2005-08-17
Teacher Retention
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In a media release on 24 July 2005, you claimed that your strong focus on teacher retention is paying off, yet you had to recruit 63 teachers for the second semester of the current school year. This is close to double the numbers recruited for the second semester 12 months ago, and 41 more than had to be recruited two years ago. Will you admit that your focus on teacher retention is not paying off, and explain what the union is referring to as ‘an unacceptably high teacher turnover’ this year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. There is no doubt that there is an upward slip in those teachers leaving the system - not that bad in the overall average if you look back over the past few years. The Northern Territory still has, whether it is the public sector overall or different areas within the public sector, what I would say is an unacceptably high level of turnover and attrition, which means, of course, government and agencies do have to go the extra yard and spend those extra dollars in recruitment.
However, in the area of retention, this government has looked very closely at the issues that we believe were driving the higher levels of attrition in the past. Some of those were conditions of service, particularly around the standard of housing in remote communities, particularly remote Aboriginal communities. There has been a lot of money put in over the last few years to upgrade those standards to bring them up to a more acceptable level and reduce one of those areas of angst over which remote teachers felt they were not getting a fair go, and leaving the system.
We still remain very competitive in recruitment as a result of the last enterprise bargaining agreement which was accepted earlier this year. As far as getting people back into the system, I believe we are standing at about a dozen vacancies across the board at the moment, out of a little over 2100 classroom teachers – not a bad level; 12 classroom teachers missing out of a little over 2100. I would love to see it that we did not have any. Last year, we were in that situation where we did not have any - except for a very short term - absences in the system over the latter part of the year. I would expect we will get there again.
We will continue to engage with the Australian Education Union and our teachers across the system. Certainly, we would not want to see this trend continue or spike up and …
Mr Mills: It is spiking up.
Mr STIRLING: … if there is a need, if there is something there in the system driving this, well, we will get on top of it very quickly and respond to it. The member is right. It is not as good as last year, which was outstanding. However, we achieved it last year, we will be achieving it again.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Minister for Justice and Attorney-General
Minister for Justice and Attorney-General
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I seek leave of absence from the House for the rest of the day for the Minister for Health and Justice and Attorney-General. He is temporarily unwell with a stomach bug. I advise the House, and the opposition and Independents, that I will be taking questions on his behalf in the Health and Justice portfolios.
Motion agreed to.
Annual Leave Entitlements
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
There has been a great deal of confusion amongst various federal ministers concerning the effects of the federal government’s radical industrial relations agenda. Many workers in the Northern Territory have a five or six week leave allowance included in their awards. Can the minister advise of the possible effects on Northern Territory workers’ annual leave entitlements arising from the federal government’s statements?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. It is true that there is some confusion in relation to this industrial relations agenda of the federal government. There is no doubt that it is a push to cut the wages and conditions of working people. Currently, under Australian Workplace Agreements there is what is known as a no disadvantage test and the gold standard is actually the award. If someone enters into an AWA, the comparison with the award is if they are disadvantaged in the AWA that they enter into.
Most awards have at least 20 conditions, but the federal government’s proposal under their industrial relations agenda is that they will have a new no disadvantage test which will be against five core conditions only. These five core conditions are: a minimum rate of pay of $12.75 per hour, eight days sick leave, four weeks annual leave, unpaid parental leave and weekly working hours.
As the member for Millner stated in his question, many workers in the Northern Territory currently enjoy five or six weeks annual leave as an award entitlement. However, in recent cases in the Northern Territory, we have seen where new starters under AWAs have had their annual leave reduced from six weeks to four weeks under takeable leave. Whilst it is true that, under the current system the no disadvantage test must be applied, and workers must be at least better off in terms of that, there is a small incentive of about 2% of their annual earnings to trade this condition under an AWA.
Changes to the no disadvantage test means that, in future, employers will not have to offer any incentives. In other words, with time, there is going to be an erosion of conditions under AWAs. Even the minimum conditions that I outlined before can be traded away under a ‘take it or leave it’ AWA, because the no disadvantage test is about to be changed.
This has caused great concern amongst many community groups including churches, and has caused great discomfort, I believe, to the federal government and to the federal minister. It is very telling that the federal government and, particularly our Prime Minister, John Howard, refuses to give a categorical assurance that no worker will be worse off under this radical new industrial relations agenda he is bringing in. I showed this earlier today, this is very important. This is a statement …
Ms Carney: Oh, there is the clock again!
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: If the opposition can just give me a chance here. It is a quote from John Howard from 1996, where he said:
- Under no circumstances will a Howard government create a wages system that will cause the take home pay of Australians to be cut. Under a Howard government you cannot be worse off, but you can be better off. I give this rock solid guarantee our policy will not cause a cut in the take home pay of Australian workers.
That was John Howard in 1996. A couple of weeks ago, all the state and territory workplace relations ministers asked Kevin Andrews, who is the federal minister, to give an assurance and sign on this dotted line saying: ‘I give my written guarantee to all states and territories that no worker will be worse off under the Commonwealth changes to industrial relations’. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Workplace Relations minister have signed off on that guarantee, so I believe workers need to be very concerned.
When the federal government has been asked ‘Why are you bringing in this radical agenda?’, none of them have been really able to justify it. The Australian industrial relations system has served Australia well for over 100 years. It has given workers modest increases in pay and salary, and it has also given a lot of certainty to employers in the system as a whole. This is an attack on that very system, an attack on workers’ pay and conditions, and it is all about a fair go. This government will fight for a fair go for Australian and Northern Territory workers.
Exit Interviews for Departing Teachers
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Whilst there is some comfort in your acknowledgement that there has been an unacceptably high teacher turnover this year, we note that the 63 who had to be recruited were recruited mid-year, which implies a number of them left in that first semester. Has the government carried out exit interviews with teachers leaving the Northern Territory to find out why they are going, and what are the results of these exit interviews?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it rests with the principals of the school but, generally, there would be a policy of endeavouring to find out from a teacher, if they are leaving mid-term, why they are leaving in order to understand if there is a systemic or departmental failure or deficiency that ought to have been picked up. Teachers, being human, do leave for a variety of reasons. I can recall, as a parent, my young daughter undergoing a number of teacher changes in the significant early years program. There seemed to be no end of reasons why that particular class was subject to constant teacher change during that year. It could be for any number of reasons from family reasons to return south, relationship matters, to any range of personal matters.
I will seek what information I can. The department would certainly be rounding that up, as I said. We would be keen to understand as quickly as possible if there was a particular situation in a school. I noticed recently there were a couple at Tennant Creek I want to understand, and I have asked whether there was anything particular in Tennant Creek …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
My question was very specifically directed at: have exit interviews been conducted and, if so, are the results of those exit interviews available?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Ministers, as you know, have a fair bit of latitude in answering questions. I am sure the minister is answering the question.
Mr STIRLING: I am giving the member for Blain, I believe, what he would want to want to hear; that is, that I will seek from the department a briefing on those matters: what do we understand regarding these teacher turnover, and are there systemic reasons or deficiencies that can be addressed. I will report that information to him as soon as it is delivered to me.
Industrial Relations Commission – Powers to Set Minimum Wage Rates
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
The federal government is planning to remove the power to set minimum wages from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. Can the minister advise of the effect this proposal will have on Territory workers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I did touch upon this issue in my previous answer. Yes, it is true that the federal government intends to take away a lot of powers from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The commission has served Australia well, I believe, for well over 100 years in setting minimum rates of pay and safeguarding the rights of workers, but also providing a system that brings certainty to employers as well.
The federal government has said: ‘We are going to take these powers away from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and we are going to give it to a thing called the Fair Pay Commission’. That is probably Orwellian-speak for something else. The AIRC recently provided a $17 per week pay rise to workers, and it has provided a safety net for the lower paid.
The range of occupations in the private sector that rely on …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I believe this is an abuse of the process of Question Time. We are in the centre of this debate at the moment - before lunch and, I presume, after Question Time. This is an exact repeat of what we have heard. I have no problem with the minister dealing with this issue, but why are we repeating it and wasting time in Question Time? I believe it is an abuse of the process, Madam Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. This is a vital issue for Australia and the Northern Territory. I am sorry that the member for Nelson is not interested in it, but this is a vital …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: I am listening to the point of order that is with the minister at the moment. Resume your seat.
Dr BURNS: I am responding to a question from the member for Brennan on a very important issue. It is not a verbatim repeat of anything that I have said earlier here today …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: I believe there is no point of order. Minister, continue with your answer.
Dr BURNS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The people in these occupations I am about to name are people who would be very interested in this issue, because they are the ones who are covered under the AIRC for safety net adjustments: shop assistants, hairdressers, security officers, cleaners, aged care workers, child-care workers, truck drivers, clerks, disability service workers, gardeners, hospitality workers and laundry workers. Some of these are people are amongst the lowest paid in our community, and rely on the Australian Industrial Relations Commission for wage parity and justice …
Dr LIM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to Standing Order 68 and Standing Order 129. I will read to you Standing Order 68, ‘Anticipation of Subject’.
- No member shall anticipate the discussion of any subject which appears on the Notice Paper: provided that in determining whether a discussion is or is not in order on the ground of anticipation, regard shall be had by the Speaker to the probability of the matter anticipated being brought before the Assembly within a reasonable time.
This issue that the minister is currently speaking about is afoot. What he is doing is anticipating the debate. That is the standing order.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek advice.
Mr HENDERSON: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker, the point of Question Time is for this House to be informed, and for ministers to answer questions in relation to portfolios they have responsibility for and carriage of. This is a current issue before the Australian and Northern Territory community. My colleague, the minister for industrial relations and employment, has just come from a ministerial council where this issue was debated …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: I am surprised that members on the other side of parliament do not want to hear his answer to these very important questions, in particular because this debate is being broadcast around the Northern Territory. I am sure listeners to this Question Time around the Northern Territory also want to hear the minister’s answer.
Madam SPEAKER: The Clerk advises me that the anticipation rule has been interpreted very liberally by previous Speakers, particularly in Question Time, so there is no point of order. Minister, continue.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I know it is causing some disquiet opposite, and that is indicative of the importance of this issue; however, I will wrap up.
In short, I believe the federal government wants to take away powers from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. In Western Australia, we have seen where, for workers under AWAs under the Court government, the minimum wage was $50 per week less than the rest of Australia. Therefore, the evidence is there in terms of AWAs. This is nothing more than an attack by the federal government on workers’ wages and their entitlements and, as a government, we will certainly oppose that.
Education Recruitment Policy – Teach for a Term
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In October last year, you announced a Teach for a Term offer that included free air fares to and from the Northern Territory for those who took up the generous offer to spend a term teaching in the Territory. How many teachers have been recruited to the Northern Territory under that scheme since it was introduced in October 2004 and at what cost? How many are still here teaching after completing their initial term? What has been the average cost per teacher of this policy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. It is information that I do not have with me; however, I undertake to get that information by the end of Question Time for his benefit. I do not know how the department might go differentiating the costs of the Teach for a Term program against recruitment overall. It ought be available. If we can get that information, I undertake to get it back to him before the end of Question Time.
The Teach for a Term was an innovative approach by the department, in the sense that it brought skilled, trained teachers into the Northern Territory. It gave them a look at the Northern Territory and enabled them to experience a little of the Territory lifestyle, wherever that might be - whether it was a remote community or, indeed, one of our towns. I certainly know from personal experience in my own electorate and some of my schools the success of that program, because they were knocking on the door to sign up and have their job back in the new year.
As to the facts and the figures and the costs overall, as I said, someone will be listening, and whatever information I have before the end of Question Time I will relay it to the member for Blain.
Confidence in Real Estate Sector
Ms SACILOTTO to TREASURER
Recently, the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory was publicly advocating the great strength of the real estate sector. Can the Treasurer advise the House if they have good grounds for being confident?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port of Darwin for her question. She might have got out the game at the wrong time and come into this House, because real estate agents are doing it pretty well in Darwin and the Northern Territory overall.
The Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory recently announced, in their June 2005 report, the headline, Oh! What a Year. I guess that tells us that they believe they are doing all right.
The Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory report shows that median house prices have increased across all centres, and median unit prices have increased as well. In Darwin, unit prices have increased 6.6%, houses 9.7%. In Alice Springs, house prices increased 12%, unit prices 19.3%.
Vacancy rates are at amazingly record low levels. As a renter in Darwin seeking a unit in recent times, the only ones available were those that were being completed and coming straight onto the market. In years past, when we had lower vacancy levels, those that were vacant were normally the bottom end of the market. We are not seeing that; it is actually the brand new units coming onto the market that are vacant - and vacant for perhaps a week or two weeks at most. We have record rates of 1.9% for all houses and units and, as I said, it is historically low. In Palmerston, the figures are 1.6%; in Katherine, 2.3%; and Alice Springs, 3%.
The volume of sales has also reached a record $1.246bn, up 17.5% over the previous year. They show a strong real estate market and, of course, evidence of confidence in the economy. It also indicates movement of population to the Northern Territory, as well as investment by young Territorians moving out of their parents’ homes, so we are getting generation slip-up as well.
They also indicate polices - such as HomeNorth, which has been outstandingly successful, stamp duty cuts, improvements in first home owner thresholds - are all working in a complementary fashion to keep the Northern Territory moving ahead. It is good for the economy, and it is good all round for people feeling confident to invest and to spend in the Northern Territory. I table a copy of the REINT Real Estate Local Market Analysis for 2004-05.
Shotfirer’s Course – Work Health Changes
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In light of concerns about terrorism in this country, especially after the recent London suicide bombings, I am concerned that Work Health changes to the shotfirer’s course - which, as you would know, is about explosives - means that any person can now complete a course before a thorough police check has been undertaken. Does the government realise that, previously, you could not do a shotfirer’s course until you had a police check? Will the government make sure that you can only do a shotfirer’s course after you have the required police check so as to ensure there is no chance of a potential terrorist obtaining all the information required to make bombs and disappear without a trace? Whose idea was it in the first place to change the original process?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It would be a concern to me as minister, and to this government, if the requirements that a police check is conducted prior to the person doing a course was not still the case. I am not advised that there has been any change to this procedure. Again, I will obtain information before the end of sittings if it has changed. My knowledge of it is that the procedures have not changed; you are required to do a police check in the first place.
If the member has absolute evidence of it occurring the other way, he ought put that either before WorkSafe, my office or, in fact, the police, as soon as possible so an investigation can be carried out to bear out the facts in this. It makes sense that you do the police check first. If it is not happening that way, it will be very quickly corrected. However, I would be surprised if there had been a change in the procedure without coming to government.
Telecommunications Services
Ms McCARTHY to ACTING CHIEF MINISTER
The federal government is currently considering the full sale of Telstra. It is also considering the provision of additional funding to fill gaps in existing services. Can you advise Territorians of the state of telecommunications services in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. She, of course, is a member with responsibility for an electorate not unlike my own. In fact, the indigenous communities scattered across north--east Arnhem Land and to the south are shared between the member for Arnhem and me.
The government has received advice in regard to telecommunications deficiencies across the Northern Territory. This advice confirms those deficiencies in about 60 communities right across the Northern Territory, which range in population from 100 to in excess of 2000 people. These communities that have been subject to this investigation are home to some 20 000 Territorians.
Members would be aware that Northern Territory communities without access to full services range from Cox Peninsula just across the water from Darwin and Palmerston, to more remote places such as Kintore on the Northern Territory/Western Australian border. The advice that government has received is that the provision of adequate telecommunications services to these Territory communities requires an investment of around $100m. That would be the bottom line, the least figure, because that calculation does not include any upgrade to services to outstations. Therefore, if we took into account the full need, it would, of course, be much greater.
Most importantly, the report calculates that the upgrades to telecommunications services could contribute to economic benefits of a massive $406m per year. Therefore, the investment of just $100m to bring telecommunications services up to standard in these Territory communities would be a key contributor to an increase in community output of more than $4bn over 10 years. Really, it is an investment for the future and would be of massive benefit to the Territory and Territorians living in these communities. It cannot be ignored on that basis, and ought not be ignored on an equity basis either. However, a large economic benefit such as that ought be secured.
The Martin Labor government does not support the full privatisation of Telstra. I would see that there is a role for the CLP member for Solomon to be reminded that he stated that he would not support the full sale of Telstra until such time as full mobile coverage is established on the length of the Territory’s highways. That is not the case as I stand here. We will be strongly arguing the case to secure that minimum investment required to bring telecommunications services up to standard before the full sale of Telstra takes effect, because it is a very difficult road from then on.
Education Recruitment Policy – Teach for a Term
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
How many of the 63 teachers recruited for Semester 2 are Teach for a Term teachers? How many of the teachers who left in Semester 1 were Teach for a Term teachers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is sounding a bit like a broken record. I thank the member for Blain for his question. I am not sure if he is suggesting there is a failure around this program. From the information, advice and briefings I have had from the department, it has been a very successful, innovative program, and has captured the attention and imagination of teachers. Whether they came for a term or, in fact, undertook and sought more permanent employment with the department, is not the issue in itself. The fact that we had them for a term was the minimum objective, of course, and it was an added benefit to the program if we secured them full-time.
As I have already stated in answer to the previous question, which would have been heard and recorded, I do not have that information in relation to the costs; similarly, regarding how many of those 63 are Teach for a Term teachers. That will be part of the information I obtain before the end of Question Time and report to him.
Yuendumu Community Government Council Suspension
Mr NATT to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
To give the Minister for Employment, Education and Training a rest, could the minister please inform members about the latest developments regarding suspension of the Yuendumu Community Government Council?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for his question. The Yuendumu Community Government Council is awaiting formal suspension of the previous council and the appointment of a manager under section 264 of the Local Government Act. The process of suspending the council is now under way. The documentation to appoint a manager is being prepared.
There will be a need for the council to borrow up to $700 000 in order to pay creditors and to provide some working capital. It would appear that the council has been supplementing operational funds with tied funds. This has placed the council in jeopardy, as tied funds are required to be spent on specific purposes. The council grossly underestimated labour costs in its profit margin when it tendered for some National Aboriginal Health Strategy (NAHS) project programs. A NAHS housing progress payment of $125 000 is presently owed to council, and payment of this amount is being negotiated. Additional payments will be made for further work later in this financial year.
The situation at Yuendumu was exacerbated by the failure of the council to meet on more than one occasion …
Ms Carney: You must have known this before the election.
Mr McADAM: I cannot comment on that …
Ms Carney: Waited until after the election, did you?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: I cannot comment on it, Leader of the Opposition. Obviously, it was an issue that was being addressed by the previous minister ...
Ms Carney: Yes, after the election. Smells a bit.
Mr McADAM: Appropriate action has been taken in accordance with appropriate legislation, so you can think whatever you wish.
Further, member for Drysdale, a new CEO has been recruited by the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory and that person has commenced duties. A manager has been appointed by government who will be required, amongst other things, to return the council to normality as soon as possible. The community has been briefed by inspectors of Local Government regarding the situation, and the department is writing to the CEO confirming administrative arrangements.
A meeting held at Yuendumu community on 3 August 2005 resolved that the advisory committee of six to eight members would be established to assist the CEO and the manager, and meetings would be attended by the manager with that committee on a monthly basis. The first meeting will be held on 23 August. The committee will participate along the lines of a normal council, but will not have any power to make any resolutions.
The Yuendumu Community Government Council services Willowra community as well, and the existing arrangements will continue. There has been some concern in the Willowra community regarding Yuendumu Council and Willowra’s share of expenditure. However, as I understand it, I spoke to the member for Stuart only Friday of last week …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The matters the minister is raising are very serious and go to alleged improprieties at the Yuendumu Community Government Council. I would have thought that this matter is best dealt with by way of ministerial report. He is also going on and on. If this is as important as you believe it is, and as we believe it is, bring on a ministerial report or statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order. The minister is answering a question that has been asked. Continue, minister.
Mr McADAM: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Of course, the member for Drysdale has asked me a question and I will respond accordingly. This venue, this time, this place, is the appropriate place to respond in the manner that I am.
As I was saying previously, I have also spoken to the member for Stuart because he raised some concerns with me in regard to Willowra …
Ms Carney: After the election.
Mr McADAM: No, not at all.
Ms Carney: You knew this stuff before the election and now you close it down …
Madam SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition, cease interjecting. Order, Leader of the Opposition! Please continue, minister. Perhaps you could hasten your answer.
Mr McADAM: As I was saying, I spoke to the member for Stuart. He is the member representing that electorate. He is of the view now that things are in place which will allow the Yuendumu community, as well as the Willowra community, to get back on its feet. I know that there will be considerable support, not only from the Northern Territory government but also the Commonwealth in respect to supporting this community. I trust that they will be able to be fully functional as a council, hopefully by February/March 2006.
Multipurpose Taxis – Inadequate Service
Dr LIM to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Disabled Territorians are suffering because you are not prepared to consider the difficulties that multipurpose taxi operators face under your regime. Disabled people cannot get multipurpose taxis for everyday travel because it is not profitable for MPT operators to run these specialised taxis. By not having enough multipurpose taxis, you are restricting the disabled in their full participation in the community and hindering their efforts to live their life to the full. When and how are you going to fix up the taxi licensing regime to provide adequate services for disabled passengers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. It is true that there are difficulties with multipurpose taxis. To go through some of the history of this, currently, multipurpose taxi licences are half the general licence rate. The general licence rate is $16 000, and multipurpose taxis have a licence fee of $8000. There is also a concession and voucher scheme that is operated through the Department of Family and Community Services.
Yes, there have been difficulties. There is an issue in relation to a lift fee. This matter was raised last year. The Anti-Discrimination Commissioner raised some issues regarding the lift fee. It is now a point of discussion between the Minister for Family and Community Services and my department. I will hand over to the minister to elaborate further, member for Greatorex.
Ms LAWRIE (Family and Community Services): Madam Speaker, I thank the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. There are already incentives in place for multipurpose taxi licences. That incentive has been alluded to by the minister. It is 50% of the licence.
Dr Lim: They cannot make a living.
Ms LAWRIE: Member for Greatorex, you asked a question, let me answer. Some courtesy would be welcome.
Dr Lim: You need to understand that.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: In addition, you have also heard that there has been some discussion with the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Board about a lift allowance. That was seen in discussion with disabled representatives as a good way to head. However, as you have heard, the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner had a view on that, so we have officer level discussions occurring now about how we can progress the issue of a lift allowance.
A lift allowance is to compensate drivers for the period of time taken lifting a disabled passenger into the taxi when they arrive to collect. Obviously, when they get to the destination, there is also a period of time taken getting them out of the taxi. The issue is, if the flag is not running at that time, the driver’s time is taken when they could otherwise be going to another job.
As a government, we are very actively pursuing a fair compensation for the downtime, if you like, as yet another incentive to encourage more multipurpose taxis to be running. I have to say, though, this is a very long-standing issue. It is something I dealt with eight years ago when I was Executive Director of NT Carers. This is not a new issue.
What is new is that this government is doing quite a lot to address it. We have active discussions between two departments on it. We have had stakeholder consultation on the issue. Further, in my department, we have a review under way about the taxi subsidy scheme itself, because there are a whole range of access issues confronting people relying on the use of disabled modified taxis. That review …
Dr Lim: The review was done two years ago.
Ms LAWRIE: If you do not keep interrupting, you would hear the answer.
That review is almost complete and I am waiting for the final report. I have discussed the review at meetings I have had with stakeholders in the sector, and I am very confident that there will be some improvements to the accessibility of taxis. It is not acceptable that people are waiting, sometimes four hours, for their taxi to come when they have pre-booked that taxi. What I do want to say to the operators and drivers out there is that, when they take a multipurpose vehicle taxi licence, and the 50% discount to get that style of licence, they are also signing up to delivering the service. They must give priority to people with a disability. That is not always happening. We have operational issues about practices within the industry.
That is why the government, quite appropriately, set up an industry board, the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Board of which the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has carriage. Therefore, for the first time, we have a central point where these very real concerns are being discussed and actively actioned. I thank you for the question because it is an issue, but I have to say it is an issue that this government is tackling - the CLP never tackled it.
Air Fares for Seniors – Flexibility in Usage
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for SENIOR TERRITORIANS
My question is relevant, particularly as we have so many seniors in our gallery. The government has given seniors an interstate air fare entitlement, and they can either travel themselves or they can use it to bring a friend to the Northern Territory. Could you explain why you refused to have that fare applicable intrastate - why people in Darwin cannot bring a family friend up from Alice Springs, or vice versa? Why do you not allow some flexibility in this fare so that these seniors can use it in the Northern Territory, not just interstate?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, our government’s position and the changes that we made to the Pensioner Concession Scheme makes ours one of the most generous anywhere in Australia, which allows people to bring family members, either from interstate or overseas, to visit them.
Although I am minister for seniors, and I reported on that this morning, administration of the Pensioner Concession Scheme falls under the Minister for Family and Community Services.
Mrs Braham: This is a policy matter.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: It is a policy matter and it has been one that we have discussed. When we looked at some of the figures and the take-up rates, that was not proved to be viable at this stage. However, what was looked at was that there were a lot of requests from senior Territorians and people accessing the Pensioner Concession Scheme to allow them to bring family members from interstate or overseas to visit them. That was one part. Certainly we, as government, made that decision and changed that policy to allow seniors to do that.
The second part of that policy was to abolish the waiting period of six months. Therefore, as soon as you are eligible to access the Pensioner Concession Scheme, the six-month waiting period is abolished. That scheme is a generous scheme. As I said, the uptake rate of intra-Territory travel was not as high, and there was not a need to do that. There were a lot of requests to be a bit more flexible, abolish the waiting period, and to allow them to bring family and friends here.
Soccer Facility - Funding
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The Under Treasurer confirmed that the Labor government’s election promises left virtually no room for further spending initiatives. You had to find an extra $1m to fund the proposed Territory Bulldogs deal. Is this the real reason you have decided to delay work on the new soccer facility? If not, where is the extra money for the Bulldogs deal coming from?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. There is no absolutely no connection between the magnificent football facility that this government is currently building at Marrara and the exciting aspect of bringing the Bulldogs back to the Northern Territory next year. There is no link whatsoever. Rest assured, the two are completely separate.
I have spoken to Football NT about the design phase of the stadium. What has been proposed is to build the pitches and the grounds first - there is a lot of expense in terms of the grass and surface – play in 2006 then, after that, build the stadium itself. Advice I have received is that, in the process of constructing the stadium, you are tearing up the ground, so you have spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on it.
My decision as minister was: do I put the cart before the horse? If it means a one season delay in the final completion of the football stadium, but a better process of constructing the buildings first and then laying the all-important surface, that is a better process to follow. Football NT are very happy with that. They have agreed to that, and they see a sense in it. There are absolutely no concerns between Football NT and the Northern Territory government about the stadium being built. Categorically, it is being built. I am waiting on the final plans to come through.
The surface is what makes stadiums succeed or fail, fundamentally. What will be attractive about soccer in the Northern Territory is having an A1 surface to play on with a nice stadium around it. Rest assured, it is about not putting the cart before the horse in constructing the football stadium. I have said this on radio; it is not news.
Also, we are being quite specific about the type of grass we use and the type of construction going into the surface of football; that is, soccer as we know it. We do not want another Telstra Dome. We do not want to get the surface itself wrong, and then have to go back and spend another fortune to get it right. The timing of the grass is that there is a particular window of opportunity in each season of the year, if you like, to lay the grass so that it takes hold enough before the Wet Season rains come. Otherwise, if you lay the grass at the wrong time, you will actually get a fortune being washed away by the rain. That also impacted on the delay. There were two aspects to the delay: not putting the cart before the horse in laying the surface and after you do the construction job itself, but also the type of grass you use and the timing of the season in laying the grass.
It is wrong. We are not going to pay $1m for the Bulldogs. Your information there is completely wrong.
Land Management – Best Practice
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
The pastoral industry is one of our largest primary industry sectors and contributes to land management throughout the Northern Territory. Can you inform the House what initiatives are under way to ensure best practices are achieved?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. I am very pleased to advice the House that, last week, I attended a pastoral field day at Pigeon Hole Station. There were more than 200 participants there. Janet Holmes a Court was there to open the day. I am very pleased to say that the member for Daly had to drive for over six hours and blow two tyres before he arrived there, but it was worth it, because it is an excellent project which is going to promote sustainable development of the pastoral industry and, at the same time, maintain the biodiversity in the Northern Territory.
My department has undertaken research at Mt Sanford Station. That research has found that it is possible to actually increase cattle production and improve their condition through more even grazing throughout the landscape. Heytesbury Beef and Meat and Livestock Australia, in partnership, are now assessing these outcomes and developing more productive grazing methods for the Victoria River area.
The Pigeon Hole project is taking the principles learned at Mt Sanford and putting them into full commercial scale. We were very impressed. We were driven around and shown different areas where different grazing applications are applied; how scientists actually assess the proportion of annual grass that can be consumed by cattle; how they are using watering points for controlled grazing in the area; and how they use rotational grazing so the land is not affected, production is increased and also the biodiversity in the area is not affected.
Developing additional watering points and infrastructure certainly may increase management costs, but Observant, a company working with Heytesbury, is currently developing a new system where, using radiotelemetry to start and stop bore pumps, they can actually add nutrients to the water and even take photographs of the watering point using high frequency radio. They can do that either from the homestead or from Melbourne or Sydney. It is a new, innovative approach, really utilising technology for the pastoral industry.
As the member for Daly said, the pastoral industry is one of the most significant industries in the Territory and, despite what is happening in the rest of Australia with the decline of the sale of cattle for export, here in the Northern Territory, until this month, we have seen an increase by 8000 cattle. If you look out in the harbour you will see five cattle ships queuing to load Northern Territory cattle to take them to market in South-East Asia.
Soccer Facility - Completion
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Your government has delayed the home of soccer until the 2007 season. Can you guarantee that the whole facility, including oval, grandstand, toilets and electricity, will be completed by 2007?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, at least we have costed and put cash against this football stadium. The CLP government certainly did not.
I am waiting on the final costings and plans to come back from the Department of Infrastructure and Transport. They are undertaking the scoping at the moment. As I said in my previous answer, I am waiting for the finals to come back to me. My advice is that we will be able to enjoy a good season of soccer in 2007 at the new stadium. I am looking forward to it. I will invite you to the opening.
Living Rivers Program
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
During the last election campaign, you announced a Living Rivers program. Can you please advise the House about this exciting initiative and how it will contribute to the environment and environmental protection?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question. Our rivers are the arteries of our unique Northern Territory environment. They enrich our lifestyle and are of immense social, economic and cultural importance. They hold a very special place in the lives of many Territorians.
Our government broke new ground with our approach to the management of the Daly River. I will be saying more about this tomorrow in my ministerial statement. The lessons learned from our efforts on the Daly can, obviously, be applied to other rivers. Living Rivers will allow us to do this. This is a program that will give us special status and, therefore, special legislation, planning and management of our icon rivers in particular. It is about proper environmental planning, community participation and prioritisation of our efforts so that our rivers can continue to breathe life into our unique landscape …
Mr Wood: What about Mitchell Creek at Palmerston?
Ms SCRYMGOUR: We know how much you care about the environment, member for Nelson.
Living Rivers is not about locking our rivers away. However, it will elevate the environmental importance of our river system …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: The issue of rivers and the Living Rivers program is of equal importance to every other question that comes into this House, particularly on environmental issues.
Territorians do not want a repeat of the mistakes of the Murray River, and we have a wonderful opportunity to get the management right. We already have a number of existing programs and legislation that can be applied to our rivers. The Living Rivers program will not do away with these controls, but it does recognise that our current processes do not always work well in an integrated way to give the best results.
Central to our approach, Living Rivers will establish the maintenance of river health as a core goal in relevant laws and processes. By way of example, this may mean that we need to do more, comprehensively, to recognise the value of vegetation along rivers. Not every river will be managed as a living river. There will be a process of setting priorities in which the view of the community will be important. The significance of the Daly River has already become clear, and the Daly will, therefore, be the first river to be managed as part of the Living Rivers program - and there will be legislation.
The Living Rivers program is a new and integrated way of looking at planning and management of our key rivers. By prioritising the river system in the most need of better planning and management in an open and consultative way, Living Rivers will help us secure federal funding and support. It will also help us to better protect our icon rivers which are so important to our lifestyle, environment, economy and tourism.
VET Program in Secondary Schools
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
I know you have said many times that you support the VET program in our secondary schools. Could you please say why the government has cut the program at Taminmin High School? Have other schools been cut? Is it true that money cut from secondary schools has gone to VET programs at the Charles Darwin University? Did you authorise these changes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would be very surprised if funding from the department has been cut to Taminmin High. Taminmin High stands high in my regard in relation to the innovative way in which it has undertaken Vocational Education and Training within its four walls and, indeed, outside its four walls. In fact, it is so recognised that students from northern suburbs schools travel to Taminmin on a weekly basis to undertake particular Vocational Education and Training programs not available within their own school.
That speaks for itself, of how high a regard not just I, as minister, and the department, but parents and students from around other much larger schools, have for the VET program at Taminmin. I visited it a number of times. In fact, one time the staff and I took the Chevy Corvette down there, and they had it up on the hoist within minutes of arriving and wanted to attack it, pull it apart and see how it all worked. It is a great and innovative program, very strongly supported by Principal, Kim Rowe, who is an outstanding principal in his own right.
I would be very surprised, but I will ask the question, obviously, if there has been any cut. There has been no cut, certainly from this government. As I said, I would be very surprised if there had been any cut from the department, but I undertake to report immediately to the member. I give him this unequivocal assurance as well: if there is a cut, it will not be happening any longer.
Katherine Region – Services for Young People
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
During the Katherine by-election campaign, the Labor government outlined plans to improve services for young people in the area. Can you update the House on what progress has been made on these important initiatives?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. I know that he is passionate about the services we are delivering into Katherine and the Daly region.
Certainly, this government is extremely committed to supporting our young people. We have established more youth services, at record levels, than ever before in the Northern Territory. $1m has gone towards expanding youth centres across the Northern Territory and supporting services to youth. This has been additional support for young people with disabilities, with $340 000 each year to expand post-school options, something that had never existed in the past. It has included increases in Mental Health Services, with two child psychiatrist positions and three additional child and youth mental health workers. We have youth centre programs in Nightcliff, Borroloola, Central Australia, Belyuen, Gunbalunya, Nhulunbuy and Willowra.
The Katherine Youth Drop-In Centre is another election commitment delivered. Mission Australia is the successful tenderer. They will provide a service with $200 000 in funding from this government. It will operate late on Friday and Saturday evenings, and outside school hours, including weekends, or on an as-needed basis. The service will be flexible to the needs of the young people and the Katherine community. It will include: outreach services; crisis intervention; referral and follow-up; family contact and transport home; recreation activities; and accredited and non-accredited training opportunities for young people.
The service has been developed through broad community consultation - which is really important in getting a service right - by my department and included discussions with the Office of Youth Affairs. The service coordinator has already been employed and other staff positions are being recruited to now.
Mission Australia has already formed a partnership with the YMCA in Katherine, and some of the services will be delivered from the YMCA’s Henry Scott Recreation Centre, which I will be spending $1m on as Minister for Sport and Recreation, raising the roof so they can actually play basketball and other games inside. The roof is too low, evidently. I am looking forward to heading to Katherine in early September to officiate at the opening of this important new service for youth in Katherine.
Northern Territory Tourist Commission – Administrative Status
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for BUSINESS and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Can you confirm whether the Northern Territory Tourist Commission has been amalgamated under the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development? If so, how will the commission answer to two ministers: the Chief Minister as the Minister for Tourism, and you as the minister for this department? What effect will this have on the autonomy of the commission? Were key industry stakeholders consulted in this move?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. These are exciting times for the Tourist Commission and it is great to see that we are having a bumper tourism season at the moment. I can advise the member that the Tourist Commission still exists. The legislation is still in place. The rationale from the Chief Minister in bringing the Tourist Commission in under the umbrella of the new Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development was to acknowledge, at a government level, and try and have better working relationships between the main economic driving department of the government and the Tourist Commission. As people in the tourism industry say, tourism is everybody’s business. It is certainly is a vital part of the economy.
The government is trying to build stronger regions to get better economic outcomes in the regions to develop better tourism products in the region. We are doing this by bringing the Tourist Commission in under the umbrella of the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development, which will allow a much closer working relationship between the Destination Development Unit in the Tourist Commission and the people who are responsible in the department for regional development; in particular, regional economical development.
It is a structural issue. It is about trying to get better outcomes, particularly in developing opportunities for tourism in the regions. It is a structural relationship. The Tourist Commission will still report to the Chief Minister as the Minister for Tourism, and I have carriage of the rest of the portfolio.
Apprenticeships and Traineeships – Government Incentives
Mr NATT to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Having come from a trades background myself via a fitting and turning apprenticeship, I am pleased to hear the Martin government has committed to skilling Territorians and encouraging the take-up of apprenticeships and traineeships over the next four years. Can you please advise the House what incentives the government has in place to support apprenticeships and trainees on commencement?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for his question. The question of skills shortages nationally is certainly high on the agenda of all governments across Australia, the Commonwealth government included.
Under Jobs Plan 2, we have taken another step to get more people into apprenticeships and traineeships. We recognise that apprenticeships, particularly in those traditional - or what we might term the hard trades – areas do require people to make a solid and significant commitment that takes a few years to pay off. If they can keep their eye on the main game, the rewards are there in the long run for those who get through the trades apprenticeship.
In recognition, first, of the need to assist young Territorians with the expenses incurred when embarking on apprenticeships/traineeships, we have invested $1.4m in the Workwear/Workgear Bonus, which will see all Territorians who undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship benefit. We envisage that bonus would be used for the purchase of safety clothing, uniforms, tools, or simply for a student finishing high school and going into the work force for the first time, who has not had much part-time work and not much money and is required to be in a presentable fashion, to buy clothes for work.
That bonus was announced as part of Jobs Plan 2 in budget 2005-06. It applies to all new apprentices and trainees commenced on or after 4 April 2005. The payment of $1000 to apprentices in those skills shortage trades, and $300 to other apprentices and trainees, recognises that the costs incurred by the apprentices taking up the traditional trades are going to normally be somewhat higher than costs incurred by apprentices and trainees in the non-traditional trades - in fact, those who are only going through a 12-month traineeship.
Apprentices/trainees are required to complete a three-month probationary period to become eligible for the bonus. I am pleased to advise that, up to date, 19 of those bonuses have been taken up in the skills shortage areas, and 24 have been taken up by apprentices and trainees in other skilled areas. It is there to assist. If it is a further incentive for youngsters to get into traineeships and apprenticeships, so much the better. We have to do our bit in overcoming the national skills shortages, and this is one of the government’s responses to it.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER
Education Recruitment Policy – Teach for a Term
Education Recruitment Policy – Teach for a Term
Mr STIRLING (Employment, Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I undertook for the member for Blain that I would have information back to him by the end of Question Time in relation to costs around Teach for a Term teachers and other matters. Clearly, the department has not been able to extract that level of information by the end of Question Time as I undertook them to do. I give him this undertaking that as soon as that information is to hand I will have it across to him.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016