2008-04-30
Youth Crime – Pamphlet Cost
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Today, the people of the Territory awoke to a news radio report of yet another innocent member of the public being violently assaulted by young thugs. Yesterday, the victim had probably received your latest bit of political propaganda, which I received last night, paid for by the Territory taxpayer. How does issuing glossy pamphlets protect the people of the Territory and, how much public money did you waste on your latest effort?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, my government does take the protection of the Territory public very seriously. Since this government came to office, we have invested in 200 additional police for our police force across the Northern Territory, and in this budget we are funding an additional 60 police officers for frontline patrols right across the Northern Territory, in Darwin, Palmerston, the northern suburbs, Alice Springs and Katherine. Our commitment to tackling and reducing crime is on the public record.
These sittings of parliament see the most significant attack on youth crime that this Northern Territory has ever seen. There is significant legislation coming into place in this House this week that will establish a regime of parental responsibility agreements and orders, because everywhere I go in the Northern Territory and speak to Territorians about the issue of youth crime in the community, the one issue that comes up over and over again from the community is: why are we not holding the parents to account for the actions of their children? There is a small hard core group of youths across the Northern Territory that is at the centre of so much of the disruption, crime and antisocial behaviour that we see.
This government is applying more police resources to do this job. We are toughening the legislation to allow for parental responsibility orders, and parents are going to be held to account for the criminal activities of their children who do not take the opportunities offered to them. Kids do go off the rails. Most of us are parents in here. The toughest job you do in life is to be a parent. Every now and again, kids go off the rails. The diversion system is there. The figures that I saw yesterday from some research show that 70% of all kids that go through juvenile diversion are not seen by the police again.
However, there is a hard core there and the hard core will not be able to go through a never-ending circular route of juvenile diversion. They will be offered two attempts at that, the third time they will be before the courts. Very importantly, the police will be able to issue these parental responsibility orders. We are also establishing youth camps in Alice Springs and Darwin. We have announced two for the Top End – one in Batchelor, one at Talc Head - and already the advice I had yesterday since we started funding those six or eight weeks ago, is that 25 young people are actually serving time in those youth camps.
In regard to the brochure that the Leader of the Opposition was talking about, the people of the Northern Territory want to know, quite appropriately, what their government is doing to tackle this problem. Regarding how much this costs, we are an open and transparent government. They cost approximately $20 000, which is approximately 22 a copy into people’s letterbox - very cost-effective in letting Territorians know what their government is doing to tackle this issue: More police, tougher laws and bringing the parents to account are the strategies that we are deploying to stamp down on youth crime in the Northern Territory.
Budget 2008-09 - Closing the Gap Measures
Ms ANDERSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Next week will see the first budget since the adoption of the Closing the Gap policy by this government. Can the Chief Minister please inform the House of the Closing the Gap measures in the budget?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. She is a passionate advocate on behalf of her electorate and indigenous people. We have acknowledged, as a government, that closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage is the biggest social issue facing the Northern Territory and, I also argue, one of the biggest economic issues facing the Northern Territory. We absolutely have to do that and we absolutely will, in conjunction, in partnership with the federal government, which also has a similar commitment to closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage.
Our plan was in response to the Little Children are Sacred report, but it was much more than that. It was done as a consequence of the Little Children are Sacred report but, over the years, listening to indigenous Territorians in the bush in our regional centres and in our urban centres across the Northern Territory, it is a comprehensive plan, an inter-generational plan. In housing, health, education, employment, and enterprise development across all areas and agencies of government, the message is clear: this is a core policy informing all areas of government.
I advise the House today that I have instructed the Cabinet Office that, in future, all Cabinet submissions will be required to have comments in them regarding how the particular submission moves the government’s Closing the Gap policy forward. That will be part of the Cabinet process; that all Cabinet submissions now will have comments about how the submission moves the Closing the Gap policy forward.
We are certainly demonstrating that in the budget - and ministers will talk about that over the course of the next week. Just two weeks ago, the federal Indigenous Affairs minister, Jenny Macklin, and I announced $647m for significant improvements to housing across 73 communities in the Northern Territory - the biggest housing program ever undertaken in the history of the Northern Territory. It is something that every single one of us here knows - and I also include members on the other side of the House - that the critical issues regarding the housing shortages and the state of housing in those indigenous communities absolutely has to be addressed. The federal and Territory governments are jointly putting in $647m over the next four years to build thousands of houses and upgrade many thousands more. It is a very significant commitment.
In education, we are working towards activating the Rudd Labor government’s commitment to 200 additional teachers - 50 are being advertised now. My colleague, the Education minister, will make a statement in this House later this afternoon on transforming indigenous education - an absolute commitment and acknowledgement that we have to do better, we have to do more. We have to get these indigenous kids to school and they have to achieve. It is absolutely core for the future of the Northern Territory that we do that.
Protecting women and children in the bush was an absolutely core theme that emerged from the Little Children are Sacred report. There will be an additional 24 police resources for the Child Abuse Task Force in this budget - $2.3m for increased policing in remote areas; $200 000 to expand the elders visiting program; as well as capital expenditure, such as building the police station at Galiwinku this year - significant extra resources for our police. There are also extra resources allocated to primary health care. All areas of the budget will see significant financial commitment by this government to closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage. As I said, it is the biggest social and economic issue facing the Northern Territory. We are committing ourselves to actually closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage.
Domestic Violence - Alleged Inaccuracies in Answer by Chief Minister
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, you got it wrong when you claimed on three occasions that the opposition opposed changes to domestic violence legislation. Also, in your answers in Question Time, you suggested that Domestic Violence Units did not exist under the CLP, yet they were established in 1994. You also said that you visited the domestic violence reduction unit, but there is no such unit. You referred to a domestic violence reduction strategy, but we can find no reference anywhere to such a strategy. Finally, the 52% figure you referred to is not, as you stated, to be found in annual reports or any other public document. How can you expect Territorians to believe what you say when what you say is just wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Araluen for her question. She gets those assertions absolutely wrong. We went through this up hill and down dale yesterday. This is a government that committed an extra 200 police into our police force and the establishment of dedicated Domestic Violence Units in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Darwin, with a direct strategy in reducing domestic violence, policed right across the Northern Territory. As I said yesterday, if these units are fictitious, then I wonder who I was speaking to in the Alice Springs Police Station not a while ago, taking me through the tragedy of domestic violence in the Northern Territory.
The Violent Crime Reduction Strategy has been in operation since November 2004. I have spoken about it frequently; the Police Commissioner has spoken about it frequently. I am surprised the member for Araluen has not heard of this particular strategy ...
Ms Carney: No, you referred to the domestic violence reduction strategy. Your words.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: The domestic violence reduction strategy is a core strategy that the Northern Territory Police Force works on every single day in the Northern Territory.
I went back to the debate on the particular bill that allows police officers to issue restraining orders. I acknowledge that the member for Araluen is a lawyer, and is practised in the use of words, but her argument all the way through the bill was that we should not be doing that, with weasel words at the end of it that ‘by the way, we support what you are doing’ …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr HENDERSON: It could only be, if you actually read what she said …
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, Chief Minister.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Yesterday, I gave a personal explanation in this place as to how it was that the Chief Minister misrepresented the opposition’s position. Notwithstanding that personal explanation, he now seeks to do it again. I ask, in all of the circumstances, that you direct him to withdraw his comments.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek advice. Chief Minister, please continue.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. If people are interested in this, read the second reading debate. I read it again yesterday. I was on my feet; I remember the debate ...
Ms Carney: The opposition does support the bill. What do those words mean to you, I wonder?
Mr HENDERSON: I was the Police minister at the time, it was a Justice bill. I well recall that the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Araluen, all the way through her contribution in the debate, argued the reasons why police should not have these powers and, then, in the end, said ‘the opposition supports the bill’. So it is weasel words from the member for Araluen ...
Ms Carney: That is absolute rubbish! You are just a liar!
Mr HENDERSON: Any objective reading of the second reading debate would show that the member for Araluen …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Please pause, Chief Minister. Member for Araluen, I ask you to withdraw those comments.
Ms CARNEY: I withdraw, Madam Speaker, that the Chief Minister is a liar.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, if anybody wants to have their own view, I urge people to look at the second reading debate.
Off the Intranet now, the Northern Territory Police has a unit - I might have got it slightly wrong - the Domestic and Personal Violence Protection Unit. These are not fictitious police squads …
Ms Carney: You consistently got the whole thing wrong.
Mr HENDERSON: The member for Araluen is just being pedantic.
The issue here is there is too much domestic violence in the Northern Territory. A huge amount of it is fuelled by alcohol. The tragedy is, at the end of this violence, unfortunately, are women the length and breadth of the Northern Territory who should not be bashed to any extent that is happening at the moment. The fact that this strategy is in place, that these police are there policing that strategy, is giving women the confidence to report. I gave those statistics yesterday. It is a tragedy that is occurring across the Northern Territory, and instead of quibbling about the statistics, it would be good to see the opposition …
Ms Carney: Most of those things you have said could be found in public documents, alas. You misrepresented, you have misled parliament.
Mr HENDERSON: … actually acknowledge the extent of the problem and propose any better solutions than what the government is currently applying ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Please pause, Chief Minister. Member for Araluen, I ask you to withdraw those comments.
Ms CARNEY: That he misled parliament, Madam Speaker?
Madam SPEAKER: Correct.
Ms CARNEY: I withdraw those comments, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, I ask you to cease interjecting, particularly with the type of interjections that you have made in the last few minutes.
Ms CARNEY: It is difficult, Madam Speaker, given that he is so loose with the truth, but I will certainly abide by your ruling.
Madam SPEAKER: But I am sure that you will be able to do it, member for Araluen. Resume your seat.
Indigenous Education Initiatives
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Can the minister please outline the government’s latest initiatives to close the gap in indigenous education?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. Unlike members on that side, this government is determined to make a difference in indigenous education; to close the gap between educational outcomes we see in our Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs and other urban centres, and the results we see in remote indigenous communities. We must improve the literacy and numeracy levels of our remote indigenous kids, giving them the opportunity for a better quality of life and further education and employment. I will detail further, and later on this afternoon I am bringing on a statement which is looking at how the Territory government is working with the Commonwealth to deliver the extra resources and, particularly, implementing our own Closing the Gap package.
On top of this, today I announced an overhaul of the delivery of remote indigenous education, with a focus on looking at community ownership of education in those communities to, hopefully, improve attendance, some of the facilities in those communities, and the health and wellbeing of those students.
Part of the new strategy has five broad areas of directions we are looking at. First is the establishment of Community Partnership Education Boards. In the first instance, we will look at the Warlpiri Triangle and East Arnhem. These boards will give the community strong and genuine community ownership over a range of education services in their area.
In partnership with the federal government, we will investigate the establishment of early learning and development family centres. These centres should ensure that indigenous children in remote communities are born healthy and have appropriate health care and education in early childhood.
There will be the establishment of community-based residential hostels. Over the past couple of months, we have heard many commentators discussing the pros and cons of hostels for young people in remote indigenous communities, so they can access a quality secondary education in or near their home communities.
We will investigate the establishment of Fit for Learning services to provide health, welfare and wellbeing needs for indigenous students in town camps to enable them to concentrate on their school studies.
The most important aspect that often gets lost is the expansion of Growing Our Own - to build the Territory’s local indigenous education workforce, increasing the numbers of and skills amongst indigenous school-based and departmental staff. If we are talking about sustainability into the future in our education in remote communities, we have to get serious about growing our own and ensuring that the resources and the support is there.
We will continue to work with our Commonwealth colleagues. We are currently working with the Commonwealth to recruit 50 Commonwealth-funded teachers as part of an additional 200 promised for remote indigenous communities. Our upcoming budget delivers $18.6m for Closing the Gap education initiatives, which covers extra teachers and upgrades to many of our remote communities. All bush members here will agree that the upgrading of facilities in our remote communities has been a long time coming and will be an improvement clearly welcomed by those communities in our electorates. New mobile preschools and an attendance team are other parts of our program. Furthermore, we will feature a campaign on the value of schooling. We need to work with communities and parents so they see the value of schooling.
Remote schools to receive funding in Budget 2008-09 as part of Closing the Gap include: $1m for Alekarange to construct a new specialist senior learning space; $2m to convert the homeland centre at Arlparra; $1.5m at Ngukurr, which I am sure the member for Arnhem will be pleased with; $1.25m for Ramingining …
Mrs Braham: That is enough; we are going to hear it all later.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … $2m to convert the homeland centre at Yilpara, which is an important area; $1.55m for Yirrkala …
Mrs Braham: She is telling us all that is in her statement.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I know the member for Braitling does not like this, but this is fantastic news of delivery in communities. … and $1.25m for Yuendumu, all of which shows this government is committed to closing the gap in education.
Domestic Violence – Government Action
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
On page 6 of the last available Police Annual Report, the Commissioner said:
- Analysis of the data shows that NT Police are taking more reports of domestic violence and this in turn led to more recording of assaults.
You proudly asserted yesterday and today that the figures are:
- … going up because women have more confidence to report.
Domestic violence is a crime of violence. More reports of domestic violence means that more men are beating more women and more children. How can you say that your government has done well in the area of domestic violence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the member for Araluen’s question. The member has a very nasty habit of putting words in people’s mouths that have not been uttered, and her question is laden with those. Very clearly, whilst the member for Araluen plays with words, our police are out there combating, on a day-to-day basis, domestic violence.
The one point on which I will agree with the member for Araluen is that domestic violence represents a very insidious crime. Anybody who has researched the issue of domestic violence knows that a lot of it is hidden from view; a lot of it is not reported. There are many complex reasons for women to fail to report domestic violence. The member for Araluen absolutely knows that …
Ms Carney: You said: ‘These numbers are going up because women have more confidence to report’. How is that playing with words?
Mr HENDERSON: The issue is to treat this as a crime. You cannot treat it as a crime unless complaints are made or the police observe this act occurring. Part of the strategy that our police have committed to since 2004 is to have a dedicated focus on this issue, to apply the resources to this issue, to actually work with women who, tragically, are repeat victims of domestic violence, and also to focus on the repeat perpetrators of domestic violence.
I gave you all the figures yesterday. I am not sure if this is one that I gave but, in the period 1 October 2007 to 31 March 2008, 974 offences were recorded for failing to comply with a domestic violence restraining order, which is a 20% increase in comparison with the 813 offences recorded during the same six-month period.
That is police effort in not only issuing restraining orders, but also actually arresting and charging people for breaching those orders. The police are focused on this. For the member for Araluen to play with words around this issue, does not take away from the fact that there are dedicated resources that did not exist previously, right across the Northern Territory, targeting this insidious crime. More reports are coming in; more people are being charged. However, that does not leap to a conclusion that there is more domestic violence occurring in the Northern Territory. That is an absolutely unbelievable assertion that would not be backed up by any researcher at all who knows this particular issue.
I stand here proudly, Madam Speaker, as the Chief Minister and the Police minister that has seen an extra 200 police allocated to our police force since we came to government, another 100 on top of that number that has been allocated to Closing the Gap. Through this budget, that has allowed the police to shine a light on this insidious crime. For the member for Araluen to assert that it is not happening, that it is not a priority, that it is not a focus and it is all out of control, is absolute bunkum ...
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister used the expression in relation to me earlier, ‘weasel words’. I tolerated it but, in light of the weasel words he is using to suggest that we suggested domestic violence is not happening, is wrong and deeply offensive.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, there is no point of order. Resume your seat. Chief Minister, continue.
Mr HENDERSON: I will conclude, because I also have the same page from the Police Commissioner. I do not know what the point the member for Araluen is trying to prosecute, but from the Police Annual Report 2007, it stated:
- … but reflected a commitment by NT Police to a Violent Crime Reduction Strategy, which was reported on in the previous annual report. Analysis of the data shows that NT Police are taking more reports of domestic violence and this in turn has led to more recording of assaults.
NT Police views this trend as a positive outcome and will continue to apply the strategy in an endeavour to break the cycle of violence, especially domestic violence.
Glyde Point – Environment Protection
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: You can have both. As you would know, Glyde Point is an environmentally sensitive stretch of coastline that this government has looked at very closely in regard to potential development in the best interests of the Northern Territory. After looking at all of the facts, looking at the positives and the negatives, we decided to preserve Glyde Point for all Territorians to enjoy. This careful planning resulted in Glyde Point being rezoned from Industrial land to Public Open Space with the existing infrastructure at Middle Arm to be utilised for future developments. It was a considered decision to rezone the land to Public Open Space.
How was the decision greeted? Well, I have a letter here from the Australian Conservation Foundation that captures the tone of the response from environmental groups and the wider public. The Executive Director, Don Henry, said:
- I congratulate you, the former Chief Minister, and your government on deciding to protect the biologically important Glyde Point area from industrialisation …
This from the Australian Conservation Foundation …
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, the Amateur Fishermen’s Association …
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There are constant interjections from the opposition and it is very hard to hear the answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause. Order! Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 69, ‘Interruption of Member’:
- No Member may interrupt another Member who is speaking unless -
- (a) to call attention to a question of order of privilege suddenly arising;
(b) to call attention to the want of a quorum;
(c) to call attention to the presence of strangers;
(d) to move a closure motion; or
(e) to move ‘that the business of the day be called on’.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. That was the Australian Conservation Foundation and their comments in regard to …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can I ask the honourable member to table the document?
Mr HENDERSON: I am happy to.
Mr Mills: That is good. Just checking.
Mr HENDERSON: Happy to, Madam Speaker. I will conclude my remarks and table the document.
The Amateur Fishermen’s Association was just as supportive. President Warren de With said the decision to preserve the area ‘makes good sense’. He went on to say in the Northern Territory News on 5 October last year:
- We advised government some time ago that the proposed development at Glyde Point posed real threats to the environment and recreational fishing in the area and that options to place gas and related industries in the East Arm area of Darwin Harbour should be fully explored.
Some people want to see the decision to protect Glyde Point overturned. The Leader of the Opposition says we should build LNG gas plants there, despite the fact that INPEX has said that that option is not viable. I went through it yesterday. INPEX told him in his office that that option is not viable.
Mr Mills: You have taken it away from them.
Mr Wood: You did not put any infrastructure in.
Mr HENDERSON: Despite the fact it will cost …
Mr MILLS: Hang on. A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Pause, Chief Minister.
Mr MILLS: There have been assertions made yesterday and today of personal conversations which occurred in my office at which the Chief Minister was not in attendance. How would he know? I deny that that was, in fact, the words that were spoken in my office. How can he make these assertions?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: I do not make things up. I am not going to cop it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Leader of the Opposition, if you feel that you have been misrepresented in any debate I ask you to approach me later to make a personal explanation.
Mr Mills: Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It has been all over the public record that the Leader of the Opposition advised INPEX that he supported their development at Middle Arm. INPEX have said so; it has been in the media. The Leader of the Opposition is wriggling around on this issue. Despite the fact, as well - and I am not going to get into this; but INPEX are very clearly on the record saying that they were advised that the Leader of the Opposition supported their project at Middle Arm - it would cost about $500m to duplicate infrastructure that already exists at Middle Arm.
As the Treasurer said yesterday: which part of the budget are you going to pull that out of? Despite the fact that the Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, Chris Young, has described it as ridiculous and risks jeopardising a major oil and gas project, the Leader of the Opposition claims a second LNG plant is not suitable for our harbour. Madam Speaker, what an absolute load of nonsense!
We already have an LNG plant at Middle Arm at Wickham Point. Is that destroying the environment? I saw an LNG tanker sail past today – is that polluting the environment? The fishing is as good as ever in Darwin Harbour. The LNG plant takes no water from the harbour, puts no water into the harbour, is not polluting the harbour, and the fishing is as good as ever. Under this government, you can get the investment and you can protect the environment.
The Leader of the Opposition has been very interesting to watch on this issue. He has been like a worm on a hook, wriggling around, trying to find a position that makes any kind of sense. He is going to do a lot more wriggling before this issue flows through. On 2 April, in his media release, he started by saying that he supports a second LNG plant, but not at Middle Arm. No mention of Glyde Point on 2 April. Then, a little later, when pushed, he said: ‘Well, okay I support an LNG plant’. Where? Glyde Point.
In spite of all the environmental support, the Amateur Fishermen’s Association, everybody coming out and saying, no, Glyde Point should be preserved, he picked it up and said it should go there ...
Mr Mills interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: He is starting to wriggle. On 4 April, he said: ‘Gunn Peninsula is the best location for heavy industry, not the middle of Darwin Harbour and that is where INPEX should establish its LNG plant’.
Mr Mills: Yes.
Mr HENDERSON: He is not too comfortable on this particular hook at the moment, Madam Speaker, he is wriggling away. When it was pointed out to him that INPEX would not consider Glyde Point, he said in the NT News on 7 April …
Mr Mills: Because you had closed it down. You had taken it away from them.
Mr Wood: You are twisting the truth.
Mr HENDERSON: He said on 7 April, ‘It is silly to suggest INPEX would not be flexible about the final destination’, when they told him there was no other alternative – it was Middle Arm or Western Australia.
The Leader of the Opposition says: ‘Off to Western Australia, off to my home country. Off you go, take your venture over there’.
A few days later, in the NT News on 8 April, he has to concede that, in his meeting with INPEX, they told him very clearly that Middle Arm was the only option and I quote:
- … Mr Mills admitted the company told him the CLP policy was not viable.
The CLP policy was not viable. He is thrashing around now; whichever way he goes, he is stuck. The Environment Centre says he is wrong, business groups say he is wrong, and we on this side of the House say he is wrong.
Having run out of wriggle room, he finally admitted what his position has been all along in this morning’s NT News, and I quote from page 4:
- Opposition Leader, Terry Mills, said he was willing to risk an election defeat by fighting against a second Middle Arm gas plant.
Hook, line and sinker, he has finally admitted he is fighting against it.
Mr Mills: Read the rest of it.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: He is fighting against the Middle Arm gas plant - a $12bn project. $12bn-worth of investment in this economy, thousands of jobs in the construction section alone, many hundreds of jobs in ongoing supporting industry, and the Leader of the Opposition is fighting against it. He is fighting against it; he admitted it this morning. Not only is the Leader of the Opposition an economic vandal, he is an environmental vandal as well.
Alice Springs – Repatriation of Prisoners
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
I wrote to you earlier this month and I still do not have a reply, so that is why I am asking the question today. At a meeting we held of representatives of different organisations in Alice Springs recently, one of the organisations mentioned that prisoners on release from Darwin are repatriated back to their communities, but prisoners on release in Alice Springs are not. I want you to clarify for me exactly what the process is for prisoners who, in fact, are released from the Alice Springs gaol. I would also like you to inform me whether the idea of a halfway house, which has been floated for a long time, is going to be implemented in Alice Springs to help prisoners readjust to civilian life?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. There is, obviously, a policy of the Northern Territory Correctional Services in relation to repatriation. Essentially, if a prisoner has served the full term of their sentence, they are offered repatriation. However, this is purely on a voluntary basis. They cannot be forced to go back to their place of residence, say; where the crime was committed or where they live.
If, for instance, prisoners are released on a bond or there are conditions of their parole, it is mandatory that they are repatriated to the community identified as their residence. I will read the policy of Correctional Services in relation to this matter. It says:
- All prisoners are to have the opportunity of repatriation after discharge from prison in order to facilitate a prisoner’s return to a place of residence, place of arrest or other approved place.’
The policy is there. In Darwin, prisoner services staff are responsible for determining if prisoners want or must be repatriated home, and book the necessary travel. You are correct to some extent, member for Braitling. In Alice Springs, the prisoner services staff have a less direct involvement in the repatriation process. Travel is primarily organised by administration staff. That is something that needs to be addressed, and I thank you for bringing it to my attention, member for Braitling. The department assures me that that situation will change and there will be more attention paid to this process. There are difficulties, of course. Some communities have very little in the way of commercial transport. With the collapse of some of the regional airlines in Central Australia it does become problematic. However, it is an issue that I undertake - in this House, and in my correspondence back to you - will be addressed.
In terms of halfway houses and that sort of thing, obviously, in Darwin Bill Somerville is doing a fantastic job with OARS. I visited their facility in the rural area a couple of weeks ago. Government has injected some funding. I consider what is happening there very significant. I commend OARS and Bill Somerville for the work they are doing. It is early days, though I expect they will significantly boost their effort.
There is also a need in Alice Springs and other regional centres for this sort of program. I have telegraphed that government is prepared to look at such facilities and programs at a regional level, including Alice Springs.
_______________________
Distinguished Visitor
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Mayor of Palmerston, Mr Robert McLeod. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
_______________________
Indigenous Literacy – Policy Failure
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
On 28 February 2002, the Education minister announced that the government had signed up to a deal with the federal government to increase remote indigenous literacy by 26% over four years. To assist you, the federal government gave your government more than $10m each year over those four years to reach that 26% target.
Between 2002 to 2006, literacy rates among remote indigenous students actually fell. Do you accept that you did not meet the 26% target set by your government? In order to move forward, can you identify the reason for this serious policy failure? If you cannot, how can we expect this latest approach to work?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As I said this morning when I tabled the report - and bear in mind, Leader of the Opposition, as an ex-teacher, you should know that this has been a dilemma for all successive ministers and governments, not only ours but the CLP governments. It has been an issue for a long time: how do we improve literacy and numeracy rates amongst indigenous children?
Mr Mills: With respect, these are targets you set - your government set.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I am answering the question. You have asked me a question and I am endeavouring to answer it ...
Mr Mills: Yes, answer my question.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: If you do not want to hear my answer, I will sit down. You asked the question ...
Mr Mills: I do want to hear your answer to this question.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Speaker, we have had programs running for a number of years, and we have tried. It is not whether there has been a failure. There have been a number of initiatives where we have tried. It does not mean, because something is not working, that you give up, wipe your hands and say: ‘These kids are no good, so we will just give up. We will just walk away and forget about it’. It is not about that, it is about: ‘This has not worked, so let us try something else’. It does not mean that you give up, but you have to, at all costs, try to implement different strategies to see if we can lift that attendance.
I said today that we are no longer going to tolerate the bad statistics that we have had, the low literacy and numeracy figures that we have seen come out of our remote communities. Part of it is working with our communities and getting our parents to value education - something that has not been there. It is about working with communities, but it is also about saying to our departments that we will do this differently. It is about working with communities in that delivery of education to those communities. I want to improve it, and all my predecessors in this government have all been committed to lifting the low literacy and numeracy outcomes of indigenous children. We will.
Leader of the Opposition, in my statement, we are talking about a new way forward. Madam Speaker, it is about moving forward and putting in place a system that, hopefully, we can look at getting attendance rates in those remote communities lifted so that kids do go to school every single day. Looking at some of the figures, Leader of the Opposition, nearly every child in some of those communities has missed nearly a whole term of schooling. How do we lift that, if those children are missing that amount of time in school? It is about working with their parents to try to get those children to school.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The thrust of the question is to identify the causes for policy failure in the past so that those lessons can be applied to the future. I have heard no reference to that issue. Otherwise, it is just platitudes, nice talking of well-intentioned gobbledegook.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order.
Indigenous Housing
Infrastructure Program
Infrastructure Program
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for HOUSING
Early this month, the Territory and federal governments announced a program to build or upgrade thousands of houses across the Territory. This is the most significant housing program in the Territory’s history. Can you advise the House on this program and expected outcomes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. This morning, I had the pleasure to talk at an industry information session at SKYCITY that was attended by in excess of 350 people from the construction industry about an exciting project. The Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Program is one of the most exciting projects; it is potentially the biggest housing project ever in the history of the Territory. $647m will deliver new and upgraded service, land, new houses, upgrade houses and provide conditions equal to the conditions of the mainstream society in the Territory.
The program will deliver 750 new houses, including new subdivisions. Over 230 new houses will replace earlier constructions, and 2500 houses will be upgraded. We will provide essential infrastructure with new and upgraded houses, and will get better conditions in the camps. Sixteen communities across the Territory will get new houses and there will be large scale upgrades valued at over $420m. $124m will be spent to refurbish houses in another 57 communities, and $103m will be invested in fixing our town camps.
The priorities of the program will be to get more houses for our housing dollar, so we have to work very closely with the construction industry. We will create a commercial and land tenure framework to underpin that and we will monitor remote housing assets, the same way we will manage the housing assets in the cities and the towns in the Northern Territory.
Of course, there will be real jobs for indigenous Territorians. The way we are going to manage this program is through an Alliance contracting model, and that was explained today to the industry. I believe there were many questions about it and the industry was very pleased that many of these information sessions will be held in other towns in the Territory.
In total, the combined money from the Commonwealth and our money for Closing the Gap for upgrading and maintaining houses is nearly $1bn, which will be spent on remote community housing over the next four to five years. We will see this for the first time, I understand. David Ritchie, the CEO of my department, referred to a report that was written in 1955 outlining the condition of indigenous housing. It took 53 years for any government in Australia to actually make a decision and put money on the table - real money - to update housing. This is the first time the government in the Territory and the federal government worked cooperatively in closing the gap.
My personal endeavour is, at the end of this project, to see indigenous people having real jobs in indigenous construction companies, building new housing, upgrading and maintaining houses in remote communities.
Transforming Education Policy
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In your media release today announcing your plan to transform education, you announced what you called, ‘new major policy directions to assist that transformation’. These include community partnerships and partnerships with the Commonwealth. Both of these approaches are not new. In February 2002, the then Education minister announced that he was doing both of those. How will rebadging old, and apparently unsuccessful, approaches assist Territory indigenous students? They are not new.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. They are new. The way we are refocusing - the Leader of the Opposition says rebadging - the community partnerships that were implemented by my predecessor is fantastic. They are a good mechanism in which to get the community buy-in to education ...
Mr Mills: But you never reached your own targets. You failed.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: You asked the question, at least give me the courtesy of answering you.
Mr Mills: My question? That will be good.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: This is the person who purports that he is the guru of education, as you have the guru of local government sitting behind you, and the guru of education ...
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Speaker, what the Leader of the Opposition and all members opposite fail to acknowledge - what he always seems to fail to acknowledge - is that we are coming off a very low base here. When we look at remote indigenous communities - and I was just listening to my colleague, the Minister for Housing and, when he was talking about the historical deficits you shook your head and did not want to know. Well, I will continually say it, because this is one area where you blokes on the other side of the House ought to hang your heads in disgrace ...
Mr Mills: You are in the driver’s seat and you are failing.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: When we talk about education - and I have heard my predecessors, former Education ministers, stand in this House and talk about the historical deficits - in the bush, we start with that context: we are talking about starting from a very low base. We are talking about historical deficits. I have always maintained, holding the Child Protection portfolio, how the hell do you protect or keep a child safe, let alone educate a child, if you are not going to fix up health, housing, and the most important one, education? You blokes had your chance; you missed the boat; you did not want to deal with it. This is the historical deficits that we are dealing with and trying to fix.
Madam Speaker, as the Leader of the Opposition said, there are some mechanisms that have been in place. We have refocused them. I have asked the department to be more strategic, to target the areas and those communities where we are getting the worst outcomes in attendance, and to look at literacy and numeracy. It is about getting those results that we need but, most importantly, finally, our government, through Closing the Gap, is not just putting the measly weasel words there. We have backed this up financially, so we are putting, not just the software, but also backing it up with the hardware - something that the CLP government never ever did.
Vandalism of Trees in CBD
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
This morning as I drove in, I listened with some grave concern to the Lord Mayor of Darwin talking about vandalism and poisoning of trees. What was your reaction to the recent reports of the mindless attacks on trees in the Darwin CBD?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mrs Braham: It is against the standing orders to ask an opinion.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The opposition is interjecting. You have already indicated to the Chamber regarding interjections. The minister could not even start his answer and they were interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause. Member for Brennan, I would like you to rephrase the question, bearing in mind that you are not allowed to ask the minister for his personal opinion on something. I would like you to rephrase the question.
Mr BURKE: The words I used were asking for a reaction.
Madam SPEAKER: They do not meet the standing orders in relation to questions.
Mr BURKE: What is the government’s reaction in response to the reports of mindless attacks on trees in the Darwin CBD?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I will pick up on the opposition’s snide remarks about ‘save the trees’. I did feel like that, member for Brennan. I did feel that we should save the trees. I, like many Territorians, was appalled when I heard the news on the radio about the poisoning of those trees in the CBD. You really have to wonder about the mentality of some people. It is a terrible thing.
One of the things that I enjoy most about living in the Territory is its flora, be it the gum trees in Alice, the scrubby, impenetrable bushland around the Daly, or the great, majestic trees that we have in the CBD. These are beautiful things, and they are worth paying attention to and saving ...
Members interjecting.
Mr KIELY: The mentality of the response, the snide remarks from the CLP, on that is just appalling, Madam Speaker.
Our tropical landscapes are some of the most precious assets. It is one of the things that make the Territory the best place to live, work and raise a family. The Heritage Conservation Act plays an important role in protecting some of the Territory’s iconic trees, such as the Tree of Knowledge in the Civic Centre, and the baobab tree on Cavenagh Street, which is one of the first trees that I really noticed when I arrived in Darwin. I was amazed to see that tree right there in the car park. For 22 years, I have been watching that tree grow, and it has been growing for generations before I got here.
I, like many other Territorians, am disgusted that anyone would even contemplate the behaviour that has come to light over the last 24 hours. They are undoing, in one act, years of commitment to maintain a green city, and this needless vandalism must be stopped. They are, in one act, undoing what it has taken generations to create.
Madam Speaker, we have seen Doug Gamble - yes, Doug Gamble, Madam Speaker. I do not think the CLP know any of the developers in town these days, so I will tell you who Doug Gamble is. He is a really good developer who has a vision of a green tropical city with …
Mr Wood: How many trees on Knuckey Street, minister?
Mr KIELY: … plenty of trees. He is really disgusted by all this as well. Well, we heard you say ‘What about the trees?’ too, member for Nelson. I do not think you have much credibility here.
We have seen Doug Gamble’s generous offer of a $10 000 reward for information leading to the perpetrators of this disgraceful and mindless behaviour being caught. Today, this government has decided to match it with $10 000. I encourage anybody who has any information to come forward and contact the Darwin City Council, or my office, or any of the government MLAs, because it is quite clear that the CLP MLAs are not interested in our trees. Contact any one of us or DCC and just let them know that this community will not tolerate such behaviour.
LNG Plant – Alleged Government Deceit
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
In relation to the INPEX debate, is it not the case that the government has deliberately concocted stories about Glyde Point, and shamelessly changed or ignored the planning rules for Middle Arm, simply so it could attract an LNG plant into the harbour? Is it not the case in relation to this that your government has tried to deceive the public as well as being just plain dodgy? Are you not trying to cover up …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Nelson cannot accuse of deceit without moving a substantive motion.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Can you read it again? There was so much disorder, I could not hear the question.
Mr WOOD: Madam Speaker, is it not the case in relation to all of this - that is, referring to this LNG plant - that your government has tried to deceive the public as well as being just plain dodgy? Are you trying to cover up your lack of forward planning for the gas and heavy industry by trying to dump on the Leader of the Opposition and I, simply because we want the industry at Glyde Point where the Darwin Regional Framework shows this was approved at Glyde Point by the government in February 2007. It shows it as the heavy industrial area, and also says in the same document that the processing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas in Darwin in Middle Arm is prohibited. That is what they approved of in 2007. Now they have scrapped it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Member for Nelson, sorry. It is all these redistribution maps at the moment, Madam Speaker.
I thank the member for Nelson for his question. In his question, he has very clearly also linked to a decision that he does not want to see the INPEX LNG plant for Darwin.
Mr Wood: Wrong!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: You very clearly made that assertion in this particular question. The land at Middle Arm has been zoned for industrial development for many years ...
Mr Wood: You approved it.
Mr HENDERSON: For many years, the land at Middle Arm has been zoned for industrial development. In answer to a previous question, I went through the process that the Territory government went through for a decision ...
Mr Wood: That is yours.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, and we changed it. We changed it, having considered all of the environmental issues …
Mr Wood: That was the conspiracy
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nelson!
Mr HENDERSON: If the member for Nelson was to have his way, the planning instruments of government would never change. They would be set in stone and we would still be building pyramids. The member for Nelson believes that planning schemes and instruments, once set down are set in stone, never to be changed. Well, sorry, community attitudes change, the economics of developments change, and the world changes. The only thing that does not change is the member for Nelson and his clutching to the heart old, framed documents and saying: ‘These were released once many, many moons ago and they should never be changed’ …
Mr Wood: It was only a year ago!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: They should never be changed. We live on planet Earth and nothing is going to change. That is where the member for Nelson comes from.
We went through a process of significant assessment of the environment at Glyde Point …
Mr Mills: Wrong!
Mr HENDERSON: The Leader of the Opposition says ‘wrong’. I forget the value of the consultancies that were let. It is all on the public record. It was a few hundred thousand dollars to do detailed environmental assessments at Glyde Point that demonstrated that any development of significant industrial …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister is quoting a document that has not been released to the public. I ask the minister to release that document to the public.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, I believe there is no point of order unless the Chief Minister wishes to table the document.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Significant expense and assessment, supported through the Australian Conservation Foundation, other environmental groups, and the Amateur Fishermen’s Association, have all said that Glyde Point should be preserved as open and public space into the future.
That was the decision the government took. I understand the member for Nelson does not support that. He would like to see industrial development at Glyde Point - that is fine, that is his position. If he wants to campaign on that, against all the environmental assessments, in spite of all the economic considerations that have actually happened, to duplicate perfectly good infrastructure that already exists at Middle Arm at the expense of around $500m-worth of taxpayers money - if that is the sort of magic pudding of economic debates that the member for Nelson wants to engage in, well, that is his prerogative.
You can have industrial development, a second LNG plant at Middle Arm, and you can still have a fantastic, environmentally sound harbour in the Northern Territory on which so many Territorians enjoy recreation and fishing. His is a case of not having one or the other. You can have both and, more importantly, preserve Glyde Point for future generations.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Briefing of Minister on Patient’s Death
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
In today’s Northern Territory News there was a report that the Coroner was told by the Royal Darwin Hospital’s Nursing Director that, on 13 December 2006, Mrs Margaret Winter died as a result of system failure. A nurse was sacked as a result of the death, despite a reduction of full-time nurses from 34 to 25 in Ward 4A of RDH earlier that year. Just five days after Mrs Winter’s death, you issued a media release boasting that the Territory’s health system was in good shape. Were you briefed as to the cause of Mrs Winter’s death prior to that release on 18 December 2006, and, if not, why not?
Madam SPEAKER: Before I call you minister, I will obtain advice as to whether the question is orderly or not, because it is a matter before the Coroner. I am getting some advice whether it is sub judice or not.
I will allow the question. However, bear in mind, minister, that it is before the Coroner and, so, I caution you in what you reply.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, thank you for that caution. I was already aware of the issues around the fact that there is a coronial hearing going on. It would not be proper for me to comment directly on that coronial hearing. I am amazed. I know the member for Greatorex is a new member, but I would have thought …
Dr BURNS: I would have thought that others on his side would have advised him about this ...
Mr Conlan: Were you briefed and, if not, why not?
Dr BURNS: Please, member for Greatorex, I will answer the question as best I can, given the issues that the Speaker has raised and the issues that I have just raised.
The first thing to say is that Mrs Winter’s death is a tragic event and my thoughts are with her family. Second, as I have said before, this is a matter before the Coroner. The Coroner is the best person, and best equipped, given all the evidence and submissions that are given to the Coroner, to come to a decision and determination in this matter. As the Coroner does - and in this case it is Mr Greg Cavenagh, who is an excellent Coroner - he will make recommendations to government, and will publish his findings in relation to this matter. So, member for Greatorex, I believe we have to wait for the Coroner …
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There has to be some sort of relevance here. I have asked the minister, very simply, whether or not he was briefed. My question was: Were you briefed on the causes of Mrs Winter’s death prior to your release on 18 December? Madam Speaker, very simple. If not, why not?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, there is no point of order.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016