2006-02-16
Illegal Fishing Boats – Chen Long
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
My question is about the largest illegal fishing boat, the Chen Long, ever seized in our harbour. This morning we have had a debate on a motion effectively attacking the federal minister for Fisheries, Senator Abetz, for not doing enough to protect our northern fisheries.
I spoke to Senator Abetz this morning and he said that the Commonwealth should do more and will do more. Will your government now accept our amendments to this morning’s motion and take a constructive, bipartisan approach, or will you insist on continuing to attack the minister even when he has clearly indicated he wants to help? Why do you continue to grandstand on the issue when the livelihood of our fishing industry is at stake?
ANSWER
Is the question being debated? We have not voted on the amendments; that is a serious breach of standing orders.
Ms Carney: Oh, rubbish!
Ms MARTIN: It is.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I have sought advice because you are actually relating your question to the amendments as opposed to just generally talking about the debate which is currently before the House. That is the problem in relation to the question. However, if the Chief Minister wishes to answer the question, then I will allow it. It is entirely up to the Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, your judgement is very right in this case. We allow a lot of latitude in this parliament, but this directly goes to the heart of a debate we are going to resume after Question Time. We have not voted on those amendments. That is what the parliament will do after question time has finished.
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, I am happy to rephrase the question. I will not start from the beginning. Let us put it this way, Chief Minister: are you and your government, and your fisheries minister in particular, willing to take a constructive, bipartisan approach or will you persist in your attack on the new federal fisheries minister who has indicated that he clearly wants to help? Why do you and your ministers continue to grandstand on this issue, when the livelihood of our fishing industry is at stake?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the issue of coastal surveillance, which is what this vote goes to the heart of, is clearly a federal responsibility. There are very clear responsibilities for what the Territory government does, and very clear responsibilities for what the federal government does.
Our motion, if I may refer to it, says clearly that the federal government should further fund the expansion of the Marine Rangers Program. It makes sense and we have argued that with them a number of times. We would like general support on that. I cannot talk too specifically about what this debate is about but, very clearly, I say we will continue to argue this point – and it is not grandstanding - that the federal government should fund coastal surveillance activities which includes marine rangers. It makes a lot of sense. I do not see why the Opposition Leader feels protective of the federal minister whose responsibility it is to properly fund coastal surveillance.
You have to ask how a boat of this size - and people have been asking as well - how does a whopper of a boat of 75 metres end up at the Wessel Islands without being first caught in surveillance? You have to seriously ask that question. It is clearly a federal government responsibility. There was a time when the CLP used to stand up for the Territory. Stop trying to be a part of the federal Coalition. I do remember the time - it is long gone.
Employer Incentives for Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Ms SACILOTTO to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING
As part of the Jobs Plan, the Martin government introduced incentives for employers taking on apprentices and trainees. Can you update the House on how these employer incentives have been used?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. As recently as lunchtime, I met with a 17-year-old apprentice chef at The Deck Bar who is one of the many to benefit. The Deck Bar is now one of 615 businesses and employers in the Northern Territory to take advantage of these incentives.
In the case of the apprentices and trainees, it is money that is well received; they are not on a very high wage or salary. So far, we have out laid $262 400 for 471 apprentices and trainees to support their work wear or work gear. That is the type of initiative government can pay for when you have brought three budget surpluses in a row, and when you have the fastest growing economy over the next five years with a growing and rapidly expanding labour market that we want to take full advantage of in skilling our young people for the future.
That is money that has gone directly into the pockets of young Territorians to help them along the way to getting the skills they need for the labour market but, most importantly, the Northern Territory needs in developing that skilled labour market. They are eligible for that incentive payment after three months probation of continuous employment. It is a $1000 payment for those skill shortage areas, the traditional trades areas, and $300 for those traineeship areas. A total of 471 apprentices and trainees have collected this benefit so far. It does not reflect the number eligible, which is well over 1000, so we are increasing our efforts in advising people and will keep working on it. I cannot believe people will be saying: ‘No, I am not interested in that’. I believe there is a marketing exercise here.
I ask all members to remind any constituents in their part of the world that they know of who have commenced an apprenticeship recently to check whether they are, indeed, eligible for this payment. If they are – and I suggest they are - they should front up and collect it.
Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit - Activities and Budget
Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
You have made much of the importance of patrols to deal with illegal fishing. Attached to the Northern Territory Police Force is the Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit dedicated to catching illegal fishermen. Is it not the case that this unit has only just done its first 10-day bush patrol in over a year? Is it not the case that the reason they have not been able to undertake any bush patrols until now is because they have not had any money? Is it not the case there is no budget for fuel to run these vessels? If you cannot even give the Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit money to buy fuel to undertake patrols, how do you expect the federal government to take you and the Northern Territory seriously on the issue of illegal fishing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for her question. I do not know who she is talking to, but she certainly has a real firm grasp on the wrong end of the stick. The Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit do a fabulous job across the Northern Territory, patrolling and ensuring safety on our waterways across the Northern Territory and our coastal areas.
The Northern Territory government, as part of our $75m Building our Police Force plan, has commissioned an extra $2m for new patrol vessels for the Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit. The Chief Minister and I launched the new vessel for Darwin Harbour a few weeks ago. As the Chief Minister was saying, prior to this government coming to office the Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit did not even have any boats to put on the water. They were a land-based Marine and Fisheries unit peering out across the water saying, ‘Gee, we wish we had a boat, then we could get out there and do some patrols’.
Ms Carney: Give them the juice, give them the juice.
Mr HENDERSON: To come in here and say that they are not doing any patrols, they have run out of fuel, is an absolute furphy. They are certainly out there and they are very active. From 1 July 2005 to 31 January 2006, the following activities were undertaken by the Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit:
search and rescue mission coordination – 30 activities;
safety – 126; vessels and trailers – 373; bag limits – 66.
They are out there, they are active, they have new boats to patrol our coastal and fisheries waterways across the Northern Territory, unlike when the CLP were in power, when they did not have any boats and were a land-based unit.
Jobs Plan 2 – Incentives for Apprentices and Trainees
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
How many employers have received money for assistance for training, and in what areas have they been receiving it?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I was just talking about the incentives that go to apprentices and trainees. There is the other side, of course, and that is the incentives that go to businesses and employers under our Jobs Plan 2.
We were the first government in the Northern Territory to introduce a jobs plan, and we have reconstructed Jobs Plan 1 into Jobs Plan 2. These are examples of what governments can do when they plan their budgets properly, they are disciplined about their expenditure, and when they target expenditure to strategic and specific areas of activity to boost the economy. They are evidence in themselves of the strong fiscal position that the Northern Territory government currently enjoys.
Employer incentives have been part of both Jobs Plan 1 and Jobs Plan 2. Since February 2004, 615 employers have picked up employer incentives. That is 615 businesses who have received assistance to boost skills and develop the Territory’s workforce. Of those, 223 were provided with incentives to fill skill shortages in the traditional trades area. That incentive is worth between $7000 and $7700 and is paid to the employer, the business, in two rounds. There has been $460 000 paid to employers and, over the next 26 months, $940 000 will be paid to employers in round one and round two payments. Of the small business incentives that vary from $2200 to now $3000, 362 employers have received these incentives. $383 000 has been paid out, with another $275 000 to be paid over the next 12 months. Allocations of incentives to councils have ceased under Jobs Plan 2. Under Jobs Plan 1, monies were paid to 30 employers over two rounds, totalling $45 000, with final instalments over the next 24 months of a further $25 000.
It does provide some support for business in what is a costly area, this whole area of training, and without this level of support that we have been able to put out to business and employers, we would not have the number of trainees and apprentices that we have on our books. This is just another aspect of the reforms that we have undertaken right across Employment, Education and Training, but which really do demonstrate our commitment to the development of the Territory and, most importantly, its young folk.
Labor Election Promises
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
I table a list of promises and commitments made by you and your colleagues before the last budget and before the last election. I invite you to refresh your memory. Will you state right here, right now, that you will keep every promise that you made to Territorians contained in that document made before the budget and the election? Or will you adopt your usual practice and use weasel words to not answer the question because your government’s so-called effective and prudent management actually means that you do not have the money to deliver?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I always welcome a question from the Leader of the Opposition because you always know there are going to be offensive words like ‘Will you adopt your usual practice’, and ‘weasel words’. Everything is predicated on what is in her head about this government.
Mrs Miller interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, those commitments we made before the election, yes, we will meet those, but importantly, we made that very much larger one for the Territory electorate and that was we will keep this economy growing. We will keep our budget in good shape and we will keep jobs growth strong. We will support young Territorians to get a good education and get good jobs.
Dundee Region – Powerline Project
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Regional development is essential for the sustainable economic development of the Northern Territory. Can you please update the House on the latest major development to be delivered to drive the economic development of the Dundee region?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. It has been great news for the people of the Daly region and I am talking about the powerline project that government is currently rolling out. Just a few months ago, before Christmas, I had the opportunity to travel to Dundee with the member for Daly and saw the very exciting projects being rolled out and …
Dr Lim: Dundee Downs need it too.
Mr HENDERSON: Did I hear a voice from the wilderness? A hollow voice from the wilderness on the other side of the House, Madam Speaker?
Dr Lim: Dundee Downs.
Mr HENDERSON: Sorry, I missed the interjection.
Dr Lim: Dundee Downs. I will repeat it for you: Dundee Downs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, order.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I do not know if the member for Greatorex has ever been to that part of the Territory. However, I was there and the member for Daly has just been there switching on the power. We put more infrastructure into the Dundee region in the four years that we have been in government than the previous government did since the region was developed some many years. So the member for Greatorex should probably sit and listen because when they were in government they did nothing.
About $6.3m has so far been spent on the joint government/PowerWater project. It is the largest powerline infrastructure project in the Territory in the last 20 years, and a real example of what can be achieved by good economic management. Three budget surpluses in a row gives us the financial capacity to invest in our great Northern Territory and to deliver better services for Territorians. About 600 power poles have been erected and more than 380 km of powerline have been strung since work began to extend the network to the Dundee Beach area in February 2004. That is not a mirage, member for Greatorex, that is real infrastructure that the people out there are celebrating.
Work is continuing to install substations to supply a number of customers along the mainline route and people whose property fronts Namarada Drive, Fogg Bay Road and Cox Peninsula Road, and they will have the opportunity to progressively connect to town power this year. It is expected that about 200 customers will take the power supply initially - a real sign of our commitment to regional development. Not only does that supply electrification to those blocks, it will spur investment out there. I talked to a number of business operators who were very keen, and in fact there was construction activity already happening, pre-empting the fact that the power was coming. It will spur real investment in the region.
Another exciting power project, Madam Speaker, is the undergrounding of power in Nightcliff and Rapid Creek that I know that you were watching with great interest.
The boring works have now been completed to 686 properties in Nightcliff and 14.5 km of footpath have been laid to support the transition for overhead power lines to more reliable underground power. The first 329 properties have been changed over to the new system, and power poles and conductors removed. The installation of electrical cables has recently commenced at the remaining 369 properties in Nightcliff, and detailed design work is nearing completion for the first 333 properties in Rapid Creek.
This is a government that is getting on with the job, with investing in infrastructure in the Northern Territory, not only to deliver better services to Territorians, but also to spur further investments in the economic boom that is happening across the Territory at the moment.
Members: Hear, hear!
Oncology and Radiotherapy Unit – Royal Darwin Hospital
Mr WOOD to Minister for Health
In 2001, Labor promised in the budget an oncology and radiotherapy unit at the Royal Darwin Hospital. In February 2003, it was deferred by your predecessor. The Barton report said in August 2004, even though there were some risk, it should be built. In May 2005, you announced expressions of interest for establishing a sustainable oncology unit to be built at a cost $14m. Is it no wonder that many Territorians, especially those needing treatment, in having to go to Adelaide are getting cranky about this issue? When will Territorians get an oncology and radiotherapy unit?
Answer
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question because it gives me a chance to update the House on where we have reached in that process. You are quite right. We put out the expressions of interest. We have since been in negotiation with a would-be partner as a result of that process to outline in detail the requirements that would be needed to establish such a facility and service in Darwin.
We now have a very detailed picture of that. As a result of that detail now being available, I have written to the federal Minister for Health and Ageing because one of the things that the detail shows us is that we are going to need some support from the federal government, both in capital and recurrent aspects of the project. We will wait to see what the federal government can do in regard to a commitment and then we will be in a position where we can make a decision about it.
Hospital Waiting Lists – Elective Surgery
Dr LIM to Treasurer
Yesterday, you told the House that it was nonsense to suggest that the hospital services were not improving while evading a question about waiting lists. You say that the funding to Health had increased by 40%. In the last three years, waiting lists at the Royal Darwin Hospital for elective surgery have increased from 1394 to 1705 people. On Monday, just this week, Yvonne Falckh, head of ANF NT branch said on ABC radio that ‘the Alice Springs Hospital is chockers’.
Has your government broken this promise to shorten waiting lists? Why is it that GST windfalls have not been used to ease these problems? Treasurer, are you saying to those 1705 people in Darwin that these increased waiting times are also nonsense?
Answer
Madam Speaker, the member for Greatorex would have it that the public health system is in crisis, in strife and not meeting its objectives. I would impart an answer I gave yesterday in relation to education, in relation to public health, in relation to crime, the sorts of headlines that we saw through the latter part of 2000 and the first part of 2001. There was not a week that went by when there was not a front page reference in our NT News to crime or hospitals overcrowded, people on trolleys waiting in corridors because there were no rooms for them, nurse shortages, constant questions about the accreditation of Royal Darwin Hospital.
That is the sort of basket case that we inherited in 2001, in which we have worked diligently as a government in order to pump as much money into those key service delivery agencies of police, health and education that we can, including a massive 40% into health. That is an astonishing amount in anyone’s terms and it does go to demonstrate just how far under-funded the health system was under the former government. When we put 40% increase in and there are still difficulties in demand, well then, there always will be difficulties in demand, because Health budgets, like all other budgets, have to be managed even with 40% increases.
Not only did they under-fund Health, they employed deceit by way of special little pages in the budget books that are around, marked ‘presentation only’, to suggest that they spent less in the financial year that they were in, in order to be able to demonstrate a larger increase in the forthcoming budget year - deceit that led before a Public Accounts Committee inquiry and was duly prosecuted, to the shame of the Chief Minister and the Health minister at that time …
Dr Lim: You have hidden even more!
Mr STIRLING: … and including the member for Greatorex who was a part of that committee and had to witness and be a party to all that unravelling of that deceit.
Madam Speaker, there will always be demand around a public health system no matter how much money you put in. Forty percent is a huge effort and Health, along with every other agency in government, is expected to manage its budget.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Medical Records Section Upgrade
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you please update the House on the progress of the $2.5m government allocation to the Medical Records unit at Royal Darwin Hospital?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for the question. It is, indeed, a happy day to go out there today to celebrate with Praveena Narayan and her staff the opening of the facility that we have put in place.
When you have three budget surpluses in a row, you can get out and pick up some of the neglected areas - in my case in the health system. One of the most neglected areas I saw when I became Health minister - and you are aware of it from your time in the role as well - was the Medical Records unit at Royal Darwin Hospital. Staff were working in appalling conditions there. There was barely enough space between the rows of files for a human body to fit through, let alone to read the numbers on the files and do the work that those workers are paid to do.
It is a very different picture today. There are electronic controls that allow compressor file racks to be moved around without physical effort from the staff, plenty of room to get around and service the records, and very well-lit work spaces. I can tell you that there are some very happy workers out there as a result of this intervention by the government. These are the staff who are the engine room of the hospital because, while everyone in the community will see the doctors, the nurses and all the important work that they do, without these support services, the hospitals would not be safe or sustainable. It is incredibly important that this functions well in the hospital, and I am very happy to say that our government has made sure that it will function well.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Emergency Treatment of Patient
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER referred to the MINISTER for HEALTH
Your Treasurer said yesterday that it was nonsense to suggest that hospital services were not improving and you said that services had improved remarkably. What do you say then to Mr Mark Salter of Palmerston who wrote to your Health minister in disgust after having to wait 17 hours to have a blockage in his throat removed? His wait involved being placed in corridors because there were no beds, and being offered Coca-Cola as the best emergency treatment available as they searched for a bed for him. This is the human face of your so-called ‘effective and prudent management’ of your budget.
Where is the money for these vital services? Where has it gone? Instead of saying ‘it takes time’, how do you explain yourself to people like Mark Salter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, while I am happy to take a question that is so specifically on health, it is more appropriately directed to the Health minister, and I will do that.
Ms Carney: So, you will duck that one?
Dr Lim: Because of your mismanagement.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: No, the Opposition Leader says I am ducking it …
Ms Carney: You said yesterday that they were improving.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I do not have the detailed knowledge of health that the Health minister has. He has very detailed knowledge. In this parliament, it is more appropriate to put a question like that specifically to do with health to the minister. I say again what the Treasurer has just said, that we have put considerable extra funds into our health system; I hate to disagree with the Treasurer, but it is actually an increase of 43%. Health systems will always have things that do not necessarily immediately meet some aspects of service, that will not meet an immediate reaction to someone who is ill. That is why we have a triage; that is why we have the processes in the health system to deal with the kind of pressure that they have on a day to day basis.
I believe those who work in our health system do a great job. When the Opposition Leader said yesterday she did not think any of those people were worth a pay rise, I again say today that our nurses and our doctors deserve to be paid properly because they do a great job and they do it under great pressure. We have effectively used additional GST funds to be able to put 43% more funds into the health system.
The Health minister probably has something he would like to add specifically on this issue.
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to answer some of these health questions that seem to be directed at everyone else but the Health minister, so I do not know what their tactic is on that. However, that is the way they choose to play it.
There is no doubt that we have increased the capacity of our hospitals. There is equally no doubt that the demand coming through the door of ED has been increasing year by year since we came to government and long before that. There are many reasons for that, both in terms of the morbidity out in the community and also the issue that I brought to this House this morning of the supply of GPs in the general community. All of those things put pressure on ED, all of those things will mean that someone who is triaged at a lower level when they come into the ED will wait until the more serious cases are treated first.
There are constant claims that we have put all this money into the health system and where has it gone? It is probably a good opportunity to show where some of this money has gone. All five of our public hospitals are now independently accredited, and that is as a result of upgrades of the procedures protocols, facilities and staff in those hospitals. We have increased the number of staff employed by 14% since we came to government. More hospital beds – 53 additional beds in our main hospitals. Better emergency departments, including $6.1m for the new wing at Royal Darwin Hospital; an extra $1m a year into Alice Springs for ED. We have expanded the Hospital in the Home to seven days a week at Royal Darwin Hospital, and we will shortly be extending it to Alice Springs. Other areas of the Alice Springs Hospital have been better resourced to take pressure off the ED, with the Intensive Care and High Dependency Units going in at $11m. The hospice in Darwin has taken 12 terminally-ill patients out into a hospice arrangement rather than occupying beds in the hospital.
We have set up the health call centre to take pressure off the emergency departments. We have put 100 extra nurses into our health system, including more hospital-based nurses, 86 FTEs in the hospital, with 20 in the community. We have better pay and conditions under the existing and the latest instalment of the EBA. There are more resources for Dental Services with an extra $3m. We have upgraded school dental services. We are bringing that back up to a fully operational level. We have a new Palmerston Dental Clinic. We are attracting more dentists into the Northern Territory, where the waiting times for dental treatment have decreased quite remarkably. There have been ambulance service upgrades. Child health services have been improved, with better immunisation programs, and improved maternity services. Renal services have been extended to areas outside the main urban centres. Single nurse postings have been duplicated.
I could go on. However, that is where the money is going into our health system. It is a far better health system for it, and we will continue to build its capacity.
Northern Territory Economy – Territory Artists’ Contribution
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for ARTS and MUSEUMS
The Northern Territory has the fastest growing economy in the nation, reflected in many major projects planned or under development in many parts of the Territory. What has been our Territory artists’ contribution to these developments?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. Today, I had the pleasure of launching the Territory’s first public arts policy next door in the Northern Territory Supreme Court. Surely that building must be regarded as one of the finest examples of a public art precinct in the nation for Nora Napaljari’s Milky Way Dreaming mosaic on the ground floor to the many other sculptures and paintings inside that building.
It is certainly my view and government’s view that the diverse artistic community can make an enormous contribution to the many private and public collections and precincts in the maintenance of curatorial work on existing collections and precincts. The member for Katherine was in attendance and there was a great crowd. The policy lays the foundation for us to move forward.
I made an announcement today of the award of $20 000 for the Declan Apuatimi/J Bird memorial sculpture. The work selected for this award will be made by an independent panel and will be announced early next month. As I said at the launch, I anticipate calls for the expressions of interest for the public art grants to occur around the same time.
Finally, in launching the public arts policy, we will also establish a register of the public art including historic records of public artworks, existing public artworks, works created through this program and works independently created of the program. There is also $150 000 which will be for major projects emphasising public artworks specifically commissioned to compliment new and developing building and other civil projects. It was good to see Toga, the consortia with the Darwin Waterfront there, and there was quite a productive discussion with Toga and their involvement with public art in Darwin into the future, and particularly with our great waterfront project. There will be four grants of $20 000 and that will be again for new buildings and civil work projects, and five smaller grants of $10 000.
It is clear that there is a lot more private consortiums and other people in the private sector wanting to be part of these partnerships, and that is great to see. With our budget surpluses we are able to provide greater funding to the arts community and put forward a policy such as this. We provide the lowest business taxes in Australia, so it is clear, and it will show through the arts that they are a major contributor to our economy.
Members: Hear, hear!
Larapinta Stage 2 – Land Sale
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
Stirling Heights Stage 2 was passed in at the last auction. You had a very high reserve price, but most of all you had 12 blocks allocated to public housing. I believe you have rezoned that. Could you tell me when it is going to be up for auction again? What is the reserve price? Is it less than you had on it last time? I believe you are going to put out six blocks for first home buyers, but are you still going to have six blocks for public housing? Can you tell me whether that will be general public housing, or renal patients, or for seniors? Do you really expect to sell it if you have such a huge block of public housing complexes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. These Larapinta developments have been great for Alice Springs. This government has worked to support this. Despite negativity from the opposition during that process, it showed that native title issues could be resolved and a win/win situation both for native title holders and for those looking to purchase homes in Alice Springs.
Of the 45 blocks in Stage 2, as I call it, of Larapinta, it is true that there were six blocks that were for public housing, and also six blocks for first home buyers. The six blocks for first home buyers will remain …
Mrs Braham: At what price?
Dr BURNS: You know these are commercial dealings.
With the public housing blocks, it has been decided to consolidate those, as you are well aware, into one block.
Mrs Braham: That is a worry.
Dr BURNS: Well, as a government we recognise that, we have an obligation to provide housing and development for the general public. There is also a place for first home buyers and there is also a place for public housing. Is the member for Braitling suggesting that government does not have an obligation in respect to public housing?
Mrs Braham: No, I am suggesting some of the complexes we have, have enormous problems already.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you have asked the minister a question, please let us hear the answer.
Dr BURNS: As for any proposals for renal units, I am not aware of that. I am not aware of any proposals for seniors. Just to verify what you say, the development was passed in at auction as it did not reach the reserve price. It is being redesigned and we will go out and test the market again. I cannot tell you what the reserve price is.
Mrs Braham: We could tell you what the reserve price was before.
Dr BURNS: How many people selling their homes tell the public what the reserve price is at an auction?
Mrs Braham: Well, you had a reserve price on it before minister.
Illegal Fishing Boats
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
We are all aware of the increasing numbers of reports of foreign fishing vessel incursions in the northern waters of Australia. Are you able to provide any details on reports today of a 75 metre vessel being detained on suspected illegal fishing activities north of Gove?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
ANSWER
As I said before, I was observing from the balcony of my office a 75 metre steel hulled vessel under a Panamanian flag being escorted into the Port of Darwin by HMAS Dubbo. I believe that the boat was intercepted north of Nhulunbuy. It was intercepted by Coast Watch and then by HMAS Dubbo. I extend my congratulations and appreciation to Coast Watch and the Royal Australian Navy for the fantastic job they are doing, even with the limited resources they have at this stage, in the northern Australian waters.
Every single dot is a single vessel coming into Australian waters. Look at 2004, they came down to Maningrida, to Groote Eylandt, and Borroloola. Every single boat, 8000 boats in total. This is not our map. That was provided to us when I went to Canberra and met with Ian Macdonald. It was provided to us by Customs.
For the opposition to come here today and say it is grandstanding is hypocritical. This is the opposition who for three years said nothing about illegal fishing. They had to ring Senator Eric Abetz in Canberra before they reacted to our motion and they are complaining that it is a confrontational motion. And we are undermining the minister because we asked the Prime Minister to …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: The Western Australian minister agrees with me that the Prime Minister should take control of it, it should be a whole-of-government approach and Senator Eric Abetz himself agrees with me because on 4 February, on ABC radio program AM, he said: ‘Illegal fishing in Australia impacts on Customs, AQIS, quarantine, biodiversity, illegal immigration’ and without being to melodramatic, ‘potential terrorist implications as well’. Eric continued:
- And therefore I think we need a whole-of-government approach if we want to protect our borders to ensure we know exactly who comes into our waters and on what terms they come into our waters.
Thank you, Eric, that is a great help.
The member for Katherine asked me, ‘Have you spoken to the minister?’ Yes, member for Katherine I have. Have you? If you had, you would have found out not only have I spoken to the minister, I have written to the minister. We both agreed it is a very big issue. I have a meeting next Thursday in my office with Eric Abetz to discuss this issue because we both agree this is beyond politics. It is a very important issue.
Budget Deficit
Mr MILLS to TREASURER
You have made much of your projected deficit of $68m, and that your projections are you will come in on target at that $68m deficient. However, what you have not told Territorians is that, according to page 26 of your mid-year report, you have sold $40m of financial assets for liquidity purposes and, on page 24, you have increased borrowings by $50m. These amounts were not in the original budget and represent $90m of extra debt and asset sales. Do you agree that, by not including this asset stripping and borrowing in your original budget and then claim that you will meet your projected budget result, it is neither transparent nor honest?
ANSWER
I absolutely reject that, Madam Speaker! In fact, public finances in the Northern Territory have never been more transparent than when this government came to office and passed the Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Act. Do you know why we passed that? To stop the cheating, the lying, the deceitful budgets that you guys introduced three years in a row. We follow the Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Act to the letter of the law.
I am not sure what figures the shadow minister is referring to, but there is nothing – nothing - by way of exposure in selling off hidden assets or bringing other things on to the book – no such thing whatsoever. He could be looking at some accrual figures.
We had this allegation the other day in terms of a blow-out: ‘You spent so much more over the first half of the financial year’. Governments always do. Governments invariably spend more over a financial year than they budgeted for at the outset. I gave the example that, if a school is blown away in a cyclone, are you going to sit there and say: ‘Sorry, you cannot have your school for 18 months because it is going to blow our budget out’? Governments also get more revenue throughout the year and that is why, when we put the budget down in May 2005, we predicted a $68.9m deficit. At the halfway mark, at the mid-year report - notwithstanding there has been increased expenditure and also increased revenue flows - Treasury are holding to a $68.2m deficit. That is pretty remarkable: to be able to sustain that progress throughout the year.
NRL Game in Alice Springs
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The Martin government is providing support to ensure Alice Springs residents enjoy a bumper sport season this year. Can you please inform the House of the NRL game that will be played this weekend?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question and look forward to being at the match with the member for Macdonnell. It is more than 10 years since we have seen national Rugby League played in the Territory. I am very proud to be ensuring a return this year to the sporting calendar of an exciting event which occurs in Alice Springs this weekend. It would be easier to just plan these events for the larger Top End audience, but it is very much a part of the Territory government’s ambition to ensure that we are a government for the whole of the Territory, and that people right across the Territory enjoy and benefit from such elite sporting events.
This government has invested $73 350 to support the Australian Rugby League to travel to Alice Springs to put on this match between the Penrith Panthers and the Newcastle Knights. It would be great to have the best player in the world attending. Andrew Johns will be there; he will be in town. He will not be playing, but he will be travelling with a team and, along with the other players and coaches, he will be conducting a series of clinics and community visits.
I know, from the experience of other sports, this match will provide the motivation for many of our young Territorians to either take up the sport of Rugby League or to strive to make themselves the best they can in their chosen sport. That is the real benefit of these elite events and a point that cannot be underestimated. With AFL games and Imparja Cup cricket coming to Alice Springs in due course, there are plenty of happy sports fans in Alice at the moment.
I take this opportunity to thank the Central Australian Rugby Football League, who played an integral role in planning for this event. In particular, thanks go to Mr Brad Tessman and his board for their professional approach, and the NRL for putting on such a quality event in Alice Springs.
As I said, I will be heading to Alice tomorrow for the game. I expect I will be one of many, as I am told ticket sales have been strong and they are hoping for a crowd of about 7000. It will be good to catch up with the rugby fans there. No doubt, I will have to put a few of their minds at ease, given that the member for Blain has announced CLP policy will be to cut big sporting events like this if they ever reach government. I will let them know that it is okay, we are in touch with Territorians’ needs and we will continue to fund elite sporting events right across the Territory.
Northern Territory Budget – Employee Expenses Blow-Out
Mr MILLS to TREASURER
Yesterday, you were asked about a blow-out in the employee expenses of the Territory budget. You claimed there was no blow-out and pointed to the cash result and bottom line being the same. However, what about the sold assets and increased borrowings used to rescue that bottom line? I draw your attention to the Auditor-General’s report on page 23, where the budget for employee expenses is listed at $1bn, but the actual result was $1.12bn, this being a variation of $120m in the wrong direction. Why do you think, that by denying the blow-out, you will make this problem go away?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I, too, have a copy of the Auditor-General’s Report, and I refer him to page 11, where he talked about auditing the public account and other accounts from the Treasurer’s Annual Financial …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Mills: We asked you a question on page 23. You might have misunderstood, we said page 23.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister is answering the question, member for Blain.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, the Auditor-General talks about how Budget Paper No 2 outlines the fiscal and economic outlook, and includes the fiscal strategy and how it has been unchanged throughout this period of time, as in previous years, resting upon three absolute key principles: sustainable service provision; a competitive tax environment; and prudent management of liabilities. He talks about each principle and what is required, and what does it mean. Sustainable government services is the ability of the government to sustain its capacity to provide the services, and it requires that a break even or positive nett operating balance be achieved. The fiscal strategy has been predicated upon achieving a general government cash surplus and a positive nett operating balance by 2012-13. He also goes to some detail along the lines of the extent to which that target has been achieved.
He talks about the nett operating balance for the tax-supported general government sector for 2004-05 is a deficit $23.9m, representing an improvement on the result for 2003-04, which was a deficit of $40.2m, and can be viewed as indicative of the trend that is maintained, which should see the strategy achieved and the sector move progressively to a position of sustainability. At the same time, a cash surplus of $51.4m was achieved by the general government sector for the year, consistent with the strategy.
So, you have to look at the whole balance of what the Auditor-General has to say. In terms of …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! To deal with this properly, what is required is a debate, and bring the debate on. That is selective, it is not addressing question that I asked.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Blain, there is no point of order. Resume your seat. Treasurer, have you finished your answer?
Mr Mills interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Blain!
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, there are three key fiscal principles we are talking about here. I have dealt with one. The member for Blain asked the question, he is going to get the answer.
In terms of a competitive tax environment, what is required in order to achieve this, well that is to ensure Territory taxes and charges are competitive with the average of the states. Based on Grants Commission data, the level of revenue raising effort is the second-lowest in Australia indicates the average per capital level of taxation in the Territory is consistent with the target. It is consistent with the fact, that for business up to 100 employees in the Northern Territory, it is the lowest in Australia.
Ms CARNEY: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The question asked was straightforward; it was specific. It was in relation to particular information on page 23. The Treasurer has not found it within himself to move from page 11. We do ask that you direct him to answer the question, or alternatively stop wasting time.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, Leader of the Opposition. As you would be aware, the minister is answering the question and there is a fair bit latitude in relation to ministers’ answers.
Mr STIRLING: There are three key principles involved, and the third and final one is to prove that management of liabilities - and this would be educative for the CLP. I have never heard of these words, let alone understand what proof of management would be.
What is required here to meet this objective of proof of management of liability, that is that nett debt and employee liabilities as proportion of total revenue to fall. The total liabilities of the non-financial public sector have declined relative to the total revenues of the sector since the adoption of the fiscal strategy consistent with the objectives of the strategy. Now, if you are going to say that the Auditor-General says that the budget is blown or you are not going to meet your objectives, have a look at page 11 where he ticks off each of the key principles of our fiscal strategy and says: ‘Well on track to achieving it’.
Bootu Creek Underpass
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Last Thursday, your department announced that the Stuart Highway would have 4.5 tonne load limit at the Bootu Creek underpass, the reason being that the road has been extensively damaged and sections of the bridge had sunk because the underpass has been full of water which could not drain away. I table a photograph of the Bootu Crossing about the end of January. I think that water is down by about half of what it was originally.
As your department always requires approval for access onto, under, or over the Stuart Highway reserve, and as your department has to approve the design of that access, is your department in any way responsible for the damage caused to the highway by this underpass? Is the government also liable for any of the substantial cost in keeping the highway open, pumping the water out of the underpass, paying a traffic controller to be on site for 24 hours, pumping concrete under the bridge, and the eventual repair of the highway? If so, what are those costs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I have been advised by the department that this particular underpass was designed and constructed at the expense of the proponents, that is Bootu Creek Resources. Neither government nor the department accept any liability for what has occurred there. I am also advised that the flooding and the rain were quite excessive by anyone’s standards. The bottom line that I have been advised is that the underpass works are subject to a defects liability period, therefore all reinstatement works are at full cost to the developer and contractor. The short answer to your question, member for Nelson, is that government is not accepting any liability or any cost to do with the damage that is associated there and that is what I can relay to the House.
Air Transport Infrastructure in Remote Communities
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Many of our Territorians live in remote communities. Could you please advise the House what this government is doing about air transport infrastructure in our remote communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a very important question because our remote communities rely on air transport, not only for the transport aspect, but also for air medical evacuations. I recall, when I first got into Cabinet, it was the former Minister for Local Government, Jack Ah Kit, who argued very strongly for government to have a program rolling out over, I think it was 5 years, to address issues to do with remote aerodromes and barge landings. He spoke very strongly about the reliance that remote communities have on this infrastructure and he also convinced Cabinet that there had been neglect of this infrastructure over many years by the previous government, and how important it was for this infrastructure to be upgraded.
What I will provide today is a snapshot of some of the things that are going on. There has been a whole range of projects that have already been completed, but I will try to be brief. We have been able to do this as a government with three budget surpluses and tight fiscal management.
This is how we were able to deliver these: record capital works infrastructure over the life that we have been in since 2001, and tight financial management.
And so we have been able to upgrade and maintain remote aerodromes: , Bulman aerodrome, for example, to all-weather operation; $645 000 on extending and sealing the runway including providing flood protection; a further $800 000 at Minyerri, upgrading it to all-weather capacity; and $1m on sealing Ramingining. It was my pleasure to go out with the new member for Arnhem, who is just as passionate about this infrastructure as her predecessor, to Ramingining last year. We were told just how difficult it was for air medical evacuations without all-weather capacity. People would have to be transported the 35-odd km out to the barge landing, transported by sea across to Milingimbi which is the next all-weather aerodrome, and flown into Darwin. Obviously, these works now make that a thing of the past, and thankfully so.
When we were in Community Cabinet in Central Australia recently, there was much discussion about the Alpurrurulam aerodrome. We are extending and widening the runway, upgrading the lighting system and signal area at a total cost of more than $1m. A week or so ago, Pigeon Hole was flooded, and unfortunately these works were not in place for that, but what we are doing at Pigeon Hole is providing all-weather capacity and an upgraded emergency runway lighting system and signal area at a total cost of $630 000.
These are very important projects. I know the member for Goyder asked the question - $96 000 worth of work at Belyuen aerodrome and that will be upgrade for suitable drainage and replacement of the emergency solar lighting.
There are employment opportunities created by this, with period contracts for local government councils.
Madam Speaker this is a government that has an eye for infrastructure throughout the Territory. We are spending record amounts and we are able to deliver that because we are good financial managers.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker. I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016