2007-08-30
Auditor-General’s Report – Compliance
with Treasurer’s Directions
with Treasurer’s Directions
Mr MILLS to TREASURER
Yesterday, I asked you to table the names of agencies and the amounts of money that were involved in the Auditor-General’s criticisms of a raft of agencies regarding the use of hospitality funds, credit cards and travel funds. You said:
- … had he qualified an amount against it, there would have been a response from the responsible agency in the Auditor-General’s report.
I direct you to pages 38 through to 42 of the Auditor-General’s report, which are exclusively dedicated to specific agency responses. I ask you again: will you disclose the names of the agencies involved, and will you disclose the amounts of money involved in the questionable transactions, goose?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, I ask you to withdraw that last part. It is not appropriate in a question.
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, I …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, simply withdraw.
Mr Stirling: You were too embarrassed to ask for a withdrawal yesterday. We are not. You have just prosecuted the case again.
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, please cease interjecting. Please just withdraw.
Mr MILLS: I withdraw goose, Madam Speaker.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I appreciate it is the last day of Question Time of this sittings, and I appreciate how difficult it is for a small group of opposition to muster enough questions to last through two weeks of Question Time, but he really is going back to an area of great embarrassment, I would have thought, to the member for Blain.
If we just go back some 23 hours, I distinctly recall a person with a mauve tie, similar to this, and looking very much like myself, answering this question in full yesterday - in full. There is little point in getting to our feet and answering a question twice - and I answered it twice yesterday, fully and comprehensively – and to come into Question Time and have it as the first question today.
Of course, there are responses from agencies through pages 38 to 42, as the member for Blain points out, because they are specific issues raised by the Auditor-General against each of those agencies. The Auditor-General, in the course of natural justice and being the upright person that he is, gives agencies an opportunity to respond to shortcomings identified by the Auditor-General. As I said yesterday, he is not an Auditor-General who goes around lobbing hand grenades or trying to ambush the government. If there is an issue with agencies in relation to accounts or auditing, he puts it before the agency, and the agency responds. It is up to the minister with responsibility for that agency to determine if the agency’s response is as fulsome, wholesome and forthcoming as it ought to be. A discussion between the minister and the CEO would take place, I would have thought, without exception, when the Auditor-General raises issues because, if the Auditor-General raises an issue, it is an issue for me, it is an issue for the Chief Minister, and it is an issue for the minister with responsibility for that agency. So, when you look at pages 38 to 42, they are specific issues, raised with specific agencies, on specific matters, and responded to by the agency concerned. Any follow up from that point is the responsibility of the minister.
In relation to page 10 of the Auditor-General’s report, as I said yesterday, it was a sweeping, generalised observation that some tightening up might need to occur, and the concern was as strong for him to recommend his own course of action, and that is that, over the next few months, he would be investigating this further and would report in due course. Now, he has not carried out his investigation, and the member for Blain stands here and says, ‘tell me the agencies, tell me the issues, tell me how much is spent. He has not even looked, you goose.
Mr Mills: You did not even know this existed yesterday, you goose.
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Oh, Madam Speaker, I am horrified. Please, I ask if the member would withdraw that offensive remark.
Madam SPEAKER: Deputy Chief Minister, I would ask you to withdraw.
Mr STIRLING: How many times does he have to prove it? I withdraw.
Mr Mills: I also withdraw.
Tourism Campaign – Share our Story
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for TOURISM
Today, you launched the latest campaign for Darwin under the Share our Story brand. Can you please inform the House of details of the government’s latest marketing campaign for the Northern Territory and what this will mean for tourism?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. At lunchtime today there was the very important launch of the new Destination Darwin tourism campaign at the new Hanuman Restaurant at the revitalised Darwin Entertainment Centre. I thank Mr Jimmy Shu, the owner of Hanuman’s, for allowing us to use his venue at lunchtime. It was great to be amongst industry and CBD stakeholders again.
The launch is coming off the back of a fantastic tourism season this year, especially in Darwin. It just seems that the Dry Season has gone on and on. We have had the wonderful Darwin Cup racing festival, the Festival of Darwin and, through this campaign, we will be keeping up the momentum in the shoulder season in continuing to see a stream of visitors come to Darwin. We continue to promote our magnificent city as vibraNT, with a big NT. I believe everybody has seen those advertisements across Australia in all sorts of magazines. Importantly, Darwin is a destination in its own right, not just as a gateway through to Litchfield or Kakadu, but a wonderful tropical capital city. It is a strategic campaign to further build on our tourism shoulder season and bring visitors all the year around.
It comes at a time to complement the additional capacity that Tiger Airways announced earlier this year: the first domestic flight from Darwin to Melbourne. That has been responded to by Jetstar and Qantas and other carriers with discount fares and further capacity. The work that we are doing with airlines is leading to greater discount seats into Darwin and this campaign will really support that.
It is a $1.2m campaign that will run for five weeks until the end of September. As part of the campaign, there is a new online version of our interactive website called Insiders Guide to Darwin. I urge all members, all Territorians who are listening to the broadcast to visit www.travelnt.com, because it is fantastic and creative. Essentially, the website is like the inside of the Weekend Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, and, I believe, the Brisbane Courier Mail. You click on links and it takes you to some fabulous Darwin characters who tell their story about what a wonderful city we have in the Top End. Other elements of the campaign include: advertising and news, inserts in magazines such as Good Weekend online marketing, PR generated coverage in magazines like Delicious, Your Garden, The Age, Discovery Channel and Sunrise, and online marketing through major web portals, such as Yahoo and news.com.au.
This is a great campaign. It comes on the back of the Chief Minister’s launch of Creating Darwin’s Future, which will see further investment in new tourism products, such as the new World War II museum for Darwin. It is also going to support the excitement that is out there about the Waterfront development and the new convention centre for Darwin which is going to see up to 1500 people regularly coming to Darwin for conventions.
The future is looking very bright for our tourism industry across the Northern Territory, and in Darwin. Tourism NT and this government will continue the marketing effort that brings rewards of business investment, jobs for Territorians and a great holiday for Australians and people from overseas.
Local Government Reform – Consultation
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Earlier this week, you were once again confronted with evidence of the rising anger amongst ordinary Territorians in respect to your forced council amalgamations. The Cattlemen’s Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Minerals Council, the Territory Construction Association, the Australian Trucking Industry Association and the Chairman of the Northern Territory Business Council are also opposed to the proposed amalgamations. The lack of genuine consultation regarding the council amalgamations now threatens to undermine the legitimacy of your proposed super councils. Will you pause this rush long enough to undertake genuine consultation on the proposed almagation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, no, I will not pause because, as I have indicated very clearly on many occasions in this House, this is a matter of critical importance to the people of the Northern Territory. We have a responsibility to ensure that we put in place …
Mr Wood: If you are a ratepayer.
Mr McADAM: Just listen to my answer. We have a responsibility to put in place a proven, proposed model to bring about profound change, which has been lacking in the past, and we will do that. You make reference to the Cattlemen’s Association, the NT Chamber of Commerce and some of the other industry groups. I met with them earlier this week. It was a very constructive meeting. I made it very clear to them, and urged them to re-engage in the process; to be part of the advisory board, to have the opportunity to provide advice as they see fit in the context of their industry and this reform. I asked them to do that.
I told them if they did not want to do that, that was their choice. I also advised them that I would be more than happy to meet with them, either as a group or on an individual basis, again, to address their concerns. I do not know if there is too much more than I can do in engaging people in a constructive way to bring about the changes that this Territory so desperately needs to improve the quality of life, social outcomes, economic opportunities, providebetter services …
Mr Mills: You could slow it down.
Mr McADAM: Well, I am not. Did you not hear my previous response?
Darwin Waterfront Project
Ms SACILOTTO to CHIEF MINISTER
The Darwin waterfront and convention centre is bringing hundreds of jobs to the Territory and will continue to do so for many years. Can you update the House on the latest developments on the waterfront and advise whether there are any alternate approaches?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for the question. We were both at the waterfront just before lunch to witness the first concrete pour on the beginning of two new hotels that are being built there. I am sure the member for Port Darwin has scraped the mud off her boots now - I had to scrape the mud off mine. It was great to be there, because one of the final elements of Stage 1 of the waterfront is starting to take shape. Importantly, those two new hotels - the Medina Apartment Hotel, that is 121 rooms, and the 120-room Vibe Hotel - are a $100m private sector investment into the waterfront and there are 200 jobs with just these hotels. Already, $14m worth of local contracts have been let to local businesses on the development of these two hotels.
The NTICN is working with Toga, the developers of the hotel, to ensure they have the relevant trade packages in place to enable more businesses to take part in the benefits from building these hotels at the waterfront. Both hotels are scheduled to open in early 2009. Considering our accommodation market is still really tight as we get to the end of August, these hotels will be most welcomed.
The waterfront is taking shape. We have the convention centre, which really looks stunning, opening by the middle of next year, with conventions starting there. The wave pool is on track for May next year, the sea wall is 99% complete, and next month, the cruise ship terminal starts. We are really starting to see much of the shape of the waterfront take place.
I know the opposition does not like the project. Whatever we do, the opposition does not like the project. Last night, in here, they were going to extraordinary lengths to put down the waterfront project. I am stunned that they can be so negative about something that is so positive for the Territory. Why would you ever consider having them in charge of the economy that we have helped to make so strong? You just would not let them near it.
I will quickly look at the details of the project they are criticising. We have 25 ha of old industrial land that will be developed into a signature capital city. It will bring millions of additional dollars into the Territory, and all of it is new money in a new market. It leverages millions of dollars worth of private sector investments in other projects, and just remember, of the entire waterfront project, taxpayers’ dollars make up 14%. If you do the maths on that, the vast majority is coming from the private sector. So an investment from Territory taxpayers has actually leveraged something like $900m worth of private sector investment. The waterfront is expected to provide a wider economic benefit, $350m over the next 20 years, and the opposition puts it down; the convention centre is expected to generate an additional $193m for tourism over the same period, and the opposition does not want it; and 85% of contracts from the waterfront, do you know where they are going, Madam Speaker? To local business. And what do we have? An opposition which puts it down. The project has already created hundreds of jobs, and by the time it is finished there will be something like 1200 jobs generated in its construction – and the opposition puts it down.
We know the opposition does not like to see a growing economy, an increase in jobs, more tourists and making Darwin an even better place to live, work and invest, but, every other Territorian does.
Cyclone Shelters – Capacity
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Considering that over the last decade we have had three category 5 cyclones with winds in excess of 300 km/h, can you confirm that the works to be undertaken to strengthen public cyclone shelters are only to a strong category 4 cyclone, that is sub-300 km/h winds? Is it not the case that such buildings are not built to withstand the maximum winds in a category 5 cyclone, such as Thelma, Ingrid and Monica?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I can confirm that all current work under way to extend the number of cyclone shelters, particularly the works on the gymnasiums at the schools, meet the Australian building code standards for cyclones. I can also confirm that there is a growing debate within the engineering community as far as what that building code standard should be, that there is an existing level – and all of our cyclone shelters meet the existing level. Some of our newer buildings are actually in excess of that existing standard.
There is currently a study being undertaken at a national level to actually test a range of engineering modelling around cyclones and the increasing intensity of cyclones. Within the engineering fraternity right across the Top End of Australia, because this affects Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia particularly, there is a debate about whether the existing code sitting at the level four is the code we should remain on, or whether it should be increased, so there is a national study going on. I met with representatives from Canberra about that study that was only going to be modelling on Queensland scenarios. I have asked that they do some modelling in particular response to the Territory circumstances as well. I am waiting for that expert advice. Early indications are that existing codes are significantly strong enough, however, I want to hear from the experts as to what they say about any future changes to the code.
You have to be careful here, because you do not want to go into the realms of scaremongering. It is a highly technical debate within the engineering fraternity. The advice I have received from absolute experts in this field is that our existing code within the Australian standard is strong enough and sufficient enough to withstand the cyclones that we are getting now. The argument really is, in relation to climate change, what we will see in terms of increasing intensity of cyclones. That is where the argument is, that is where it is headed, and there are experts at the national level doing modelling studies on that.
Equine Influenza - Update
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
As part of the nationally agreed response to the outbreak of equine influenza, you invoked the horse standstill in the Northern Territory. Can you update the House on any recent developments and when the horse standstill in the Northern Territory is likely to end?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. He is quite right. As you will remember, as part of a national response to the New South Wales and Queensland outbreak of equine influenza, I initiated a standstill in the Northern Territory earlier this week. The ban was imposed to halt any further movement of horses throughout the Northern Territory to ensure that the disease does not spread any further. As everyone knows, last weekend the Darwin Turf Club held their race meeting, and that was purely based on the fact that the horses were quarantined by being inside the fence of the racecourse and there had been no horses enter that area within the required time.
The unfortunate part of this is that 19 properties in New South Wales have been affected, and I understand that another 49 are suspected of being infected. Only this morning, we heard the bad news that there is a thoroughbred horse at Randwick that has been infected as well. That could have devastating effects on the racing industry in New South Wales and could affect up to 700 horses. Queensland is affected as well. We know there are four infected properties in that state. It all comes back to a horse gymkhana at Maitland in New South Wales on the weekend of 18 and 19 August, so it just demonstrates how highly contagious the disease is.
I stress again that we are at low risk. We have no horses that have come into the Northern Territory from the infected areas. I am pleased to say that there have been no suspected cases and none reported. As a precaution, four horses that have entered the Northern Territory in the last fortnight, three from Queensland and one from New South Wales, have all been tested and I am pleased to say that those tests have all been negative.
The Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease has convened. That met at lunch time today. They have been updating their discussions and there is a national link-up tomorrow morning between federal, state and territory ministers to discuss the next set of plans. Based on the information I will be receiving from my Chief Veterinary Officer, and after the national link-up tomorrow morning, I am hopeful that I will be able to lift the standstill as of 12.30 pm tomorrow.
Again, I thank the horse fraternity for getting behind us. I understand the polocrosse was cancelled this week purely because of this, which shows that they are a responsible sport. There is a gymkhana in Timber Creek this weekend. They will get a special dispensation to undertake their activity this weekend. I thank everyone for being responsible. I also thank everyone at the State Disease Control Centre and other departments which have been cooperative right through this catastrophe.
Tourism Excellence Awards - Entry Criteria
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for TOURISM
As you are aware, the Central Australian Tourist Industry Association has decided to hold its inaugural industry awards in September this year. It has been prompted by the desire to showcase the small operators who do not get an opportunity to compete in the Brolga Awards. I am sure you are going to support CATIA in this initiative, but will you also amend the very demanding entry criteria that Tourism NT has for Brolga entrants? As you know, it is estimated to take about 100 hours to complete an entry, and so many small businesses do not even bother to enter. Minister, it needs to be fixed. Will you fix it?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. I wish I could fix it, Madam Speaker, because the issue of the Brolga Awards and the complexities of the submission process are really issues that are outside of Tourism NT and the tourism industry in the Northern Territory, our discreet control, because the Brolga Awards feed into the Australian Tourism Awards, which have a defined set of entry criteria. They have defined standards that entrants have to meet. Our Brolga Awards have been amended, and there has been a very lengthy process over the last 12 months which has involved all of the tourism industry associations in the Northern Territory to streamline the number of awards as part of our Brolga Awards, so we complement, totally, the awards at the national level. So, if you win an award in the Northern Territory, you are automatically entered into the national awards under that particular category.
That is the reason. It is not administrative restrictions that Tourism NT has placed on this. This is at a national level. At the national level, the Northern Territory is arguing the case – particularly in the Northern Territory where we have unique, small tourism businesses in niche markets – for them to be able to justify the cost of engaging somebody to write the submission is out of reach, and we accept that. I suppose the central question here is do we just want to have our own Northern Territory awards as a stand alone feature? Or, do we want our businesses in the Northern Territory to be part of the national awards, being able to compete at the national level and actually win an Australian Tourism Award which assists them in their marketing effort, given that tourism is a global market.
I have empathy with the small operators. It is a vexed issue that is being worked through. However, in terms of, can I, at the stroke of a pen, actually downgrade the effort that is required to submit – no, I cannot - unless we were to disengage and de-link our Brolga Awards from the national awards. I do not believe the industry wants us to do that, but we certainly have empathy with the small operators and we continue to take that discussion up at the national level.
Cyclone Building Code – Public Advice
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Is it not the case that there are only two buildings that were hit with the eye wall winds of Cyclone Monica? Both were at Martjanba Outstation on Wessel Islands. Both were built to code, and both were blown away, complete with foundations, and destroyed.
The Department of Planning and Infrastructure website has a fact sheet which says:
- Experience with Cyclones Ingrid (2005) and Monica (2006) has shown that buildings built to code can withstand severe conditions very well.
Considering that the only buildings which faced the full might of Cyclone Monica were destroyed, can you please explain your department’s advice?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, my colleagues are shouting out because Cabinet did not receive a comprehensive brief from the agency or from the experts who did the assessment post-cyclones. What we did find at Croker is that the buildings actually withstood the intensity of that cyclone extremely well.
What it showed us is that the most modern buildings – the buildings built under the existing code - withstood the extremely intense cyclone. The old buildings were blown away. It certainly showed our engineers, straight up, in evidence going out and visiting the island, that we have been building to code and those buildings we built to code to withstand a cyclone. What Cabinet wanted to do was some structural engineering testing of the buildings that survived the cyclone to be able to get some engineering feedback on whether there had been any unseen, if you like, damage to the structural integrity of the building.
All of the advice coming back from the expert engineers within the agency is very comforting advice, in that buildings built to code and modern contemporary buildings, houses and other structures, such as schools and the like, withstand well. What we do know is that buildings built prior to the implementation of the code are blown away, and anyone who survived Cyclone Tracy, as I did, knows exactly what that actually means to families going through those circumstance.
This government takes the issue of increasing intensity of cyclones extremely seriously. We have had several presentations to Cabinet on the subject of the engineering integrity and the results of intense cyclones going through, particularly our coastal communities, in recent years. I can categorically say that evidence actually shows that those buildings built to code withstood the cyclone well. We went back and tested their structural integrity as well. The results were very positive.
Further to that, as I said in my previous answer, we are part of a high-level national research study that is modelling the increasing intensity of cyclones, and various engineering options regarding structures and, if there is a change in the code, what that change should be. Early advice from the experts has been that the code is satisfactory. This is not just the Northern Territory participating in these discussions. They are national level discussions, across Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. My concern was that that modelling was occurring, basically, out of the Top End in Queensland - not surprisingly, as a result of Cyclone Larry. As minister, I had expressly asked that we be included with modelling in the Territory.
Indigenous Teachers – Numbers
Mr HAMPTON to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Can you inform the House of the government’s initiatives to increase the numbers of indigenous teachers in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for his question. The issue of recruiting more indigenous teachers to be part of our teaching workforce is an absolute priority for me, as minister, in recognition and understanding that the great challenges of indigenous education, getting better attendance at school and better education outcomes are only going to be enhanced and supported to a large part by actually seeing more indigenous teachers in our workforce as real role models and as teachers who have a very clear and direct empathy with indigenous students across the Northern Territory. I have been very pleased to meet a significant number of indigenous and student teachers in my visits to schools across the Northern Territory this year.
We have established a goal of an additional 40 indigenous teachers over the next four years. We have a significant and very targeted marketing strategy that aims to address the challenges of recruiting and retaining quality teaching staff for remote communities. The ‘Teaching: you can do it’ campaign is a part of the indigenous teachers plan. I launched the campaign at Wagaman Primary School a few weeks ago and met a number of current DEET indigenous teachers.
The marketing campaign has a number of elements. Currently, there are posters in all of our schools featuring current indigenous teachers. Gary Fry, who is the Assistant Principal at Wagaman Primary School had a very strong hand in putting this campaign together. As Gary says on the poster, ‘When I see Aboriginal children succeeding it makes me proud. It’s 99% laughter and fun with kids’. Gary was a very big part of putting that campaign together. There is a comic book aimed at younger students to promote the importance of going to school, which uses a story about becoming a teacher and a role model for the community. A DVD, which was launched on the day at Wagaman school, contains testimonials from indigenous teachers right across the Northern Territory. It was fantastic to hear the stories about the rewards and challenges of teaching indigenous kids in remote communities. That is the marketing side.
We have three specific programs to support additional recruitment. One is an Indigenous Fellowship Program that provides financial and study support to assist indigenous DEET employees to complete a degree in teacher education and become teachers with DEET. I gave scholarships out to around 35 of those employees in Parliament House a few months ago. I have since met a number of those students whilst they were doing their practical in some of our schools, and all of them have said: ‘I would never have done this without the financial support and the scholarship’. We have $884 000 allocated for those scholarships for the 2007 year. It is fabulous to meet those teachers, and hear them say that they would not have done it without the support.
There is an Indigenous Scholarship Program which, similarly, provides financial and study support packages to assist indigenous employers across the public sector and the general Northern Territory public to complete a degree in teacher education. The allocation for that scholarship program, which is broader than the DEET program, is $0.511m for the 2007 year. There is also a National Indigenous Cadetship Program which is co-funded between DEET and DEWR. It provides a financial and study support package to assist indigenous people to complete a degree in teacher education and become teachers with DEET. We also have, which the Chief Minister announced recently, an allocation of $0.113m for the Wesley Lanhupuy Remote Indigenous Teacher Cadetship program.
We are putting in the marketing effort, however, we also have the program effort and the financial support to support students, through scholarships, to become indigenous teachers. We are very serious. As a government; there is nothing more important for the Northern Territory to do than to see improved education outcomes for our indigenous population. Forty additional indigenous teachers will go a long way to supporting that plan.
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Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of members of the Filipino Senior Citizens Association. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Agriculture – Cotton and Peanut Crops
Agriculture – Cotton and Peanut Crops
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
As is well known, your government does not support the growing of cotton in the Northern Territory. Government funded a seven year cotton trial for Katherine Research Station, the results of which are in this 2004 report, which clearly shows that it is possible to grow cotton in the Northern Territory using farming systems that meet strict environmental guidelines, and by doing so will have no greater environmental footprint than any other crop. In fact, the report states that by using the right irrigation process, cotton is not a thirsty crop and uses no more water, or even less water, than peanuts.
Recently, you spoke glowingly of a new peanut development in the Northern Territory, and said this will become one of the biggest agricultural irrigation ventures across the Territory. I support that. Could you give the scientific reasons, not the ideological reasons, if these two crops use the same amount of water, why it is okay to grow peanuts and not cotton? Would you agree that the real issue should not be what type of crop is grown but how the crop is grown?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. The Peanut Company of Australia purchased an additional property at Taylor’s Park, and you are quite right, it is west of Katherine. They are going to develop between four and five thousand hectares of irrigated crops. I am not going to get into the scientific reasons of cotton growing and peanut growing. I am not a scientist.
I met with the board of directors of the Peanut Company of Australia in late July and visited the Katherine property on their announcement. It is great to see their processes there. With a centre pivot, they had three crops of peanuts in, and they had rotational crops of millet and corn growing. They intend to develop four to five thousand hectares of irrigated crop over a five year period at Taylor’s Park. That is about a thousand hectares a year on centre pivot irrigation. It will be the biggest intensive agriculture venture in the Top End in recent times.
A water allocation of up to 50 gigalitres will be required, which will be the largest single water requirement in the Katherine region. They will employ around 20 to 30 farm contractors and employees, and about 15 share farmers. The Peanut Company of Australia will enter into collaborative research and development with DPIFM, NRETA and also the National Water Initiative to assist the crop evaluation, sustainable water use and farming systems development. They have been working with my department since the early 1980s on the development of peanuts in the area. They bought their property in Katherine in 2002, and they are growing an irrigated peanut crop there at the moment. I wish them well in the future development and offer them the support of my department.
National DNA Database
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Can you inform the House of the good outcomes for the Territory from the recent meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, and in particular, the establishment of a national DNA database?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to report to the House on the outcome of the …
- Mr Wood: And no science.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I would be delighted to report to the House on the outcome of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General held in Hobart at the end of the July. Despite being the end of July, it was a delightful two days: blue skies, a bit of snow on Mt Wellington, but not too cold.
It was a constructive meeting, dealing with a range of significant, national legal issues. The one outcome which I was very pleased with from the point of view of the Territory, and one I have argued hard for, as did my predecessors on the other side, is the establishment of a single national arrangement for the sharing of DNA database information. This is a huge win for the Northern Territory, because we have always argued that, in this day and age, a national DNA database is critical, but the ability to cross-share the database – if you cannot do that, forget it - what is the use of having the database at all? We know crime does not stop at the border, and you need the ability to share this information across borders in order to pick up that criminal activity that crosses jurisdictions.
We stood firm from the outset in relation to our current DNA arrangements and the protocols, and I pay tribute to former Police minister, Mike Reed and the CLP on this, because he put in the legislation back in the early 1990s and said: ‘This is the way we are going to handle DNA in the Northern Territory, and we are going to keep these samples, no matter the outcome, even if it does not go court. We are going to keep these samples’.
We supported them in opposition, and we supported that stance when we came to government, notwithstanding the arguments that I had as Police minister between August and November 2001, arguments that were continually had by my successor, the member for Wanguri, as Police minister, and arguments that my predecessor, former Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, had.
As a result of those protocols that were put in place by the CLP and maintained by us, despite the opposition of the Commonwealth government, and every other state and territory government in this country, we have won the day. They now understand that this is not an invasion of privacy. They now understand what a powerful weapon DNA is and, guess what, they are all going to steadily build their databases. So, as a result of the protocols by Mike Reed and the maintenance of them by us in the time we have been in government, whilst we are the smallest jurisdiction in Australia, we have, by far and away, the largest DNA database in the country per capita. It has the ability, of course, to ensure offenders can be cross-checked and simply cannot flee into the Northern Territory. In fact, the Northern Territory is the worst place to come if you were trying to avoid detection because you are not going to get away with it up here.
DNA profiling in the Territory, we know, has made a significant impact in picking up criminals coming here from Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Now, under the decisions made at SCAG, we will have a fully coordinated, reciprocal arrangement on our terms, on the terms of the smallest jurisdiction in the country getting its own way and finally getting everyone else to fall in line, including the Commonwealth. It is about time.
SCAG also made progress on proposals for the rationalisation of the use of statutory declarations across Australia. You might think that is a small thing – it is actually quite important for the people of Australia to have a very simple method. We have the most simple and secure method, it works for statutory declarations, and there is beginning to be strong support for implementing nationally the current Northern Territory scheme.
We also approved amendments to the Uniform Evidence Act currently in place in New South Wales, Tasmania, ACT and the Commonwealth. I indicated the Northern Territory will move towards the adoption of that Uniform Evidence Act, but we would only do so after we have had extensive consultation with the legal profession.
It was important, of course, to discuss various legislative aspects of the federal intervention, and we did so in a pretty positive atmosphere. Attorney-General, Ruddock, generally, is as cooperative as you would hope a federal minister would be at this committee. One bit of disruption on the morning of the second day was caused by the Victorian Attorney-General’s quite hurried departure back to Victoria, given it was the day that Premier Bracks had just gone downstairs to announce his resignation, followed, within hours, by the resignation of his deputy, Mr Thwaites. It seemed to have served Rob Hulls well in getting back to Victoria as quickly as he did, because he was subsequently elected Deputy Leader. I congratulate him on that and wish him all the best.
Cyclones – Risk Management
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Earlier this year, you received a report from a community group for the Review of NT Cyclone Risks. That report gave six pages of recommendations regarding better preparedness for cyclone risk. Can you advise parliament what action has been taken in respect to those recommendations?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to advise parliament that there has been a two day workshop, held by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, which included a whole series of stakeholders involved in cyclone preparedness. There have been discussions with important stakeholders, for example, the Territory Construction Association, because one of the greatest concerns with cyclone preparedness is people’s acknowledgement of the importance to tie down and clean up sites in the period of a cyclone watch. There are some changes coming forward, which the Chief Minister introduced, in relation to extending the period, mandating it from a preparedness of 24 hours prior to a cyclone, extending that out to 48 hours.
I am not sure where the member for Blain is headed with this. If it is scaremongering, then I can say to you, member for Blain, the expert advice is that to cause panic is the worst thing you can do in a cyclone prone region. When people panic and do not follow expert advice that is when lives can be lost. And I will lecture you on this, because I survived Cyclone Tracy. I know the importance of this subject.
Mr Mills: Preparation is important, and we are playing our part, minister.
Ms LAWRIE: Preparation is fundamentally important. We have introduced legislation extending the preparation period from a mandatory 24 hours to 48 hours.
Mr Mills interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Blain!
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the work done by the Counter Disaster Council, which covers many agencies of government, led by Emergency Services and also, importantly, the work done by my agency in bringing together a range of stakeholders over that two day workshop to improve cyclone preparedness and to really go into the detail of what we need to do. Anyone listening to the broadcast who wants advice, there are some very obvious things such as do a clean up around your yard. We are entering the build-up season, which is probably a good time to start. Do not leave it too late, and anything that you do not need around your yard, dispose of at your local dump. Tree branches close to your house are a big threat in cyclone seasons, so have an assessment, get a tree person around and get advice on just how healthy that tree is and how it would withstand strong winds.
Catholic Bishop of Darwin - Appointment
Mr KIELY to CHIEF MINISTER
Last night, the Chief Minister attended the installation of our new Catholic Bishop of Darwin, Eugene Hurley. Can the Chief Minister tell the House about his welcome and the farewell to our much loved Bishop Ted?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to answer the question from the member for Sanderson. Last night at the Cathedral was a night of welcome and farewell. It welcomed, as the member said, the new Bishop of Darwin, Eugene Hurley, but farewelled a man who got the biggest clap I have heard in a church ever, and that was a farewell to Bishop Ted. One of the lovely things that has started to happen in the Catholic Church is that, and it was not when I was growing up, but now sermons are clapped and people are clapped, and last night, it was the warmest, most wonderful clap from a very packed Cathedral for Bishop Ted as he handed over the role of Bishop to the new Bishop.
We will all miss Bishop Ted. You forget how long he has been the Bishop of Darwin, 21 years, but being in the Northern Territory since 1971, he is an institution. He has travelled widely, and he is much loved. One of the things that was respected about Bishop Ted, and will continue to be so, is that he was not always a priest. He was a policeman before he became a priest, and it gave him that insight into humanity and a real gentleness of approach.
When you think of some of the things that will be significant memories for Bishop Ted, it will be - as we have talked about cyclones today –attending Midnight Mass when Cyclone Tracy hit in Christmas 1974. He played a leading role in the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1986. When you think of Bishop Ted, you think of a warm and wonderful man who loved his footy and will continue to love his footy ...
A member interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is sad that he is a St Mary’s supporter, but you cannot have everything. He had a wonderful patience and tolerance of people, no matter who they were. He will be extraordinarily missed . However, recognising that he has served a long time it was time for retirement for Bishop Ted. I am sure we all join in wishing him well into the future. He will stay here. He will still be part of the Territory for many years to come.
It was also a welcome to the new bishop, Bishop Eugene Hurley. It was a very warm and enthusiastic welcome to the new Bishop. He comes from Port Pirie, and there was a whole group of his family and Port Pirie residents who came to see him installed as the new Bishop of Darwin.
He was born and raised in the Flinders Ranges. He studied for the priesthood in Adelaide. For the last 43 years, he has worked in regional South Australia. He has worked as both Priest and Bishop in the Diocese of Port Pirie. That is a gigantic diocese; it stretches nearly one million square kilometres, from Port Lincoln in the south, west to the Western Australia border, east to the New South Wales border, and north to Uluru, so he really does understand people in rural and regional Australia.
He established South Australia’s first regional Centacare social welfare service at Whyalla and served on a number of committees dealing with regional issues.
His appointment marks a change. He is the first Bishop of Darwin not to belong to a religious order. The last three have been Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, so it is a change. The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, with Bishop Gsell, Bishop O’Loughlin, and Bishop Ted, served this Territory wonderfully well.
There was a very enthusiastic welcome for Bishop Hurley last night. He showed a really important sense of occasion, but a great sense of humour during the two-and-a-half hour service. We welcome him to the Territory, say farewell to Bishop Ted, and hope that Bishop Eugene Hurley, as was his predecessor, is a very integral part of our Territory.
Darwin Waterfront Project – Infrastructure
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
In 2004 as part of Stage 1 of the waterfront development, you promised that there would be an amphitheatre with a sound shell, water gardens, beach volleyball courts and a raft of other things like a cultural and heritage centre. Are those items still going to be a part of the project?
Mr Stirling: They hate the waterfront.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as the Deputy Chief Minister said, they hate the waterfront. Half the time …
Mrs Miller: No, that is your interpretation.
Ms MARTIN: Can I just say this very sensibly? Half the time with the waterfront we are being criticised. The member for Greatorex knows the campaign that was run in Alice Springs condemning the Territory government for spending serious amounts of dollars …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: They get the figure wrong, Madam Speaker, saying that all of these Territory taxpayers’ dollars are being spent on the waterfront, criticising the whole nature of the waterfront, not recognising the reality of what the spend is – 14% of the entire waterfront project is taxpayers’ dollars, and the nett expenditure is $149m, and that is over a long period of time.
We saw distortion - and I would say, direct lies – in the campaign run by the CLP in Alice Springs. It is very sad, because there is very strong government taxpayer investment, along with very strong private investment into Alice Springs at the moment. Business in Alice Springs is going well. You would not have heard that from the member for Greatorex or from the opposition. They never tell the truth on this or any of these issues, if they can run a distorted line about the Territory.
As a project, the waterfront has been carefully put together. There were proposals for some aspects in the early stages. They have been further developed. Stage one …
Mr Mills: What does that mean?
Ms MARTIN: … forty percent, Madam Speaker. It is extraordinarily hypocritical of the member for Blain to criticise what we are seeing developed at the waterfront, and they do not support any of it. Some of the initial proposals included an amphitheatre which has been looked at. What we have is 40% of that Stage 1 is open public space. There will be great opportunities for entertainment and for families to use the waterfront area, to eat at the restaurants, to buy ice creams, to have entertainment. It will be a dynamic and exciting new addition to Darwin as we create Darwin’s future.
Members: Hear, hear!
Public Sector - Apprentices
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for CORPORATE and INFORMATION SERVICES
Since 2004, this government has introduced a number of initiatives under its Jobs Plans to increase the number of young Territorians employed in public sector apprentice programs. Can you update the House on recent developments with these programs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his important question. Jobs Plan 1 and 2, now 3, is proving to be one of the good initiatives in the context of providing our young Territorians an opportunity to access skills to prepare them for the workplace. I had the opportunity and privilege to attend some of these ceremonies where you acknowledge these young people. The pride they display in getting into the workplace is inspirational.
There have been 307 apprentices enter the public service since 2004, which in itself is a great achievement - in various areas such as business office administration skills, dental technicians and IT laboratory skills. It is a great opportunity for our young people. More importantly, under Jobs Plan 3 there was a deliberate policy shift in the context of being able to provide opportunities for indigenous and disadvantaged people to enter apprenticeships within the public service. I am happy to advise that 50 apprentices have commenced under Jobs Plan 3 since July this year and, of those 50, 28 are indigenous people. Of the total 50, most of these people are based outside the major regional centres of Alice Springs, Darwin and Katherine. Four apprentices are in Yuendumu. Ti Tree, Milingimbi, and Hermannsburg all have two apprentices.
It is important that we provide opportunity right across the Northern Territory – a bit like local government reform - but we will get there. It is also important in respect to the announcement by the Chief Minister of the $285m package, in which there was $10m for jobs in health and education. I am happy to advise that 24 of these young indigenous students are doing apprenticeships in health worker training and teacher training. It is a really good fit in creating and developing new jobs in the bush, where we are in a position to provide these young people with the skills and the confidence to become meaningful members of our society, and that is the bottom line for us as a Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016