Territory has by far the highest rate of births to teenagers in Australia. With the requirement by law that students in the NT must either stay at school or be in some form of training, has the government considered setting up a Young Mothers Program, similar to the one at Plumpton High School in Sydney’s western suburbs, so young mothers, or mothers-to–be, can continue their education as they are entitled to?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It is an important question, and very relevant to the Northern Territory. To be honest, member for Nelson, I am not aware of the specific program you are speaking of in New South Wales. I would be keen to find out more about it. We want to support young people, particularly young girls when they are pregnant and after they have had their child, to continue their education.
This is a government that has put in an extra 21 student counsellors across our system to better support students with a whole range of needs. I know there are some support networks at Centralian College and they have established a program for school-aged mothers. I would be interested to ask further questions of the department about what might be happening in other regions as well.
I believe we have to adopt a flexible approach. Given the diversity of the Northern Territory, both its geography and its population, it might be difficult to set up a discrete school or facility somewhere, but in our major centres there may be room for us to give further support.
I would like to continue the discussion with the member for Nelson, and I thank him for raising the issue.
Child Protection - Additional Resources
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for CHILD PROTECTION
Can you outline what additional resources and improved systems have been put in place for child protection since 2001?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, since 2001, our government has done enormous work for the protection of children in the Northern Territory. We have started from an extremely low base. The budget was around $7m in 2001; we have increased it to $90m. There were just over 100 child protection workers; we have increased …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Conlan: Is this not the government that oversaw the greatest shame in Australian history …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Giles: And continues to see the greatest shame.
Ms Lawrie: You do not want to hear the answer, do you?
Mr Conlan interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex, you do not have the call.
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Treasurer!
Mr Conlan: Sorry, what was that? No intervention?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex.
Mr VATSKALIS: I know the member for Greatorex was not here at the time, but it was actually under you, Madam Speaker, as the minister for children’s services, that the first injection of significant funding took place. That was around 2002-03. I also believe that it was 2005-06 and 2007, when the member for Greatorex was probably not here, another $58m. It has nothing to do with the intervention. It has to do with the commitment of this government to protect children. It was this government …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, obviously they do not like to here this …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: It was this government that introduced the Care and Protection of Children Act. It was this government that established the Office of Children’s Commissioner; it was this government that established the Child Abuse Task Force in Darwin that resulted in 99 arrests and 26 summonses. We established the Aboriginal community workers program in 13 communities - not under the CLP. We created the Mobile Child Protection …
Mr Giles: Do not play politics with child protection when you have done such a terrible job.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: No, Madam Speaker, it is not a beautiful job.
Mr Giles: Do not play politics with child protection.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr VATSKALIS: It is a system in crisis, like anywhere else in Australia.
Mr Conlan: Do not play politics with children, mate.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr Giles: Do you not know the rules?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you are on a warning!
Mr VATSKALIS: The difference is that we are committed to do something about it. The first time in 10 years the CLP came with a …
Mr Conlan: You have nothing. All gabfest.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex!
Mr VATSKALIS: … policy about children – the first time, except during the election campaigns, not one policy commitment. The first time, and thanks to the member for Araluen because I know her passion about children’s services, and I bet she was the instigator …
Mr Conlan: She is on our side, mate. I am not sure if you know that.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, you are on a warning!
Mr VATSKALIS: … of the policy. My mandate is clear: to work hard to ensure all children in the Territory are safe. For this reason, I will provide all necessary information to the inquiry taking place currently under Dr Howard Bath.
Power and Water Corporation –
Remuneration for Executives
Remuneration for Executives
Mr ELFERINK to TREASURER
As the Minister for Essential Services is incapable of answering these questions, my question is to the shareholding minister. In 2004-05, Power and Water delivered a consolidated nett profit on which you guys drew down a dividend. Yet, in the last financial year, we saw the total liabilities of that company reaching nearly $1bn. In the meantime, the salaries and fees of Power and Water’s Board have almost doubled, while wages paid to its executives have more than doubled. Why has the remuneration of people in charge of Power and Water doubled whilst its performance has plummeted?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there is an old adage, it is a bit of a truism: you get what you pay for. Utilities are a highly competitive marketplace …
Mr Giles: How much are we paying to get no power?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr Giles: How much are we paying to get blackouts?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you are on a warning, you will recall.
Mr Giles: I do remember.
Madam SPEAKER: That is your last warning.
Mr Conlan: Oh, I get another one, do I?
Madam SPEAKER: No.
Ms LAWRIE: If you want the best to fix the system, you pay for it. That is what Power and Water is doing: following the blueprint that Merv Davies set down in his report to rebuild the technical capability within Power and Water after the CLP had stripped it out …
Members: Rubbish!
Ms LAWRIE: … slashed the resources out, slashed the jobs, and were preparing Power and Water for sale …
Mr Bohlin: Who does not understand the term ‘nine years’?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Drysdale!
Ms LAWRIE: Merv Davies has set a very good blueprint of getting the technical capacity back into Power and Water. These staff are highly specialist and highly technical. They are in short supply, nationally and internationally, and you go out there into the marketplace and you pay for the best - if you can get the best - and bring them to Darwin. We make no apology for going out and recruiting to highly technical, important, critical positions with Power and Water. We are doing that for a reason: we are overhauling and rebuilding the Power and Water Corporation. That is the first part.
The second part is in and around the dividend. We are giving Power and Water a dividend holiday. The CLP never provided a dividend holiday to Power and Water Corporation. Under the CLP …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … we will quote the 2004-05 dividend payment which we received. Under the CLP, every single year, from 1995-96 going forward, were all dividend payments.
If you want to compare the total government payments to Power and Water Corporation, let us just go across the years. Choose a year - 2000-01. The government payment to Power and Water …
Mr Styles: Go back to when we did not have a system, because that is where we are now.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Sanderson!
Ms LAWRIE: What happens is, dividends that are received - we have a dividend holiday in place to build up Power and Water. There are taxes received. Governments pay Community Service Obligations to keep the tariff prices down for households, small businesses and the like.
Total government payments to Power and Water in 2000-01 were $24m, compared to, in 2008-09, $128.5m. So, our government, in 2008-09, supported Power and Water in payments by $128.5m, compared to the CLP at $24m. Combine what the CLP was doing compared to what our government has been doing. The Labor government has contributed 420% more to building Power and Water …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … unlike the CLP - 420% more …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. Resume your seat.
___________________
Supplementary Question
Supplementary Question
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Supplementary, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: You did not ask the question, though.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, under their rules for a supplementary, which they agreed to, it was the Leader of the Opposition. So we are applying their rules.
Madam SPEAKER: I will allow it, but I would have thought you would have had to ask the original question to get a supplementary ...
Mr Elferink: It is not what the standing orders say.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I will allow that.
Mr MILLS: Treasurer, would you please define the total receipts of dividends paid to your government since you have been in office from Power and Water? What is the total dividend payment to the Labor government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to run through the dividend payments. They are all on the public record, by the way. They are all reported through the SCI, so they are all public figures. They are published every year. I will provide the table and talk through it.
If you look at the 1995-96 period under the CLP, they received $2.5m, going through $21m; $14m; $3m; $12m; $23m; $8m; - I do not have a total for that. Under the ALP we received $9m, $20m, $20m, $18m, $10m, nil, and nil, and at the same time we have paid $159m in capital grants, and between $46m and $56m in community service obligations. So, we are paying more in Community Service Obligations. We have paid more in direct capital grant injections. We have a two-year dividend holiday in place. Under the CLP, you never gave them a dividend holiday. You kept your Community Service Obligation payments down. You continued to take the taxes and you stripped the organisation down.
I table this chart, which provides all the information that is absolutely publicly available.
Mr Mills: What is the total?
Ms LAWRIE: More than 20% more paid under Labor into Power and Water than …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
________________
Alice Springs Transformation Plan –
Impact on Town Camps
Alice Springs Transformation Plan –
Impact on Town Camps
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Can you please outline to the House how the Alice Springs Transformation Plan is improving the lives of people in town camps?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. Quite rightly, the Alice Springs Transformation Plan is making a significant difference to the lives of town camp people living in Alice Springs. The $150m Alice Springs Transformation Plan will see 85 new homes for town camp residents built, significant civil works, and a large number of refurbishments on town camps to be undertaken as well.
There are already significant improvements on the ground, with the town camp clean-ups well under way and most of those completed. Organisations such as Ingkerreke Outstation Resource Services and the prison work camps have done a fantastic job in doing the clean-ups, with Ingkerreke Outstation Resource Services employing some 36 local Indigenous people.
The Fix and Make Safe Program is well under way, and Territory Alliance is continuing scoping works for the refurbishments expected to begin in the first quarter of this year. I have had the opportunity on quite a number of occasions to witness for myself the Fix and Make Safe Programs, and it is great to see teams of tradespeople working with town camp residents to fix up those houses so quickly. Residents are closely involved, and there is a real sense of optimism about the future and their lives living in town camps, with some town camp residents looking forward to having a chance to own their own homes.
Through this partnership with the federal government and minister Macklin, there is a major investment in dealing also with the social issues in Alice Springs.
Mr Tollner: Spending money - that is great. $130m for 80 houses - beauty.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order, member for Fong Lim! Minister, you have the call.
Mr HAMPTON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. They are so rude and just a rabble.
Madam Speaker, this is a great program we are seeing unfold in Alice Springs …
Mr Conlan interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HAMPTON: I thought the member for Greatorex would be really interested, because these are some of his constituents.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat. Honourable members, it is extremely hard to hear the minister. There are far too many interjections, and now the minister only has 40 seconds to answer this question. Minister, I will call you again.
Mr HAMPTON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. This government is absolutely proud to work in partnership with the federal government to make a real difference to town camp residents.
The only time the member for Greatorex speaks is in this House, because he is just so silent in his own electorate. He does not like to get out and visit town camps in his own electorate.
This program is fantastic. The transformation and innovative approaches are leading to real results on the ground for the people of Alice Springs and the town camp residents who live there.
Weddell Power Station – Failure of Generator
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
In December, Power and Water lost one of the new generators at Weddell. Both you, and the management at Power and Water, have concealed this fact from Territorians until recently. Why did the generator fail? Is it the case that Power and Water is meeting the cost of repair, and is it also the case that normal practice for insurance agencies is to pay up front?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the generator he refers to is part of this government’s $200m commitment to the Weddell Power Station - another sign that this government is committed to an organisation which supports business, it supports schools, it supports health, it supports the whole community; a vital institution that you do not want …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: succinct, concise and directly relevant. It is none of those.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has the call. He has a question which was not concise or succinct. However, minister, can you come to the point pretty quickly?
Mr KNIGHT: This is a ridiculous situation where they are wasting my time trying to answer it.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, the generator is part of the $200m Weddell Power Station. A brand new GE generator - brand new - was put in there! It is maintained correctly, installed correctly. Something went wrong with it, obviously.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: You are laughing at Power and Water staff, you are laughing at …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, GE was involved in the replacement of this. We were lucky enough to get a brand new generator off the production line in Houston, Texas. Within 30 days of that generator being ordered by Power and Water, it was installed and running. That was an incredible effort by Power and Water, their staff, and their contractors, to get it flown over and driven up by truck. It was driven 24 hours a day to get it here and get it installed. Those staff only took one day off, and that was Christmas Day, and they worked right through that whole period to get that installed. We have sufficient capacity to have one of those generators off-line.
I can advise the member for Port Darwin that there are multiple investigations going on here, and obviously it is a significant cost which may be incurred by someone. We have our insurance company involved. We have NT Gas doing their investigation. The GE company is doing their own investigation, and we are doing our own investigation. That particular turbine will be shipped back to Houston. We will have a team from Power and Water going to Houston, with cameras, and being there when they open the turbine up. We fully expect to recover every single dollar in the exercise of that machine being damaged. It is a very unusual situation; GE cannot explain it, but we will recover every single dollar from that particular incident.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Placement Policy
Placement Policy
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Will you remove, under your act, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander placement policy that hinders children being placed with anyone, and have the safety of the child looked at as a priority instead of the colour of their skin?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. It is a very important question. I have been on the public record saying that colour, religion, and ethnicity does not matter.
Ms Anderson: You still have the policy.
Mr VATSKALIS: What I said is the safety of the child comes first. If the child is an Indigenous child, and there is an Indigenous family which can provide a safe environment, then it will be placed with an Indigenous family. If there is no family kinship …
Ms Anderson: You do not have the guts.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … to provide the proper environment, the child will be provided with a safe family, a family that will provide …
Ms Anderson: Your statistics will keep going up.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Macdonnell, you have asked the minister a question, allow him to answer it.
A member: Allow him to spin it.
Ms Anderson: I asked him a specific question, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex, you can withdraw from the Chamber.
Mr VATSKALIS: Let me make it clear: what comes first is the safety of the child – colour, religion, ethnicity – it is irrelevant. If the child is safe, that is what matters. I will not remove policies that work. What I will do is ensure whatever is in place provides a safe environment for the child.
A Working Future - Progress
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT
Can you provide an update on how A Working Future is progressing, and how this will help improve services and support strong families in our bush communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. The rolling out of A Working Future is well under way. As I mentioned in my previous answer to the member for Macdonnell, there certainly has been extensive work done across the Northern Territory, with close to 500 outstations along with the 20 growth towns. It is certainly about working with local people in the regions across the Northern Territory. It is a key and continuing focus of my work, and certainly this government, as we want to improve the lives of Territorians who live in remote and not so remote regions.
We are a government wanting to see equity in education, employment, and certainly housing and infrastructure across the bush. We recognise that there is a substantial amount of work that needs to go into the fiscal side of any future development across the Northern Territory. That is what I am doing with my office as the Minister for Indigenous Development, and the department, so we can work towards a budget that sustains and provides a future for all people across the Northern Territory.
Power and Water Corporation –
Call for Independent Investigation
Call for Independent Investigation
Mr ELFERINK to TREASURER
My question is to whichever minister chooses to answer this in relation to Power and Water.
Too many times the mismanagement of Power and Water has left Territorians without power. It is time to subject the management of the Power and Water Corporation to proper scrutiny. Will you support an independent investigation into the performance of the board and executive and ministers responsible for Power and Water? If not, why not? Either one of you.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to answer it. The member for Port Darwin does not want to know the facts. He has been hiding and burying his head in the sand on the Power and Water Corporation.
In terms of the essential services operational side, Merv Davies came in, independent expert, and went right through the Power and Water Corporation. Go and read the Merv Davies report. It is pretty damning in terms of the management culture that existed in Power and Water - he spared no punches …
Mr Elferink: Release the full Reeves report. Stop the culture of cover-up.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Ms LAWRIE: … it was quite damning in terms of the management culture within the Power and Water Corporation …
Mr Bohlin: Culture of cover-up
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale!
Ms LAWRIE: … and went to the heart of the management practices that it had to change. So, in terms of management scrutiny of Power and Water, absolutely.
Mr Elferink: If you want us to believe you, table the Reeves report.
Ms LAWRIE: The Merv Davies report goes there big time.
Mr Elferink: Table the Reeves report.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, cease interjecting!
Ms LAWRIE: In terms of the financials for Power and Water, again, another independent expert, Andrew Reeves, came in, went through, we made all the executive information available, we took people through exhaustive briefings, and you will be scaremongering …
Mr Elferink: Table the report.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … because you know full well there is commercial–in-confidence in the details in the Reeves report. So you know that. You choose to ignore it, and you choose to misrepresent the report. Andrew Reeves is an expert nationally. He went through all the details, we showed it, we took the media through it, we took the opposition through it, we took energy stakeholders, the major energy user groups through it, we took businesses through it. Everyone was shown the details.
We continue to report Power and Water’s financials through its Statement of Corporate Intent, it tables its annual report, it appears before the parliamentary Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee. It gets scrutinised like no other corporate would do, no other utility would do, if they had their way and had sold it off.
So has the management come under absolute scrutiny? Yes, they have. Merv Davies’ report did that, and did it in spades. Have the financials of Power and Water come under scrutiny? Yes, they have. The Reeves report did that, and did that in spades. Both of those reports carry the organisation, not from now, but through the next years.
We are happy to continue to scrutinise Power and Water; we will continue to scrutinise Power and Water.
I know that the Council for Territory Cooperation has been scrutinising Power and Water. So scrutiny will continue, it must continue. We are happy to continue with the scrutiny we put, as a government, on Power and Water.
I will say this, though: the Power and Water Board is excellent, and the Power and Water management is up to the task of fixing and overhauling an organisation that was run down to its knees and stripped by the CLP.
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Four hundred and …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. Resume your seat.
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