2007-06-21
Little Children are Sacred Report – Commonwealth Government Response
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
The Prime Minister has just announced essentially what amounts to a declaration of a national emergency in our remote Aboriginal communities. He has announced a package of measures that will have real weight and money and substance behind them. Chief Minister, for the sake of the children in those remote communities, will you now give an unequivocal commitment to work with the Prime Minister and accept the hand he is offering to help target this national disaster?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we have all just become aware of the Prime Minister’s response to the Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and, to quickly answer the Opposition Leader’s question, when we talked about this when the report was handed down last Friday, one of the key things I said was that we need to work with the federal government. The inquiry was very clear that the response to the issue was outside the financial capacity of the Territory and this was going to be a partnership. I made it very clear that I would welcome the Australian government working with us.
I certainly welcome the federal government’s swift reaction. I welcome their working with us, and I believe we can work in effective partnership with them over this very significant issue for the Territory. There has been considerable discussion about this, but we are already undertaking a number of measures. If you have a quick look at what the Prime Minister has indicated, we are already doing a number of those things. I am certainly heartened that we can work further with the Commonwealth on them, particularly dealing with management of alcohol. We have many measures under way. We would certainly be very happy to work further with the Commonwealth about those.
Another initiative that the Prime Minister has indicated is linking family assistance payments to attendance at school. I am pleased to have the commitment from the federal government because I put this on the table with minister Brough 12 months ago and have been frustrated by the fact that we could elicit a response. I am delighted. We have strong support from Aboriginal communities to link the family assistance benefit which, over a year, is between $4500 and $7000 per child depending on their age, and we believe those payments should be linked to a child’s attendance at school. I really welcome, and I am sure this House welcomes, the Prime Minister’s commitment to that.
As I indicated the other day, I already have senior government officials in Canberra, ready to start talks with a number of different federal departments tomorrow. We will look further at the details. However, I welcome the federal government’s commitment to what is a most serious issue for the Territory. Some of the initiatives look pretty straightforward, some of them are quite complex so it is going to take different levels of response. We are very willing to work with the federal government. I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to what is a most serious and complex issue for the Territory. I can assure the Prime Minister, and when I speak to him I will tell him this personally, I welcome his commitment and I believe we can work very well in partnership.
Blue Mud Bay - Appeal to High Court
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Following the decision of the Federal Court in the Blue Mud Bay case, the Territory government indicated that it would launch an appeal. Can the Attorney-General please advise the House of recent developments in this appeal?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. I am pleased to advise the Assembly that, this morning, the High Court in Brisbane granted the Northern Territory government leave to appeal in the Blue Mud Bay case. It was not an unexpected development. The case is complex. It does go to the heart of the Territory government’s ability to apply and enforce its own laws right across the Territory. All parties expected leave to be granted and that the matter would ultimately be resolved in the High Court.
As I said, immediately following the Federal Court decision in March, the Territory government strongly disagrees with the Federal Court’s interpretation of the relevant Commonwealth legislation on this matter. However, it is essential to good governance in the Territory that all Territory laws, such as the Fisheries Act in this case, should apply right across the entire Territory, and the Federal Court decision has thrown that basic principle into grave doubt.
This appeal is not about taking away people’s rights. It is to provide the legal clarity and certainty so that all parties involved can move forward with confidence. It is now anticipated that full arguments will be heard within the next four months or so, with a decision to be handed down in the first part of next year. In the meantime, the interim permit arrangements established by the land councils will continue to guarantee, most importantly, free access to tidal waters for all fishers.
Little Children are Sacred Report – Commonwealth Government Response
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
If the levels of sexual abuse occurring in remote communities were happening in the suburbs of Darwin and you received a report in relation to it, the response from your government would not have been to wait three months to take action or announce what, if any, of the recommendations you would accept or reject. Today, the Prime Minister has announced the placement of 50 additional police officers in the Territory to address this problem. Will you support that Commonwealth initiative, and what other support will you give to the Commonwealth?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I indicated in my answer to the last question, we will work in partnership with the federal government. I welcome the federal government’s commitment to what is a most serious issue for the Territory. However, I reject the Opposition Leader’s assertion, which grows by the weeks, of: ’Three months and you did nothing about this report’, which is absolute rubbish. I have indicated, very clearly, that we have taken very early action with appropriate CEOs sitting down with the 97 recommendations of the inquiry and starting the work. I have senior officials in Canberra starting discussions with the federal government tomorrow morning.
If you read the report, you will see that many of the recommendations build on things that we are currently doing, particularly in the areas of alcohol and education, and we will continue to do that. You say that this Territory government was sitting on its hands about this issue. We were not. I said very clearly that we as a community, as a Territory, are not doing enough; we have to do more. That really is the thrust of the inquiry’s report.
I welcome the involvement of the federal government. I will certainly be talking to the Prime Minister as soon as Question Time is over. I am aware that it is Question Time also in the federal parliament at roughly the same time. I will be telling the Prime Minister: ‘We welcome your involvement. This Territory government will work cooperatively with you because we want practical and effective ways of tackling what has been a very long-term, serious and complex problem for the Territory’. We must, Madam Speaker, protect our children.
Elective Surgery Waiting List –
Ministerial Commitment
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for HEALTH
During the April sittings, you gave a commitment that the Department of Health and Community Services would reduce elective surgery waiting lists. Have you anything to report to the House on this important issue?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Goyder. Since becoming Minister for Health, one of the major priorities for me is to reduce elective surgery waiting times, particularly for those who have been in the overdue category. I announced in April this year that there would be a concerted campaign to reduce elective surgery waiting times, particularly in the overdue group in the Territory.
Considerable resources of approximately $1.5m have been put into this. There have been a number of strategies that have been used - opening up extra operating theatres in Alice Springs, for instance. Also included is a cooperative working relationship with Darwin Private Hospital where they have provided beds both on weekdays and weekends. We have also given more support to our regional hospitals, with specialist visits to Katherine, Gove and Tennant Creek to support the reduction of elective surgery waiting times for overdue patients.
I need to make mention of the Fred Hollows Foundation, which is a great organisation based, of course, on the fantastic work done by Fred Hollows. They have been supporting an Eye Blitz, as they call it, in Central Australia, and there has been a very cooperative working relationship on that.
People have waited too long. We have recruited two additional surgeons to Royal Darwin Hospital: a trauma surgeon and vascular surgeon. This has been very good, but I should outline that elective surgery and waiting times is a complex issue. There are three categories for elective surgery. Category 1 is recommended admission for surgery within 30 days; Category 2, recommended admission within 90 days; and Category 3, recommended admission within one year.
The Territory has been no different in terms waiting times for elective surgery from other states and territories. However, what is different is that our hospitals are amongst the busiest in Australia. On 31 March this year, there were a total of 3143 patients on the waiting list. I am speaking generally. Of those, 1612 were overdue for their surgery. This is the group that we targeted in our elective surgery initiative. I am pleased to report that over the past two months, we have reduced the number of people in the target group by 50%, or 801 people. That is an achievement. These were the people, when the initiatives were announced, who were overdue on the waiting list. All people who were overdue were contacted and offered the option of surgery. Some 348 people who accepted the offer have now had their surgery. For a variety of reasons, another 453 people in the target group no longer required surgery.
Understandably, elective surgery lists are not static; they fluctuate. By the end of May 2007, there has been an overall reduction of 14% in the total number on the overdue list. There was a 50% reduction then more people came on the list, but there was a nett reduction of 14%. Our target over the whole of the initiative is 20% and I am very hopeful that we will meet that target. This has been achieved while normal activity has occurred in the hospital, so we have given priority to those who waited for longest on the surgery list.
Earlier today, I made a public announcement about this at Royal Darwin Hospital. I was there with surgeon, Mr David Read, who said we are only part of the way through this project. Already, the vast number of surgeons noticed a reduction in their own waiting lists of between 10% and 50%. The other thing that Mr Read said was that the number of cancellations because of beds not being available in Royal Darwin Hospital this year compared to the same time last year has really plummeted. That is due to the partnership we have with Darwin Private Hospital. Mr Read also said over half the patients on the waiting list from urgent to non-urgent cases who might be considered overdue have been operated on and are now able to continue a good quality of life. The project has ensured efficiency and that surgeons are gaining valuable theatre experience.
Madam Speaker, I believe Mr Read has summed it all up. This is a government that cares about people. This is a government that is focused on health. I am a minister who has targets, and I am very hopeful over the next few months of making some very positive future announcements about initiatives in health.
Little Children are Sacred Report – Commonwealth Government Response
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
The Prime Minister has said today in response to his national emergency on child abuse that a requirement of your government will be to:
- Remove customary law as a mitigating factor for sentencing and bail conditions.
Will you now commit to making and passing all necessary laws to achieve that outcome?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there are a range of issues that have been outlined. I have not yet spoken to the Prime Minister about the detail of what he announced only in the last hour. The extent of what I have is a media release from minister Brough. I stand in this House without a lot of detail of what the Prime Minister actually announced. The Opposition Leader has been told 50 police. I do not have that detail. This parliament deserves to have a well-informed response after I have spoken to the Prime Minister, after my officials in Canberra tomorrow have had important discussions with key federal government agencies.
There are many points in relation to what the federal government is broadly intending to do and their requirements from the Northern Territory government. To get a practical and effective response to the extent of child sexual abuse in our Aboriginal communities is going to take time to sit down and work through. Every member in this House wants to see that. The first goal of everything we do is to have better protection for children. What we need to do is sit down with the federal government to ensure the initiatives that we take are practical and effective and will achieve that goal.
Laptops for Teachers
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Can you update the House on the expansion of the highly valued Laptops for Teachers program?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. It has been very well received right across the Northern Territory. The roll-out of the new Laptops for Teachers began last week. I was very pleased to head out to Jewell Distributors in Winnellie to inspect the latest instalment of our Laptops for Teachers program.
It was quite amazing to walk into the big warehouse and see 2500 computers all boxed up, all labelled for schools right across the Northern Territory. It was a warehouse probably half as big again the size of this Chamber, and it is an enormous job logistically to get those laptops out to our teachers across the Northern Territory, even into the very small community schools.
We already had the most supportive laptops for teachers policy in Australia. The Northern Territory leads the way amongst all the other states in support for our teachers in providing them with laptops. I was pleased to allocate $1.7m in the budget to expand this program even further. From this year, laptops are being allocated directly to teachers instead of schools, as was previously the case. We know that many of our teachers move around from school to school. They will be allocated their laptop and will be able to take it with them. It means that Northern Territory government principals, assistant principals and teachers with a class teaching load of more than 50% will receive their own laptop for use within the classroom and outside of hours, and will take the laptop with them when they move schools or go home or even whilst they are on study leave. We have very generous study leave provisions for teachers, particularly teachers who serve time in the bush. They will be able to keep their laptops for that period of study leave. The vast majority of teachers have received their new laptops.
This is not only an important initiative for teachers, it is really important for our students. More and more, students are learning online. They are researching online. They are preparing assignments on computers and storing assignments and various other materials on central servers. The whole school environment through what the government is doing by investing in IT and new education portals for our schools is being opened up 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in terms of both teachers and students being able to access materials. From a teacher’s point of view, they can work on preparing class room material and from a student’s point of view, they can work on assignments. For teachers, they can also mark assignments.
As a parent, I am really excited about the opportunities for parents to be able to log on from home or work and go to their child’s website to be able to see what the timetable is for the week, what assignments have been set for the student, what assignments are outstanding for the student, in my case what homework has been set that I do not know about and is outstanding, and what marks students are achieving as well as all of their student records and MAP history records.
The IT world is opening up education. We certainly need to be encouraging our teachers to take up computer skills. As I said, the Northern Territory is once again punching above our weight in education. We have the most supportive Laptops for Teachers policy in Australia. Some of the IT work that the department is doing on behalf of our schools is also leading the way in Australia. I look forward to providing this House with further information as we continue down this path.
Stuart Lodge –Management Arrangement
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for HOUSING
Recently, you opened Stuart Lodge in Alice Springs for short-term accommodation. You are providing staff from Territory Housing to manage the complex. You are providing a security firm, catering contract and cleaners. Could you tell the House what cost is charged per person per night? That is, how much someone staying there has to pay. How many people have stayed at Stuart Lodge since it opened? Perhaps you can give that in percentage terms. Will you continue to subsidise to the current level when you hand this over to a non-government organisation, or do you intend to have Territory Housing continue to manage this short-term accommodation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. I cannot give you a precise figure on the actual tariffs, but I am more than happy to provide it to you. One of the issues we spoke about with the Alice Springs Action Group is that we would ensure that tariffs are in line with those applying to Aboriginal Hostels Limited. We will also ensure that there is a capacity in respect of affordability for people, particularly those who are looking for emergency or very short-term accommodation. I am more than happy to provide you with the figures in respect of the actual tariff rates, but let me assure you that they are in line with those rates that are charges by Aboriginal Hostels Limited. There is a lesser rate in respect of issues around affordability and I will provide you with those details.
You asked about the numbers, if I recall. Since the hostel opened, we have had bookings from the Fred Hollows Foundation. There have been two sets of bookings in respect of their eye health care program. I cannot give you the actual numbers, but I suspect they would be around the 80 to 90 mark in respect to those two bookings.
We are in discussion with Alice Springs Hospital about long-term block bookings for people visiting from the communities, so we have set aside X number of beds for that purpose. I believe there is capacity for young mothers who come into town to have somewhere to stay, go through a program, and then return to their communities, or vice versa, so there is that capacity.
In the third part of the question, you referred to the subsidy. I will need to confirm the figures, but it is around $350 000 in a full year. As you would be aware, as an interim measure, we have engaged Kungas Can Cook for the catering. They are relocating their company to the building itself. You would also be aware that Peppered Black is providing security services. It is not the intention of Territory Housing to continue to manage this. Very soon we will be calling for tenders for the security. As we move into the next 12 months, we will be looking at expressions of interest from organisations in Alice Springs to manage the ongoing operations of the hostel. I will provide you with the figures you requested.
Little Children are Sacred Report – Commonwealth Government Response
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
The Prime Minister has announced today that there will be significant changes to the welfare system, linking school attendance to welfare payments, a position proposed by the CLP prior to the last election. Will you support the changes? What additional support will your government give to assist in getting the message to people in our remote communities that their kids must attend school?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, probably the biggest challenge we face in the Territory with education is getting kids in the bush to school. We have spoken about it in here at length. Various government ministers talk to communities. It is always a key issue, and it is always something Aboriginal communities admit is tough. While a school term starts and there is a good attendance, there are a number of things that take place in communities, whether that is some level of dysfunction or travel for parents, which means that we have, too often, a constant failure of kids getting to school.
We have spoken to communities again. They wanted to have some much tougher measures, so this is not something imposed by government; this is something that our communities want to see happen. We carefully took the idea of linking those family assistance payments to attendance at school to minister Brough 12 months ago. I express my deep disappointment that nothing has happened until now. We thought it was a strongly supported idea, and only as recently as two weeks ago, the community at Wadeye re-endorsed that measure.
Today, we have to look at the details of this, but it has been a link that we have been keen to have the federal government make. We have written, we have talked about this, and I am pleased to see that in our first look at the measures the federal government wants to take, they are responding to this.
There is no question that we would not work with the federal government to achieve something we have been asking them to do for 12 months. One of the two things that Rex Wild and Pat Anderson said was the key to turning around the sexual abuse of Aboriginal children is education. You cannot achieve education without those students going to school. It is fundamental to any change, and I welcome it. If it is a real commitment from the federal government to do this, and I say that because we have had 12 months of no action, I say come on down; we are here and waiting to talk.
Police Service – Accelerated Recruitment
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Can you update the House on the progress of the government’s accelerated recruitment of police?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. Everyone in this House would be aware of the O’Sullivan Report which recommended 200 extra police for the Northern Territory. I commend my predecessor, the member for Wanguri, who put in a lot of work in this regard. There has also been a lot of work done by the Northern Territory Police College. Over the past four years or so, they have put nearly 400 extra police through. That represents a significant amount of work and commitment by the Northern Territory Police College.
A couple of weeks ago, I was at the Police College parade ground to see the latest graduation of people at the Peter McAulay Centre. There were 24 members of Police Recruit Squad 89 and 13 members of Aboriginal Community Police Officer Recruit Squad 13. They did their drills and they were fantastic. I am also pleased to report that Squad 89 is the fourth squad that I have had the pleasure of reviewing as it graduated since I have become the minister for Police. In that squad there are 95 new constables. That is not including the 20 experienced officers from Squad 90 who transferred to the Northern Territory from interstate forces. There has been a lot of activity.
I make mention of someone at that particular parade, and that is Senior ACPO Denise Goddard, who received the Administrator’s Medal for the Aboriginal Community Police Officer of the Year. She was quite overcome, but obviously a very popular choice amongst her peers. I have already congratulated all those who graduated and given my special thanks to all the staff at the Police College. I am hoping to tour that facility in the very near future.
This is all part of this government’s commitment of 200 extra police, $75m for our plan to rebuild our police service.
At the next sitting, I look forward to talking a little more about that particular measure because it is very important. It is in contrast to the way that the CLP froze police recruitment for four years. It was a shame. They stand in here and talk about extra police from various sources, but they are at the root of all the problems that we had to address.
I just add that over the past four years, the rate of recruitment into the Northern Territory Police has been double the rate of officers leaving the service. That is important to place on the record – 200 extra police. I also commend the commissioner, who is doing a fine job with our police service.
Little Children are Sacred Report – Commonwealth Government Response
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
The Prime Minister has said today that a requirement of your government will be to:
- … review all special leases over town camps in the major urban areas where lease conditions have been breached.
Will you commit to take that action to assist the Prime Minister to deal with what is described as a ‘national emergency’?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I need to discuss the detail of what the Prime Minister has proposed with him. In answer to a previous question, I said that we have senior government officials meeting with key federal government departments tomorrow morning in Canberra. We need to look at the detail of what is being recommended by the federal government because in anything we do to tackle this very serious issue of child sexual abuse on Aboriginal communities, we have to ensure that what we are doing is ultimately going to be for the best protection of children. That is what we are all after. We have to ensure that what we are going to do is practical and effective.
We have been working with the Alice Springs town camps in a very cooperative way with the federal government, and I am very hopeful that we will see change with the circumstances in town camps. There are about 200 residences concerned. We are in constant discussion with Tangentyere Council about the future. I want to continue those discussions with Tangentyere. I believe that we are making headway, but I am also very happy to talk to the Prime Minister about the detail of his proposal.
I am not going to give a detailed response. I have not yet spoken to the Prime Minister. I want to have those discussions and I want to understand the detail. I say again that we welcome this swift reaction from the federal government. This is an issue that demands a partnership with the federal government, the non-government sector in the Territory and, importantly, with Aboriginal people themselves. This is about Aboriginal people making change. It is about taking steps that might be uncomfortable, but we will work with our communities in that very broad partnership.
I welcome the federal government’s commitment. We need to understand what it means, but their response is embraced wholeheartedly. This is a very difficult and long term issue for the Territory. I certainly want to work with the federal government and I thank the Prime Minister for his swift reaction.
Senate Inquiry into Australia’s Indigenous Visual Arts and Craft Sector
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for ARTS and MUSEUMS
The Senate Inquiry into Australia’s Indigenous Visual Arts and Craft Sector brought down its report late yesterday. What impact will its recommendations have on the Aboriginal arts industry in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. She is an artist herself and certainly took a keen interest in the inquiry.
I thank members of the Senate committee who worked so hard to produce probably the first major assessment of the industry in 15 years. I described it last night as a watershed in the history of the industry. The committee deserves congratulations from all sides of politics. I guess a number of the Senators began the inquiry knowing relatively little about the Aboriginal visual arts and craft industry, and I believe we now have a baker’s dozen of Senators who are passionate and knowledgeable advocates for the sector.
The Northern Territory government supports the vast majority of its recommendations. In particular, we support recommendations to boost much needed infrastructure to the industry, $25m over five years, as well as its strong recommendations to improve the governance and systems for art centres and commitment to training and employment in the sector. Indeed, the inquiry recognised art centres as being the absolute lynchpin of the industry, with a strong acknowledgment of the work of the art centres beyond the mere marketing of the art to their vital roles of cultural maintenance, staff and artist training, and advocacy for individual artists, community of artists and the industry generally.
The Aboriginal visual arts and craft industry is vitally important to the Northern Territory. I believe there would be bipartisan support for this industry, particularly in this Assembly. I would like to see a similar bipartisan approach at the federal level. There are considerable challenges for the Australian government, no matter who is in power, as many of the recommendations involve Commonwealth legislation such as the Trade Practices Act and copyright. Many involve agencies such as the ACCC, Austrade, the Australian Council for the Arts, Customs and the ATO. Many involve federal departments such as DEWR, DCITA and the Attorney-General.
I give a very strong and firm commitment that this government will work closely and productively with our Australian government counterparts to effect the many worthwhile recommendations of the inquiry for the better protection of a very valuable industry in the Northern Territory.
Little Children are Sacred Report –
Comments by Noel Pearson
Comments by Noel Pearson
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
This relates to an answer you gave a few minutes ago. Noel Pearson has said in The Australian that your report on sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities focuses too much on lifting educational standards instead of attacking behaviour. He said that cultural, social and moral norms have to be rebuilt. I quote from The Australian:
- You cannot just educate people that a 12 year old is not a prospective sexual partner. That is not a question of education, that is a question of moral norms.
Do you agree with Noel Pearson?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Noel Pearson, on behalf of Aboriginal Australians, always speaks a lot of sense. When Noel Pearson talks about Aboriginal people having to take greater responsibility for children, for levels of alcohol abuse, for the communities they live in, he is, and everyone in this House would agree, absolutely right.
How do we get there? The report into child sexual abuse looks at education as a fundamental, and I do not believe anyone in this House would disagree with that. Education encompasses a wide range of aspects. It is not just about literacy and numeracy. If we are going to get down to the fundamentals, and I am sure Noel Pearson would be firmly lined up by my side about this, we have to get kids to school. Over this week, in his discussion paper, he has talked about the link between welfare payments and going to school. We agree with him wholeheartedly. As I said, I asked minister Brough to take that action well over 12 months ago.
Noel Pearson makes a great contribution to the debate in Australia about the future of Aboriginal communities. The very practical approach that he takes, we thoroughly support. You have to then balance that with the issue of child sexual abuse. There is no magic bullet answer. We all recognise that. Minister Brough said in federal parliament this afternoon:
This …
meaning child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities:
… has been a big problem.
And, let us be honest, it has been a big problem since before the Labor government in the Territory. We are dealing with a problem that has been in the Territory for a long time. It is a complex and very serious problem, and there is no one easy answer. To give credit to the government that was before us, if there was an easy answer, they would have done something. We have lifted performance on tackling this. However, we have a long way to go. I welcome the federal government’s involvement.
Indigenous Business Development Program
Mr HAMPTON to MINISTER for BUSINESS and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Can you advise the House of the success of the Indigenous Business Development Program?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his important question. Since I became Minister for Business and Economic Development, my focus has been mainly on the regions, because we work very closely with indigenous people in urban areas. We understand them, we listen to them, we work together and we support them because we want them to grow further during the current economic boom in the Territory.
However, many indigenous people live in the regions, and we have to ensure that these indigenous people can establish and run their own businesses. I acknowledge my predecessor, the member for Wanguri, who had the foresight to establish the Indigenous Business Development Program two years ago. That program aims primarily to assist in the establishment of businesses owned by indigenous people, to support the formation of partnerships between individual organisations and corporate entities, and to provide business support services to indigenous businesses.
In those two years, we have had engagement with about 250 people or organisations in a diverse range of ventures such as tourism, aquaculture, horticulture, cultural activities, construction, hairdressing, planning and other jobs. Twenty-nine grants have been approved, totalling almost $730 000, and I am pleased to say that we have created 76 real, fully paid jobs in the regions. I will give a couple of examples: Christine Christopherson wanted space to do her artwork and the grant we provided made that possible. Today, her artwork is exhibited in the National Gallery in Canberra.
A few days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with Grant and Trevor Bourke, who live 10 minutes away from Alice Springs and have established Blue Goose Free Range Eggs. A very small grant has made a lot of difference. These people have now established a free range egg farm. They have already found buyers in Alice Springs. They sell everything that the hens produce in a week, and now they intend to expand further. With $1500, they established the first free range egg farm in Alice Springs that engaged two families. They are trying to get into the CBD and, in the next few weeks, they are going to make it a reality. I was very pleased.
The program is regularly over-subscribed by a ratio of 3:1. We have had a number of applications that we believe are going to cover all the money we have for the 2007-08 financial year.
Our government is working with our regions to create and provide economic opportunities for all Territorians. These are people who live outside the urban centres and are indigenous people who do not have the same opportunities as people who live in Darwin or Alice Springs. The program fits well with the song From Little Things, Big Things Grow. It may be small, but it provides opportunity and hope for some of our most disadvantaged groups.
As I said before, we listen to business, we work with business and that is the reason businesses give the highest approval rating of all state and territory government to our Territory government. We do not say that; the Sensis Business Index said it a few days ago. It is no accident. We work hard with businesses, we visit them in their workplace. We talk to them and provide support, and it is a great pleasure for me to go to places like Alice Springs and see a couple of Aboriginal families with a very small grant of $1500 creating a bright future for their children.
Little Children are Sacred Report – Commonwealth Government Response
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER referred to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The Prime Minister has announced today that he wants to ban the possession of X-rated pornography and introduce audits of all publicly-funded computers in remote communities in order to identify further illegal material. Will you make all Territory-funded computers in remote communities available for audit? Will you support a ban of X-rated pornography?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, again, I do not want to specifically respond in detail to the proposals of the Prime Minister because I have not spoken to him yet. We have not seen the detail. However, the issue of pornography and the damage it is doing in our communities is significant. It is an issue that has been of particular concern to the Attorney-General, to whom I would like to give the opportunity to follow up on this question.
Mr STIRLING (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, it was an issue that was alive inside the Justice agency when I became Attorney-General. My predecessor, Peter Toyne, was following this through in terms of what we might do, what was necessary to do to get on top of the alarming proportions of pornographic material right across remote communities.
The fact that communities were really drowning in this sort of stuff, some of it print but much of it VCR and DVD-type material, and not necessarily the content, but the messages sent in the non-discretionary way in which it was used, and that is within the house on the television, with all age groups wandering through, as little as toddlers, with absolutely no discretion about the 18-year-old. The 18-year-old limit on the legal age to view this sort of material is one thing in itself.
In the second sense, though, the lack of social context around what people are viewing, whether they are 18, 19 or even 20, in many cases is much cause for alarm again because it is not recognised that they are paid actors, not recognised that, in a sense, it is a film, it is a fantasy, it is not mainstream behaviour. The lack of education, awareness and social context in which they are viewing this material was also alarming.
My predecessor was working towards that. I have had Justice working away at a strategy, whether it was an in-your-face education campaign in and around communities, not just about the age limit, but what it is that they are watching and trying to get the reality across that the film itself is not reality but most importantly, understanding the damage that could flow from witnessing this type of material, particularly at a young age, and the lack of awareness around it. We have seen it mentioned in some quite recent court cases which, again, fuelled my desire to get on top of this and do something about it.
In terms of the Prime Minister or minister Brough’s statement today, I have to say it is a lot bolder step than I would have been taking to my government and my Cabinet, but again, as the Chief Minister said, we have officers in Canberra on the ground beginning the fairly intensive task over the days and weeks ahead of engaging with Commonwealth agencies and officials about how they see all of these measures that have been spelt out rolling out and being implemented.
Really, without any more details than what we have in the form of a media release from minister Brough, I cannot say much more except to welcome the fact that they have put it in there. It is certainly mentioned in the child abuse inquiry. It was something, as I said, this position of minister and the minister before me was taking steps to try to get an understanding of it, to try to get a handle on how widespread it was and what was the response from this government. This may be the response. Let us give the officers an opportunity tomorrow and in the days ahead to work with the Commonwealth and see how they see the implementation of some of these recommendations being brought about.
Pools in Remote Areas Program
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Can the minister inform the House on the progress of the Northern Territory government’s Pools in Remote Areas program?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. I am very happy to advise, member for Arnhem, that the Maningrida pool was opened on 11 May. It is a 25 m swimming pool. It just happened to coincide with 50 years of Maningrida as a community, so they had a celebration as part of the opening of the pool. I am very happy to advise that the Northern Territory government was able to contribute $800 000 to the pool.
More important than that is the fact that a number of people within that community embraced the concept and got behind it. It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge also the Australian government in the context of their contribution as part of the Pools in Remote Areas Program, which is a joint Territory/Commonwealth government initiative; the Maningrida Council, the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory, Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation, the Maningrida Progress Association, Malabam Health Board Aboriginal Corporation, the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia and, of course, the Charles Perkins Foundation.
I make special mention of the Maningrida School, because they were also very strongly focused on this pool. As you would be aware, swimming pools play an important role in communities in respect of school attendance and health issues that afflict our communities in the bush.
I am very happy to also advise the member for Stuart that Yuendumu is in the planning stage as well. Hopefully, we will have that under way pretty soon. Also, for the member for Barkly – Borroloola.
Child Protection Services - Investigations
Dr LIM to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
We all agree that protecting children from sexual and physical abuse is one of the most serious and important responsibilities of government. Part of the Territory government’s response is to have the Child Protection Service investigate reports of child abuse. I am sure you know that Child Protection divides reports of abuse into three categories: a child in danger, to be investigated within 24 hours; a child at risk, to be investigated within three days; and a child of concern within five days. Can you tell the House what percentage of children in the category of child at risk and child of concern involved serious abuse?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. The member for Greatorex is aware that we have put enhanced categories into the budget reporting system this year. First and foremost, we have had an overwhelming increase in the notifications coming into our system of child at risk. I say thank very much to our intake team who process those notifications. They are our most experienced child protection workers in the system. We take that intake role seriously because they are the frontline who have to categorise the level and swiftness of the investigation. They are able to be there and able to be reformed because we have taken the Child Protection budget from $7.8m when the CLP was in government to $35m. We inherited the child protection system …
Mrs Miller: Please do no go down that path. You are going to be embarrassing.
Ms LAWRIE: I know the member for Katherine does not want to hear this, but this is the reality. We inherited a child protection system that was on its knees and we have been building that system. Today, we have a highly professional, capable intake team.
On page 137 of the Budget Paper, it gives very detailed notes explaining the new performance measures. Those performance measures are in line with the national reporting system. Performance measures point out that every notification – and I want to stress this because the member for Greatorex likes to pretend that it is otherwise – is looked into and responded to. Every notification, as I said, is assessed by our most experienced FACS staff. It is a specialist intake unit.
When there is any suspicion that child abuse may have occurred, then a full investigation is conducted. The estimate for this financial year, 2006-07, is that 1250 investigations will have been conducted; remember we are nearing the end of that year. This is the highest number of investigations in the history of the Child Protection Service in the Territory. The performance measures outline the number of notifications where an assessment of a notification resulted in alternative action being taken. That is, the estimate is that there will be about 1500 notifications that will be dealt with by other means. For example, there will be a referral to a Family Crisis Intervention Service.
Over the last three years, the percentage of notifications that lead to investigation is about 50%. This compares favourably, for example, with 51% in 2001 when the CLP was in government. That is not an extraordinary figure; it is quite a normal figure. Removing children from their families by Child Protection is a last resort, but we make very clear that we do that when it is justified to protect the safety of the child. For example, in 2006-07, we had 280 children enter the care system and over the course of the year, some 480 children required care.
Prior to the Martin government’s annual reports and Budget Papers, they did not previously advise on responses to child abuse notifications beyond saying that 90% of cases would be looked at within 28 days. We have now included reporting categories and the notifications to which we respond in one day, three days and five days. In relation to the three and five day categories, the realistic estimate that responses will be provided on time are 80% and 70% respectively. That is, we are not saying they will not be responded to, but we are realistically saying that within the lesser risk categories, not the highest risk categories which are responded to within one day, 80% are responded to within two days and 70% within three days.
That is the reality of child protection systems right around Australia. We all wish we had a magic wand to wave when it comes to child protection. We have a comprehensive report here, Little Children are Sacred, which tells us of the myriad of things that it takes to protect a child in our community. I am incredibly proud of the hard work of our Child Protection workers in the Northern Territory. They have been climbing a mountain that is the result of decades of CLP neglect.
V8 Supercar Championships
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
The Darwin round of V8 Supercar Championship series kicks off this weekend. Can you update the House on this year’s event and the significant benefits that V8s bring to the Territory economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, at lunch time, I went down for the entry of the convoy for the 10th year. There were hundreds of people there, depending on your preference of Ford or Holden, cheering the different teams. It is a great event. Territorians love the V8s; they love it when the supercars come to town. The Darwin round of the championship series is one of our biggest events each year.
This year is a big one. It is the 10th anniversary. I pay tribute to the previous government for having the initiative to do this. Ten years is a great achievement. It gets bigger and better every year, mind you. Hidden Valley track is a top class racing venue. When you hear what the drivers have to say about it, they love to drive at Hidden Valley. As the amenity of Hidden Valley has got better over the years, spectators certainly love it. There is much more shade, much more grass; it looks a picture on the weekend.
I saw Russell Ingall on the news last night and it reminded me that he was our first winner back in 1998. You could see how much he loves Hidden Valley and how much that win meant to him. He said it was one of his career highlights. As usual, the best are in town: Garth Tander, Mark Skaife, Greg Murphy, Craig Lowndes, the whole range of drivers, and everyone has their favourite.
It is great for us to be able to see top class motor racing. Major Events is expecting probably 38 000 Territorians to be there over the three days going through the gates into Hidden Valley. What those numbers mean, and what the event in town means, is a great boost for our economy. It is good for business and it is good for us.
Back in 2004, KPMG undertook an economic analysis of the worth of the V8s to the Territory. You can say it is a motor racing event, or you can look at the wider impact on the economy. KPMG found that it contributed somewhere between $5m and $11m to our economy, which is gigantic. Something like 5000 interstate visitors come to Darwin. Those people stay for an average of four nights and it is a significant impact for our economy.
Government provides important services to the event, and that free bus is very important. The numbers catching the free bus to Hidden Valley from all over Darwin and Palmerston is expected to be 22 000 people this year. That was about the number last year, and we encourage people to maintain the commitment to getting their cars off the road and taking the bus.
Corporate sales have reached 5800 this year. Paul Cattermole from Major Events was telling me at lunch time that 10 years ago, there were 1300 corporate sales. Now there are 5800. That certainly adds up to a significant boost for our economy, particularly for the tourism and retail sectors. All those corporate sales mean a lot of catering, which is, again, great for business.
We have received great support from many people and organisations over the years. I make special mention of the team at V8 Supercars Australia - CEO, Wayne Cattach and Chairman, Tony Cochrane and their board. They really are fantastic advocates for V8s. Of course, the Major Events Company does a great job. To Paul Cattermole and his team, thank you. Our officials do a great job as well. There are more 250 of them from here and some come from interstate; a big thank you to them. Thanks, too, to our naming sponsor SKYCITY. There are more than 60 Territory businesses involved in the event, which is a great effort.
I am sure everyone in this House will have a great weekend being, at some stage, part of the V8s event. I am sure that all members will join me in wishing the drivers and their crews the best of luck over the weekend. May Holden win!
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016