2005-06-30
Trans-Territory Pipeline - Chief Minister’s Knowledge of Collapse
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Richard Yank, President of the Pacific Operations with Alcan, told ABC radio on 28 June that you were aware during the Territory election that the trans-Territory pipeline was not a done deal and that there were still some significant hurdles. Why did you not tell Territorians this during the election? And why did you and your business minister tell Territorians that there were no problems with the Blacktip gas pipeline project when you clearly knew that was not the case?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, not a good start from the Opposition Leader, you would have to say that.
Ms Carney: Oh, patronising early on, are we?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: It is very important that if you are going to be asked questions that it is not premised on inaccurate information.
Very clearly, we have had the opposition declare that somehow or other government knew and could predict the future that there was not going to be a sales agreement reached between the Blacktip joint venture and Alcan.
Richard Yank - and I am glad you referred to that interview, Opposition Leader - said very clearly that these negotiations were confidential and complex. When the then Opposition Leader raced out in the last week of the election campaign like Henny Penny with the sky falling in saying: ‘I heard …’ – no source - ‘I have heard that this deal is not going to go through’, Woodside said: ‘You are wrong’; Alcan said: ‘You are wrong’.
Yet we have an opposition which is still working on the basis that Woodside and Alcan went out publicly and did not exactly tell the truth.
Let me make it very clear: these are complex, very costly negotiations that go on, and quite appropriately, they are not done in public. Richard Yank has made it very clear about when he actually made this information public, and that was on Monday this week.
I believe, very strongly, that we will get gas onshore from Blacktip. I am a great supporter of gas for Territory power. Gas has been in place for 20 years, and I pay tribute to Ian Tuxworth, as Chief Minister, that he believed in that project. I believe we will continue having gas onshore. I say again and again, it is not a matter of the gas not being there. We have 22 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Timor Sea. Gas will come onshore. This morning we had the Opposition Leader saying: ‘No gas is coming onshore’. I point out again, a 540 km pipeline that exists on the ocean floor between Wickham Point and Bayu-Undan, and, very clearly, gas is coming onshore.
We are very disappointed that the deal over Blacktip and the trans-Territory pipeline was not able to be concluded. I said very clearly in the last week of the election campaign that those negotiations were in final and delicate stages. From my information, the discussions were robust. When my department contacted the companies that is the information they were given. Those are the facts we are dealing with here.
Mr Mills: I don’t believe you.
Ms MARTIN: To have the opposition - look, at least one or two of the opposition are shaking their heads. We know what the opposition believes in. They believe in this great big powerline coming from Queensland; power from coal from Queensland. They do not even believe in gas for the Territory’s future. What was the lynchpin, the icon of the election campaign? It was a powerline. But do you know what the bottom line would be? It would actually add dollars to every single one of the Territory’s power bills.
Let us make it starkly clear: we believe in gas for our future. We do not believe in powerlines from interstate that add to the bottom line, more dollars on our power bills. We are confident, as government, and will continue to be confident and work hard to achieve further gas onshore, not only for our domestic use, but for LNG, for a manufacturing base and, hopefully, over the long term, into the national grid.
Darwin City Waterfront Project - Progress
Ms SACILOTTO to CHIEF MINISTER
The waterfront project is an exciting new development for my electorate and the Territory. With financial close having been reached last month, can you please update the House on current progress towards construction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her first question in the House; one which is very relevant to her electorate, of course. This is the first sittings of parliament since 9 May, when we reached financial close for the waterfront. That was a very exciting time for the Territory. As I have committed to, in the next sitting of parliament there will be a full ministerial statement about the waterfront, and I certainly hope for a very involved debate about the waterfront and what it means for the Territory and our future.
In general terms, most members in the Chamber are aware of what will take place over the next 10 to 15 years with the development of the waterfront. Importantly for the Territory, over 1000 jobs will be created during the construction phase. It will stimulate economic growth and, hopefully, bring tens of thousands of new visitors to the Top End, particularly attracted by what is going to happen at the 1500-seat convention and exhibition centre.
The community facilities that many of our community are looking forward to with such delight include the wave pool, a sea wall, swimming areas, public promenade, parklands and picnic areas, and those important complementary commercial developments.
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting, Madam Speaker. The former Leader of the Opposition still wants to scrap the waterfront.
Members interjecting.
Mr Mills: Rubbish. It is not true.
Ms MARTIN: He cannot actually do anything that says: ‘I support it’. He is saying: ‘Oh, rubbish!’.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: It is extraordinary, Madam Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Blain!
Ms MARTIN: You would think that finally the CLP would say: ‘Let us grasp this opportunity. Let us grasp the new business opportunities’.
Mr Mills interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, cease interjecting!
Mr Mills interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, there are very important complementary commercial developments including a hotel, harbour-side cafes, restaurants, and staged residential development.
Since 9 May, it has been full steam ahead. There have been three contracts let worth over $3m for demolition works to prepare the way, particularly for the convention and exhibition centre,. One has gone to McMahon for the demolition of three storage tanks which is worth $1.8m; one to Steelcon Constructions for almost $1m to demolish the old Fort Hill Wharf, which is about 80 years old; and another of $322 000 to Territory business Trans Australian Constructions Pty Ltd for the demolition of the boom shed.
The waterfront is a very exciting project. This is an opportunity, after an election, for the CLP to get right behind government, like we did with the railway, and say this is a great project for the Territory.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, let us have bipartisan support for what is job creation, business opportunities and an enhancement of the Darwin lifestyle. It is great. Let us see the new CLP walk this extra mile and celebrate the waterfront.
Members: Hear, hear!
Trans-Territory Pipeline – Chief Minister’s Knowledge of Collapse
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
On 14 June, you refuted the CLP’s claims that there were problems with the trans-Territory pipeline deal, and you told the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce election lunch that gas will come onshore from the second field at Blacktip. Two days ago, after the election, you told ABC radio that you had spoken to Woodside and Alcan before the collapse of the deal and that they had told you that there were difficulties with negotiations over this project. It is clear that you were not being honest about everything you knew. Is this yet another example of you doing and saying anything to get elected?
ANSWER
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order, members of the opposition!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it is not good to be verballed by the Leader of the Opposition. Again, I say, before the election, the opposition said: ‘We think this is not going to happen’, in terms of the Blacktip joint venture with Alcan.
The companies came out and said.they were in final negotiations. I believe my words were that ‘they are complex, they are difficult and they were robust’. That was the state as given to me by the companies. I do not know what else the opposition would expect me to say, but we believed, and we hoped, that this complex and costly project would actually come about. Yet, before the election, we had the opposition trying to bring it down, not saying what their source was, but believing, because of their iconic trans-Australian powerline, that they could bring gas down.
The fact is that these negotiations are done commercially and in confidence. They are not done to election timetables. Woodside and Alcan are just as disappointed that this did not reach conclusion. I congratulate Alcan on keeping their commitment to gas and moving, with what I believe is amazing haste and a first degree of success, to start negotiations with PNG Gas. They believe in gas. This side of the House believes in gas. We would like to have it shared by the opposition.
Home Ownership – Stamp Duty Reduction
Mr KIELY to TREASURER
Home ownership for Territorians is a passion of the Martin government. Can the Treasurer advise how the government intends to reduce stamp duty by $1000 for people buying their own home, and when this election promise will take effect?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. This is good news, not just for the good burghers of the electorate of Sanderson, but for all Territorians. During the election, the Chief Minister promised to reduce the cost of stamp duty on residential conveyances by $1000 where people are buying their own home. This will be achieved in two ways: in the first case, by increasing the tax-free threshold to $225 000 for those buying their first home and, in the second case, increasing the principal place of residence rebate from $1500 to $2500. Therefore, for first home buyers it will mean the maximum rebate will increase to $8034, up from $6800.
We expect around 1400 Territorians will benefit from this reduction of more than $1000. That means first home buyers will pay no stamp duty at all on the average priced unit across the Territory, and considerably less, of course, on the purchase of their home. We expect around 1900 Territorians each year will benefit from that increase in the purchase of a principal place of residence rebate. Altogether, more than 3300 Territorians per year are benefiting from these changes.
We are also pleased to announce that these changes do take effect from Monday, 20 June 2005. It was intended that they should occur from 1 July 2005, however, on being returned to office at the election, it seemed fair to move to have them take effect as soon as possible after the election, and that was on the Monday after the election, so they take effect from Monday, 20 June 2005.
Trans-Territory Pipeline – Chief Minister’s Knowledge of Collapse
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
You ridiculed the previous Leader of the Opposition when he warned Territorians that the deal for piped gas from Wadeye to Gove was in trouble. He was telling the truth. On Top FM on 28 June, Pacific President of Alcan, Richard Yank, said that during the election his company had continued to work through the process with the departments involved.
Chief Minister, are you asking us to believe that your office of major projects is so incompetent that it did not advise you of the impending collapse of the trans-Territory pipeline deal at that time or, did you have this knowledge but not attach much importance to telling the truth?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a very sad start from the Opposition Leader, when we have a company the size of Alcan, which has a strong connection to the Northern Territory, currently spending $2bn to expand their alumina production in Gove that the Opposition Leader is implying that the head of Alcan Pacific is somehow lying in what he is saying. This is a very poor start for the Opposition Leader.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did not say or even infer that Mr Yank had been lying. I ask the Chief Minister to withdraw that comment.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, let me quote from the interview conducted with ABC on 28 June. The Opposition Leader has a copy of this. The reporter said: ‘Denis Burke was flagging the fact that these negotiations were in jeopardy’. Richard Yank replied:
- We answered questions at the time from the media. David Sutherland …
- … spoke to the media the week before the election and advised that negotiations were at a delicate stage and had not been finalised.
If the Opposition Leader wants to continue to say that, somehow or other, we knew differently when that is what Alcan is saying very clearly, then she is saying that these guys are lying. It is a very poor start to deal with a company of the size of Alcan, of importance to the Territory in a multinational sense, to say that she does not believe it …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Ms MARTIN: … and I believe it reflects very poorly on the Opposition Leader.
Ms CARNEY: I am sure that you do. The point of order I raised, Madam Speaker, was in relation to the suggestion by this Chief Minister that I had suggested that Richard Yank had been lying. That is not the suggestion, inference or comment that I made, and she should withdraw it.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe the Chief Minister was answering the question. As you know, there is a fair bit of latitude in relation to ministers answering questions. I do not believe that there was that imputation. I am sure the Chief Minister has just explained herself in her response.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, may I finish this answer? I am not going to stand in here and have the Opposition Leader imply, and even say more directly, that senior members of Alcan have lied to the media. I will stand up on behalf of Alcan very strongly.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Once again, the Chief Minister is just off in fantasy land, suggesting that I am stating or implying …
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: Excuse me! … that another …
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: There is no point of order. If you go to standing orders, the Leader of the Opposition is using spurious points of order to make statements to this parliament. Unless she can address her point of order to a particular standing order she has no point of order.
Madam SPEAKER: I am advised that, if you feel that you have been misrepresented in this place, you should come and see me after Question Time and that you can consider making a personal explanation.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Victims of Crime - Support
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The Martin Labor government has a strong record of delivering improved services and support for victims of crime. What additional measures has the government now put in place to further boost support for victims of crime?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question, as this is a very important area of my responsibilities. In its first term, our government provided more money for the Victims of Crime NT to carry out their very important support work around the Northern Territory. We have also provided money to victims around the Territory for clean-up and security assistance following house break-ins and other property crimes. We have given victims a greater voice in sentencing in our parole board arrangements and through victim/offender conferencing. Victims are now very much integral to the handling and resolution of cases coming through our justice system. We have brought in new witness intimidation laws to improve the security of witnesses, particularly those giving evidence in cases involving violent crime.
During the course of the election we announced that we would be helping Victims of Crime NT further in the next four years with an increase of 50% to their funding to allow them to expand their work throughout Territory centres. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the fantastic work that that organisation does, largely through volunteers. Sue Lowry has provided able leadership. She is now expecting a child and so we will be seeing a change of personnel. However, I pay tribute to her work.
We will introduce a victim’s rights charter, which will entrench into Territory law the rights of victims to proper process under our justice system, with rights to be heard and to have their interests protected. We will introduce a victims of crime register which will allow families affected by serious crimes to be apprised of the progress of the offender through punishment and back out into the community to the degree that the victim’s family might be affected by that.
We will carry out improvements to the Darwin and Alice Springs court houses to provide better separation between witnesses, victims and alleged offenders, so we are not seeing a milling-around effect in the middle of those court houses. The Victims of Crime Assistance Scheme will be revamped to better meet the needs of victims and provide urgent access to counselling, relief service and funds for essential expenses.
All of that proves, practically, our commitment to support victims of crime in our community.
V8 Supercars – Restriction on Food
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
As you know, the V8s are on this week and it should be a great weekend – go Ford! In the information brochure it says that if you go to Hidden Valley on Sunday it will cost $45 for an adult and $30 for a person between 13 and 18 years. If you have a family of two adults and two teenage children it will therefore cost you $150. The information brochure also says that no food will be allowed into the event - no exceptions. Do you not agree that it is a bit rough for a family to pay $150 to get in and not be allowed to pack some sandwiches to eat at the venue? Will you talk to the organisers and ask them to scrap the ban on food and give families a fair go?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question, and I say - go Holden! This is the eighth year of the V8s, and all previous seven have been run exactly the same.
I know that you say the entry price for a family of four is expensive but it is affordable when you compare the price with other V8 events. To maintain that entry price there is a clause in the contract which says that alcohol, eskies and food are not permitted into Hidden Valley. So, it is a balance. To keep that price down there is the other side to enable the organisation to make some level of profit from selling food and alcohol.
It is a great event. We had the best part of 40 000 people there over the three days last year, and although events such as this do cost some money - we have seen that kind of charge for BassintheGrass - it was not a disincentive for those who attended.
Mr Wood: You changed it last year, I thought.
Ms MARTIN: No, the way it is being run is exactly the same way that has been in place. It has been part of the contractual arrangements for seven years, and it will be part of the contractual arrangements for 2012.
Policing in the Bush
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Community safety is of vital interest to me and this government. Can the minister update the House on initiatives to improve policing services in the bush?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to respond to the first question from the member for Arnhem in this House.
As a government, we were very proud of our first term in office regarding our achievements in building our Police Force - which had been appallingly neglected by previous CLP governments - and the commitment by the government for an extra 200 police officers out on the beat by the end of 2006. As I speak, there are three squads, involving over 60 new officers, in training at Berrimah. I certainly enjoy each and every graduation parade I attend.
Delivering improved police services is happening across the Northern Territory, in the towns and in the bush. One of the initiatives in the last term of government was the remote community drug desk. As Community Cabinet travelled around the Northern Territory to the bush regions, members from the bush kept coming to us saying the scourge of drugs in remote communities was getting worse and impacting on those communities. In part, as a result of that representation, the police now have a remote community drug desk, and two drug detective dogs – another first. Those dogs are doing a magnificent job, really squeezing the drug pushers who are hell-bent on pushing their illicit substances on kids in the bush across the Northern Territory and removing a lot of much needed income from those bush communities.
As well as building police numbers across the Northern Territory, we have a real record in improving facilities. It was great to see the new facility at Humpty Doo open earlier this year. It was good to see the new members for Goyder and Daly at the opening ceremony. Who was absent? The previous member for Goyder, the previous member for Daly, and the then Leader of the Opposition who could not be bothered to turn up to the opening of that new facility.
Mr Wood: Do not forget the member for Nelson!
Mr HENDERSON: And the member for Nelson was there, at a particular invitation. It was good to see you there as well, member for Nelson.
Earlier in the term, a new police station was built at Kintore, and that station is making an enormous contribution to improving law and order and safety in that community.
Today, I am pleased to announce that a $1.3m contract to build the new police post in Numbulwar has recently been awarded to local builders, Athanasiou. They have done quite a bit of building work at Numbulwar, and I am sure that that will be welcomed by the member for Arnhem. Work is expected to finish by December ready for operational duty next year. The post will be staffed by two Aboriginal Community Police Officers with accommodation for visiting officers when the need arises. This is further demonstration of our commitment to bush policing.
The design for this post is the basis for other police posts which are going to be constructed. For the member for Macdonnell, we will be working on a police post at Mutitjulu, something that has been called for for many years and, again, a commitment for this government.
It is an exciting time for the Northern Territory Police Force. Numbers are building. They are starting to get results. There is much more to do. We, as a government, are committed to community safety in the towns, and in the bush, and this work will continue for the next term of this government.
Habitual Drunks - Government Policy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
You waited until the ABC’s Stateline program last Friday night, six days after the election, to tell Territorians that you never intended to gaol drunks who refuse rehabilitation after the sixth pick-up in three months. Only those committing an offence will face imprisonment, subject to judicial discretion, which is the status quo. Chief Minister, did you allow Territorians to believe that you were going to recriminalise drunkenness for votes on election day, or because you do not attach much importance to telling the truth?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is very sad that the Opposition Leader is making up questions not based on facts. Right throughout the election campaign, we were very clear about what we were going to put in place to deal with habitual drunks. I gave numerous interviews throughout the campaign, talked to numerous people, and said we are going to tackle the issue of habitual drunks.
We are going to put $1.76m into rehabilitation and treatment for people with problems. I am on the record a number of times, as is the police minister, saying that we want habitual drunks to get treatment or they can face gaol. I made it very clear, many times, that we were not going to recriminalise drunkenness. Obviously, the cloth ears of the opposition did not hear this clearly.
Over the next few months we will be working on that antisocial behaviour legislation. It will have strong support from our police force, those who are out on our streets trying to deal with the problems created by habitual drunks. The damage is not just to our community but it is what those habitual drunks are doing to themselves as well.
We are committed to moving further on this and hoping that, if we do tackle the problem of habitual drunks - and there are probably between 150 to 250 on our streets across the Territory - we will make a significant difference, not only for those people who are damaging themselves, but for the impact of antisocial behaviour in our community.
Capital Works Projects – Transport and Infrastructure
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Small business and local jobs are critical for sustainable economic growth in the Territory. Can the minister update the Assembly on contracts that are being won by Territory small businesses and the jobs for Territorians that are being generated for capital works in his portfolio?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. Indeed, the infrastructure spend and capital works program is a very important powerhouse for the Territory economy. In the 2004-05 year, $480m was allocated towards capital works infrastructure projects, and in the 2005-06 year, it will be starting off marginally less, but I am sure it will be added to as the year progresses, as has happened in previous years.
It is a very important part of our economy. This is a government that has been putting record cash into our capital works budget. If I could let new members know, the situation that occurred in 2001 with the revote in the last CLP budget, which is projects going from one year to the next, actually exceeded the cash. In other words, they did not have enough money for the old projects, let alone any new projects.
It is certainly a different situation under this government, generating 4000 extra jobs. If you look at the history over the last year or so of our capital works expenditure, if you look by number of companies that have won work through capital works, 93% of them have been Northern Territory businesses and, by value, it is 95%. It is very important.
I believe it is underscored by this week’s Gazette, published yesterday. There have been 38 contracts let through DIPE, which is the lion’s share of the capital works budget; 36 of them to Northern Territory companies. The total value was $1.1m, of which $1.07m went to Northern Territory companies. Of those 38 contracts, eight went to Alice Springs, three to Katherine, and other contracts all over the Northern Territory, to local governments in Tennant Creek, Wadeye, Daly River and Nguiu.
It is a great result for the Northern Territory. We are moving the Northern Territory ahead. The capital works expenditure is integral to that. I am sure, as members grow in their knowledge of the capital works in their electorates, they will be playing a very active role in forming the next budget.
BassintheDust
Mrs BRAHAM to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you clarify the arrangements for BassintheDust? There are many rumours in Alice Springs at the moment that the organisers may not be Major Events; that, in fact, there is a private entrepreneur given the task. If so, what effect will that have on the cost of the tickets for young people? As a comparison, how much did BassintheGrass cost in Darwin, and how much will you allocate for BassintheDust in Alice Springs? Can you guarantee that it will not occur during the Alice Festival? There are also rumours that they were going to hold it on the finale night of the Alice Festival, which is the Desert Song, and it would clash.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question, and welcome back to the parliament. Major Events are the coordinators of BassintheDust, as they have been for the last two years. As you know, Major Events have been very busy recently. They have had the Darwin BassintheGrass on 4 June, the Finke Desert Race the following weekend, and now they are busy with the V8 Supercars. They are a small but very efficient organisation, working extremely hard at the moment.
They are well down the path towards securing major music acts, which are in final negotiations, for BassintheDust. We are confident of securing a very good line-up. I cannot give you the exact price, however, tickets for BassintheGrass were $45 and tickets for BassintheDust will be under that. They have consistently been under that. I cannot give you the final price at this stage.
We are looking at acquiring increased private sponsorship for BassintheDust, and it is looking good at this stage. What we want for BassintheDust, as with BassintheGrass, is an affordable, safe and enjoyable event for young Territorians and those who are young at heart.
Paul Cattermole, from Major Events, who is quite an extraordinary organiser and a man with much enthusiasm for the variety of events he tackles, has already been in contact with the Alice Festival and other relevant community organisations so that an appropriate date to stage the concert is selected. At this stage, with the support of those organisations, a tentative date of 10 September at Anzac Oval has been selected. I am assured by Major Events that that is being done in consultation with the relevant organisations in Alice Springs.
2006 will be a very exciting one for Alice Springs’ BassintheDust because, as I announced during the election campaign, there will be a big screen for the first time next year at BassintheDust. There is an additional $50 000 allocated to those two concerts. I believe Alice Springs youth will have a great time at BassintheDust, just as youth from the Darwin area had a great time at BassintheGrass.
V8 Supercars Event at Hidden Valley
Mr NATT to CHIEF MINISTER
Further to the member for Nelson’s question, based on the number of semitrailer rigs rolling down Knuckey Street at lunch time, there is one thing in town that everyone is talking about – this weekend’s round of V8s at Hidden Valley. Can you please update the House on this event and what it means to the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, yes, it was wonderful at lunch time. Because it was school holidays, there were so many kids watching the convoy roll through the centre of town. I was pleased to be there and officially welcome them and give them the flag. All the tootings and cheerings from the crowd was great. Already, Territorians are lining up with their Holden and Ford shirts. It certainly reaches a peak of anticipation by the time Sunday arrives.
We are expecting about 40 000 people to attend this year over the three days of racing at Hidden Valley. Already, there has been a record number of corporate tickets sold – 5300 corporate tickets from tomorrow through to Sunday.
This is our eighth V8s, as I said in response to the member for Nelson’s question, and it has become a critical, important and much loved part of our social and sporting calendar. We are very proud to have secured V8s in Darwin until 2012.
Significantly, as Tourism Minister, there is barely a room left in Darwin. There probably is not a room left in Darwin, so this is a significant boost for tourism and our accommodation businesses, not to mention the catering, the restaurants, the hairdressers - everything else that goes with so many people coming into Darwin for a great event.
Overall, we estimate that the V8s are worth about $5m to the Darwin economy for the days that they are here, which is a significant boost for many of our small businesses. Not only is it good for business though, it is exciting for Territorians. I thank SKYCITY for their support. In their time in Darwin they have shown considerable support for community events and realise the benefits of sponsorship of events for SKYCITY.
As government, we are supporting the V8s through additional works at Hidden Valley. Over the next four years we will be able to improve and expand facilities there at a cost of approximately $3.8m. There will be eight additional pit garages which is, again, something that we need for the growth in the V8s. There will also be vital remedial works to other parts of the motor sports complex.
I hope everyone here has an opportunity to go to the V8s this weekend. After hosting the event seven times it has become a major event. Even for people who take no interest in motor sports the rest of the year, this weekend becomes one where people either adopt a Ford or a Holden position, and get in there and enjoy it.
Palmerston Youth Programs – Funding
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Literally days before the election, funds to support youth and community programs in Palmerston were slashed by 50%. This week, the first week of the school holidays, Palmerston Y is closed. To keep faith with the families of Palmerston, will you restore funding to support the youth of Palmerston?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am not aware of the issue the member for Blain raises. I would refer it to another minister if they were aware. As the member knows, I do not have carriage of this particular issue. However, I will find out whether the facts as you are stating them are correct and have a response before the end of Question Time.
Tax Reform
Mr WARREN to TREASURER
The government’s reforms of payroll tax will help facilitate more jobs for Territorians. Can you advise the House of tax changes that will occur on 1 July and the benefits for all Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his first question in this Assembly. It is true that any move you make on payroll tax as a government has a potentially direct effect on employment. If you make the tax higher and harder for business to pay, you potentially drive down the ability of business to take on more employees. Alternatively, what we have been doing is trying to work payroll tax down as an impost on business to increase the ability of business to take on more employees.
1 July sees the roll out of the next range of the Labor government’s payroll tax changes. These are a series of reforms that began when we were first elected in 2001, where we made a reduction in the payroll tax rate from an existing 6.5% down to 6.2%. From 1 July last year, the government embarked on significant reform of the tax-free threshold that applied to this tax. Again, when we were elected in August 2001, the tax-free threshold was just $600 000 – from 1 July 2004, we raised it to $800 000, and as of 1 July 2005, we will raise that threshold to $1m.
Seventy-nine locally-based businesses no longer pay any payroll tax in the Northern Territory. That brings to a total of 162 the number of businesses not paying payroll tax since we began this reform program. The savings to those businesses which still pay payroll tax is around $20 500 - not insignificant. As from July next year, the threshold will rise again to $1.25m, equal to the best threshold in Australia. That is a great achievement for this Martin Labor government and one of which I am particularly proud, as Treasurer, to continue to monitor and carry through.
Container Deposit at Alice Springs Show
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for the ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
It is show day tomorrow in Alice Springs – a great time. The Arid Lands Environment Centre is giving 5 for cans collected tomorrow only at the Alice Springs Show. That is a great initiative for the children. It is funded by KAB and the Territory Anti-Litter Committee. Will you expand this initiative to the entire show circuit, as well as major events, as evidence of your government’s support for cleaning up the environment?
Members: What a great idea.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, our record stands for itself in terms of caring for the environment, and I know the reaction we are going to get from the other side. I could go back over what I have said a number of times …
Mrs Braham: No, just answer the question.
Mr Mills: It is a really good idea; honestly. We will applaud you.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … in my conversations with the member for Braitling, and also the member for Nelson who keeps on going back over and over …
Mr Wood: And will continue to do so.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … about CDL. We have had this conversation time and time again. You asked the question …
Mr Mills: Sounds like no.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … and I am trying to answer it …
Mrs Braham: Good.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … so if you could give me the same courtesy.
Mrs Braham: Will you?
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I have listened to your question, now give me the same courtesy …
Membersinterjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Please continue, minister.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Mills: We are all ears.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, cease interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Government is open to voluntary container deposit schemes, and we have said that a number of time, member for Braitling. This year, under our Litter Grants, we are funding Titjikala community to extend their voluntary container deposit scheme. I am looking at ways in which we can help more communities to undertake similar programs. The initiative taken by the Arid Lands Environment Centre for a 5 deposit at the Alice Springs Show is a good one. Like other members, I will be present at the Alice Springs Show and I look forward to visiting the Arid Lands Environment Centre stand.
We welcome them submitting a similar project in the future rounds of environment grants. I have never denied that. I have said on radio that we will encourage as many of these voluntary deposit schemes as possible. There have been a few come through and Titjikala is just one example.
Families – Service Delivery and Support
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The Northern Territory has one of the highest proportions of young families in Australia. How is this government getting on with the job of delivering better services and support for these families?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is great to have a question from the new member for Macdonnell, and I thank her for the question. Territory families are and have always been a major focus of this government. Our initiative means better support for, and more money in the pockets of, Territory families. Our government is supporting community services that provide much needed support to struggling Territory families. We have substantially increased the proportion of funding to 50% of the total Community Services budget.
From 1 July 2005, grants provided to non-government organisations will be indexed for the first time to take into account the real cost of providing services to our community. This will put an additional $0.5m a year into the non-government sector.
We have provided Territory families with more access to support than ever before, whether face-to-face, over the phone, or on the Internet, with the Office of Children and Families and the highly successful Parentline and Northern Territory Families web site.
Our child-care subsidies mean more child-care places for more Territory families, with an increase of 40% since 2001, and almost $3m in subsidies in the last year. A further commitment of $0.5m next financial year will allow these vital community child-care centres to upgrade their playground and other equipment.
In this term, the Labor government will be reducing the cost of education with a $50 voucher to help offset the cost of uniforms and school supplies for each Territory child enrolled in school.
We are supporting those who support others with a new carer’s card, providing concessions on essential services. This will help carers pay for essential services such as electricity, water, motor vehicle registration, and public transport. It is financial relief to carers worth up to $750 each year.
We are supporting families with better services. We will be setting up a family hub in Karama, providing a one-stop shop to support and assist families. The Territory is a great place for families and a great place for our kids. Our priority is to make sure it stays like that.
Hospital Accreditation – Alice Springs and Tennant Creek
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards recently included the Tennant Creek and Alice Springs Hospitals in its list of the nation’s 26 worst hospitals. These hospitals received a high priority rating allocated when patient and/or staff care is compromised, and when there is no evidence of improvement in care since the previous assessment. As you know, the assessments were based on a range of criteria, including patient safety, infection control, the quality of equipment, and adequate staffing. Minister, did you know that these hospitals had been given this rating prior to the election? What confidence can people attending these hospitals have in light of these ratings? If people feel their safety is at risk, will government pay to fly these patients interstate?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is quite clear that the member for Araluen’s campaign to talk down our hospitals is alive and well and continuing. The publicity surrounding the accreditation of our hospitals that appeared in The Australian about a week ago has been completely rebutted by the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care. The journalist concerned has basically taken two and two and come up with seven. They have gone to the report on the web site and assumed that because a high priority recommendation was put on two of our hospitals that that in some way branded them as very bad hospitals.
It is important for members to understand what the accreditation process involves. First of all, it is entered into voluntarily. Therefore, all five of our hospitals have chosen to go into a quality and safety process which is ongoing and is never completed. At the moment, we have accredited status in all five of our hospitals, which is a huge achievement by our staff in those hospitals. I commend them for it. However, the process of review will continue.
When the last assessment was done at Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs in particular, there were three high priority recommendations made. There were two at Alice Springs. One was that the admitting doctor should sign off on the patient’s documentation to allow it to be traced back to the initial assessment. The other was to increase staffing in the Intensive Care and High Dependency Units. Since those high priority recommendations were presented to the hospital, both have been acted on. We have announced $11m of additional staffing to that ICU/HDU area. There is now full coverage of intensivists and anaesthetists. We are still having some difficulty in obtaining permanent critical care nurses in there. That process of recruitment is continuing. However, we have fully responded to that recommendation.
In terms of Tennant Creek, it was the fire safety of the building that was detailed in the recommendation. That has been funded. It has been designed and the work will commence any moment.
It is quite fallacious and, in fact, the journalist and The Australian have now been publicly rebutted by the council saying that they had absolutely no basis to make the assertions they did. Our hospitals are safe. Their capacity is being built day by day. I commend the work of our hospitals. I can assure Territorians that they have a safe and very good service.
Industrial Relations Reforms
Mr BURKE to EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
This week is a week of national action against the divisive industrial relations reforms being promoted by Kevin Andrews and the Liberals in Canberra. I note the complete silence and lack of presence of Mr Tollner and Senator Scullion in protecting Northern Territory workers in this matter. Can you advise the House and the Northern Territory of the proposed changes to industrial relations?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. I am delighted to advise him, and the House, of this government’s position in relation to Howard’s industrial relations reform agenda. The new member for Brennan comes to this House well steeped in the fine traditions of unions and industrial relations as a practitioner at the coal face. It is something this Assembly can never have too much of - people with hard-nosed industrial relations expertise out there. I look forward to the contributions the member for Brennan will make in this forthcoming parliament.
We are totally opposed to the reforms proposed by the federal Liberal and National Party government. In many ways, this is little Johnny’s swan song. He has hated unions all his political career. He has been restrained in the past either by prime ministers above him …
Dr LIM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 52 states quite clearly that members of other parliaments should be referred to with respect, and that unbecoming or offensive words should not be used against any member of any Assembly …
Mr STIRLING: I will withdraw ‘little Johnny’ if that is the offensive remark. I withdraw ‘little Johnny’.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr STIRLING: Prime Minister ‘little Johnny’. At least we know who we are talking about.
Madam SPEAKER: Deputy Chief Minister, resume your seat! I would ask you to withdraw the term ‘little Johnny’, and if you would replace it with Prime Minister.
Mr STIRLING: Absolutely. Prime Minister Howard has long hated unions. All his life, all his political career, he has wanted to take unions on, and he thinks he now has the opportunity, from tomorrow, with a majority in the Senate, to do exactly what he wishes.
I have to tell the opposition, who were not there at lunch time, that there were a few more than a few thousand workers out in the streets of Darwin at lunch time – heralded, waved at, congratulated, applauded by people standing on the streets – as they marched from the top of Knuckey Street to the Civic Centre to hear what this government, and I as the spokesman for this government on this issue, and other speakers, had to say about this reform agenda.
This is an absolute attack on the basic rights of workers in this country. They are unnecessary and they will diminish the living standards of millions of Australian workers. The sooner the opposition wakes up to this and gets on side with this, the better off the Northern Territory will be.
During the election campaign, both the Chief Minister and I clearly articulated the position of the government. We do not support Australian workplace agreements. We will not introduce them into the Territory public sector - no way known. We will move further than that by seeking constitutional advice as to the limitations placed on us by the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act in relation to protecting workers outside the public sector, what options are available to us by way of legislation to protect the rights of private sector workers as well.
We will permit freedom of access to public sector workplaces by unions and by bargaining agents. We will ensure every employee who wants to join a union can do so freely and easily. We will continue to ensure payroll deductions for subscriptions for union members, and will maintain a permanent employment policy in the public sector and not willy-nilly contract out government services. That is what the workers of the Northern Territory want to hear. I am proud to stand here and articulate government policy on this issue.
We do not support the destruction of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, a body formed way back in 1904 - 101 years of proud existence in this country - serving the interests of everyone - employers and employees alike. As recently as a few weeks ago, when we had a long-running enterprise bargaining agreement being worked out with the teachers, it was in the office of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission that we finally reached agreement in the interests of all of those Territory parents, students and, of course, the teachers themselves. It still has a vital and important role to play in Australian industrial relations, and yet this government and this Prime Minister will have it done over and done away with.
We do not support that, and we do not support the shift of power so firmly into the hands of one side of the industrial relations dynamic. There are always two sides out there: employers and employees. We want the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to continue to be the neutral umpire in the arena here, to protect the rights of workers from these savage attacks by the Howard government.
I was proud today, and I was proud on the evening of May Day, to stand and address workers’ rallies. That rally today - and the opposition should make no mistake - was the biggest seen in the streets of Darwin since workers took on the Hatton government in 1987. I salute, applaud and commend every one of those unions, every one of those workers, which were there today. This government will stand with them to take on the Howard government with these reforms.
Power Insulator Replacement Program in Rural Area
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Over the last couple of months, many people in the rural area have been affected by constant interruption to their power supply. Power and Water say that this is due to bats flying around at this time of year, and the problem will decrease when new insulators are installed on powerlines in the area. Could you please say what has happened to the insulator upgrade program that used to be operating in the rural area? Has your government stopped funding the program and, if so, why? When will the program start again?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I am advised that outages in the rural area, particularly around the Corroboree area, have been due to a lot of fruit bats in the area. I can assure the member for Nelson that, in the repairs and maintenance budget within Power and Water, this government has increased spending over the past four years. The budget has gone from approximately $35m per annum up to almost $44m per annum. I am not aware of any cuts to that particular program.
For the information of members, the insulator replacement program means that longer insulators are replaced along the lines - I believe they are about 500 mm long - and you get more separation of the lines. In addition to that, there is a cross-arm replacement program being carried out. That also shifts the distance between the wires. There is a lot going on in trying to address this particular issue. One of the problems in the rural area is the long lines. The segments of line are quite long and they go for quite some distance along fairly isolated roads.
In regard to fruit bats, Power and Water is also testing some special covers for insulators. These are like a plastic mat that fit over the insulator. As well as that, electronic deterrents a bit like the Shu Roo, or whatever it is called, are also being trialled. In addition to try to minimise outages re-closure switches are being installed. These are works that are being done, along with further trials of replacement cross-arms.
I acknowledge, member for Nelson, that it is frustrating for people anywhere, particularly in the rural area, to have outages. However, I commend Power and Water and their workers. They do a great job in sometimes very trying conditions. We are putting resources into this particular area to try to minimise inconvenience to rural customers.
Barramundi Fishing
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
The Territory’s barra fishing experience is enjoyed immensely by many in my electorate and continues as a major drawcard for anglers to the Territory. Indeed, minister, I have heard you say it is the lure of the Territory. I have heard others say that as well, minister. Can you inform the House of what the government is doing to ensure that it will only get better?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. Yes, it is true that fishing is the lure of the Territory. I am pretty sure the people of Sanderson, and certainly all Territorians, will be very pleased to hear that, as my scientists advise me, the barramundi stocks remain very healthy throughout the Territory. They also advise me that natural seasonal variations mean that in good years the barramundi harvest will come very close to the long-term average sustainable yield. However, in bad years, the barramundi harvest will be well below the long-term sustainable limit.
I have two graphs here: one shows that, for the year 2000, a very good year, the barramundi harvest was very high and high numbers of barramundi were caught. However, in 2003, when the year was bad, the barramundi harvest went very much below the long-term sustainable yield. I would like to assure you that barramundi numbers are very big up here and the barramundi stock is very healthy.
In addition to that, we are developing a five year plan with a ten year outlook because we are not going to be complacent. We are going to protect our fisheries because it is true that many people come from down south to the Territory for fishing. The shops which sell a lot of fishing gear have advised us that during the Dry Season they have a significant increase in their sales. People spend anywhere from $300 up to $600 to buy fishing gear.
In addition to that, we have allocated $1m to buy back commercial fishery licences. In the next five years, we have committed to buy three barramundi licences.
Our expertise is recognised internationally and nation-wide and, as a result, the National Barramundi Experts Forum will be held in Darwin in early July 2005. The Australian Society of Fisheries Biology and the Australian Marine Science Association will be meeting in Darwin in the next few weeks as part of Seafood Week. The Northern Territory Seafood Festival to be held on 16 July 2005 is strongly supported by the government.
There are a number of other seafood industry related events which will take place during Seafood Week. I advise that, during Seafood Week, 650 convention delegates will be in Darwin and about 20 000 people, local and tourists, will attend some of these events, and the injection into the Territory economy will exceed $3m.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Supplementary Answer
Palmerston Youth Programs – Funding
Palmerston Youth Programs – Funding
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, in response to the question raised by the member for Blain about youth funding in Palmerston, I am advised that Sport and Recreation fund the Palmerston YMCA, and they are actually receiving increased funding to $85 000 this year. As far as I can ascertain at this stage, if there has been any cut in funding to the YMCA in Palmerston, then it is probably something he should direct to his federal counterparts.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016