2005-08-24
Auditor-General’s Report – Ministerial Travel
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, when asked about incorrect travel payments, you willingly advised the parliament that you were underpaid by $60. You deliberately failed to disclose, however, any other details of overpayments or underpayments made to other ministers. The Auditor-General did not refer to you missing out on $60 in his report,; he referred to specific instances of overpayments. If this is just about a few clerical errors, why do you refuse to disclose all of the overpayments and underpayments so that Territorians can be assured that there has been no rorting?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we went through this yesterday. I repeat,: that the Auditor-General didpresented a report to this parliament, as he does twice a year. He identified what he has clearly said a number of times in his report and in the media that it is administrative errors we are dealing with.
In total, for ministers, including the member for Blain as the then Opposition Leader, as this was a random sample of claims between June 2003 and June 2004, there were some administrative errors. He was very clear about that. The nett result was underpayment.
There has been no evidence, and I believe the …
Ms Carney: Because you have not, no one else does!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I ask the Opposition Leader, isif she is saying that the Auditor-General has misled this parliament?
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Is she saying that, when he says there have been administrative errors that he has talked aboutdiscussed with the department and,that somehow or other, he has missed the rort …
Ms Carney: Who were the ministers, name them?
Ms MARTIN: … thenat the Auditor-General has it wrong.? That is something the Opposition Leader should take up with the Auditor-General. Yesterday, we had the Opposition Leader saying: ‘Tell us about the massive overpayments. Tell us about the massive underpayments’.
Ms Carney: Well, we will get an FOI request. We will use fFreedom of iInformation.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: I say to the Opposition Leader: the report came from the Auditor-General. I have been advised there is no evidence – and I include the then Opposition Leader in this – of dishonest conduct by ministers or by the Leader of the Opposition.
I will be formal about this. The calculation of the correct travel allowance entitlement is the responsibility of the staff in the relevant section of my department, the Department of the Chief Minister. Unfortunately, for a period of time, there were a number of administrative errors made,. tThat is what the Auditor-General has highlighted -– and I welcome the fact that he has highlighted that - including errors of calculation, use of outdated Remuneration Tribunal dDeterminations, and inadequate sourcing of documentation. He has said they are administrative errors.
Another important point to note is that, in the case of each individual affected, the nett result was underpayment, not overpayment. The word I used yesterday was that the ‘hysteria’ being adopted by the Opposition Leader is not supported by the Auditor-General in his report. It is not supported. I inform the House, as I indicated yesterday, in light of these administrative errors, highlighted …
Ms Carney: Clerical errors!
Madam SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition!
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting that the Opposition Leader says …
Ms Carney: What are you hiding? You say you are honest. Why do you not be honest?
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, cease interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is the court of law again. The Opposition Leader is saying ‘clerical errors’ or ‘administrative errors’ as though she does not believe it. That is what the Auditor-General is clearly saying.
Ms Carney: These people might want more information.
Ms MARTIN: The Opposition Leader should raise it with the Auditor-General that he has obviously got it wrong and he does not understand his job. Opposition Leader, a challenge to you: go and tell the Auditor-General he is wrong!
Ms Carney: Do not be absurd! You have the information! Show it! What are you hiding?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Tell him he has misled parliament with his report – go on - having followed it through to your conclusions you are trying make. You are trying to imply that, somehow or other, the Auditor-General is not telling the truth about this.
Ms Carney: No.
Mr Mills: No, you are not – you are on the wrong track!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: the Auditor-General has spelt it out. In light of these administrative errors, as described by the Auditor-General in his report to this parliament, the Chief Executive Officer of my department has ordered a complete review of all travel allowance payments for the period at issue. We have had a selection done by the Auditor-General, now we will have a complete review of those claims over the mid-2003-04 period, and up to the implementation of the revised arrangements which were put in place a couple of months ago in my department to ensure that there are no further incorrect payments.
He has also ordered a review of administrative processes relating to travel allowance, including the procedures that are followed, delegations and acquittals, to ensure that even basic things likesuch as the form that is filled in is reallyvery clear - there can be no misinterpretation by anyone, anywhere. I believe that is fair. We will make sure these administrative errors are going to be eliminated in the future.
My Chief Executive Officer will also be advising the Auditor-General of these additional steps taken, and provide the opportunity for any additional comments he may have to ensure that the highest level of administration is in this area.
As I have said, the Auditor-General has already investigated the issue thoroughly and has confirmed that it is a matter of administrative error. I say to the Opposition Leader, iIf the Leader of the Opposition she is saying that the Auditor-General has misled the parliament …
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister should not mislead this House, nor should she attribute words to me that I did not utter.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I say again, the Auditor-General has been very clear: - administrative error. My department has taken the advice he has given very seriously. There have been changes put in place already, and we are reviewing the whole administrative process of those travel allowance claims in great detail. The Auditor-General will be informed of what happens through that review. I cannot see how we can be any more accountable.
Indigenous Education and Training
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Can the minister advise the House if the government intends to undertake a major new focus on improving indigenous eduction and training? Will that focus engage communities in the delivery of education and training to their children?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question,. because sShe represents an electorate where I hope and trust that the changes we will be bringing to indigenous education will have a most beneficial effect in terms of outcomes. The question was: ‘Will be engaging the communities?’ The answer is an absolute resounding yes. I held a press conference at lunchtime today to announce our second term indigenous education and training agenda. Later on today, I will deliver a comprehensive statement to the House that will flesh out the commitment I gave at lunchtime.
In our first term, we concentrated and focused our effort on implementing the outcomes of the Learning Lessons report. That is now six years old. It was left on the shelf for two years before we gotcame to it as the government, so we are now moving, in our second term, to update the whole indigenous eduction agenda.
At the very heart of the next four year plan, this government is going to engage indigenous communities in the development of education and training contracts. Our focus will be on the 15 community education centre schools based in 15 quite large communities across the Northern Territory. In each of those communities, through a very comprehensive, and what I would imagine, a very intensive process of consultation, we will engage community members, the schools, the government and, of course, the Department of Employment, Education and Training to develop a contract that will describe very clearly the responsibilities and the role that each signatory to that document will play. The desire here is to dramatically lift the outcomes for education and training.
By having those three groups, - the department, the government, and the communities on the other side,- working from the same sheet, we will see the development of a real valuing of education and training in our communities,; a culture of valuing education and training that we do not see now. We trust that if we can achieve that it will effectively change the face of the Northern Territory forever. We would hope that we would see young indigenous school leavers, leaving school at the end of 12 years of education, totally literate, totally numerate, with the ability to undertake training or go straight into the workforce. - tThey will be job ready.
It will take time. However, without that important element of community engagement effort, without the subsequent development of an education and training culture, I do not believe we can make the necessary steps towards that goal. I, and this government, have undertaken responsibility for the appalling outcomes in indigenous education over the first four years of this government.
I have come to realise and appreciate that, despite the best efforts of government, you cannot do it – myselfe as minister, this government, our principals, our department – without a subsequent effort in terms of commitment and a real value being placed on education by the communities as well. We want to get them to the table as equal partners. We want to work through all the issues about the failure of schools to this point - , why their kids do not go to school; , understand these very basic questions in the community - and, hopefully, get these contracts signed off, community by community.
I see them as absolute vision statements for that school and that community that ought be prominently on every classroom wall so that they are visible to the students, the teacher, and any visitor or parent. They should be on the wall in the principal’s office. Every parent of every child at the school should have a copy of this contract so they understand that this is not a one-sided effort by government, but it is a partnership agreement, as I said, between the school, the department, the government and the community.
It will take time, but that is a cornerstone element of a number of areas in which we will be working on indigenous education over the next four years, and I will be talking about them a bit later this afternoon.
Land Tenure
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
On 19 July 2005, Paul Tyrrell, the CEO of your department, wrote to the CEO of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Attached to that letter was a document, a wish list from both the major land councils in the Northern Territory,. I seek leave to table that document, Madam Speaker.
Leave granted.
Ms CARNEY: which I now table. The document is being reviewed by your government. In the document, the Central Land Council writes that it wants:
- … the creation of a single act that recognises traditional as well as historical … residential land interests and could apply to non-pastoral land tenures.
Will you now give an unequivocal guarantee that you will not create a single act that will affect all land tenures, and, will you also take this opportunity to reassure Territorians that you will not allow the recognition of historical and traditional rights on currently unclaimable land?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have not seen the document because it was sent from one CEO to another. I can understand that the land councils, as we have started a second term of government, do have aspirations about what they would like to see come into place. Over the last four years, this government has worked closely and effectively with issues concerning indigenous Territorians as related to land councils pretty effectively. We have had our moments;, however, I would certainly say that we have not fought them out in public on the whole.
I will be meeting with the land councils later this year to talk through issues about what we would like to achieve for indigenous Territorians, with their relevant role and the role where government intersects with the work of the land councils. The work we completed with them over two years ago on agreed amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act has set a track record, and is the way we will be moving to the future. I hope that, one day soon, the federal government might introduce those agreed amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act in the federal parliament. We have been waiting two years.
Ms Carney: And the answer to the question?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I have not seen the document the Opposition Leader is talking about. It is an aspirational list. I have not seen any of those items and am not, of course, in a position to comment on things I do not understand. We are a government that clearly governs for all Territorians and we will proudly do that for the next four years.
Darwin City Waterfront – Employment and Training Opportunities
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
The Martin government is committed to building the waterfront project. Can you inform the House as to what preparations are in place to meet work force demands and build the skills of Territorians, in particular the skills of Aboriginal people to work on the project?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question, which is very timely. because, aAt lunch time, I was privileged to be a witness at a signing of a most important Mmemorandum of Uunderstanding between the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation, the Larrakia Development Corporation, the Northern Land Council and the Territory Construction Association. This MOU will set out the basis for a collaborative relationship to absolutely maximise the participation of Larrakia people and other indigenous people in training for employment and business opportunities for Larrakia-owned or managed businesses on the Darwin City Waterfront development.
Nothing could be more appropriate than a major project such as we have with the waterfront occurring on Larrakia land, that the Larrakia would be participants in that project as employees. The partnership follows on from the success that was witnessed with similar partnership projects for the railway and the LNG plant at Wickham Point. We see it not only important in terms of the success of the Darwin City Waterfront pProject but, much more importantly, in the longer term, the success of those individuals gaining those job skills and adding, in a very complementary fashion, to the value of our work force overall in the longer term.
The $1.1bn Darwin City Waterfront public/ /private partnership will, of course, bring with it more than a decade of jobs in construction work for Territorians. It will see the creation of many further jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry with, of course, expected spin-offs into the private business sector across the board.
The Department of Employment, Education and Training has already met with representatives of Barclay Mowlem, Sitzler Bros and the Territory Construction Association to discuss envisaged work force requirements, including those employment opportunities that would lend themselves immediately to indigenous employees. That meeting covered work force planning, labour market forecasting, indigenous opportunities, long- term and short- term training opportunities, apprenticeships and traineeships, and is similar to the work undertaken prior to the railway and Bechtel and, of course, sharing all of that employment data during construction.
The Department of Employment, Education and Training will assist those contractors with the provision of labour market information and training advice throughout the duration of the project, and use its labour market analysis model to provide a demand and supply model and assessment as the project progresses. The department will further assist with estimates of training needs based on work force availability and in-training figures. The types of things they could do include pre-vocational type activities for a couple of months to get the participant used to the nature of the work that they might be engaged in, and give them some ready-made skills in order to work safely on a major project such as this.
I congratulate each of the participants. They have a solid track record now. Without singling any of them out, the Territory Construction Association has been tremendously supportive and, of course, Larrakia. The Northern Land Council – this is a quite relatively new role for them – as an organisation historically dealing with questions of land tenure, land ownership, access to land, setting up their own employment branch within their organisation has been a terrific and effective model. I congratulate them for that. It should send a signal to the other land councils that this is a good way to go forward. It is a new and refreshing role for a major organisation such as the NLC. I would love it if the Anindilyakwa, Tiwi and Central Land Councils were to follow the model and set up their own employment units.
Pastoral Leases – Land Claims
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
I refer to the letter from your CEO to the CEO of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, a letter you say that you have not seen. In the letter, Mr Tyrrell says:
- Both the Northern and Central Land Councils have written to the Chief Minister raising a number of issues that they would like to see progressed cooperatively during the second term of government.
On page 4 of the document I tabled, the CLC states:
- There are many unmet land needs, particularly for landowners whose traditional country is covered by pastoral leases and was not available for claim.
Given that you say that you govern for all Territorians, will you now reassure the cattle industry in the Northern Territory that you will not open up their pastoral leases for further claims?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the way we have approached land title issues in the Northern Territory has been a very constructive one. The way we have dealt with difficult areas, such as what we did with the Parks and Reserves (Framework for the Future) Act Framework for the Future with our parks and reserves, meant that anything that we did we certainly talked through with all stakeholders.
Because the Central Land Council has raised issues - oOf course lobby groups raise issues. - tThey want to talk to government about where they see areas of serious disadvantage. We have just heard the Education minister talk about the challenges we have with indigenous education. I congratulate the Central Land Council because - at the top of their list is indigenous education. Their priorities are absolutely right. Along with indigenous education, they are talking about land management initiatives, parks and reserves, training and employment, mining issues, economic development issues, governance and community development - a whole range of issues. I notice that the Opposition Leader has not even mentioned any of these.
When I see the detail of this, I am delighted the CLC has gone into that much detail about what they would like to talk to government about for our next term of government.
Ms Carney: Should the cattlemen be worried? That is the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Our cattlemen should be concentrating on doing what they do best;, that is, getting live cattle into the markets to our north. Our cattlemen should be very assured that their cattle stations are secure for the future in terms of their leases. That is what we want to see them do.
If the Opposition Leader wants to say there is a proposal to change that – look, there are proposals to do all kinds of things. I can say, quite clearly, to the cattlemen and women of the Northern Territory that their leases on their land are very secure. What we want to see for the future areis very cooperative arrangements. I believe we have achieved that over four years. Hopefully, we can build on that for the next four years.
I would like recognition from the Opposition Leader that this document from the CLC is not about some sort of a focus on total land issues, as seems to be almost implicit in the question, but about a whole comprehensive range of issues to do with indigenous Territorians and lifting their opportunities. I congratulate the CLC for the work they have done.
Alice Springs Detention Centre
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Juveniles who commit a crime and are not granted bail usually go into detention. In Central Australia, we do not have a detention centre so the courts are reluctant to detain juveniles because they have to be sent to the Don Dale Centre in Darwin, and I can understand that, sending them so far away from home. Could you advise this House whether this government will establish a detention centre in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. There is no intention to establish a long- term detention centre for juveniles in Central Australia. The current arrangement is a short- term facility in Alice Springs where juveniles can be held for a matter of a few days while arrangements are made to transfer them to Don Dale, where we have permanent facilities and proper programs and support that you really do requireneed for juveniles.
This was studied and, based on the very low number of juveniles that come into this category in Central Australia, it is simply not cost-effective to duplicate a Don Dale-type facility in Central Australia on the current population and pattern of potential youths.
The answer is very straightforward. We are retaining the current arrangement where there is a short- term facility in Alice Springs. We transfer juveniles to Don Dale in the event that they are going to have a prolonged wait for trial or, ultimately, if they are sentenced to some type of incarceration.
Crime Prevention Grants
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The Martin Labor government has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing the causes of crime through innovative crime prevention initiatives. Could the minister please inform the House about funding available to community groups through the latest round of Crime Prevention Grants?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. I am still getting a lot of pleasure seeing the new member for Macdonnell,; it is such a nice sight on our side of the House.
The Crime Prevention Grants Scheme is on for the next round. It opened on Monday, 15 August. $400 000 is provided to respond to the ideas of our regional crime prevention groups and community groups for crime prevention initiatives within their communities.
One of the great successes of our first term in government was, not only the very strong results we have in reducing crime, particularly property crime, which came down by 50%, and some early indications that we are making some inroads into crimes of violence, but the degree to which we have mobilised our communities, Territorians throughout the Northern Territory, to add in their ideas and their commitment to this campaign to reduce crime in our communities. The best way to do that is to facilitate groups who want to get together, locality by locality, community by community.
People know their own community better than anyone else. They can often come up with very targeted initiatives which will impact on areas of concern around a neighbourhood - , whether it be lack of lighting in the local park, or a laneway that is causing problems, say at Wagaman, or the things I heard from Tennant Creek, with an area where people commonly walk between their homes and the centre of town being across a bit of bushland and that was a crime-prone area.
It is that detailed knowledge of locality, detailed ideas about how to reduce the threat of crime-prone areas in those localities, and that is what Territorians are working with us now to extend the impact that we have had ofwith our crime prevention initiatives.
I welcome not only the continuation of this partnership but, far more practically, we are putting $400 000 out there to pick up your ideas andto ensure that they can be put into action. Applications close on 23 September. Please get them in wherever you live around the Northern Territory. We would love to hear from you. We will try andto cover as many of these great ideas that Territorians are contributing as possible within this partnership.
Central Land Council’s Request - Restructure of the Department of the Chief Minister
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
In relation to the letter from Paul Tyrrell annexing a number of wish lists from the Central Land Council and Northern Land Council, I note that the CLC indicates that it wants you to restructure your department to seek additional expertise and to recruit new staff at all levels. This is on the back of a statement made by the Central Land Council that you have made ‘little progress in the first term of government’. Are you thinking about a restructure of your department in accordance with the CLC’s wishes? Are you planning one and, if so, who is going where?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, following the last sittings of parliament, I actually made the restructure that occurred in some areas of government quite public. Maybe the Opposition Leader missed it. We have ministers with new titles sitting here. There have been some restructures already. Within the Department of the Chief Minister, there is now the area of Trade and Major Projects. There has been a level of restructure within the Department of the Chief Minister. There were many suggestions formade to me on how we might restructure things over the last couple of years, and I am sure I will keep getting them.
I say, very clearly, in response to that suggestion from the CLC, that I have a very fine group of people who work for me in the Department of the Chief Minister. I value their advice enormously and I feel privileged to work with them. I certainly hope they are not planning to leave.
Territory Housing – Improvements in Housing Stock
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for HOUSING
What has Territory Housing done to improve the housing stock across the Northern Territory in the last 12 months?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. I know he is very passionate about housing issues in his electorate. Last financial year, Territory Housing spent $68m on infrastructure in the Northern Territory, with a further $6.9m this year to date. Territory Housing completed construction of a purpose-built seniors village at Fannie Bay, which comprises 40 two-bedroom units, with $6.1m spent last financial year. On 11 August 2005, construction was completed on a seniors village at Kenna Court in Alice Springs, and that comprises six two-bedroom units. Territory Housing has upgraded security at public housing dwelling complexes, including security screening and increased security patrols at all public housing dwellings.
We commenced redevelopment of three major unit complexes - , specifically, Keith Lawrie in Alice Springs, Bernard Street in Katherine and Blain Street in Tennant Creek - , to improve the safety, security and aesthetics. The Keith Lawrie complex comprises 30 two-bedroom units, Bernard Street comprises 54 two-bedroom units, and Blain Street 32 one-bedroom units. One hundred and sixteen dwellings have been upgraded under the total upgrade program, with $8.8m spent last financial year. Work includes internal and external painting, replacing floor coverings, linen cupboards, solar hot water systems, refurbishing kitchens and bathrooms, adding carports, garden sheds, concrete driveways and front fences.
As well, Territory Housing has strengthened its focus on supporting safer and healthier communities, education and employment through the construction of 34 new government employee dwellings in remote localities throughout the Northern Territory at a cost of approximately $10.6m. A further six government employee houses have been replaced and 53 dwellings upgraded with $9.3m expended during the last financial year. This represents not only a significant increase in the availability and standard of Territory Housing stock, but also a significant increase in the government’s investment in the Northern Territory economy.
Northern Territory Parks Estate
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
I again refer to the letter from Mr Tyrrell regarding the wish list from CLC and NLC. Despite your assurances to the contrary, the NLC is now indicating that they may well withhold consent for the Northern Territory Parks Estate handover to go ahead because it would, ‘… seriously diminish the traditional owners’ rights to directly develop their lands …’. You have already broken several promises in relation to the time lines and conditions for the parks handover. Will you now give a guarantee that you will not renegotiate the arrangements for the parks estate beyond what you have promised?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the implication that we would renegotiate something that is in legislation without any reference to the legislation is absurd. When we passed the Parks and Reserves (Framework for the Future) Act in this parliament in February of this year, it was clearly stated that what was in that legislation was what we would be acting upon. That is what has been signed off by the two land councils involved, the Central Land Council and the Northern Land Council.
I cannot give you the details of where each of those elements areis at. However, as we have worked through the requirements following passage of that act, we have put together Indigenous Land Use Agreements, we have worked with traditional owners on those areas of land that will come under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act and the land to be scheduled is with the federal minister at the moment. We are moving progressively through the opportunities created by the Parks and Reserves (Framework for the Future) Act, the new parks estate that will be opened up and the new employment opportunities that will be there for indigenous people, both within the Northern and Central Land Council areas.
From my point of view, this is an opportunity for indigenous Territorians to have their relationship with the land recognised in this formal way, through legislation. It is an opportunity for job creation, for ongoing jobs in remote areas where many indigenous Territorians live and, as Tourism minister, I am delighted at the opportunity that the new parks and reserves estate will bring for tourism.
We are also working on the master plan for our parks estate. A lot of activity is happening. I assure members opposite that the agreement incorporated in that legislation we passed in February is what we are acting upon.
Lyons Suburb – Proposed Residential Developments
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
Construction of the new suburb of Lyons is furtherclearly evidence of the Northern Territory economy. Can you please update the House on new residential developments proposed in the suburb of Lyons?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. The development of the suburb of Lyons is, indeed, a very important housing development for Darwin. In all, there will be approximately 700 dwellings constructed, of which around 300 will be for Defence personnel. The balance will be sold to members of the public. That has created quite a lot of interest. There have been some very well attended public meetings, and people continue to ring my office upstairs to ask how they can buy one of these houses.
The development will have 60 houses built at each particular stage and, most importantly, there is a local participation plan. The Defence Housing Authority wereas very clear, right from the start, that theyit wanted a development in Darwin that would benefit local industry. Certainly, there have been a lot manyof inquiries from local industry about this development, and they will benefit. It will give them an opportunity to be involved in this great project, as I say, with over 700 dwellings to be constructed, a not inconsiderable amount.
I am also impressed with The other thing that has impressed me about this development is the amount of consultation the Defence Housing Authority and the proponents have undertaken with community groups and a whole range of people. That is another reason why this development will be very successful.
To update the House as to where things are with this particular development, a subdivision application for Pphase 1 one of the project, comprising 291 lots, was lodged on 28 July 2005. This proposal was placed on public exhibition for two weeks, and is expected to be considered by the Development Consent Authority on 7 September 2005. The first lots in this mixed Defence and private residential subdivision are expected to be available in the second half of 2006. Lyons is an exciting new development for Darwin which will provide consumers with a further choice in real estate.
St John Ambulance Service
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HEALTH
In June this year, out of desperation, the ambos went to the press, and I refer to this article in the Palmerston Sun on 22 June 2005. They told of working 14-hour shifts without a moment to even recover from jobs. They spoke of having to carry multiple patients because there were not enough ambulances. They spoke of a near drowning in the rural area which, fortunately, was attended by the Fire Brigade because they were the closest emergency services.
When will the government make a decision on the future of our ambulance service? Is it to continue as it is, or is the government going to take it over? Does the government accept that our ambos are over-worked and there need to be more ambulances and more staff to relieve the problems? Will the government say what were the recommendations from the two reports, that were supposed to be confidential, on the ambulance service?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would need a ministerial statement to answer all the aspects you brought up in your question. However, let me do the best I can without taking up too much of the remaining Question Time.
If I could sketch out the processes that we have been through and that we are currently in with St John,. tThat might help the member for Nelson with the answer to his question.
Earlier in the year, as you quite rightly pointed out, there were some assessments of the financial affairs of St John Ambulance. Those studies did find areas of concern about their financial management practices. They also indicated that there was a need for further funding to underwrite their activities.
On receipt of those reports, I had my agency sit down with Michael Mooney and David Baker from St John management. Basically, they went into a huddle to see what we could do to set the scene for a negotiation of the next term of contract for services with us.
As a result of those discussions, we immediately put $2m into the kitty for St John, set against the proven shortfall in their revenue compared to costs for the operating period up to the end of 2004-05. We topped up their 2004-05 funding by $1m as the second part of that. We also undertook to put $1m on to their core funding under the contract going into 2005-06. That was an immediate response that we gave to the organisation to allow us then to move on to a commercial negotiation for the next term of the potential contract with the organisation. It was felt that there were pressures on the organisation that needed to be sorted out quickly to provide the conditions for us to go forward.
Currently, there are two commercial negotiations going on regarding the ambulance service. The first is an EBA which does not involve government. It involves St John management and their organisation with their work force. That EBA will pick up issues such as the relative pay of ambos, their working conditions, the shifts – which will all be very fairly put into an EBA. Of course, as a Labor government, we wish that work force all the best in getting a good outcome of an EBA. It is great that they have one, unlike the federal government that would like to take that process away from them.
The second commercial negotiation is around the renewal of the contract with St John Ambulance. That will encompass issues such as what resources and, therefore, what funding would be required to continue an adequate and safe service across the Northern Territory. For example, how many ambulances do you need? How many ambos do you need? What sort of fixed facilities do you need? What is happening with costs? All of that goes into that negotiation. That is on foot at the moment. Even yesterday, David Baker was publicly saying: ‘Yes, those negotiations are proceeding in a constructive way’. We will see what comes out of that.
However, I am certainly not going to conjecture on either of those processes at this stage that they have reached,; they are very sensitive. I am not going to signal any of the positions we are taking in terms of the contract, and I am sure I am not going to conjecture about an EBA negotiation that affects only the management and the work force of St John Ambulance.
Ntaria – Solar Power Generation Project
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
The increasing cost of diesel-powered generation of electricity supply is a serious concern in many remote communities. In my own electorate of Macdonnell, this problem also highlights a need to research alternatives. Can you update the Assembly on progress of the solar-powered generation project at Ntaria?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. This is a very important project. and, aAs the member foreshadowed, diesel consumption in remote communities to generate power - including to cattle stations and other commercial enterprises in the bush - is cause for concern. We are all aware of the escalating nature of fuel costs, so solar power certainly seems the way to go.
I was impressed when I went to Ntaria earlier this year and inspected the facility there. The solar power station is privately owned and operated. They will sell the electricity generated under contract to the Power and Water Corporation. The capital cost is subsidised under the Commonwealth’s Renewable Energy Rebate Program. This subsidy and the long- term contract Solar Systems Ltd has with the Power and Water Corporation enables the project to compete with diesel generation.
The solar array consists of eight solar thermal dishes. Each dish is mounted on a tower about 15 m high. The dishes actually track the sun from sunrise to sunset,. so iIt is a very impressive set-up. Each solar dish concentrator is 14 m wide, with a total of 130 m2 of individual curved mirrors. These concentrate the sun up to 500 times, and can generate 24 kW of electricity.
Talking to the scientists at that facility, it was very interesting for me to learn that this is really cutting edge technology that is being developed in Australia, the way they focus each one of these solar mirrors and the temperatures that are achieved at the focal point. Basically, the whole system has to be cool because of the very high temperatures that are reached. The sum total is that it is a very efficient way of converting solar power into electricity. The technology is well suited to upgrades, with the installation of more efficient cells at the focal point of the dish as research improves the efficiency of the technology.
The solar dish is capable of converting about 30% of the peak day time demand for electricity at Ntaria, and about 10% of the total annual output. Obviously, diesel generation is still required for night time supply and, I suppose, during particularly overcast days to supplement the day time output. All involved with this project are very keen. The technology is being exported to Europe.
This is something that is happening in the very heart of the Northern Territory, in the member for Macdonnell’s electorate. It is pointing the way of the future for power generation in remote parts of the Northern Territory.
Central Land Council – Request for Amalgamation of Regional Councils
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
In relation to the letter from Paul Tyrrell enclosing a list of issues that the CLC and NLC want to be progressed with your government, in that document the CLC makes it clear that they want to pursue regional authorities, effectively giving greater control to the Central Land Council over local governing bodies in Central Australia. The vast majority of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory do not want forced amalgamation of regional councils. Will you now assure those Territorians that they will not have to go down the path of forced amalgamation to satisfy the Central Land Council?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have to inform the Leader of the Opposition that we are actually the government of the Northern Territory. In terms of regional authorities, they are an initiative of this government in terms of how we are proceeding with those and how we have proceeded over the last four years. Can I restate that, one of the fundamentals of talking to communities about regional authorities and their interests is that it is voluntary. It is voluntary, voluntary, voluntary and has always been so under this Labor government and will continue to be so.
Part of the overarching agreement that I signed with the Prime Minister in Darwin in April deals with issues like governance of communities in a post-ATSIC environment. and Onehas ofa those schedules which deals with governance and the progressive establishment of regional authorities where appropriate. We have full federal government support for doing that in a voluntary way, and we will be moving with that. It is one of the priorities of the Minister for Local Government and Housing. I believe that it will bring great benefits to for many communities it will bring great benefits.
The issue of governance of small communities is one that we have discussed in this House many times. None of us wants to see the governance in those small communities fail. As government, we do take action when it happens, but only to see that we can get the governing arrangements up and running again. Regional authorities is something we are committed to, however, it is voluntary and only where it is workable. It is something that we are working together with federal government support on.
Alcan G3 Expansion – Benefit to Territory Business
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for BUSINESS and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Alcan Gove G3 expansion is an important project for the Northern Territory. Can you please update the House on new developments that are backing Northern Territory businesses to benefit from this $2bn project?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. Not only is the Alcan Gove G3 expansion an important project, it is a very exciting project for the Northern Territory, for people on the Gove Peninsula, and also the local member, who always gives us updates on how that project is going every time he comes back from Nhulunbuy.
We are talking about a $2bn project on the Gove Peninsula on the back, yesterday, of a $77m investment in Darwin on a new biodiesel plant. Certainly, there is massive confidence in the Northern Territory economy at the moment.
Alcan Gove, as the member said, is spending $2bn over the next three years to boost its alumina production capacity from two2 to 3.8 million tonnes per year, so nearly doubling the capacity of the mine.
Over the next three years, up to 1750 jobs will be created during the construction phrase, and another 120 new jobs will be created once the construction is completed. That is a massive job creation project.
Mr Stirling: It is going very well.
Mr HENDERSON: It has been going well, to pick up on the member for Nhulunbuy. Not only is this a great project for Alcan, work has already been flowing to local industry and Northern Territory business. I know that Alcan has a great commitment to sourcing, wherever it can, from Northern Territory business, and they have a very good track record and are building on that.
After months of discussions, I am very pleased to announce today that Alcan haves made a substantial commitment to Northern Territory suppliers and contractors and the creation of local jobs. Whilst a $2bn project may sound as though it is only good for big business, there are lots ofmany opportunities for small and medium enterprises to get involved.
Alcan haves highlighted just some of the opportunities for business in the Gove area, including the construction of the workers village, maintenance of the village, wood chipping, sand supply, cross-cultural training, airconditioning and general trucking. Territory-wide, there is civil works, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation works, pre-assembly - a huge range of industries, opening up a host of opportunities.
The way this is all being coordinated is that Alcan is working with my dDepartment of Business, Economic and Regional Development and the NTICN in running ongoing procurement forums, to be held through the different stages of the life of the project. Not only are they going to be holding those procurement forums, they are going to be providing feedback on unsuccessful tenders so those companies can make improvements in the future. That is a huge commitment from a company. It is part of the Northern Territory government procurement process, butand a company on a massive project like that taking the time to debrief unsuccessful tenderers should be congratulated.
They have already established a recruitment and training office in Darwin, which will target skilled workers coming off the Wickham Point gas plant as that is completed. I am also pleased to advise that Alcan is working with my colleague, the Education minister’s department, to provide upskilling and training for its workers.
This is a great project by a great company that has been in the Northern Territory for many years now. It is a real commitment to Territory business. I am pleased to say that this government and the ICN are playing our part in pulling all the parties together to maximise opportunities for Northern Territory business from this project.
Mereenie Loop Road
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
In relation to the letter written by Paul Tyrrell to the CEO of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, in the attachment to the letter it is apparent that the sacred site clearances are not yet through on the Mereenie Loop Road in Central Australia and they continue to be a sticking point. This development is vital to the future of Central Australia, as I believe you have said on more than one occasion. What action will you take to get those clearances through and protect the Central Australian tourism industry,? and wWhy was it that you indicated to the people of Central Australia that it was full steam ahead on the Mereenie Loop prior to the election?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is full steam ahead. Currently, there is $8m-worth of contracts, as much as we can spend in this financial year, of work being done on sections of the Mereenie Loop. When I say ‘full steam ahead’, I reckon spending $8m on a road through one year is pretty good going.
Ms Carney: Well, it has been in the budget for three.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I have also been very clear …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting …
Mr Stirling: How much did you blokes seal?
Ms MARTIN: Yes, exactly! How much did the Country Liberal Party, in government, seal of the Mereenie Loop? You made a bit of noise about it.
Members interjecting.
Ms Carney: Not one inch of bitumen.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I have made no bones about the fact that we have had some difficulties with some areas. We are working through those particular issues with the Central Land Council, and I am confident we will. When you take on a task of this size, sealing those many kilometres of road, critical road for tourism, particularly, critical road for a lot ofmany Aboriginal communities whoich live off the Mereenie Loop, there are always issues that have to be dealt with. That is a factor of building roads in the Territory.
We are working through, with the Central Land Council, the issues about sacred sites protection, road access to gravel pits, together with a lot ofmany other thingsissues that are part of building and sealing a road like Mereenie Loop.
Currently, $8m is being spent. A very important part to be sealed is the section in Kings Canyon. If you have driven that road, the part heading north from Kings Canyon with the jump up is an area that causes a lot of accidents,. so I am very pleased that part of being sealed is that section of road is being sealed.
We are very strongly moving with our commitment, very strongly. There have been some problems that have delayed work, however, this financial year we have $8 m-worth of works out there and we will follow that up with a similar amount next year. I am confident we will get it sealed,. wWe will get tourism really blossoming between Uluru and Alice Springs. The only negativity around I can hear is from the Opposition Leader.
Central Australia – Government Departments
Mrs BRAHAM to CHIEF MINISTER
‘Stronger regions’ and ‘governance’ are terms your government has bandied around. However, in the last term, many of the senior positions in Central Australia have been relocated to Darwin. In fact, most of the decision-making now has to be referred to Darwin. There are no career options for our public servants with talent in the Centre and we are losing good public servants. To get a balance back in and to create a career path for public servants, would you consider relocating a department to Alice Springs -- , and that could be done with Parks and Wildlife, for example - , andto actually strengthen up the public service so, once again, they can take control and start marking decisions without this continual centralisation that your government seems to have fostered?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question because it is an important issue. A couple of years ago, we realised that there had been a loss of decision-making outside Darwin. It is certainly something that was made clear to us as we travelled with Community Cabinet around the Northern Territory. Since that time, we have been making moves to build the decision-making capacity and those senior positions in the region. As a testimony forto the importance of regional development, the fact that the member for Wanguri is now the Minister for Business, Economic and Regional Development. That is certainly an indication from government in this term that that is where our focus will be, and it is a very deserving focus for the Northern Territory.
Around There are something like three thousand 3000 public servants who work outside Darwin. I cannot give you the actual time frame, but there have been positions transferred to, particularly, Alice Springs, and also new positions created in the public sector in Alice Springs. For example, there are 39 extra nurses, 28 new teaching positions and 20 new police officers in Alice Springs. Examples of some of the more senior positions,: in tourism, for example, we now have a Regional Director of Tourism based in Alice Springs to give better capacity to make those key decisions in Alice Springs, and two positions in the executive area of DEET have been upgraded to ECO3 and ECO2 positions respectively, and there are some initiatives within Health that I do not have details of.
Madam Speaker, we are very conscious of that, and it is a very valid point made by the member for Braitling. We are ensuring that we have appropriate decision-making capacity within our public sector. Having Aappropriate numbers working in the region is very important to this government, and I am very happy for you to continue to take us to task about this.
International Cricket in Top End
Mr NATT to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Can you please inform the House of the recent discussions with Cricket Australia regarding the return of international cricket to the Top End?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale - whom I know is an avid sports fan - for his question. We all love our international cricket, and we are still trying to recover from the late nights, having watched the Ashes being played in England.
Officials from my Office of Sport and Recreation, with NT Cricket CEO, Neil Dalrymple, met in Melbourne recently with representatives of Cricket Australia. As a result, tThe meeting has brought forward very good news, because it was to discuss international cricket for Darwin in 2006 and the following two years. They are not only looking at fixtures for this year, but are looking into the longer term.
As a result, Cricket Australia haves provided a draft program for an A series to be held in Darwin next year. This program will be finalised in September of this year. Despite previous opposition speculation, it is fantastic that Cricket Australia continues to have confidence in the Northern Territory and the Territory government to deliver first-class international cricket events. Of course, this is fantastic news for all Territory cricket fans.
I am delighted the series will, at this stage, feature A sides from Australia, India and Pakistan. We will see some of the most exciting cricket, with our future stars coming through these A teams. Let us be under no misapprehension;, they are quality cricket players. It will be an exciting series. The draft schedule includes three one-day games and two four-day games before the teams move on to Cairns. There will also be a game of that exciting new concept of 20/20 limited over cricket.
The International Cricket Council has advised they will be meeting in Dubai very soon - I will not be at that meeting, unfortunately - to consider the future three-year program. At this stage, it is likely that Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will be teams to tour Darwin in mid-July 2007 and 2008.
We are working on a longer- term agenda to keep international cricket in the Territory. There is a lotmuch to look forward to and, certainly, plenty of events for sporting fanatics to put into their diaries. This is a fantastic development. I very much look forward to working with Cricket Australia and NT Cricket to ensure the flow-on effect of the continuation of international cricket in the Northern Territory is fully realised.
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