2005-10-18
Papunya Community – Police Investigation
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
You are, presumably, aware of an article that appeared in a leading interstate newspaper on the weekend about Papunya and what was described as ‘a litany of corrupt practices’. I table the article. You are aware of numerous claims and inquiries concerning allegations of missing money and corrupt administration at that community. Can you advise what, if anything, your government has done that is independent to any federal inquiry to determine what, if any, Territory money has gone missing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is as though we have been there before. This was the way Question Time started last Tuesday. The Leader of the Opposition asked a whole series of questions during Question Time which went to the heart of a police investigation alleging all kinds of …
Dr Lim: The papers are full of it.
Ms MARTIN: … a range of things to do with a situation at Papunya, regarding the dealings with whitegoods. From the Opposition Leader we had accusations that nothing was happening, and that government was sitting by watching a number of things happen to do with Papunya without doing anything. We went through carefully what was happening last week. At the end of last week, on Thursday, we had the police investigation into the series of questions that the Opposition Leader asked. The police investigation said there was no case to answer and dismissed it.
We have the Opposition Leader simply ignoring the fact that we have had a police investigation into the heart of what she was asking last week. I did talk, at the time, about an investigation that was going on through the Department of Justice and the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs – that is a separate investigation. We also have a Commonwealth investigation through the Commonwealth Office of Audit and Evaluation. That report is coming down shortly, I believe.
How much longer can the Opposition Leader continue to come in here and, I believe, waste the time of this House on what is a vengeful and vicious attack that is directed towards the member for Macdonnell? We saw what happened last week - a series of questions. They were dismissed. The accusations about government doing nothing, sitting on our hands, not taking action about public servants or members of my own staff in the Office of Central Australia, not taking action about anything to do with the member for Macdonnell, were dismissed by the police. I dismiss all questions you ask on this matter today.
Radioactive Waste Facility – Blocking Legislation in Senate
Ms ANDERSON to CHIEF MINISTER
I refer to the Commonwealth government’s actions to impose a nuclear dump by stripping Territorians of their democratic rights. Can the Chief Minister advise what steps are being taken to see the Commonwealth plan blocked by the Senate?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a question that is critical to this parliament and to the future of the Northern Territory. I made no bones about the fact, since last Thursday when we saw this legislation go into the Commonwealth parliament, that we would go to all lengths – and I hope I am joined by that side of the House – to fight the Commonwealth on this issue. We are not going to have Territory rights overridden, and that is what we saw in the legislation last week. We are not going to be the site, unscientifically chosen, of a nuclear waste dump somewhere in the Territory on Defence land.
In the fight to tackle this legislation, where was our first point of where we should go? To the Senators, because that is where we can knock off this legislation - in the Senate. What does the Labor Senator Trish Crossin do? Absolute support! What do we hear from the CLP Senator Nigel Scullion? Despite what we have heard from CLP Senator Nigel Scullion about standing up for the rights of Territorians, about his commitment to Territorians and our future, which is what you …
Mr Wood: Why don’t you talk to Jenny Macklin?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, cease interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, this is a very important issue. We have young Territorians here who, I am sure, are very interested - and older Territorians - about what our future is in terms of our constitutional rights - whether we can be ridden over, as we saw last week, by the Commonwealth government and whether we are, in fact, going to be the repository for federal nuclear waste and, potentially, medium-level nuclear waste in the future. It is an important issue for our future.
The man who holds the key to knocking off this legislation is the CLP Senator Nigel Scullion who has protested over the last couple of months that he would not let this happen. I have some quotes to demonstrate just how emphatically Senator Nigel Scullion said he would fight for the Territory. It is only recently. Let us go back to 19 August 2005. This is what we have, the words of Senator Nigel Scullion, when asked by the ABC in Alice Springs if the final decision on a nuclear dump in the Territory were ever to rest with the Senate, would he cross the floor? Senator Nigel Scullion said:
- Well, obviously I would.
From the same interview, he also said that he felt he had had to cross the floor because:
- Territorians have had this shoved down our throats and we don’t like it.
Nigel Scullion, we agree. He also said, on the same day:
- It is not a career move crossing the floor, but you know what has to be done. That is the name of the game. At the end of the day, you have to represent those people who put you there.
Mrs Braham: Did you protest so much when the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill was overturned by federal parliament, or did you just remain silent?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: This is the man who said never on his watch. Well, I say to Senator Scullion, it is your watch now, and he is letting Territorians down. Instead, we have the embarrassing sight of Senator Scullion out in the public saying that we need to have this nuclear waste dump, otherwise we will end up, in medical terms, a third world country. Subsequently, he has been totally ridiculed about those claims.
What I have been doing is calling Senators to explain our situation, to get their support for knocking off this legislation when it hits the Senate. I believe that will happen in November. The Country Liberal Party should be making the same effort to their own Senator, Nigel Scullion of the Country Liberal Party, a man who said he had the Territory’s interests at heart and would cross the floor on this issue, and came out last week and said he would not.
The onus is on the Country Liberal Party. The Country Liberal Party needs to make sure that Senator Scullion stays with the words that he told Territorians back in August; that he would cross the floor, he would not put up with this kind of thing being shoved down Territorians’ throats, and actually stand by his words. He should deliver on the promise that he gave then, to cross the floor and see the end of this legislation; this treading of Territory rights in the Senate.
Radioactive Waste Facility – Advice for Legal Proceedings
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
You have asked Senator Scullion to stand by his words, we ask whether you are prepared to stand by yours? Many months ago, you and some of your ministerial colleagues said that you would use all of the resources of government to do whatever you could to ensure that the federal government would not provide a nuclear waste dump. Apart from a petition, what resources have you used? Where is the legal advice that you said you would obtain? Why were legal proceedings not commenced, as you indicated? Have you now sought fresh legal advice this time around? Are you able to issue proceedings and, if so, when will you do it?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is all very cute …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: I will answer the question, but it is cute for the Opposition Leader to stand up here when it is her own party which can actually stop this happening. The challenge is for the CLP to get their Senator to do what he had committed to do.
Ms Carney: The answer to the question might be?
Ms MARTIN: You are just dismissing it in the most contemptuous way. The Opposition Leader says, ‘What can I do?’ I can tell her very clearly what the Country Liberal Party can do: they can do what they did when the previous CLP Senator did not vote the way that he was instructed in the Senate and represent the Territory’s interests.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask that you direct the Chief Minister to answer the question – a simple question worthy of a simple answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the CLP needs to take this issue seriously. The Country Liberal Party needs to be fighting this trampling of Territory rights and the siting of a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory ...
Ms CARNEY: And the legal advice?
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms MARTIN: We are seeking legal advice on the legislation that has been put into the federal parliament. I would like to say exactly where we should have sought legal advice before, in terms of what were we seeking legal advice against. We are seeking legal advice to look at the constitutionality of the legislation that went into the federal parliament last week. We are looking at all aspects to do with common law rights and lots of other issues to do with that.
However, that is beside the point on this issue. It is the CLP not facing up to the responsibility they have in ensuring that Senator Nigel Scullion crosses the floor and keeps his commitment. The CLP is a very convenient kind of party, isn’t it? You came in here last week, talked to a motion that said Senator Nigel Scullion should cross the floor, and then you will not do anything about it. You have to do more than words. You have the ability to get your Senator to represent the Northern Territory. That is all we are asking that he does – represent Territorians who put him in the Senate – keep by his promises that he has made and actually make a difference to this outcome for the Northern Territory.
To have the Opposition Leader ask questions about secondary issues to do with what is the legality - we can knock off this legislation, and that is the responsibility of the Country Liberal Party.
Radioactive Waste Facility – Comments by Senator Scullion
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for HEALTH
What can you say about claims by Senator Nigel Scullion on ABC radio last Thursday, 13 October, that unless there is a nuclear dump site secured in the Northern Territory by April 2006, then, to quote the Senator:
- People in Australia, and particularly the Northern Territory, will not have access to radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer?
Members: Shame!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, indeed, you could say ‘shame’ about this scurrilous attack by Senator Scullion in the context of this debate about the nuclear waste dump. To use cancer patients in the Northern Territory as a pawn in a political debate - it does not get any lower than that. I take the opportunity today to make sure that the facts are on the record about the impact, if any, of a nuclear waste dump on cancer treatment in the Northern Territory.
The facts of the situation are these: a pharmaceutical is a radioactive pharmaceutical. These are used in the field as tracers in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Radioisotopes are materials that produce radiation and can be manufactured in several ways. The most common way is by neutron activation in a nuclear reactor. The Lucas Heights reactor in New South Wales produces about 70% of the material used in nuclear medicine procedures. The Lucas Heights reactor is also used for leading edge subatomic research, neutron activation analysis for forensic purposes and the mining industry, silicone irradiation, doping for semiconductor use, and radioisotopes for industrial uses.
The Australian government decided to build a new Open Pool Australian Light-water, or OPAL, medical and research nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. It is a multipurpose facility. One of the licensing conditions placed upon a new reactor is for Australia to have a radioactive waste facility to store reprocessed, intermediate-level fuel waste that will be returned to Australia by France and Scotland. Here we have the facts. The demand for a radioactive waste facility is driven by the Australian government’s wish to build a new reactor. Whether we need another reactor is another debate and not one for here or now.
My concern is about Nigel Scullion’s ridiculous claims and his excuse for not standing up for the rights of Territorians. In the event that Australia’s nuclear reactor is unable to operate, medical isotopes can be imported into Australia. This has happened before when it has been necessary to stop production at Lucas Heights for maintenance and other reasons.
The fact is that the majority of the world’s supplies are generated by one or two reactors. Canadian-based company, Nordion, supplies isotopes to over 100 countries, …
Dr Lim: So you have to line up in the queue with everybody else to buy stuff for your patients.
Dr TOYNE: … and the UK-based company, Amersham, supplies over 150 countries …
Dr Lim: You call that responsible, Health minister?
Dr TOYNE: I understand a lot of Australian facilities already buy their isotopes from these companies because they are cheaper than the Lucas Heights produced materials.
People who suffer from cancer should not be used as bargaining chips in this debate ..
Dr Lim: You want to line up in the queue to get drugs for your patients? What a foolish way to do things.
Dr TOYNE: There is absolutely no connection between putting a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory and treating our cancer patients ...
Mr WARREN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! When I come into this House I expect to hear what the minister has to say. I have a hearing impediment, I cannot hear what the minister is saying because of the interruptions on that side of the House …
Dr Lim: Put on a hearing aid.
Mrs Braham: Speak up, minister, speak up.
Mr WARREN: … particularly the member for Greatorex.
Dr Lim: The minister mumbles.
Mr WARREN: I am sick and tired of it. Can you please do something about it?
Madam SPEAKER: Are you speaking to this point of order, member for Braitling?
Mrs Braham: I did not think it was a point of order, I thought it was a comment.
Madam SPEAKER: I think it was a point of order. Resume your seats. Minister, have you completed your answer?
Dr TOYNE: I am about to, yes.
Madam SPEAKER: Could you please speak up a little, and it would be helpful if there was a bit more order.
Dr TOYNE: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I will do my best. I agree with the member for Goyder that …
Dr Lim: You want to talk about the facts.
Dr TOYNE: … it makes it hard …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr TOYNE: … when people are yapping on continuously over there …
Dr Lim: Talk about the facts.
Dr TOYNE: … for anyone to hear my answer regardless of how loud I speak.
I join the Chief Minister in saying to Nigel Scullion: stop playing Canberra’s games, stop acting against the rights and interests of Territorians, …
Dr Lim: And stop spinning.
Dr TOYNE: … represent the interests of the people who you represent. Cross the floor and vote against this legislation.
Radioactive Waste Facility - Legislation
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
In your government’s Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Act last year, you put the following clause into law:
- A provision of this act relating to the transport, storage or disposal of nuclear waste does not have any effect to the extent that it is inconsistent with the law of the Commonwealth …
Why was your legislation worded in this way, leaving the way open for the Commonwealth to do what it wants, or is it like your legal advice - or the legal advice that you said you would obtain but did not? In other words, Chief Minister, was that meaningless?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is interesting, because the Opposition Leader actually received an answer on this question last week. There was discussion in the House about why that mechanism was in the bill. It is a regular mechanism that is used to ensure - I do not know what the legal term is - that our bill is appropriate to any Commonwealth legislation. It is a regular mechanism that is used and it was used advisedly.
What we did not know at that stage - it would not have changed the bill. It is interesting because the Prime Minister said in relation to this whole area of nuclear waste, and any potential legislation – it had not been flagged at that stage - that he would treat the Northern Territory with the same respect as any other state. Do you know what? Territorians trusted the Prime Minister. We trusted the Prime Minister that he would not use federal legislation to override the Territory’s legislation and our aspirations in the way that he had done. His words certainly indicated that he would not do that.
What we saw last week in the federal parliament - and we have the opposition being weasel worded about this. Let us just have a clear line about what they oppose and what they support. What they can do to really make a difference is to get their Senator to cross the floor. However, what we had in Canberra last week was the most draconian piece of legislation to deal with the Northern Territory we have ever seen. It overrides every piece of Territory legislation, and it also overrides a whole raft of federal legislation.
If anything like a biodiversity act gets in the way of having a nuclear waste dump, it is turfed out of the way. Sacred sites legislation, it is turfed out of the way. It is a most draconian and punitive piece of legislation. If you cast that together with what the Prime Minister said about respecting the Northern Territory, respecting us as though we were a state, then you just do not expect such a level of deceit - I am sorry to say this - from the federal government. That is what we have been subject to: deceit and trampling on our rights. We have been steamrolled.
I expect that, instead of the kind of questioning that we are getting in here, that the opposition would come in and say: ‘Guess what? Nigel Scullion is going to stick by his words of August and he is going to cross the floor on this legislation. We are getting on the phone with you, Chief Minister, and we are going to persuade those other Senators to do the same’. That would be a clear line from the opposition. What do we get? The little piece of legislation that had this clause in it - what does that mean? Support it or not, be honest about what you are doing, because that is just weasel words of the utmost. Either come on board on this or simply say you are opposed.
Territory Economy – Independent Analysis
Mr BONSON to TREASURER
Can the Treasurer advise the House of an independent assessment of the state of the Northern Territory economy and its prospects?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. I can report that the government has had further independent analysis on the current strength of the Northern Territory economy. It backs up the HIA report last week, which was a very positive, optimistic outlook for the Territory. This time it is from Access Economics with their September quarter update on the Territory economy. They say:
- With the Territory economy, the short term prospects remain rather better than those seen nationwide.
Business is described as:
- Still investing at a rapid rate, the overall commercial construction spend is rapid. That on equipment investment is even more rapid. Housing investment is finally getting the sort of kick along that the rest of Australia saw in recent years, and international tourist arrivals are growing in leaps and bounds.
That is a pretty enthusiastic endorsement of the way the Territory economy is travelling at the moment. They go on to describe the short-term outlook as excellent, and they say that ‘the chances are that the world will be beating a path to the Territory’s door for some time yet’. Not a bad quote, I like that one.
This is a good report. It is not a case of this government being complacent; we are determined to continue to manage this economy with the interests of growth, development and Territorians at heart. I am satisfied that there is much more to do; however, the HIA report of last week and the Access Economics report of this week, shows that this government is well on the right track.
Water Tank Installation in Central Australia - Subsidy
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
My question may be more applicable to the Minister for Essential Services. As we all know, this week is Water Week. It is a good time to reflect on a water plan for Alice Springs. As you know, your department is saying: ‘Have your say on Alice water future’. The Northern Territory is the only state or jurisdiction in Australia that does not offer a rebate or subsidy for purchasing or installing a water tank. This week would be an appropriate time for the government to announce a scheme to encourage the installation of water tanks throughout Central Australia. Will you take that initiative and tell the Alice Springs people this week that you will do so?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, water is certainly a significant issue, not just for Central Australia, but the whole of the Northern Territory. There are a number of things that everybody - government and the community as well - has a role to play in, and we all need to do what we can to conserve this precious resource and plan for the future.
One of the areas that we committed to in the election was putting in place a water saver rebate. We have doubled the funding to Cool Communities so they can encourage better water conservation. As you would know, member for Braitling, a meeting will be held in Alice Springs in the coming weeks about a comprehensive water resource strategy for Alice Springs. That will commence with quite extensive community consultation.
Regarding the water rebate or anything associated with that, that is the responsibility of the minister who has carriage for Power and Water.
Mrs Braham: Minister, what a fob off! Minister, we are waiting for your answer.
Mr Henderson: I will get back to you. All right?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Braham: Tell the people who are listening.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Braitling!
Avian Flu Virus – Testing of Migratory Birds
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
Scientists say that the likelihood of local poultry and native birds becoming infected by migratory birds is minimal. However, other countries such as South Africa are regularly testing migratory birds for evidence of the Avian bird flu virus. Given that a number of species of migratory birds visit the Territory from Asia, and even from as far away as northern Europe, are plans being made to test migratory birds in our Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I was looking at my colleague, the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, to see who would best field this question because, while the member was away last week, we actually did canvass these issues.
Dr Lim: I will read the Hansard.
Dr TOYNE: If you would like me to answer, perhaps you could just listen and we will give you an answer.
We briefed the community, through a media conference and parliament during the debate last week, about the assessment of the risk of Avian flu virus entering the Territory, in the form of bird transmission, which is largely a matter of the arrangements for monitoring the wild bird populations. The Chief Veterinarian indicated the actions that are being taken to monitor for the presence of the virus in our wild bird population. Regarding chickens, there is relatively little production of poultry in the Northern Territory so it is really more a matter of monitoring the wild bird population.
The other briefing we provided, both to the House and to the community, was the assessments of the probability of the virus mutating to a form that could transmit from one person to another, given that there is no evidence that such a mutation has occurred. There has been a very small number of cases world-wide of the virus infecting a human being - I believe 72 was the number. To be infected, those victims had to be in very close association with infected birds.
It certainly has not mutated and escaped into a pandemic form of virus in the human population. There is clearly a potential that that mutation could occur. That is being monitored worldwide. As the Chief Health Officer said, we are looking for clustered cases of Avian flu which would indicate person-to-person transmission. That is what our whole national pandemic plan is based on and we will continue to progress it.
Northern Territory Population Growth
Ms McCARTHY to TREASURER
During the May budget and the election campaign, the Treasurer said the government would continue to strive to improve the population growth of the Northern Territory. Can the Treasurer update the House on whether the Northern Territory does have a growing population and where that growth has been focused?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. I am delighted to answer a question about population in the House because it is an area that is not all that well understood. I am very pleased to advise the House today that, for the first time since 1999, the most recent population figures showed a nett gain in interstate migration. More people moved into the Northern Territory from elsewhere in Australia than from outside the Northern Territory.
People think that happens all of the time. Well, it does not. In fact, it is quite an unusual thing to occur in the Northern Territory because, since the 1980s, what population growth that has occurred in the Northern Territory has almost all been sustained by a natural increase of the population already here. The only period of time since the 1980s when there was an exception to that was that sustained period of population gain from interstate migration following then Defence minister Beazley’s moves to build the Defence presence in the Northern Territory between 1995 and 1998. That is why this is the first time since 1999 that we have had this increase.
We expect that this figure will jump around a little into the future, but the gap that had been starting to widen from the late 1990s is now certainly much closer together and, in fact, we are in front of the game. So, it is good news for the Northern Territory.
In the recently released data for the March quarter population, population overall is seen to have grown at 1.1%; that is the third highest rate in the country. It brings our total population to around 201 767 persons. Nett interstate migration in this quarter was a positive 192. Nett overseas migration was a positive 85. The natural increase was 646. Overall, the population was up by 923 for the September quarter.
In addition, the five-year outlook update by Access Economics this week shows population growth in the Northern Territory is likely to remain strong, and they predict a solid 1.6% growth over the immediate coming years. That is a significant level of increase and would have our population growth running at well in front of the national average. Therefore, it is good news. It, of course, results in itself from the strong economic growth that the Northern Territory has been in. It is in line with our election commitment to the people of the Northern Territory, and we will, as a government, continue to pursue those key economic strategies that will further develop the Northern Territory economy, sustain this population increase that we are getting now and continue to grow it into the future.
Avian Flu - Role of Magpie Geese
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
In light of the minister’s answer to my previous question on Avian flu, you will recall at the last sittings, Madam Speaker, the minister advised parliament that magpie geese are not involved with the spread of Avian flu and, therefore, shooters and hunters of magpie geese are not likely to be exposed to the flu. Is he aware that the Northern Territory Chief Veterinary Officer was quoted in the Weekend Australian of 24/25 September 2005 saying: ‘… but if it did come in …’ - he meant coming into the Northern Territory - ‘… then birds like magpie geese would be the reservoir’. Was the minister wrong in his advice to parliament at the last sittings? What advice will he now give Territorians in relation to Avian flu and the role that magpie geese have in a potential outbreak?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have never known anyone like the member for Greatorex to take A and B and get D. The Chief Veterinary Officer was referring to the situation where the Avian flu virus found its way onshore into Australia. Yes, magpie geese, even though they are non-migratory, could act as a reservoir for the virus in its bird-to-bird transmittable form. He was not saying by the statement he made that magpie geese are migratory. I did not mislead anyone. In fact, I am absolutely amazed that the opposition is wandering into the magpie screamer debate again.
Crusty Demons – Successful Event
Ms SACILOTTO to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The Crusty Demons hit Darwin with quite a bang on the weekend. Can you please report to the House on the success of this event?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin, who I know is a fan of motocross. I appreciated the huge support in the motocross community of the Territory to the visit by the Crusty Demons. Saturday night was an amazing spectacle, not just the stunts, the backflips, the crashes, the fireworks, the adrenalin pumping music, but truly an arena full of Territorians all going off. It was a fantastic event at Marrara.
When the Crusty Demons first contacted the government to see if we were able to make a tour of the Territory possible, I had a feeling that this was an event that Territorians would embrace - and embrace it they did. As I pointed out last week, the government only agreed to the use of Marrara as a venue once we received the tick-off by Tony Ware, the MCG curator. I am glad to report that the surface is fine and NTFL matches will be played there this weekend. Indeed, with the recent rain, the oval is looking fantastic.
In agreeing to the use of Marrara, the government also organised for the AFLNT to look after food and beverages on the night. They did a great job and I am told that they made a very, very healthy return. It is an extra bonus that an event like this can raise so much money for a local sport organisation.
The Crustys now head down the track with exhibitions in Katherine and Tennant Creek and another full-blown show in Alice Springs this Saturday. I have no doubt that the people of Alice Springs will embrace this event with the same passion as those in Darwin, and it is great that the food and beverage earnings in Alice Springs will go to support local sports through the Memorial Club.
There was no holding back in Darwin and a couple of the riders did eat dirt, as they say. There were broken bones, including fractured vertebrae by Robbie Madison in practice on the Friday. I am told these guys just take these things in their stride. He got out of hospital and came and saw the crowd at Marrara. It was quite phenomenal; he even rode his bike with fractured vertebrae. We certainly wish Robbie well and hope he gets back on his bike soon with full health recovery.
Finally, I would like to pass on our sympathy to the Crustys who were robbed during their stay in Darwin. I encourage anyone who does know anything about the incident to call Crimestoppers. To the Crustys, I acknowledge that, despite this incident, they are still having a great time in the Territory and they say they will leave with very fond memories.
Radioactive Waste Facility – Labor’s Position
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
On the ABC News Online there is a statement from Labor’s spokesman for science and research, Jenny Macklin, who says that Labor recognises the need for a national dump - obviously a waste facility. Could you please explain how we can find a place for a radioactive waste facility if you and your fellow Labor Premiers will not support a waste facility? Will you try and convince them that we need a facility somewhere in Australia, or is Jenny Macklin’s statement just hot air, an example of what Labor President Barry Jones said today, that the ALP is suffering from ‘policy anorexia’.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, at least a straightforward question from the member for Nelson who does support a nuclear waste repository. It compares starkly with what I would describe as the weasel words from the opposition.
Members interjecting.
Mrs BRAHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Sanderson is misleading the House with the statement that he is making about the member for Nelson’s comment. The member for Nelson has never said in the Northern Territory, he has always said in Australia.
Mr Kiely: I cannot recollect even saying that.
Madam SPEAKER: I did not hear any interjection from the member for Sanderson, but if we can have some order so the Chief Minister can continue, please.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the issue of where a national waste repository is, is one for the federal government. What we saw between 1992 and 2004 was a scientific process that examined sites and applied some science to the sites that were identified. There were seven suitable locations identified; none of them were in the Northern Territory. We had …
Mr Wood: Tanami?
Ms MARTIN: No, member for Nelson, you asked the question. Allow me time to answer it.
Mr Wood: You made a statement ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Wood: … that there were two.
Ms MARTIN: What we had was 12 years of scientific research and discussion. Sites were identified and none of them, I say again, were in the Northern Territory. What has caused offence to Northern Territorians is that, because that proved to be difficult and there was no resolution to that exercise from a federal point of view, they have turned around, as a political exercise, picked on the Northern Territory and said: ‘We can override your laws, we found three pieces of Defence land …’ - not sensible pieces of Defence land – ‘… and that is where we are going to put this’. That is the offence of this.
Mr Wood: Talk to your other premiers.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, if the member for Nelson asks a question, then I believe it is a general courtesy to allow me to answer, and I am specifically answering the question.
Mr Wood interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: If you do not want me to answer just let me know and I will sit down. Okay?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, cease interjecting. We would like to hear the answer from the Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the issue of where the federal government puts its waste is one for the federal government to tackle. To choose political expediency rather than a scientific process is an appalling thing to do, and Territorians have been the butt of this. The federal government, not being able to reach a decision on a federal nuclear waste repository, have turned around and picked the target …
Mr Wood: Labor kicked it out of Woomera. That is politics.
Ms MARTIN: … of the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory – let us just put the figures on the table here – we use …
Mr Wood: What about Woomera, Chief Minister?
Ms MARTIN: Oh, Madam Speaker, what is the point?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nelson!
Mr Wood: Well, she is not going to answer the question.
Ms MARTIN: It is really rude, Gerry.
Public Drunkenness - Statistics
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Your government has made much out of the link between drug abuse and crime. As we all know, the most prevalent drug in our community is alcohol. We are constantly reading newspaper stories, such as the one on page 2 of the Northern Territory News this week, under the heading ‘Drunken louts raise residents ire’. A quick check of the statistics shows that, in the past five years …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Is the member for Araluen, the Opposition Leader, making a statement or is she asking a question?
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: About 10 more words and I will be done.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, you can continue with the question.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. A quick check of the statistics shows that, in the past five years, much of which being the term of your government, apprehensions for public drunkenness have risen from a little over 11 000 up to 22 000. The situation is clearly out of control. What are you going to do about it?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is always interesting when the Country Liberal Party leads with its chin. In this question, the Opposition Leader has done that. Over the last couple of years, there have been 137 extra police on our streets.
Members: Hear, hear!
Dr Lim: Where are they? Talk to the coppers.
A member: How come we still have all the drunken problems?
Ms MARTIN: We knew why we had to do that. Under years of CLP government, we saw the police force run down. We did not have a police force that could meet the needs of our community and our diverse and far-flung communities. We have turned that around – 137 extra police across the Territory. There is no question about it; we have an issue in the Territory with drunkenness and antisocial behaviour on our streets. We are not backing away from that; we do have an issue. However, the police, the community patrols, have been on our streets tackling the problem and those figures are a result of what they are doing. They are not pretty figures.
However, what we have seen is the lack of effort when the CLP was in government reflected in those first figures. The second figures show what we have been doing to create a safer community on our streets. We have a lot more to do right across the Territory, which is why we have a range of reforms coming in place - the legislation to support those will be in the House before the end of the year, as we committed in the election campaign. They will deal with the problem we have with habitual drunks. If you have heard the Police minister address the nature of these figures, a considerable amount of those figures are caused by about – what is it; how many individuals?
Mr Henderson: About 200 or 300.
Ms MARTIN: About 200 or 300 individuals who are over-represented in that number of 22 000 apprehensions. That group of habitual drunks is what we have to tackle. To do that, we have legislation coming in, funds going into further alcohol rehabilitation and treatment, the setting up of an alcohol court and, I believe, in having the police take over the community patrols, we are going to have the ability with those patrols, run by ACPOs in Darwin, to be able to tackle some of those ongoing problems on the street.
Madam Speaker, they are not pretty figures but, as a first point, we have a very hardworking police force picking up people who are causing problems on our streets, and a raft of measures coming into this House and being funded by government to tackle the habitual drunks and how they are contributing to those figures. In tackling what is a problem that has been in the Territory for decades now and actually finding fair but tough solutions, we are on the right track. We will put this range of reforms in place and continue to monitor them, because it is a tough problem to fix and we will keep tackling it step by step.
NT HealthDirect
Mr NATT to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you inform the House on the progress that has been made in the introduction of NT HealthDirect to relieve pressure on our Northern Territory hospital emergency departments?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have reported back on several occasions since we introduced the scheme six months ago. It is very important for this House to monitor the progress of such an important initiative in our health service delivery.
Members will recall that HealthDirect is a seven day a week, 24 hour a day service on an 1800 number to an experienced nurse to obtain immediate support where there is a concern about the condition of a member of a household or workplace.
It is now at the end of the first six months. We have had 9685 calls from across the Territory – an enormous uptake of the service, well beyond the expected levels that we were planning on. A total of 49% of these calls were redirected from the Royal Darwin Hospital showing, yet again, that the service takes some of the load off staff treating patients in our emergency departments. Of those calls, 29% were about children under five, highlighting the usefulness of the service to parents; and 84% were from people seeking advice about where they could get treatment which, obviously, is a key focus of the service.
The implementation of NT HealthDirect has now been evaluated through two review processes. The outcome of the independent review states that the implementation has progressed smoothly, with a sound partnership, to produce an effective service in a very short time frame. The results of the patient satisfaction survey provided evidence of a high-quality service and the high level of acceptance of that service. Forty-one per cent of respondents stated that if they had not called NT HealthDirect they would have attended an emergency department; 97% indicated their overall satisfaction with the service provided; and 97% commented they would definitely use the service again. Some of the comments recorded by patients are worth noting: ‘Very handy to stop us from making unnecessary trips to the hospital’. That is absolute music to my ears. ‘It is a brilliant service’, another client said.
These results speak for themselves, Madam Speaker. We are onward and upward. We will continue to roll out the service and let Territorians know about it all around the Territory. I hope those numbers keep climbing up until we get absolutely full uptake of this very important service.
Gaoling of Drunks
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
During the election campaign, you said that you were going to get tough on drunks – your words, not mine. Under your stewardship, as we have shown, the problem has blown out by nearly doubling. Is it not the case that indigenous members within your party and your Caucus have threatened to rebel against any laws that target drunks because Aboriginal people are excessively over-represented in the alcohol abuse statistics? You have said that you would gaol drunks. Is that still your intention?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, regarding some of the unfounded statements that the Opposition Leader included in that question, I refer her to the now retired member for Arnhem and his strong support during the election campaign where we talked about taking tougher action with habitual drunks. John Ah Kit said that community members from across the Top End had said to him: ‘We are tired, minister, of having people come home in coffins. We are tired of it, minister’. Members of this House who represent remote, predominantly Aboriginal electorates, would support that as well.
Communities are tired of losing people to drink; losing lives to being drunk too often. As we have seen with the Elders Program and the Returning Home Program that is supported by deductions from Centrelink, that hundreds and hundreds of Aboriginal people who were in the town have actually gone home to their communities. It is great to hear the stories of people who have been in town and who have gone back and are now working productively in their communities. I pay tribute to our elders for being part of that program, and we know it is going to continue.
Ms Carney: Why don’t you give us the courtesy of a response? Is it still your intention to gaol drunks, yes or no, is the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Looking at the issue of habitual drunks, the damage they do to not only themselves but our community, is the one that I do not back off taking tougher action on. We have a very strategic policy. It is not about locking up drunks. It is about having identified if someone is an habitual drunk by how many times they have been picked up within a certain period; that if they then commit an offence, we will have the mechanism to say: ‘You have to go into treatment or the other option is gaol’. That was very clear throughout the election campaign.
I would expect support for a policy that says, let us see if we can get people who are habitual drunks into our expanded alcohol rehabilitation and treatment centres. It is a really sound public policy. Why should we continue to let people be on the streets, damage themselves, damage our community, when a responsible government will take action to do something about it. That, Madam Speaker, is what we are doing.
Tom’s Gully Gold Mine
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
I have noted that the Tom’s Gully Gold Mine near Humpty Doo is being reopened by Petrosea of Indonesia and Renison Consolidated Mines. How will this project benefit the Northern Territory? How many other gold projects are likely to come into production in the Top End in the next year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question because, with the recent price of gold, which is at an 18-year high, we are going to see more exploration taking place in the Northern Territory.
Tom’s Gully was operated as an open cut mine from 1988 to 1991, producing 100 000 ounces of gold. Recent exploration by Renison has proved a resource of 400 000 ounces of gold, and the mine is going to start operating early in 2006, with the first gold being poured very soon afterwards. I understand that the decline for the mine has already commenced. Fifteen people are employed in that particular operation, and 17 people will be employed at the beginning of 2006, most of whom will be locals living in Darwin, Humpty Doo and Palmerston.
The mine is projected to produce 45 000 ounces of gold every year out of 250 000 tonnes of ore processed. Renison is also undertaking further exploration and they believe that the life span of the mine will extend further than the six years that it is today.
We will also see more developments around the Pine Creek region. In particular, Northern Gold has a large tenement, and they believe they have a gold resource of over two million ounces in the area. They have plans to start operations in 2006. Two of the main prospects are Zapopan, which has a high-grade ore of 100 000 ounces of gold, and Cosmo Deeps, which will be an underground mine producing, hopefully, over one million ounces of gold. The company has purchased the Union Reef processing plant and they are going to start processing that. Also, the Maud Creek Mine will open in Katherine and some of that ore will be transported to Pine Creek to be processed at the Union Reef processing plant.
All in all, this is good news for the Northern Territory, and is very good news for the Pine Creek region. They have seen a decline in mining over recent years. As I said last week, the renewed interest in the Territory, in combination with the promotion of the Territory that we undertook over the last few months, has produced some really good results. We have seen a significant increase of mineral exploration in the Northern Territory. I intend to travel south in November, visiting Melbourne and Adelaide to further promote the Northern Territory as a mining destination.
Water Week – Government Initiatives
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
As I did not receive an answer from the minister for Natural Resources, I will try the Minister for Essential Services. Your department puts out this brochure telling us that Alice Springs uses more water per capita than anywhere else in Australia. If you will not give a water tank rebate, there are many other trials being held in Alice Springs to preserve water. What initiatives would you announce this week for Water Week?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. Following on from my colleague, the minister for the Environment, water conservation for the Northern Territory is going to become an increasingly important issue, particularly in the Top End. We have relied on the Wet Season every year to replenish our dams and water tables and, if we do not have a good Wet Season in the Top End, then we are facing the possibility of water restrictions next year. In Central Australia, it has been a long dry spell, although there has been some rain recently.
Power and Water have recently commissioned a community survey on attitudes towards water use, conservation and pricing in Alice Springs. That was launched recently, and we are out there consulting with the people of Alice Springs, looking at all of those issues and options. At the end of the day, in conserving water, we really do need the people of the Territory to get behind those measures. We cannot have purely punitive systems in place; we have to have real community engagement.
I have just returned from Brisbane, where they have huge problems with low levels in their dams. For example, the Brisbane Courier Mail runs a chart every day, with a horizontal line, looking at what the call is for water usage. Consistently, consumers use under that amount and that is good. People challenge themselves in Brisbane to conserve water and everybody helps out and keeps an eye on each other.
We have to get that same sort of community attitude to conserving water across the Northern Territory. That is why this survey is important. We have to engage the community on that particular debate. Power and Water will look at all options in regards to how we can further promote water conservation in Alice Springs. That survey was launched recently and we look forward to the results of that. There will be many more debates in this House regarding what we are going to do.
Mrs Braham: So you are not going to do anything. Keep looking.
Mr HENDERSON: A water tank, Madam Speaker, is no solution when it does not rain, and water conservation is something that we have to look at.
Northern Territory Film Office
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for ARTS and MUSEUMS
The Northern Territory Film Office was established by government in 2003. Can the minister please advise the Assembly what the Film Office does and what has it achieved since its establishment?
Mrs Braham: Good question.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. If you keep quiet I will tell you what the film office does, member for Braitling.
Mrs Braham: We have not said anything.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: The Film Office was established in 2003 as an initiative, and a great initiative, of this government to advance and grow the screen industry in the Northern Territory. Since then, much has been accomplished, and support to the industry has included advocacy and advice to both Territorians and companies from interstate and around the world intending to film in the Northern Territory.
I will quickly touch on the achievements of the Film Office, of which there have been many. I am shocked by, especially the Centralian members, because there has been a lot of focus and the Film Office has done a lot of work in Central Australia.
Ms Carney: We are still recovering from The Alice.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: In late 2004, the Film Office conducted a Territory-wide industry survey which gave an indication of the size, capacity and future opportunities of the screen industry. The Territory industry involves over 500 professionals, with an average aggregate turnover of $38m in 2003-04 - which is quite big for the Territory - varying from sole operators to large employers such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Nine Network, Imparja Television and Southern Cross.
The Film Office has a grants program which, since its inception, has supported the professional development of individuals and the development of screen projects with a value of $157 000 from July 2003 to July 2005. The office has supported screened cultural activities that provide opportunities for Territorians to share in stories about the Northern Territory. These included the Fistful of Films Festival, which the member for Port Darwin went to, the Down Under Film Festival, the Reel Territory Film Festival and, in remote areas, the Indigenous touring BRATS Festival, and a Video Festival organised by the Warlpiri Media Association.
The Film Office has been able to support and assist many professionals to attend key national and international markets that enable projects to be fully financed. The Film Office has strengthened relationships between Territorians and national film agencies, and assisted several productions in obtaining development investment from the Australian Film Commission.
Despite the apparent ratings disappointment of The Alice television series, the Film Office was able to negotiate positive outcomes for the Territory industry. This included six paid attachments and half the crew for the shoot being Territory locals, as well as many local extras, stunt doubles and animal wranglers working on the series.
The Film Office has pitched Territory locations to several international features, including Miramax Ghost Riders and Paramount’s Princess of Mars. It is now facilitating the filming of a major motion film called Rogue by Miramax Films at several Top End locations. This film has a marketing budget of $60m, with filming due to start in November.
With its advocacy role, the Film Office enticed SBS independent to Alice Springs …
Mrs Braham: This is a statement, minister, this is not an answer to a question.
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: No, I am not. You asked for …
Mrs Braham: You are reading a prepared statement. It is not an answer to a question.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Speaker, the member for Braitling asked the question: What is the Film Office, and what are they doing? I am attempting to …
Mrs Braham: You do not have to give us a statement, just give us an answer.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: It is a great initiative, you just do not want to know about the initiative, member for Braitling.
Mrs Braham: No, if you want to give a statement, do it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Speaker, the initiative of establishing the Film Office to support, develop and grow a healthy and sustainable screen industry in the Northern Territory is delivering results. I am surprised that our members for Central Australia know very little because they do do a lot of work, particularly in Central Australia.
Mrs BRAHAM: We love it; we think it is great. All we are saying is, if you want to give a statement, give it.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: It is not a statement.
Mr HENDERSON (Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016