2006-08-29
Federal Government Reimbursement
Mrs MILLER to CHIEF MINISTER
This morning, on your government’s behalf, the Deputy Opposition Leader accepted this cheque for close to $1m from the federal Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads because you could not be bothered to show up. This cheque is reimbursement from the federal government Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements. Is your government so flush with federal funds of close to $1bn in GST revenue that you do not feel the need to accept this cheque? If so, can the residents of Katherine benefit from this generosity and use this money for the vital maintenance of the Katherine railway bridge, or for a heavy vehicle bypass of Katherine town centre, or even a bridge over Bullocky Creek?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would like to see the cheque.
Mrs Miller: You were invited to the presentation of this cheque.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: This smells of a federal election in 12 months time.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, a cheque like this says there will be a federal election within the next 12 months. What you would expect with the arrangements we have in place, what …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Oh, Madam Speaker what is the point?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, we have natural disasters, and we had our share of natural disasters this year. The Katherine community was terrific in their response. I also pay tribute to the communities of, amongst others, Maningrida, Gunbalanya and Jabiru, which were also terrific in the face of a very serious natural disaster, Cyclone Monica.
We have arrangements in place with the federal government where when we spend X amount of dollars we have reimbursements.
The normal procedure would be that these transactions are done without cheques. I have never seen a cheque presented like this before. This smells of federal election time. However, we welcome the money. It will go to the Central Holding Authority. I do not think the member of Katherine will be able to cash that particular cheque, but there will be a transfer from the federal government to us, as is quite appropriate. We will spend that, appropriately, on the infrastructure that was damaged by the flood. That includes roads in Katherine. There was a lot of damage done to roads in Katherine, and in communities like Maningrida, Oenpelli and in parts of Jabiru.
We welcome the federal government doing the right thing and paying the money that is due. I would say to the relevant minister – I believe it is Jim Lloyd – that next time he wants to do it, I would like an invite. That would be good.
Palmerston Regional Plan - Launch
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for HEALTH
At lunchtime today, I was privileged to attend the launch of the Palmerston Regional Plan from the Department of Health and Community Services. Could you please outline for the Assembly how the government is expanding and refocussing Palmerston health services in your portfolio?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. It was a very pleasant occasion to address a whole room full of health professionals, NGO representatives and community members to announce the new Palmerston health plan. The Banscott Report, which reviewed health services throughout the Palmerston and Litchfield area, has been incorporated into the Palmerston Regional Plan itself. Most of the recommendations and the thrust of the report are now in this document, which matches other regional health plans around the Northern Territory.
I will go through the particulars of what has been done to reshape health services. Over the next six months, resources will be increased for both Health and Community Services. The subsidised GP service will not be continued into the future. That is the first part of the reshaping exercise. The reason is that there are now seven general practices in the Palmerston area. Four of them operate out of hours, and most of them have some bulk billing arrangements. We feel that it is now up to market forces, and the federal government with responsibility for GP services to carry on the service needs for the Palmerston area.
All of the money from that subsidy, and much more, has now been put into reshaped specialist services. A new breast screening service will be established in Palmerston using a transportable mammography unit; better child and maternal health services will be established with a new child and maternal health nurse; increased obstetric and gynaecology visits; an expanded home birthing service, with an extra 10 places per year for women in the Darwin and Palmerston region; expanded post-natal home visiting services; better support for discharged hospital patients; occupational therapy will be expanded to include Humpty Doo, Acacia and Darwin River; the new RDH Rapid Assessment and Planning Unit will include social workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists to support discharged patients in the Palmerston area; and better chronic disease management will be achieved through the provision of dieticians and nutritionists to provide monthly outpatient clinics.
Those expanded services total well over $0.5m, so it is clearly an increase in effort. That list is for health services. My colleague, the Minister for Family and Community Services, Delia Lawrie, has also announced a range of expansions to our community services in the Palmerston area. It is good news for Palmerston and has enhanced health services in that area. We are listening to the needs of Palmerston; we are also listening to the experts on how best to meet those needs.
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Distinguished Visitor
Mr Terry McCarthy
Distinguished Visitor
Mr Terry McCarthy
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Mr Terry McCarthy, former Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Tiger Brennan Drive - Planning
Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
Last week, you stated that the expectations of government from the people whose doors you knocked on are: ‘The provision of infrastructure, roads, electricity and essential services’. Minister, why has no formal planning solution for Tiger Brennan Drive been submitted, despite the federal government’s offer of $13.7m in funding being on the table for over two years?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for this question. It is a lively question which I am very happy to answer. As the Chief Minister said, of this line of questioning, it has much to do with the next federal election. I noticed a media release from the Honourable Jim Lloyd and David Tollner MP on this exact topic today. I thank them for issuing the media release, which makes exactly the same assertion that the member for Katherine just made. I will read what Mr Tollner said in his media release:
- For more than two years the Territory government has been sitting on $13.7m of federal government money to extend Tiger Brennan Drive but still they have failed to produce a detailed plan or works costing.
Madam Speaker, I table this letter from the Honourable Warren Truss which I received on 9 May 2006. Attached to this letter is a table of Commonwealth government expenditure, which lists Tiger Brennan Drive as having, in the 2006-07 year, $0.3m of Commonwealth money; in the 2007-08 year, $3.9m of Commonwealth money; and in the 2008-09 year, $9.5m of federal money. So, by their own correspondence and budget, how can we be sitting on this money when it is in the forward estimates? That is the first thing. Mr Tollner needs to be corrected for that twist of the facts . Furthermore, I find it quite insulting for Mr Tollner to be saying that we have to put an extra $25.5m into this project when it was always a 50/50 project. I said that numerous times last week.
To correct the record that the Territory government has been sitting on this project while the costs have been escalating, my advice is that this particular project was proposed in the 2001-02 year as part of the proposed Roads of National Importance program. That is where the $27.4m comes from. The project was then announced by the federal government in their white paper in June 2004. It is not the Northern Territory government that has been sitting on this particular project. It is the Commonwealth government which is three years out of date. The costs have escalated. It is a 50/50 project. I continue to challenge David Tollner and the federal government to put in their fair share of that 50% escalation of this project.
Business Confidence
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for BUSINESS and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
It is important that the Northern Territory business community has confidence in our economy and the government as they are an important factor in driving our economic growth and providing employment opportunities. Could the minister advise the House as to the status of business confidence, and the flow-on effects for employment and investment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. It is timely. In the Territory business confidence is very strong at the moment, particularly in the Darwin and Palmerston area where there are cranes on the skyline. Everybody you talk to is knocking back work because they have so much on their books and in their forward projections. The biggest issue we are facing as an economy is a skilled workforce.
It is not just the anecdotal evidence and what we see around us. The Sensis Business Index, which was released today, shows that small business conditions in the Northern Territory lead the nation. We should be very pleased about that because small business is the engine room of our economy. The largest component of employees work in small business, and it is great to see that small business confidence is so high.
In the last quarter, Territory small businesses experienced the strongest sale and profit results in the nation. It actually defied the national trend. These conditions of confidence for small business are supported by the Territory government and the strategic investments we have made. When this government came to office, we inherited an economy where there was 0.0% growth under our predecessors. There was no confidence in the economy. People were leaving the Northern Territory. That has been turned around as a result of strategic investment and capital works.
Over $1bn in cash has been invested by this government in capital works across the Northern Territory. That is what the business community wants to see: as a government leading with confidence on projects like the waterfront, which is a 10 year vision. All we get is the opposition bagging it at every turn. That is not what business wants to hear. Business wants government to lead the way and show confidence in our great Territory as well.
The significant boost in tourism marketing is starting to drive greater numbers to the Northern Territory, along with the confidence of airlines such as Tiger Airways to invest in the Northern Territory and, cuts to taxes, particularly the cuts to payroll tax that this government has made in terms of raising the threshold from $600 000 to $1.25m.
The Sensis Business Index for August shows that business confidence prospects for the next 12 months are 15 percentage points above the national average. It is not just for the next couple of months. We are coming into what is normally a bit of a slow time in the build-up and the Wet Season, but business confidence in the Northern Territory is 15 percentage points above the rest in the nation.
Madam Speaker, this is good news. It is good news for investment, for employment and for every member of this House.
Tiger Brennan Drive - Extension
Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
The federal government’s offer of $13.7m for the Tiger Brennan Drive extension has been on the table for over two years, and it includes $300 000 available for early planning works. However, not a cent of this has been spent. You now say this road development will cost more than $40m. On what basis do you make this claim? Where are the documents that set out these new costs? What plans have been drawn up for this road extension to support your new costing? Why is the $300 000 set aside not being touched?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for her question. Design work has been occurring within the Department of Planning and Infrastructure over some time. That is the truth of the matter. I should also add that I have some more documents here. At the time I came into this portfolio, this project was being discussed as part of the Commonwealth’s Roads of National Importance program. I looked at some of these preliminary designs and, where the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive is proposed to intersect with Roystonea Avenue and the Stuart Highway, it is at an intersection - most people know my feelings about traffic lights.
At that stage, I asked the department how much extra would have to be spent on this project to have grade separation there. There was some preliminary work done. I spoke to a number of people about this to enlist their support, thinking - I suppose naively at the time - that the Commonwealth would not only put in its half of the project as it stood, but would also put in half of grade separation. The people I spoke to about this particular aspect included Senator Nigel Scullion and David Tollner MP. Both of those people said that they would lobby to get grade separation on this particular project. I also spoke to the Mayor of Palmerston, who wrote to the Commonwealth government on this particular issue. I am more than happy to table her letter.
This project has a fair bit of history, but it comes back to this, time and time again: the Commonwealth will not put in its fair share of the 50%. I will quote from another letter, written to me by the Hon Warren Truss on 21 December 2005 to illustrate this. It says:
- The AusLink framework is based on a five year construction and funding plan for each jurisdiction and the funding level for every jurisdiction is now in place. Projects that are fully or partially funded by the Australian government, which incur cost increases, will have these increases met from within a state or territory’s fixed five year plan. This can be done through the identification of program savings or ‘offsets’ against other AusLink funded projects.
There you have it. In essence, the Hon Warren Truss is saying the Commonwealth will not be contributing to any cost increases, whether it is 100% Commonwealth program on their own national highways, or a 50:50 project like Tiger Brennan Drive.
I suggest that the opposition take a bit of advice: get off this line of questioning and turn to something else. They just keep on running into a brick wall. The brick wall is of their own federal Coalition parties making and they should be on to David Tollner and Nigel Scullion to get the federal government to put in their fare share of the 50%.
Darwin City Waterfront – Wave Pool Plans
Ms SACILOTTO to CHIEF MINISTER
Earlier today, you turned the first sod on the much anticipated wave lagoon at the Darwin waterfront site. Could you please update the House on what is planned for the wave lagoon?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would be delighted to. The member for Port Darwin and I put on our work boots at lunchtime and went down and turned that first sod with Robert Wilson of Macmahon NT who are doing the work on the wave pool.
The wave pool, or lagoon - and I will explain why lagoon is a much more appropriate word - is for many one of the key features of the waterfront development. For many people in Darwin, it is the only feature. Having stood at Casuarina with the model over the Christmas before last, and had people come up and ask me about the various aspects of the waterfront development, the one that they were really most interested in was the wave pool, or wave lagoon.
The wave lagoon is a very large body of water. It is between 5000 m and 6000 m which is the size of about five or six Olympic pools. To call it a ‘pool’ is undervaluing it. It is really a lagoon. It runs 20 m to 50 m where the wave will come down, and then goes into a lagoon. You have toddlers on the edge, but you also have those who are body surfing and boogie board surfing coming down the main part of the wave lagoon. It is about 2 m at the deep end, and it will be very shallow on the water’s edge. The waves will be between 1.2 m and 1.5 m. For surfers and for boogie boarders, they will be pretty good waves to ride. If you are interested, it is formed by low pressure air pressing down on the surface water inside a concrete plenum. I do not technically understand that, but that is the advice I am given. It is low pressure air pressing down to make those waves happen. It is all computer controlled so the waves can be at different heights.
The work involved is extensive . It will not be finished before at least the middle of next year. Macmahon NT have to remove 15 000 m of soil. We saw that happening today. That will take them a couple of weeks. There is much work going on to build what is going to be a significant feature of the waterfront development.
With the development of the wave lagoon, one of the issues is noise. Having seen some wave pools and lagoons, particularly in the United States - I have seen them on DVD - they had ugly boxes on the top of the wave pool which was the wave generator equipment. Ours is going to be sunk. That will be terrific. It is below ground which means we will be reducing the noise from the wave lagoon for residents to an absolute minimum. The time is being managed as well. There will be a cost, and that will be determined later on. There has to be a level of cost recovery for the wave pool. I believe everyone understands that. It will be set at an affordable cost, otherwise it will not be the success we need it to be.
The wave pool will be made of 3000 m of reinforced concrete, which is great for our local businesses. If you add that to the companies which are already working at the waterfront, that is $40m worth of contracts. Another boost for our local industry. So far, 550 workers have been employed on the site. I said last week, the local figure on that is - 96%.
Madam Speaker, I hope that you will join me and many Darwin people as we ride some of those first waves on the wave lagoon when the first stage of the waterfront opens in the first quarter of 2008.
Metering of Bores in the Rural Area
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Last year, there was a Nelson electorate forum related to bores in the rural area in which it was stated by both the department of Natural Resources and PAWA that the government would not charge rural people for bore water. There were people at the meeting who were happy to volunteer to have a meter on their bore if that would help conserve our natural resource, water.
Do you blame these people for being worried when they read the tender documents that have just been released which mention the following in relation to metering bores in the Darwin rural area. I will give some dot points: develop a new scheme for metering private rural water use; compliance; cost recovery through licence charges extended beyond the initial pilot study phase; and legislative amendments that may be required.
Can you state unequivocally that the government is not going to charge rural landowners for water from their own domestic bores?, Can you spell out clearly what those matters I just read from the tender documents mean?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. We have not agreed on too much in this Chamber, particularly about the EPA amongst other things, but that is democracy at work. In looking at that tender, yes, I share your concerns. I can see clearly how there could have been some misunderstandings and miscommunication out there.
I have talked to the members for Goyder and Daly on this. I make it clear, the advertisement went out to encourage all of the constituency to contact us if they have any concerns or queries about that. I am happy to take any calls from rural residents to try to clear some of that up.
I can clarify some facts with the metering project. It is about taking stock, planning and managing our precious water resources. I believed we had answered that question clearly last week, however, I will go back over it.
The tender advertised is Stage 1 of the project. The consultant will identify the best type of meter to use and the issues that will be faced with installation and how best to decide whether metering is going to work.
Stage 2 of that project will occur next year. We will call for volunteers to come forward from small water users such as rural residents and large water users who already have meters as a condition of their licences, to identify the best type of meters installed on their properties. The data will be collected by the water resource managers and landholders to implement best practice water management regimes.
I say, unequivocally, to you and to all of those people who genuinely have concerns about this, that there is absolutely no hidden agenda and no intention to charge for water use. This is a voluntary pilot study and will allow us to better manage our precious water resources. We often abuse the most precious resource, that is water, and we need to have better management strategies in place for its future use so that future generations still have access to this great resource.
Roads Funding
Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
Is it not the case that the Northern Territory government is required to provide the cost estimates for road funding in the Territory to the federal government so that funding arrangements can be agreed? If it is, as we understand it to be, how is it that your government got the figures so wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for her question. This particular project has been in the pipeline since 2001-02. A preliminary estimate at that time, through consultation with the Commonwealth, was $27.4m. It has been some considerable time since that original estimate was done. Most people who are involved in the construction industry, particularly road construction, would be aware that there has been significant cost escalation over the past three to five years. At one stage, over a two year period, it was running at something like 40% cost escalation. It is not a matter of getting it wrong. It is not a matter of the Northern Territory or the Department of Planning and Infrastructure getting it wrong. This is happening all over Australia, where the Commonwealth is sitting on somewhere between a $12bn to $15bn surplus and not funding their fair share of national highways. Costs are escalating to the states and territories, and the Commonwealth resolutely refuses to come to the party.
I am also advised that preliminary design work on Tiger Brennan Drive will be completed by the agency this financial year. Once that is done, the $300 000 the member for Katherine mentioned before will be claimed back from the Commonwealth. Madam Speaker, that is all I have to say on the matter.
Telecommunications Services –
Remote Areas
Remote Areas
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for COMMUNICATIONS
In the lead-up to the 2001 election, the federal candidate for the CLP, Dave Tollner, promised that we would have mobile phone coverage across the full length of the Stuart Highway. Can Mr Tollner deliver on this promise considering that the Prime Minister has just announced a further reduction in the federal government’s stake in Telstra?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, a very important question,. Everyone in this House would be aware of recent announcements about the further sale of Telstra. In fact, the Prime Minister has announced that the sale of $8bn-worth of Telstra shares will go ahead. Many people are calling it a Clayton’s sale. It has not been welcomed by shareholders, the board of Telstra, certainly not by the stock market, and even members of the Prime Minister’s own party.
This is a long-held political position which the Prime Minister has held for many years. The sale of Telstra has become unworkable. I believe most commentators would agree with that. In fact, The Australian newspaper yesterday described the sale as ‘half baked’. They said it was a, ‘poor excuse for policy making and a disgrace’. This Clayton’s sale of Telstra is coming in for a lot of criticism.
This government has long opposed the sale of Telstra. We believe it should remain in public hands to provide services, particularly to those rural and remote areas that may not be economically or commercially profitable. It has long been the role of Telstra to provide those services. As Telstra lurches towards this sale, and arguments break out between the board, the chairman of Telstra, and the Prime Minister, about some of these Community Service Obligations, I believe it casts a great shadow over the provision of services, particularly to people in the bush.
It will be interesting to see whether this gets through the Senate. They have a majority of one. I call on Senator Nigel Scullion to stand up for Territorians and oppose this sale. As the member for Goyder said, the member for Solomon, Mr Dave Tollner, did promise, at one election, that he would guarantee mobile phone coverage along the Stuart Highway as part of the sale of Telstra. I do not believe that is going to happen. It is another failure on the part of David Tollner. Crocodiles, what happened with that? It went nowhere. There was a lot of talk about that. He also promised there would not be a nuclear waste dump in the Territory; what happened with that? We wonder what the core promises are with Mr Tollner, but he has failed Territorians on a number of fronts. It looks like telecommunications is going to be another one.
Radiation Oncology Unit - Costing
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
Talking about infrastructure, minister, the federal government’s $13m for a Radiation Oncology Unit was announced in May this year. Your government now says that is not enough and it is expected to cost nearly $50m. Almost four months have passed since your new costings for the unit were announced by press release. Minister, is it not the case that you have yet to provide the federal government with details and figures for this new costing for the Radiation Oncology Unit?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the answer to that question is no. We have provided detailed costings to the federal Department of Health as part of the negotiations we have been having with them. Broadly. We have agreed broadly on the elements of the costs involved, although the particulars of each of the cost elements can still be further explored. I reported earlier in these sittings that our Minister for Housing, for example, is looking at different options for providing patient accommodation in Darwin as a base for patients receiving treatment blocks once the unit is operating.
There is no major disagreement between our agency and the federal agency as to the elements that will be required to support the service. There is no major disagreement in the broad quantum of those costs. We are making very strong progress towards finally defining the exact amount that each government needs to put in, and that the federal government is satisfied with the commitments we are putting forward.
VET Program – Rural and Remote Regions
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Training Territorians is a key priority of the Martin government. Can you advise what you are doing to ensure that training also extends to the rural and remote regions of the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. Training is a priority. It is critical that it does go to rural and remote parts of the Territory because they are the future of the Territory.
The Training for Remote Youth, or TRY program was introduced by this government in 2002. It focuses on training in regional and remote areas. It encourages youth to either re-engage in school and further their education or increase their work skills and bolster their opportunity for gaining employment. The program targets youth aged between 14 and 19 years of age living in regional and remote localities. Participants can gain work experience, employability skills and an understanding of the attitudes and skills that employers are seeking in the labour market. It has an annual budget of $1.1m and, for January to December 2006, TRY funding will provide 62 VET programs to 757 young Territorians - up by 203 compared to 2005.
Funding agreements are in place for 11 programs in East Arnhem, 15 in Alice Springs, nine in Katherine, four in West Arnhem, eight in Darwin rural and 15 in the Barkly. These programs include Certificate II in Horticulture at Yirrkala, Certificate I in Engineering at Harts Range, business skills at Wugularr, and Certificate in Hairdressing at Alpurrurulam. In 2006, for youth not at school, programs will provide training in basic automotive, hairdressing, information technology, modern media, and art and craft skills. Some examples include stockman training at Tennant Creek, automotive skills at Wadeye, information technology skills at Docker River, Santa Teresa, Aputula, and arts and crafts at Lajamanu.
One program I am familiar with is run by the Gap Youth Centre in Alice Springs, ‘Make IT Work’. In 2006, $75 000 was allocated to the Gap Youth Centre to deliver the multimedia and information technology training at six remote communities. These are youth who have been identified by their own community as either in danger of disengaging from school-based education or have already left school. There are a number of remote communities involved in that, with over 130 young people learning how to make IT work for them. Sharing half a day at that program, it was fascinating to see them make and edit films for the Outback Youth Film Fest, using photography to assist local tourism ventures in their own communities, promotion of music and bush food projects for their community, and creation of radio programs – all with an underpinning knowledge about information technology, its power and what it can do for them as individuals and for their community.
At the end of that project, they are able to use a variety of computer programs and a range of technological equipment with a great deal of confidence and know-how to generate sales and market their products electronically. We see these projects as a possibility of leading to joint projects with local tourist ventures, art centres, Desart, CAAMA, and with the Institute of Aboriginal Development’s flexi-learning centre and with their own school.
It was tremendous to see the level of engagement. It was also tremendous to see the skill with which they were able to manipulate this type of equipment. It almost seems to me, with indigenous kids, there is an inherent nature, much the same as in all young people. They just go to it and are able to use it very quickly. It is real and practical action to help build the skills of these young people for the future.
Rental Discrepancy for Pensioners
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for HOUSING
Are you aware, when a person turns 65, Centrelink automatically transfers Disability Support Pension recipients to the Aged Pension? This does not change the amount of pension they receive. However, the change means the rent to Territory Housing will increase from 14% to 18% for those now pensioners, according to the changes you introduced in 2003. This is rather absurd. Will you alter the policy to ensure there is no increase in rent for those pensioners who are caught in this loop of bureaucracy merely because of their age; when they turn 65 they are no longer receiving the Disability Support Pension but the Aged Pension? Will you change the policy, minister?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I believe there have been some anomalies, particularly where it has the potential to discriminate or impact upon those people who are going from a Disability Support Pension to an Aged Pension. It is certainly something that has been discussed in the past. I have asked the department to have a look at that.
I cannot give you a reason for the logic as to why it occurred in 2003. What I can say to you is that we will have a look at it and I will get back to you. Other members have raised it in the House. I have also had discussions with other people as we visit some of the public housing areas throughout the Northern Territory. I appreciate your point. I will undertake to get back to you as soon as I can.
Masters Games 2006
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The Masters Games is almost upon us and many Territorians are looking forward to taking part. Can you please inform us how preparations for this event are progressing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. There is an air of anticipation and excitement rolling through Alice Springs. We are in the countdown to the Alice Springs Masters Games to be held from 21 to 28 October 2006. I am pleased to announce that more than 4128 registrations have been received across 34 sports, exceeding expectations. This year, 42% of those have been received online compared to only 10% in 2004 when the Masters Games were last held – a great result.
I am advised by the Masters Games team, who work incredibly hard, that the entertainment is a very large part of the enjoyment of the Masters Games. We have a great line up. Glenn Shorrock and his band, and a copycat band, Queen, It’s a Kind of Magic, will be at the opening ceremony. They picked these bands to suit the age group of the Masters Games. I am advised these bands will be very popular. Midweek concert goers will enjoy Mighty Oz Rock, and Listen to the Music, a tribute to the Doobie Brothers. At the closing ceremony, there will be the very popular Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows, with …
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: No, wait, there is more - Motown and Soul Heatwave. What a fantastic week of music – Alice Springs will rock.
Dawn Fraser and Daryl Somers have confirmed their attendance, as have a group of 11 representatives from the 2009 Sydney World Masters Advisory Committee to observe our great Masters Games which are famous in Alice Springs.
I would like to congratulate a local businesswoman: Kathy Fritz has shown a real initiative. She has coordinated a home billet system, a register that is placing Masters Games entrants into home stays. I am advised that a number of billets have been placed. As we all know, Alice Springs books out months and months in advance for the Masters Games. This initiative of a local businesswoman is truly welcome and is succeeding.
The Alice Springs Masters Games committee have gone to extra lengths this year in backing up this type of local community support. It has opted to decorate the town as a really colourful welcome to its visitors. Every pole will bear banners, local businesses will be encouraged to fly the Masters flag, and the games logo will be stencilled at all competition venues.
I am pleased to report that I have registered for the Brown Eyed Girls, a combined Darwin and Alice Springs hockey team. My colleague, the member for Macdonnell, has registered to take part in softball with the Masters Raiders. I note the Leader of the Opposition will be competing in the golf competition.
Ms Carney: And my mother. My mother is coming up for it.
Ms LAWRIE: And her mother, who will be very welcome, from Bendigo I believe. The member for Greatorex has entered table tennis. Good luck to the member for Greatorex. The member for Nelson is competing in athletics. Fantastic. The star from parliament in the Masters Games is our very own Minister for Central Australia, who will be competing in an array of events, including track and field, cycling, triathlon, and duathlon.
The games just get better and better. With an estimated return to the local economy of more than $7m, I know local businesses are eagerly awaiting the commencement of the games in October. It is fantastic for Alice Springs. These games have been geared up to be the best ever. I am glad to be a small part of this exciting event.
My congratulations to the Masters Games staff - Judith Dixon and her team work tirelessly to bring this event to Alice Springs – and also to the many volunteers, and importantly, the Masters Advisory Committee. I look forward to another successful Territory event.
Capital Items – Projected Costs
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
The Tiger Brennan Drive extension was estimated by your government to cost $27m. Now, apparently, it is going to cost $40m. Your government estimated the cost of a radiation oncology unit at $14m. Now, apparently, it is going to cost in the vicinity of $50m. These are but two examples demonstrating how poor you and your government are in fiscal matters. How is it that your government manages to get its financial estimates so wrong? Are you and your ministers incompetent, or are you broke, or is it a combination of the two?
ANSWER
Mr Stirling: Three surplus budgets. That is the answer.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the Treasurer could not resist and he said: ‘Three surplus budgets. We ain’t broke’. I listened very carefully to the Minister for Planning and Lands in response to three questions on Tiger Brennan Drive and how the federal government has reneged on their commitment for dollars for that project. I wonder why the Opposition Leader did not listen to the answer. The minister spelt out very clearly what the issue is about escalating costs.
The Opposition Leader has been in this House for quite a few years now, and must see at Estimates and budget time, how costs increase with all projects around the Territory. It is something we have to deal with. We have escalating costs here. If the Leader of the Opposition was talking to business, she would also hear that they are facing the same kind of escalations as we are. You are looking at 25% to 40% in cost escalations because of the growth in the economy, the growing cost of labour, and the growing cost of materials.
Instead of leading with her chin and saying someone must be incompetent, she should understand better the factors we are dealing with in the Territory economy. They are real factors. On one hand, we have these escalating costs, but on the other hand, it is because we have a growing economy. Take a look outside: a skyline that is full of cranes, a lot of activity, every business wanting to employ more staff, and we have the Leader of the Opposition saying: ‘Why can you not predict costs? You are asking why something which cost X amount of dollars three years ago, does not still cost the same now. We can give you a few briefings. You can talk to business, and you will clearly understand what those costs are. That is the issue with Tiger Brennan Drive.
Setting up an oncology unit is more than just that unit. There are other factors such as staffing and accommodation for people who come to Darwin to use that service. There are many other factors and that much larger sum properly reflects the costs of oncology. We could be accused of not getting our figures right if we did not have all those costs out in the open, in discussion with the federal government. As the minister said, those discussions are very productive.
Madam Speaker, I add a final note here. I think every single question asked by the opposition in this Question Time has been asked on behalf of the Canberra Liberals.
Compass Resources – Official Opening of
New Premises
New Premises
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
Yesterday, you and I attended the opening of the Compass Resources’ new office in Mitchell Street. I also understand that Compass Resources’ Browns Oxide project has been awarded, rightly so, Major Project status by the Commonwealth government. Would the minister please advise the House as to the implications of Major Project status and the project’s significance to the Batchelor region and the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. Yesterday I was very pleased to officially open Compass Resources’ new office at 80 Mitchell Street, just one of the new offices opening in the Territory. In the past few months, we have seen Lister Gold and GPS Gold opening a new office in Katherine. I am pretty sure more of them will happen in the next few months because mining is booming in the Territory and so is the economy.
Compass Resources is a significant project for the Territory, but also a significant project for Australia. That is why the Australian government has awarded it Major Project status in order to facilitate its development and to help with approvals and impediments to assist them through it. Compass Resources is opening the mine on-site, which is part of the old Rum Jungle mineral field near Batchelor. They are sitting on a 2 million tonne deposit that contains copper, cobalt and nickel, and every year they will produce 10 000 tonnes of copper, 1000 tonnes of cobalt and 1000 tonnes of nickel. For your information, they will produce about 2% of the world supplies of cobalt every year.
In order for a project to satisfy the Australian government to acquire Major Project status, they have to satisfy that the project will be of strategic significance to Australia, that it will significantly boost industry innovation, have significant economic benefits for regional Australia, and make a significant contribution to economic growth and employment, and Compass Resources have satisfied all these requirements. In addition to that, Compass Resources will start construction very soon - 150 people were employed for the mine construction at a cost of nearly $70m. Compass Resources has a joint venture agreement with a Chinese company, Hunan Nonferrous Metals Corporation Ltd, who will acquire half of the shares, provide $30m, and promised to buy most of the product every year.
For your information, I will be visiting China in the next few months and I will be meeting with Hunan Nonferrous and Ferrous Resources and other Chinese mineral companies in order to provide information about the Territory and invite them here because, the Territory is the last frontier for the exploration of minerals.
The product to be exported through the Port of Darwin will generate an extra revenue of $100m a year. Compass has established an office in Darwin. Initially, it will be manned by 12 people and will rise to 20 people. I am looking forward to the next stage of the development with a branch on-site and full metallic development in Batchelor.
Darwin City Waterfront - Costs
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Your government was out by about 50% on the important, yet relatively uncomplicated task of Tiger Brennan Drive, and you were out by about 300% on the oncology unit. What faith can Territorians have that you are telling the truth when it comes to costs that you have signed them up for in respect of the waterfront development? Can you say now whether the costs of the waterfront development will blow out and, if so, what is your estimate?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, maybe I did not make it very clear in my answer to the last question, maybe that is my fault. However, the Opposition Leader clearly does not understand cost escalators in our current economic climate. They are a fact of life. With a project like Tiger Brennan Drive, the roadworks have gone up considerably in the last three to four years. We could take the Leader of the Opposition through every single project on our capital works list and look at all the escalator factors. The Opposition Leader would see that in the building of schools, of health clinics, and roads, right across the Territory.
It is a fact of life and one that this government manages, and we are quite up-front about it. The private sector understands these cost escalations, and they know that they are also impacting on government. It is a management issue for our capital works budget.
We will continue to manage it. I say to the Opposition Leader, if you want to find out more about it, we are very happy to give you a briefing.
Madam Speaker, the opposition cannot stop bagging the waterfront. They resent the issues, do not understand the nature of public/private partnerships, of contractual arrangements with the private sector. We would be happy to give yet another briefing to the Opposition Leader about the financial aspects.
Mrs Miller: Sitzlers would be broke if they had these estimates and had to operate like this.
Ms Carney: Will it blow out and what is your estimate?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: I refer the Opposition Leader to our website, where there are details of the financial arrangements of the waterfront. I am confident that we have a public/private partnership in place for building the convention centre. That is locked in, those costs are locked in.
Ms Carney: The costs are locked in?
Ms MARTIN: The costs are locked in for the community infrastructure. If the Opposition Leader would like to take a trip down to the waterfront and look at all aspects of that, they are happening and at a very rapid pace. I had the delight of being on a dump truck today, taking a load of soil from the wave lagoon to fill the end of the sea wall. The sea wall is almost finished. I pay tribute to Macmahon NT for the way they are working so effectively and efficiently.
These things are on target, we are managing them, but we have contractual relationships in place that were signed off on 9 May 2005. I would have thought that, rather than bag the waterfront, which is worth $40m to Darwin businesses, with 550 Territorians working there, we would have had the opposition celebrating it. We celebrate, Darwin celebrates. It is great for business and jobs, and it is a project which is great for our future.
Central Arnhem Road Maintenance
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
The Central Arnhem Road runs 670 km from Nhulunbuy on the north-eastern edge of Arnhem Land to the Stuart Highway just out of Katherine, and is used by residents of many remote communities, including those of Beswick, Bulman and Ramingining in my electorate of Arnhem. Could you advise the House of the Martin government’s commitment to maintaining this important transport link?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. I know she takes a very active interest in the provision of infrastructure within her electorate. As she pointed out, the Central Arnhem Road is of vital importance to the electorate, not only of Arnhem, but also the electorate of Nhulunbuy. There are many people who live there who use the Central Arnhem Road on a regular basis, as well as visitors to Nhulunbuy. There are local residents and community members in the electorate of Arnhem, and, the pastoral industry, who use that road. Part of our $10m package for our beef roads includes this particular road.
As members would be aware, a portion of the road is sealed – approximately 60 km - and there is 600 km of unsealed road from there on. It is a challenge. Earlier this year, Cyclone Monica dumped a lot of rain in that region, so maintaining that road does present challenges. The road crosses several rivers, including the Waterhouse, the Mainoru, the Wilton and the Goyder.
I am pleased to announce that the government has recently awarded a $1.7m contract to a local company, Steelcon Constructions, to build a bridge over the Wilton River just north of Bulman. The contract also includes protection works and sealed approaches, as well as the construction of a culvert on a smaller branch of the Wilton River. This $1.7m will enhance flood immunity at the crossing and improve access in the Arnhem region during and after the Wet Season. Work is already under way and I am hopeful of completion in early December.
The government has also called for tenders for re-sheeting 14 sections of the Central Arnhem Road between Conways and Bulman. That work is estimated to cost in the region of $450 000. Tenders close on 13 September.
In light of some of the questions here today, I would like to compliment the Construction Division and the public servants who work so very hard within that division of Planning and Infrastructure. These are people who have had to contend with record capital works budgets, I suppose, over the last four years of this government, and delivered in a climate of rising costs. I take my hat off to those people. Some of them are very experienced, and they have said to me that it is difficult in this climate of rising costs. When the opposition is criticising government about what they call cost escalations, they are really criticising public servants who provide this advice to the government. I say, shame on the opposition, Madam Speaker.
ANSTI Funding and Operation
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
My question is about ANSTI, a non-government body at Bees Creek that has been dealing with alcohol and drug dependence for approximately the last 20 years. Have you stopped quarterly funding to ANSTI? Do you intend to close ANSTI down by September and, if so, why? Have any people from your department attended meetings at ANSTI? If all this is true, what is going to happen to the 10 or so residents living at ANSTI?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I know he and other people in the rural area have had many years of commitment to ANSTI. I share that commitment to the provision of a good quality rehabilitation and, withdrawal service, plus a residential service.
Sadly, in recent years, ANSTI has not really provided an adequate service. It got to the point in the sector where people stopped referring potential clients to ANSTI, such was the inadequacy of that service.
My department has worked tirelessly to try to work with ANSTI in the provision of best practice service. We have funded ANSTI with $180 000 through the Alcohol and Other Drugs Program, as well as $232 000 for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program, SAAP; in total, around $420 000 per annum. The services provided long-term rehabilitation for people dependent on alcohol, or suffering long-term alcohol-related conditions. Funding through SAAP is provided to ANSTI to assist individuals and families experiencing social hardship and homelessness, with supported accommodation on a crisis to medium-term and case management service.
Member for Nelson, it has not been happening in accordance with the service agreement. There has been little to no case management, and there certainly has not been crisis to medium-term accommodation there. What we have seen is long term accommodation of some nine clients. They have been there for a few years now, and they are not being case managed. They are not being supported through the service as they should be.
I have met personally with representatives of the ANSTI board and discussed the government’s concerns. Very senior officials of the agency have met with members of the board. They have attempted on many occasions to meet with the manager of ANSTI. ANSTI was the only SAAP-funded service in the Territory that refused to cooperate with an audit of all our SAAP-funded services. They just would not be audited. Every other SAAP-funded service in the Territory agreed to the audit.
It did not fill me with any pleasure to move to defund ANSTI, because ANSTI is a fantastic facility with enormous potential. However, as minister, I could not continue to allow $420 000 of taxpayers’ dollars going to a service that essentially was not delivering what it was signed up to deliver.
The Department of Health and Community Services is absolutely committed to supporting ANSTI through its wind-up process, and that is occurring currently. They are working together, and I have to pay absolute credit to the current ANSTI board. They are working cooperatively with my agency through this transition process, on a transition plan to ensure that a continuity of services to the few clients that they have there is met. The transition plan will ensure that assets purchased with Department of Health and Community Services’ funds are transferred to any proposed new provider or the Northern Territory government.
There are nine clients for whom the department is individually assessing the most appropriate alternatives with other providers. The department will continue to individually case manage these nine clients to ensure their needs are met. It is my fervent hope that in the future we will see a terrific service operating out of what we have known as the ANSTI facility.
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