2006-08-30
Accreditation of Territory Hospitals
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
I hope the minister will indulge me with a few questions as he will be retiring soon. You were quick to claim credit for having all Northern Territory hospitals accredited. However, the Royal Darwin Hospital was not given the all clear when it was recently reviewed by the national accreditation body. You have been told that the accreditation assessment is a snapshot and that you need to ensure standards are maintained throughout the accreditation period. Supervision in the Paediatric Unit was found wanting, and now CCTV is being considered. What else was found to be below standard at the Royal Darwin Hospital, and what steps have you taken to regain full accreditation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will put into context the accreditation process and what it involves. The Royal Darwin Hospital is accredited for a four-year period. That is the highest level of accreditation that the national body is able to offer a hospital on the assessment of its internal protocols. It is accredited for four years. In context, the other four hospitals in the Northern Territory are also accredited. We are the only jurisdiction in Australia where all our hospitals are accredited regarding their quality and safety issues.
The recent review of the accreditation arrangements at the Royal Darwin Hospital is a perfectly normal part of the process. Accreditation is not a static thing. It is constantly being reviewed and worked on by the hospital and its staff in conjunction with the accrediting body. The mid-term review carried out at the Royal Darwin Hospital indicated a number of issues which needed ongoing work. There is nothing deficient or damaging about that. It simply shows that the accreditation criteria …
Dr Lim: Which areas? Tell us which areas.
Dr TOYNE: ... are being reviewed regularly in each of our hospitals that have an accredited status. If there is work highlighted by the review committee, the hospital will then go ahead and work on that. While I do not have the detailed …
Dr Lim: X-ray Department?
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, I would really like to be able to give my answer without this constant heckling.
Dr Lim: Tell us, where?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Greatorex!
Dr TOYNE: The accreditation review confirmed that the accreditation of Royal Darwin Hospital stands. The issues that have been highlighted by the review process are being worked on and will be brought up to the standard that the national body has indicated. Territorians can be assured that, not only is the accreditation reconfirmed at Royal Darwin Hospital, but that the process is there to protect Territorians and their interests when they seek care in our hospital.
Indigenous Pastoral Production
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
A memorandum of understanding on indigenous pastoral production was signed in Kalkarindji as part of the Freedom Day celebrations. How will this initiative assist Aboriginal landholders implement sustainable pastoral enterprises and increase pastoral production in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his important question. Yesterday, I made a statement to the House about the pastoral industry in the Northern Territory and briefly mentioned the success of the Indigenous Pastoral Program. The program is a joint initiative of the Northern Territory government, through the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines, the Northern Land Council, Central Land Council, and the Indigenous Land Corporation. The original program was established three years ago. The aim was to bring indigenous land back into production to provide indigenous people with jobs and to increase pastoral production. It was an outstanding success. That led to the signing of a second memorandum of understanding two weeks ago at Kalkarindji. That will expand the program until 2011.
The key incentives of the program include land use agreements completed on Amanbidji, Elsey and Wagaman country in the northern region, and Kalkarindji, Yuelamu, Haasts Bluff and Daguragu in the southern region. Corporate governance training was provided to 11 sites, with three more slated within the next 12 months; 11 young Aboriginal people employed in the Indigenous Pastoral Apprentice Scheme; 21 seasonal stock camp positions filled by Aboriginal people at a variety of locations; and 25 short term positions using Aboriginal people in fencing contracts.
An increase of 25 000 head of cattle was brought into production on land owned by Aboriginal people, and for the next 12 months we are aiming for another 20 000 cattle to be brought on to Aboriginal land for production.
I am very proud of the pastoral industry in the Northern Territory, and that the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association was part of signing this agreement. This is the beginning of new relations between the land councils, the Cattlemen’s Association and indigenous people.
Aboriginal people own significant land in the Northern Territory. Some time ago, that land was in production, but in the past few years it stopped. Now we are bringing this land to production. I do not want to say too much about it because you know politicians like to blow their trumpet, but let me tell you what other people say about the Indigenous Pastoral Program. John Underwood from Riveren Station was the first one to sign an agreement with indigenous people. He did it because he got 500 km of land to put his cattle on. At the same, Aboriginal people will acquire employment and they will have their land managed by somebody with experience. That is significant.
Another success story is Elsey Station. Elsey Station was a token Aboriginal company which will now manage other people’s land and cattle on their land for lease fees and cattle management fees and they will provide jobs for indigenous people. This is a success story. We have many people from down south telling us we will have all sorts of problems with Aboriginal people and Aboriginal communities. Nobody brought any solutions. This is one of the solutions.
Nursing Numbers and the EBA
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
Obviously you are not prepared to tell us of the problems in maintenance, X-rays, children’s ward or the laboratory, so perhaps you might answer this question instead. In March of this year, you were sent a series of questions about nursing numbers and, to date, five months later, there has been no response. Obviously you do not know what the nursing numbers are or you would have provided a response pretty quickly. If you are having so much trouble retaining your nurses, why are you delaying EBA negotiations with the Australian Nursing Federation? Why are you not able to come to a quick and satisfactory resolution with the nursing federation so that you can encourage more nurses to work and stay in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can assure the member for Greatorex that, just yesterday, I signed off on the answer …
Dr Lim: Yesterday!
Dr TOYNE: … to his written question. He will get exact nursing numbers through our …
Dr Lim: Well, let us get it out here.
Dr TOYNE: … hospitals so he can rest assured that …
Dr Lim: Five months.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, I really find it hard to talk with this racket going on. He will have exact figures of the nursing numbers as he requested. We do know how many nurses we employ and we absolutely value the work they do for us in our health system. We also know that there is a very significant increase in the nursing numbers through both the hospital and community health services areas, as we promised to deliver in both elections that we have gone to. That is a commitment that we intend to continue to deliver to the Northern Territory.
As for the EBA, it is not my portfolio area. The Minister for Public Employment has carriage of that. I do not want to get involved in EBA issues during a negotiation. There is no delay in the negotiations that I am aware of,. However, I will pass that to the minister responsible.
Before I do, I will inform the member - just to show that we do follow in great detail what goes in our health system - that the Australian Council on Health Standards drew attention to the Royal Darwin Hospital’s Cardiac and Body Protection annual check details, which is about power points in that area of the hospital. They want to see fire-trained staff go from 80% to 90%. The Specific Hazards Chemical Storage - they want to see us complete the process that was already going on in the hospital to get that finalised.
Security in the Paediatrics Ward was highlighted because of an incident involving a young child. That is still under police investigation, and I certainly will not comment on that particular incident. However, the ACHS has recommended that security cameras be put in place in that ward. The Flash Sterilising Instrument Log was the fifth area.
Three of those five areas of work have now been completed. We believe the other two will be completed in the very near future. Work is ongoing on quality and safety. The hospital has already responded to three of the five areas and is very close to finalising the other two. Territorians can take great heart and a feeling of security about the safety arrangements in our hospitals. I will ask the minister responsible for the EBA to talk about that.
Dr BURNS (Public Employment): Madam Speaker, to answer the member for Greatorex’s question, yes, there is an EBA currently under negotiation with the ANF. I have every confidence that the Commissioner for Public Employment is conducting those negotiations in an efficient and effective way.
To let the House know some detail about the EBA, the ANF submitted a claim that contained 53 issues, including a 15% salary increase over two years. The Commissioner has come back with an 11.34% increase over 18 months, which includes 5.34% which was paid in February this year. That is government’s position. That is the position which has been put forward by the Commissioner …
Dr Lim interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Please, member for Greatorex, can you let me finish? There are people who are interested. I have said exactly what the offer is comprised of. I am advised that, apart from the quantum of the pay increase, the offer satisfies the majority of the 53 items contained in the ANF claim. However, there are several key issues that remain unresolved. They include staffing levels, introduction of a loading in lieu of overtime, shift penalties for remote nursing, and salary packaging for community nurses.
We want to come to an agreement with our nurses. We respect the job that our nurses do in our community and in our hospitals. I have every confidence that the Commissioner for Public Employment will, in a very professional manner, negotiate with the ANF and come to a resolution.
Occupational Health and Safety
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Protecting Territorians at their place of work is an important responsibility for employers and government. Can you update the House on government actions strengthening the enforcement of safe working conditions for employees?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for an important question. Earlier today, I announced that the government will move to amalgamate and strengthen three of its occupational health and safety regulatory arms - Northern Territory WorkSafe, the Electrical Safety Unit in the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, and the mining safety and regulatory functions of the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines into the one unit. They will be housed under WorkSafe and the minister responsible for WorkSafe.
This decision is the culmination of what has been a very long-standing policy commitment by the Labor Party of the Northern Territory. Since coming to office in 2001, we have taken a number of steps to strengthen the oversight of workplace safety in the Northern Territory. We added six new positions to WorkSafe, we filled a total of 15 vacant positions. This is an area where it is difficult to keep and retain staff, but we make every effort to have all those staff numbers fulfilled at any one time.
WorkSafe has increased its level of compliance inspection. If we take construction, for example, there were 672 workplace visits in 2003-04, and 1815 in 2005-06. Now, even with the escalation of construction over the past few years, that is close to a threefold effort and is to be commended. WorkSafe has issued numerous infringement notices which trigger immediate remedial action. WorkSafe has put in place 29 prohibition notices in 2005-06. We also introduced improved investigative abilities, contracting a trained investigator to train staff and build capacity in that area of investigation.
We have also strengthened, over time, the Mines Safety Unit, separating it from the department to provide some distance in its approach. This will now be completed with its merger with WorkSafe. We believe the amalgamation will strengthen oversight and inspection processes. It will provide an opportunity for a more coordinated approach to worker safety. It will allow government to develop quite clear and concise policy and procedural approaches consistent right across the face of government. We will ensure that there is no duplication of effort across government. We will maintain specialist staff, aware of the issues of electrical safety and mining.
We take the safety and protection of workers as a fundamental and very important role of government. To do that in a jurisdiction of the size of the Northern Territory, it seems to this government to probably be best achieved through a unified singular organisation. It will take some time to achieve. The Electrical Safety Unit can be brought back into WorkSafe relatively easily. The mining safety arrangements will take a great deal more effort. We do not propose that move to take place until August 2007. There is a considerable rewriting of both the Mining Management Act and the Work Health Act to excise the provisions from one act into the other, a great deal of work. That amalgamation will not take place until August next year. We will take the opportunity, in the redrafting of legislation, to increase and strengthen, where necessary, the penalties for breaches of WorkSafe regulations.
Basically, we are toward the bottom of the pile in comparison with the rest of Australia. The Northern Territory, generally in its approach to all of these matters, sits about the middle, between the most extreme and the lightest penalties. That is where we would want the Northern Territory to be after the legislation has been rewritten.
St John Ambulance Contract Renewal
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
You did not answer the first question until you got a memo sent from upstairs and the second one you said pass, so, you might answer this one. Your government contract with St John to provide ambulance services to Territorians expired on 31 July this year. When do you propose to have a new contract with St John in place? Until the new contract is agreed to, what is in place to ensure that Territorians have continued access to vital ambulance services? How will the new contract address the significant issues raised by St John?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Department of Health is not involved with the current negotiations with St John; that is now being led by the Department of the Chief Minister. I can report, as the client agency, that the negotiations are proceeding constructively. Negotiations are on foot right now to extend the current contract into the future. There will be further work done on the apparent costs of running the ambulance service to the level that is indicated by benchmarks that have been provided by the New South Wales Ambulance Service and advice that we have through other consultancies on the needs of the ambulance service.
The service is operating. It is adequately funded to continue operating in its current form and negotiations are ongoing. I do not know if the Chief Minister wants to add anything. That is the be all and end all of it. There will be a contract in place into the future and it will be taking into account the resource needs of the service.
Tiger Brennan Drive - Extension
Mr NATT to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Yesterday, there were a number of questions regarding the need for further federal government funding for the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive, which is a focus within my electorate at Drysdale. Can the minister advise if there have been any further developments regarding the federal government’s position on fully funding 50% of this project which is so important to the residents of Palmerston and Darwin?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Members would be aware, over the last two weeks of these sittings, there have been a number of questions about the Tiger Brennan Drive extension and funding issues that underlie them. It was very interesting to read in today’s Northern Territory News, which reported:
- Feds pay for half of roads cost
The federal government yesterday promised to pay half of the cost of Tiger Brennan’s 6.3 km extension. This is expected to be up to $25m.
It goes on to say that, basically, the federal government will pay half of the costs. Whilst I welcome that announcement that seems to have been made by the Hon Jim Lloyd, it came as a bit of a surprise, because I have had a number of conversations with both the Hon Jim Lloyd and the Hon Warren Truss over the last year or so regarding this particular issue. I read a letter out to parliament yesterday I received from the Hon Warren Truss, who is a senior minister, which basically said that the federal government would not be putting any money towards cost escalations in their AusLink projects. I have written to the Hon Jim Lloyd today. I will table it when I have finished. I said:
- Dear Jim,
Because he is a very nice man:
- Whilst I welcome your announcement, it does raise a number of important questions which need clarification.
Firstly, your announcement appears to be in direct contradiction to statements made by the Hon Warren Truss, Minister for Transport and Regional Services. In a letter to me on 21 December 2005 …
That is the first one:
- Secondly, can you confirm that the federal government is now prepared to pay 50% of the total project cost for this important link that will benefit the people of Palmerston and Darwin?
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Finally, this is another important one, members of the opposition:
- … whether this apparent change in policy will apply to all AusLink projects in Australian, including the Northern Territory?
I will be waiting for the Hon Jim Lloyd’s answer on this, because they are very important questions. I welcome the announcement. I wonder whether the Hon Warren Truss knew about it before the announcement was made. We will find out. Stay tuned!
Alice Springs Town Camps
Mrs BRAHAM to CHIEF MINISTER
The Alice Springs Town Camp Task Force recommendations have been circulated and the minister concerned has indicated in his speeches that the town camps will be opened up. He calls them suburbs. All the town camps in Alice Springs are SPLs, Special Purpose Leases in perpetuity. Is it not the case that holders of SPLs can refuse a person entry, other than Northern Territory government officials? If so, how will you open up the town camps? Will this free access that you have been talking about apply to other organisations, including the media who, at the moment, are restricted in the reporting of what happens in town camps?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an important question. The announcement made about the future of town camps in Alice Springs is a fundamental one for the future of Alice Springs. To end town camps as we see them now and make them part of suburban Alice Springs is an important step forward for Alice Springs. There are certain conditions that are on those Special Purpose Leases. They are run by organisations - I believe mostly trusts?
Dr Toyne: Trusts, yes.
Ms MARTIN: They are run by trusts and they do set the terms of entry into those Special Purpose Leases.
Our intention is to move from the current state of town camps to suburban Alice Springs. That has a lot of steps in between. Part of that is looking at how the leases are managed. Another major part is how we lift the infrastructure. You are talking about the subdivision of the land, kerbs, guttering and lighting; standard of housing; and, new tenancy agreements.
All that is on the table. As you can understand, it might sound simple to say move town camps to suburban Alice Springs, but there is a lot of work to do. That is why we have put a task force together, and I say thank you to Barry Chambers for being the Chair of that …
Mrs Braham: It is not one of their references.
Ms MARTIN: … and I say, in response to the member for Braitling, the statement has been made that we will change the circumstances of town camps into areas like any part of suburban Alice Springs. There are many elements of that, which you have identified as part of that. We have a lot of work to do. I hope you will come on board and help us.
Members: Hear, hear!
Radiation Oncology Treatment –
Central Australia
Central Australia
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
He had three questions, and three questions he has not answered. Let us try this one. Central Australian medical practitioners and patients have, over many decades, established strong links with oncology service providers in Adelaide. Cancer sufferers in Central Australia are concerned that they will not be given the choice of radiation oncology treatment in Adelaide, but will be forced to receive the treatment in Darwin. In your last days as the Minister for Health …
Mr Henderson: You asked this last week.
Dr LIM: … will you give Central Australian cancer patients an unequivocal guarantee that they will continue to have a choice in seeking their treatment?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Government members!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a bit hard to concentrate when colleagues are doing this to me. Obviously, the member for Greatorex was not listening the last time I answered this question on this issue. The answer I gave then, and it is still my answer, is that I am very aware that Central Australian cancer patients not only go to Adelaide but they often seek treatment in other centres around Australia.
Dr Lim: Do they receive PATs support?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr TOYNE: The issue will be looked at. We have already committed an additional $0.5m to support …
Dr Lim: He has not given any guarantees.
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, I …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, the minister is having a lot of difficulty.
Dr TOYNE: I do not think I will continue this answer. He can write me a letter.
Aboriginal Health - Improvement
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for HEALTH
Aboriginal people continue to bear the largest burden of ill health in the Northern Territory. Recently there has been encouraging news of improvements in health statistics for Aboriginal Territorians. Can you outline these positive changes for the Assembly?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Macdonnell is quite correct. There is a lot of hard work to get good news back in the area of Aboriginal health. We have had a very strong commitment through our health budget and the initiatives we have put out. In fact, a 64% increase in the health budget since the Labor government came to power. We have accentuated the need for generational change and the need for a very strong focus on child and maternal health. I believe we are seeing the first signs that this work is starting to have an impact.
Some of the recent health indicators that have come out show that there is an impact on the outcomes. Life expectancy for Aboriginal women during the five year period from 1996 to 2000 was 65 years. The latest information, based on the three year period 2001-03, has gone from 65 years up to 67.9 years, an increase of nearly three years in life expectancy for indigenous women.
With Aboriginal male health there is still much work to do. It is a challenge for us. It has remained at 59.4 years. No change over the same period. We have work to do on men’s health and men are increasingly coming to us to engage us on that particular challenge.
The same publication shows the indigenous infant mortality rate has fallen by 36%, from 25 per 1000 births at the end of the 1990s to 16 per 1000 births for 2001-03. These are dramatic changes and show the error of those who think that nothing will ever change in Aboriginal health except for the worst. These changes can be traced to improved child and maternal health services, as well as better resourcing of our health system overhaul, particularly primary health care.
There is also evidence, recently published in the Medical Journal of Australia, of long-term improvements in chronic disease rates. Aboriginal communities have made a significant contribution to these achievements through their own actions and their own health services. The Commonwealth government has played its role in improving resourcing of primary health care. I urge them to take note of these improvements and continue to work with us and the Aboriginal community to make further improvements.
The way forward is to ensure that we get the balance right between primary health care and hospital services. They are both vital parts of our health care delivery, but we cannot let one overwhelm the other. I congratulate all of our health professionals who have achieved some of these early breakthroughs. Let us hope we can keep these trends going.
Alice Springs Hospital –
Emergency Department
Emergency Department
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
Madam Speaker, I have just drafted an e-mail to the minister seeking confirmation of cancer patient treatment from Alice Springs …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, who is your question to?
Dr LIM: My question is to the Minister for Health.
Madam SPEAKER: Okay.
Dr LIM: Minister, the ABC radio reported last week that services at the Emergency Department at the Alice Springs Hospital were again strained beyond capacity. I quote:
- … things have gotten so bad today that the hospital placed a sign outside saying that waiting times will be even longer than usual, and we have not really reached the traditionally very busy time of the summer months when the hospital struggles to get enough staff.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would never take a statement like that from the member for Greatorex without checking it very carefully. The figures that I receive on a weekly basis for Alice Springs show that there was not a major spike in demand in the Emergency Department. It certainly is and will remain a very busy emergency department. What are we doing about it? We have funded eight overflow beds that …
Dr Lim: What was the cause?
Dr TOYNE: Member for Greatorex, I will sit down if you want to keep on yabbering on over there.
Dr Lim: What is the cause?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex, can you please cease interjecting while the minister is talking? He is indicating he is having trouble hearing and speaking.
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, eight overflow beds were included in the increased funding we provided to the Alice Springs Hospital in response to the demand levels that were being experienced. They are in operation and are available for the overflow of patients out of ED.
Currently, we have representation from Alice Springs Hospital on the RAPU development in the Royal Darwin Hospital. We believe it would be appropriate to look at a similar patient management reform in the Alice Springs Hospital as soon as we can develop an appropriate model for the size and situation of the Alice Springs Hospital.
As you know, the Emergency Department redevelopment is being designed at the moment and we fully intend to increase the capacity of the Emergency Department in Alice Springs. We have also continued redevelopment of the hospital building as a whole, including 15 additional bed berths in the old day procedure area and eight renal treatment beds.
We are doing a lot there. Despite the picture the member for Greatorex is attempting to portray, Alice Springs Hospital has more capacity, is a safer hospital, and is able to cope with increasing demands to a degree that would have been unthinkable at the time that this man last had any sort of carriage of health delivery in Alice Springs.
Antisocial Behaviour in Northern Suburbs
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Last week in this House, I raised issues raised by Neighbourhood Watch in Anula and Wulagi concerning antisocial behaviour. Can you advise the Assembly on developments to do with addressing crime and antisocial behaviour in the northern suburbs of Darwin?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. Addressing crime and antisocial behaviour is a key priority for the government.
Mr Mills: The member for Sanderson knows!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Sorry, I missed the interjection, Madam Speaker.
Ms Carney: It was a very good one.
Mr HENDERSON: Maybe we can have it again; I will deal with it. No?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, it is a key priority for this government since we came to government in 2001. As well as the biggest increase in police resources, the Northern Territory Police Force has seen an extra $75m and 200 extra police for our Police Force. In the last 12 months, the community is benefiting from $700 000 worth of new initiatives; $600 000 to establish the public place patrols; Aboriginal Community Police Officers, who are out there day and night across the northern suburbs of Darwin dealing with antisocial behaviour and alcohol-related offences; and, last week, a new $100 000 mobile police station that we unveiled at Karama Shopping Centre.
Madam Speaker, the member for Blain was at the Barrio Festival on Saturday night and I am sure he would have chatted to the police officers who were staffing that mobile police station. They were very pleased with the success it was having in the first few days of operation. They were telling me that it had deployed extensively in the Nightcliff area, particularly around the shopping complex, and it had a significant impact in reducing and deterring antisocial behaviour. The young police officer was saying they were getting a lot of intelligence; people were coming up and giving the police information for them to follow up on.
This is a government which is resourcing our police, and we are starting to see some significant results. We believe in and want to work in partnerships, not only with the community but with the federal government, and the federal government is sitting on a surplus of around $11bn annually. It is the federal government that has ripped out serious money in programs tackling crime in the Northern Territory, including ripping money out of men’s violence programs, women’s refuges and a whole host of other initiatives. The daddy of them all was that the federal government has ripped out $4m …
Ms Carney: Did you not read the budget papers?
Mr HENDERSON: You would think that the Leader of the Opposition would be in there fighting for the Territory, but she is just an apologist for her Liberal mates in Canberra.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: You would think the Leader of the Opposition would be fighting for the Northern Territory, but she just rolls over and lets her Liberal mates rip money out of the Territory. $4m provided for the Juvenile Diversion Program has been ripped out of the Northern Territory. This was a program that was directly tackling reoffending rates in the Northern Territory, and was working, particularly in the northern suburbs.
We must be starting to have a whisper of a federal election campaign, because we are starting to see federal minsters, the Hon Jim Lloyd was here yesterday, and the Justice Minister, the Hon Chris Ellison is here to attend a function in the northern suburbs to shore up Dave Tollner in his fight to retain Solomon.
The challenge for the federal government is to really commit to the Northern Territory. We want to work in partnership with them. I hope that the Hon Chris Ellison is not going to announce some sort of chicken feed grant program tonight. The challenge for him, and the Canberra Liberals which the opposition supports, is to reinstate the $4m that his government has ripped out of crime and antisocial behaviour programs in the Northern Territory, and to match our $700 000 we are putting in to tackling crime and antisocial behaviour. Let us not look for a $50 000 one-off funding injection for a specific project. Let us look to significant support and partnerships with the Northern Territory government if he is serious.
That is the challenge for tonight. The Hon Chris Ellison is not a bad sort of fellow, I have worked with him at Police Ministers’ Councils. He is responsible, at a federal level, for trans-national crime, organised crime, combating terrorism, and he is taking a big interest in the northern suburbs tonight. We hope he makes a big announcement, Madam Speaker. If he does, I will be the first to congratulate him.
Police Presence in Rural Area
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
I will be mentioning some chickens - I heard your denigrating remarks about chicken feed. Recently, there have been a number of break-ins, vandalism and graffiti in the Humpty Doo shopping area. Could you please say what action is being taken to apprehend those responsible? Could you tell the House whether the Humpty Doo Police Station is manned at night or do police have to come from Palmerston? Is the government considering stationing police officers at Humpty Doo on a 24-hour basis? On a related issue, is the government considering a permanent police presence in the Dundee area?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I would never denigrate chickens, however, chicken feed grants certainly should be denigrated.
All of my colleagues keep me up to date on developments, particularly the members for Goyder and Daly in the rural area. I am aware that there has been a spike recently in unlawful entries in August in the Humpty Doo area.
I am advised by police that matters are still under investigation. However, progress has been made towards identifying offenders and a significant amount of the property stolen has been recovered. The police are certainly following some pretty strong leads.
In regard to policing levels at Humpty Doo, I remind the honourable member that the good residents of the rural area waited 27 years under the previous government for a permanent police presence. It was this government that delivered the combined police/fire station to Humpty Doo. I am sure the Chief Minister and the member for Goyder agree it was one of the great community events. There were hundreds of people there. The member for Nelson was there, and it was well celebrated by the community.
I can advise the House that the Humpty Doo Police Station is staffed by one sergeant, four constables and two auxiliaries. That is one sergeant, four constables and two auxiliaries who were not there prior to this government coming to office.
Patrols from the station generally operate from 8 am to 6 pm during the week, and from 1 pm to 11 pm for evening shifts, which occur on the majority of weekends from Friday to Sunday night. The member for Nelson would also be aware, it is the Police Commissioner who determines the hours of operations for police stations and deployment of resources across the Northern Territory. I have every confidence that our Police Commissioner deploys his resources to maximum effect.
As has been the intention from day one, out-of-hours police patrols and responses on calls for assistance continue to be provided by Palmerston Police Station. That was always the intention.
I can inform the honourable member that the police are doing their work in regard to the Humpty Doo Shopping Centre. They do have significant leads. A large amount of the stolen property has been recovered; charges are expected to be laid. The rural area is much better served by this police presence than it was prior to this government coming to office.
AFL Premiership Games in the Territory
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The recent Western Bulldogs premiership game against Port Adelaide was a real success. Can you please update the House on the government’s efforts to secure the future of such quality AFL games for the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. As we know, the Bonsons are a great Territory football family. We go through the Bonson Gates as we enter TIO Stadium.
It was probably the best game of the three we have had in Darwin. It went right down to the wire; an absolute nail biter. We had a huge crowd. It was enjoyed by more than 14 000 Territorians. Unfortunately, on the night the Bulldogs did not quite make it and Port took out the game. However, the good news is the Doggies have made the finals and we wish them all the very best.
With a crowd of more than 14 000 people, it shows just how much Territorians love their football. We were not enjoying elite level football in the Northern Territory until Labor came to power and Labor delivered …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: I know the CLP like to talk down elite sport in the Northern Territory, but Territorians show they love it. 14 000-plus people demonstrates that we love our footy. Much bigger cities like Canberra and the Gold Coast area only draw crowds of around 8000 to 9000. We are punching above our weight. There were 10 000 people at a pre-season game in Alice Springs earlier this year. It puts those cities to absolute shame. Good on the people of Alice Springs for supporting their footy.
The Northern Territory is at the end of a three year deal with the AFL. We have been in negotiations with the AFL. I have been part of a task force which includes AFLNT and representatives of the AFL. The great support from Wayne Jackson has been invaluable. It has been a real partnership to bring AFL games here. We have made no secret of the fact that we have a strong relationship with the Bulldogs, they have been on the task force. We have been seeking two games. We said that the one game has been fantastic, Territorians are showing their support, but we sought two games.
The AFL have come back to us and said, at this stage, they only have capacity to give us one game. It is a shame. I have kept them on notice, as the sports minister representing the punter who loves their footy. I have said that we are not going to give up on going for two games in the future. The AFL is absolutely committed to continuing along the current agreement. This will involve an indigenous All Stars game, pre-season games in both Alice Springs and Darwin, and a regular season Bulldogs game in Darwin. A new agreement is currently being finalised and will be announced shortly.
Madam Speaker, last week we saw the last AFL game for a great Territory footballer, Dean Rioli. While talking to Charlie King last week, Dean let it slip that Essendon will be the opponents of the Indigenous All Stars at next year’s game. That will be some exciting football. I am sure that every member of this House will wish Dean Rioli all the very best for his future. He has been a fantastic player.
Emergency Health Services
in Central Australia
in Central Australia
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
In your earlier response, you declined to believe what I told you in that the emergency department in Alice Springs was stretched. It was your general manager who was on radio last week. You often blame outbreaks of rotavirus for heavy demand on hospital services. In the winter months, an increase of cases of pneumonia is also blamed for creating further heavy demand. Are you and your department now blaming good weather for the increase in demand for services from the emergency department? That is what you said. When will you stop blaming the weather and take responsibility for poor management, which has resulted in the continued decline of emergency health services to Central Australians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I wonder when the member for Greatorex is going to stop asking stupid questions. We have never maintained that the weather is the only reason for emergency department demand.
Dr Lim: That is what your manager said.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Greatorex! You asked the question, allow the minister to respond.
Dr TOYNE: When we have spoken about the high levels of demand coming into our emergency departments we have indicated that there are quite a number of factors behind that: the lack of general practitioners in the communities; and the high level of ill health of indigenous people in the community, particularly with chronic disease levels as they are. Weather is one part of it. The fact that we have incidences of infectious disease that go through our community is a factor. A major source of demand in the emergency departments is trauma following violence, usually alcohol-related. They all play their part in ensuring that the figures that came out in the state of our public hospitals report very clearly reflect that we have very high levels of demand in the Northern Territory.
Those figures said that the Northern Territory is keeping up with the pack, if you like, with the triage. The percentage of patients that are seen within the set times for the triage categories coming into our emergency department and the waiting times are equivalent to the average level of performance around the country. For a system that is the busiest in the country, it is a system in which the government spends more money per capita than any other part of the country. We are keeping up with very high and increasing levels of demand. Rather than painting this picture that the member for Greatorex seems to be hell-bent on painting, we should celebrate that our critical care staff in the Northern Territory are achieving the same outcomes against very much higher levels of demand, and very complex cases that are coming into our EDs as other hospitals around the country that have far less pressure on them.
Double Trouble Drama Series
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for ARTS and MUSEUMS
Is the Northern Territory film industry in trouble?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. I am extremely happy to report to the House that the Northern Territory film industry is not just in trouble, but it is in double trouble. Last week, I had the pleasure of announcing Northern Territory Film Office funding of $243 000 for the production of the 13-part children’s drama series Double Trouble.
The drama series will feature indigenous actors and themes, and present a fresh, positive image of indigenous children of Alice Springs and the Territory to national and international audiences. This is an exciting breakthrough for the film industry in the Northern Territory, and it is great to see Australia’s oldest and largest Aboriginal media association, CAAMA, so heavily committed to the future of our screen industry.
It will be the first ever television drama made by an NT production company, with national and international broadcasters attached. CAAMA deserves to be congratulated. It is no small thing for the Northern Territory, as well as going to air on the Nine network and Maori TV in New Zealand, it is also slated to appear on the Disney Channel. The exposure of the Northern Territory to the nation and the world through these outlets cannot be underestimated.
Best of all is its impact on the local economy in Central Australia, not to mention the local screen industry. Over 90 local goods and service providers in Central Australia will benefit from the production phase of Double Trouble, 50 jobs will be generated directly, and the key creative engine room of the series is almost entirely indigenous, covering executive producer, creator, directors, writers, sound recorders and the main cast.
On any analysis, we can be proud that the Northern Territory film industry is in ‘double trouble’. This production is driving regional development in Central Australia, increasing skills and employment, especially amongst indigenous Territorians, and showcasing the creative skills of Territorians. It is promoting Central Australia and the Northern Territory as a place to visit and as a place to do business.
I am sure that members from both sides of this House, particularly members for Central Australia, will join me in congratulating CAAMA on this wonderful venture.
Petrol Sniffing Orders – Numbers Issued
Dr LIM to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Mr Kiely interjecting.
Dr LIM: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Sanderson.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: There was an interjection from the member for Sanderson. If I cannot get any questions answered by the Health minister, I will see what I can get from the Family and Community Services Minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, just ask the question, please.
Dr LIM: You have lauded the introduction of the Volatile Substance Abuse Prevention Act. This act sat idle on the statute books for over six months while you drafted regulations that finally came into force in January this year. Under your much heralded act, how many children have actually been subjected to orders for petrol sniffing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question, because it was the CLP who did not want this to happen. It was the CLP in opposition in the lead-up to the 2005 election that said: ‘Do not waste $10m to combat petrol sniffing and if you elect us we will tear it up’. Thank God Labor was re-elected. Thank God my colleague took on the challenge of introducing groundbreaking legislation to tackle substance abuse. On the ground, what are people saying? They are saying it is working. They are saying that in communities that were riven and torn apart by petrol sniffing, it is almost completely wiped out.
Mrs Braham: They are smoking ganja instead.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Mutitjulu and Papunya, communities that have been in the national spotlight for petrol sniffing, are saying it is almost wiped out. I have been advised that, to date, police across the Northern Territory have removed volatile substances and inhalants from people on 62 occasions. This is only a matter of a few months. Forty-eight of these have been where petrol has been removed. One person has been taken to safety.
Ms Carney: One!
Ms LAWRIE: One person has been taken to safety, but because …
Ms Carney: One! You should be ashamed of yourself.
Ms LAWRIE: … they can be taken to other places. It was a specific place of safety.
Ms Carney: You said this was going to be fantastic.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: If you want a briefing on how it works, and what the options are, I am happy to provide you with a briefing, Leader of the Opposition.
Ms Carney: No, we have looked at your bill, thanks.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: As I said in a statement to the parliament, eight people have undergone an authorised person training program. Under the act, I have received 44 applications for compulsory treatment; two from the Top End and 42 from Central Australia. Thirty-one of these were referrals from the police. I pay acknowledgement to the work the police are doing.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms LAWRIE: They are absolute partners in the tackling of petrol sniffing. I have approved 12 of these for formal assessment. We are working in conjunction with DASA in Central Australia and CAAPS in the Top End to provide the withdrawal services. We have more than 12 communities identified for management plans and are working with them. It is a real credit, I have to say, that the frontline workers, people such as CAYLUS and Waltja are out there working with people who have suffered with petrol sniffing for so many years. We have had four clients through CAAPS, and we have the new beds in the system there. In fact, the demand has been so great in Central Australia that we have had two services working in conjunction – DASA, who has the service provision, are working with CAAPU to extend their facilities. This is a success story. Stop bagging it, it is working.
Australian Idol – Appearance by
Jessica Mauboy
Mr KIELY to CHIEF MINISTER
I ask this on behalf of the students and teachers of Sanderson High School. Last week, you told the House about the efforts of talented young Territory performer, Jessica Mauboy, when she won her way through to the final of round 24 of Australian Idol. Can Territorians continue to help Jessica as she strives to win the Australian Idol title?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, certainly they can. I have to confess an intimate moment from home, on the edge of the chair last night watching Australian Idol, was Jessica going to make the final 12? And she did.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN: Up against six talented young women, they were going to choose two, and Jessica got the second spot. A fantastic outcome for young Jessica. She started the competition at 16, she has turned 17, and now she has made it into the top 12 of talent for Australian Idol.
If we are going to talk about proud dads today, let us talk about Jessica Mauboy’s dad, Ferdy. He says he is the proudest dad in the Territory and he spoke to his daughter at six this morning. I do not know what hours they are keeping, but he spoke to his daughter at six. She is busy rehearsing for the next round and she is looking forward to it.
Despite the tension of Australian Idol, she says that she is not nervous, she does not have butterflies. This is a very cool young performer. She is loving the support she is getting from the Territory. She is a long way from home, she is one of the youngest performers and the support she is getting from our radio stations, and ordinary members of the community, is fantastic and it is going to make a difference.
On Monday night, she was bagged for doing a Whitney Houston number. Mark Holden, who is a really tough critic, said if he hears a Whitney Houston number again he is going to do something evil. We hear from Jessica’s vocal coach, the wonderful Judy Weepers, that she is going to try something more teeny bopper this time. I do not know what it is, I do not have any inside on this, but she is certainly going to take Mark Holden’s advice, delivered very bluntly, that she should be singing something more appropriate to her age.
Her next performance is Sunday week, 10 September. So we have to be watching, we have to be texting, we have to be ringing and supporting our Jessica. She is doing the Territory proud. She is a wonderful young woman with a fantastic future ahead of her. Something the Deputy Chief Minister would like to add, Centrebet has her on $12 at this stage to win. Get on her, I say. So if you want to put a good bet on at $12 for Jessica Mauboy to win, you are on a good bet. Well done Jessica. We are enormously proud of you. Her family, father, mother and sisters must be beaming. Go for it on 10 September 2006!
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, on that very positive note for the Northern Territory, good luck Jessica. I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016