2006-03-28
Middle Schools Policy - Introduction
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Your government is rushing the introduction of middle schools to suit an election cycle; to have it bedded down, and done and dusted before the next election. As you know, this rush is soundly opposed by teachers, parents and students. Will you continue to support your Education minister’s plans to create the middle schools across the Territory in 2007, or will you be able to achieve what no other Territorian has yet been able to achieve: to get the minister to slow down and listen?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. There is no need to slow down. We are on track after a process to look at our secondary schools which started in 2003 We are consulting with our community. I have absolute support for our Education minister.
Population Statistics and Economy
Mr KNIGHT to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you advise the House how the Territory economy is going in comparison with the national economy and the other states? In particular, can you update the House on recent population statistics?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for a question that is very relevant …
Mrs Braham: Without notice too!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am sure the member for Braitling would be very keen to know about our current economic situation, and how each and every one of her constituents is affected by that growth in the economy and their opportunities for good jobs in the Northern Territory.
I am delighted to say that the Territory is outperforming the rest of Australia in terms of economic growth. We have previously discussed Access Economics and its assessment of the Territory economy; the description was ‘turbocharged’, and that is still the case. We are managing our economic growth well and being able to deliver three surplus budgets in a row is part of that good economic management.
When it comes to how we compare with the rest of Australia on economic growth, we are about on par with Western Australia. So the north and the west are growing much more strongly then the rest of Australia. If you look at recent published statistics, which are good indicators of where our economy is going, take a look at housing, motor vehicle sales and population. Our dwelling commencements went up last year by 3.6%. That is a good, strong figure. When you look at it in a national context, there was a decline of 7.7%. Motor vehicle sales - a 5.5% increase in the year to February 2006, compared to a national average of 2%. The figures demonstrate that we are growing more strongly then the rest of Australia.
In the real estate sector, right across the Territory, housing values are increasing. In all elements of our housing market we are growing at a faster rate than the rest of Australia. Only a couple of weeks ago, I was at the sod turning for the new suburb of Lyons where, very shortly, 700 dwellings are to be built. That is a good indicator of the strength of our housing market.
Access Economics predicts we will have the longest term of sustained high growth. That is around 4.5% for the next five years.
A key factor in this is population. Our population rose by 1.7%. That is the third-highest in Australia and it is well above the national average of 1.2%. I do not have to tell anyone in here that growing our population is a key part of our economic future. There is no doubt that for businesses at the moment, getting the skills they need is a critical factor in that growth. We need to retain Territorians and we need to attract new Territorians. We are doing that and the population figures are indicating that. If you go back to 1989, we have had population losses in that time, except for those years from 1995 to 1998 when the Defence forces moved here.
Finally, and this is the third quarter in a row that we have done that, we are actually getting population growth. For example, in the year to September last year, 209 more people came to the Northern Territory then left. We are getting better figures, not only with strong birth rates, but also in attracting people to the Territory.
They are good figures. People are attracted here by a growing economy and by our great lifestyle. However, we need to do more. I personally thank the member for Millner and his contribution overnight. We now have one more Territorian and I congratulate Matthew and Mona.
The Territory population at the end of last year was 203 721. There have been a few more since the end of last year, but we can add another one to that with young Bonson.
Election Promise – Ludmilla Primary School
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Last month, in this Chamber, you promised Territorians that you would deliver your election commitments. Do you recall promising the people of the Millner electorate more funding and new school equipment for Ludmilla Primary School? Is it not the case that your government is not going to deliver on this promise but, instead, has threatened to close Ludmilla Primary School?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, like the Education minister, I am very committed to education in the Northern Territory. I believe it would be appropriate for the opposition to direct specific questions to do with education to the minister. However, I am very happy to answer this.
Earlier this month, we went out to consult with the Territory community, right across the Territory, from Alice Springs to Darwin. We are talking to our community about implementing middle schools. We are very committed to the Middle Schools Policy. This means that we will need a level of structural change in our schools.
We had a number of different models. We went out with four different models of how that change could happen. Interestingly, there were another four, I believe, added from our community, and all those models are currently being assessed. The Leader of the Opposition is saying: ‘You have made a decision’, about one or the other. That is not the case. We have listened to our community, hundreds of people turned up to meetings, and we are currently assessing what those views are.
What we want to do through middle schools is to make schooling more successful for our many thousands of students. Sadly, our secondary students are not doing as well as they could. These changes are about giving students a better learning environment, getting them better results so that their futures are more ensured, whether they choose a trade or go on to tertiary education, and how their future actually evolves through their schooling.
Madam Speaker, we will continue to that. We are listening to our community. I am very confident that when the middle schools are put in place it will ensure that those students in the critical period of 11 to 14 years old will get better results, perform better, and it will ensure their attention in the higher schooling levels.
Competitive Tax Environment
Ms SACILOTTO to TREASURER
Can you advise Territorians about the Martin government’s efforts so far to reduce Territory taxes and how we compare to the rest of Australia? What further actions can government take to maintain our competitive tax environment? Will the Treasurer be freezing taxes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I like to take every opportunity I can to continue to put before Territorians and Territory business what we have done by way of tax relief - certainly, we are the most reforming Northern Territory government ever in the field of tax reform - and what we intend to do in the weeks and months ahead. All of this, of course, while the Country Liberal Party is putting out stunts about freezing taxes. We have been cutting taxes and we will continue to do so. Over the next 12 months that will certainly be the case again.
We will be increasing the tax-free threshold of payroll tax, eliminating again around 40 businesses from the payroll tax net in the Northern Territory. That will bring to over 200, a significant number, of businesses which have dropped out of the payroll tax net since we started the tax reform process.
Mr Mills: So you will support the bill then?
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, the member for Blain wants to hear this. This is instructive in terms of where we have taken the tax system from what we inherited in August 2001. We have more than doubled the threshold from where businesses pay payroll tax from $600 000 in August 2001 when we came to office to $1.25m from 1 July this year. At the same, we have reduced that rate from 6.5% to 6.3%. Businesses still in the net and still paying payroll tax will save close to $30 000 per year. So, if you are still in the net, you still get a quite significant nett saving, which is not bad compared to what we inherited.
As part of the intergovernmental agreement we put to the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, in April last year, was a commitment that we would roll off a number of taxes through to 2009. From 1 July this year, we abolish outright leasing duty. Also, on 1 July, we abolish outright duty on non-quoted marketable securities. That is around $2m between those two measures, and around $3.1m in terms of payroll tax. So there is a nett benefit to business over the next financial year of in excess of $5m-worth of tax cuts.
The Martin government has also increased the tax-free threshold on first home owners’ stamp duty from $80 000 in August 2001 to $225 000 today – not one cent until the house costs more than $225 000. Combined with the introduction of a principal place of residence rebate, now worth $2500, we have returned to home buyers almost $30m in tax rebates; $30m that has gone out there buying white goods and furnishings in order to allow those home buyers to set their place up.
We have abolished electronic debits duty - that was worth $6m just on its own. All together, taxpayers saving of $9m.
In that process, we have achieved an objective that we set out with, and that was to make the Northern Territory the lowest taxing state or territory in Australia for small and medium businesses with up to 100 staff. So, if you have a business in the Territory with 100 staff or fewer, you know you are paying the lowest rate of taxation anywhere in Australia. That is $40m in taxes to date, and on schedule to cut another $40m this term.
In the middle of this tax cutting exercise for business, the CLP shadow Treasurer jumps up and says: ‘Let us freeze taxes.’ Madam Speaker, you would forgive us if we are a little less than overwhelmed.
Middle Schools Policy –
Student and Parent Opposition
Student and Parent Opposition
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Your own consultant, Sheila O’Sullivan, has told Territorians that for middle schools to work it will need the approval of students, parents and teachers. Currently, you have the support of none of these groups. By your own consultant’s advice, to proceed without that support means your plan is destined to fail and the losers will be students. Under these circumstances, how can you proceed to middle schools when you do not even have the fundamentals in place?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question. I have to explain, right at the outset, it is based on a fallacy. The statement is that we are proceeding with the implementation of middle schools despite the fact that students, parents and teachers are all totally opposed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mr Blain: You never went to the forum.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Members to the left of the chair.
Mr STIRLING: They asked the question, but they do not want the answer, Madam Speaker. What is this nonsense that the minister for Education ought be at every one of these meetings? One, it is practically impossible to do so, and two, who becomes the target if the minister turns up? We want to talk to the community and get their views, not have the minister for Education there as the target. It is not about me. It is about the best interests of our students. That is what this debate is about. For me to be there would be simply distracting. So forget that for a start.
To say that we do not have the support of parents, teachers and students is just nonsense. As recently as Thursday night, I met with the school council chair, school councillors and a number of parents from Ludmilla Primary School. I commend them for the professionalism in which they presented their case, given that Ludmilla is in the mix as one of the models to change from a current primary school to a middle school. Every one of those parents, every one of those speakers at that meeting, before they put their point, said, ‘Minister, we want to tell you, we support middle schools’.
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: You just told me parents, teachers and students do not support it.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STIRLING: What nonsense! We had overwhelming support, through the consultative process, beginning way back in 2003, and again in 2004. Where did this come from? It came to Professor Gregor Ramsey; guess who from? It came from the parents, teachers and students. We put it back in terms of the report and the recommendations; we have consulted at every step of the way and, guess what? Overwhelming support for middle schools.
Members Interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members, cease interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: During a teleconference yesterday with my home school in Nhulunbuy, with the school council chairman, school councillors and parents in the room talking to me on the phone: ‘Minister, we have a few issues around infrastructure’. I said: ‘Yes, I understand. Infrastructure people are there today. We might have a better handle on just what is required to implement middle schools there’. They said: ‘We have to tell you, we love it. We do not want you to back away from this. We want you to implement middle schooling. But please be aware, we have some issues which will become clearer when infrastructure is going through’.
Yesterday, when I was walking down the mall, a punter I did not know and had never seen before in my life said: ‘Syd, Syd, I have to tell you, I have an 11-year-old. Please do it, I believe in middle schooling’. That is the sort of feedback that I am getting from around town and from school communities.
I was in Katherine a couple of weeks ago. They are so advanced in where they want to go and what they want to do, they have been looking at this since the report was delivered. They have had significant input into Gregor Ramsey’s report and they have backed this solidly. Everywhere I go, I get overwhelming support. It is a fallacy to say that we are pushing on without the support of students, teachers and parents.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption –
Action to Address Problem
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for RACING, GAMING and LICENSING
The issue of excessive alcohol consumption, especially in Alice Springs, has been the subject of significant community discussion. Can the minister update the House on action that has been taken to address these critical issues in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. This is an issue that we do not underestimate, whether it is Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek, Katherine or Darwin, because there are serious issues, and we are seeking to address them one by one.
We have a range of measures already in place in Alice Springs, from the very strong Christmas hot spot effort that was conducted, which has now been further combined with police patrol and tactical response section’s operations. A Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk has been set up. A mobile police post - a commitment prior to the last election - is currently being fitted out, and will arrive in Alice Springs next month. We have the tough new petrol sniffing laws in place, social order patrols being carried out by the police in conjunction with the Aboriginal Community Police Officers and, of course, we have seen the numbers taken into protective custody increase greatly compared to the previous year.
The targeted antisocial behaviour operation is under way. We have strong partnerships between Police and Racing, Gaming and Licensing producing results, particularly around surveillance of liquor licence conditions and operations.
Takeaway is an issue that has been raised in this Chamber. I have had discussions this week with the minister for Police, who I am keen to work with, about how we may further strengthen the understanding and the operational network between Racing, Gaming and Licensing officials and police, who are both charged with very similar duties under the respective legislation. We have seen very large-scale operations for the major events that have happened in Alice Springs at the recent NRL and AFL football matches. In the Antisocial Behaviour (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act and the Alcohol Court Act 2006, scheduled to come into force soon; there are licence restrictions that have been applied to takeaways. The Chief Minister and Police minister have met with Alice Springs Town Council quite recently. A very high-level task force within government has been established as a result of that meeting, and that group will be driving solutions through the public service as well.
A local area alcohol management plan will be drawn up. I will be travelling to Port Augusta on 19 April with representatives of Alice Springs Town Council, and Racing, Gaming and Licensing to have a first-hand look at this situation in Port Augusta regarding dry areas: what it means; what the difference is between that and our 2 km law; does it have relevance to Alice Springs; is it working effectively in Port Augusta; and should we bring those sorts of ideas forward?
I want to address an issue of considerable concern to the government and the people of Alice Springs. It is the issue of the rumour circulating that hordes of people are being moved, under mysterious powers, I would have thought, to live in the town. It is a nonsense, and it needs to be dealt with very swiftly. Rumours of thousands of people moving to live in Alice Springs are inflammatory. They are divisive, and simply designed to alarm and further upset the town. They are wrong - absolutely wrong. We are concerned that a scare campaign such as that, talking down the town, will create a vicious circle and cycle within itself. We want visitors to come to town, businesses to invest in town, and tourism growing and strengthening the Centralian economy, and they are not going to when you have vicious rumours of this sort.
I call on the opposition to work with us to quash these sort of rumours. We know there is one member opposite who has form in peddling untruths around town. We have seen that in the lead-up to the last election. I hope that it is not the case in this situation. I ask the opposition to join with us in putting to bed any such nonsense as thousands of people, for whatever reason, being forced to come and live in town.
Environment Protection Agency - Independence
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
After the Sessional Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development released its findings last year, most people expected the Environment Protection Agency to be an independent body. However, at a recent briefing I attended, it was said that the EPA and the old Department of Environment - minus Heritage - were the same thing. Why is your department using the name EPA when, obviously, it is not an independent body? By doing this, are you not misleading or, at the very least, confusing the public, as highlighted in the McArthur River EIS process debacle?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I understand, the member for Nelson had a briefing in my office in relation to the EPA. In terms of misleading - no. The member for Nelson needs to recall, I believe it was during that briefing in my office, the lights actually came on. To the member for Nelson’s surprise, he realised that we had actually made the announcement of the stages which we were going through with the EPA. There has been no misleading to the public, despite the misinformation the member for Nelson has been peddling out there.
There has been no misleading by the EPA. I presented a ministerial report to this Chamber on 19 October 2005 about the establishment of the EPA. I also made it very clear when I presented that report, and went through the two stages of what we were doing. Stage 1 was very clearly outlined in that report to all members in this House. That there would be a reorganisation of the EPA and the existing Office of Environment and Heritage was also part of the campaign we had done through the media. Part of Stage 1 was also the establishment of an interim independent board, and that was also clearly outlined. Member for Nelson, rather than you continually being a political opportunist …
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: He needs to remember what his role is in here sometimes, pedalling misinformation out there. Go back to the Hansard report of 19 October 2005 where it was clearly outlined in terms of the role of the EPA.
Middle Schools Meeting – Minister’s Reluctance to Attend
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
It appears there is a difficulty in dividing two issues; one being support for the approaches to support a better outcome for 11- to 14-year-olds, separate from your decision to implement middle years of schooling in 2007. You just told this House that you would become a target if you went to one of the middle school meetings. If everyone agrees, as you said in your previous response, with your approach, then why on earth would you become, in your own words, a target?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question. I am not afraid to meet school groups. I went to Irrkerlantye. I went to Ludmilla at the first opportunity, and I will meet with any school community. I am in Alice Springs all next week working and talking with ANZAC Hill High School in Alice Springs. No fear, Madam Speaker.
The point is this. What is driving this reform agenda? The best interests of our students. That is the focus of this debate, not the minister for Education. The focus has to be on what is best for students. That is what this consultative process has been all about. That is what Professor Gregor Ramsey’s review in the first place was all about, and that is what it will be all about when we get to the decision making at the end of this process. It is not about me, the minister for Education, or about the government. What is absolutely best for our students has driven us from day one, and will be driving us on the last day that we make the decision.
Kakadu National Park – Tourist Destination
Mr NATT to MINISTER for TOURISM
There has been some great news regarding one of our Territory’s World Heritage-listed icons. Can you explain to members the significance of today’s news about Kakadu please?
ANSWER
I would be delighted to, Madam Speaker, and I thank the member for the question.
Ms Carney: It is in the paper. Just read that.
Ms MARTIN: I am delighted that the newspaper has managed to pick this up, because it is great news.
Mrs Braham: What would we do without the Northern Territory News?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting that the opposition are not interested in great news about tourism in the Northern Territory.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please resume your seat. Members of the opposition and the Independent members, I ask you to cease interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! A point of clarification: is your ruling that members of the opposition are not to interject during Question Time?
Madam SPEAKER: No, as you are aware, you have asked me this before, Leader of the Opposition. I am having difficulty hearing whatever minister is responding and, where there are continuous interjections …
Dr Burns: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: … such as there have been today … Order over there, thank you!
Mrs Braham: Well, well, are you going to pull him up?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
When there are continuous interjections it is very difficult, both for myself to hear and for the minister to continue. On the whole, you have been asking ministers questions. I ask you to give them the opportunity to answer those questions. Some interjections, obviously, are part of the democratic process and I expect those, and will not pick people up for all interjections. However, ones that are continuous and it is very difficult to hear, I will be picking people up.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am happy to talk about tourism. I hope this House is pleased to listen about tourism. It is our second biggest industry. One of the issues for us has been Kakadu and engaging the Commonwealth government, who are the managers of Kakadu, to actually work with us to grow the numbers of visitors to what is a world-class icon. We know that. We have reports of what the Australian Traveller magazine is carrying, and it is not even out yet. All I have is a copy of its front page; it comes out tomorrow. It actually asked a number of key people what things there are to do in Australia before you die? They have a list in here of 100 things to do before you die. Of the must do things in Australia, Kakadu is top of the list. That is fantastic for Kakadu. It edged out the Great Barrier Reef, which is in second place. Of those 100 top destinations, we score 11 destinations.
It really underpins why we are such a strong tourism destination and why the new focus and re-branding of destination marketing is working on such fertile ground. There are wonderful places to visit right across the Territory. Just for the House’s interest, of those 11 destinations, we had: Kakadu at No 1; Uluru was No 4; Nitmiluk was No 27; Arnhem Land scored a No 3, which is fantastic; the Henley-on-Todd, for Alice Springs members, came in at No 42; Devil’s Marbles, No 45; King’s Canyon Rim Walk at No 52; the Larapinta Trail, No 61; Florence Falls at No 70; Seven Spirit Bay, No 74; and I am sure the member for Arafura will be delighted, the Tiwi Grand Final came in at No 88. In the first 100 things you have to do before you die, do not miss the Tiwi Grand Final. The list also says that you must do Aboriginal art and culture in the Northern Territory. One of our real strengths in tourism and culture is Aboriginal art, identified by the Australian Traveller as one of the must do things.
This is perfect timing for Kakadu. Next month, we will be launching a $1.2m Destination Kakadu marketing campaign. We were very pleased that we had the Parliamentary Secretary, Greg Hunt, here and, finally, we have managed to extract some marketing dollars from the federal government. It is only a one-off, but we now have $500 000 to add to the $1.2m of Territory marketing dollars to ensure that the world traveller and the Australian traveller understands what a fantastic place Kakadu is.
I can also inform the House that, this season, there will be new tourism products in Kakadu as well. I thank the traditional owners, who have done a lot of work to put in place these new tourism experiences. A traveller to Kakadu this season will be able to do things like night time croc tours. There will be a safari camp, and additional focus on art and culture. Kakadu is starting to blossom.
I thank Australian Traveller for heading the way on that. Even though it is, rather ghoulishly, things to do in Australia before you die, Madam Speaker.
Middle Schools Policy –
Educational Improvements
Educational Improvements
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
On 13 March 2006, you stated on ABC radio that the middle schools proposal will not produce any improvements in student outcomes for five to 10 years. Can the minister reassure parents by informing the Chamber that you have had second thoughts, and that you will not unleash educational turmoil on students, teachers and parents unless you can guarantee educational improvement for all students from day one of your middle school changes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. When I was asked the question - it was obviously in the context of an interview and I forget which interview - I was thinking of the current system moving through with no change, and then probably a year to two years to get change, and we are looking that far out. You would not expect a great deal of change in outcomes in Year 11 and Year 12. It is those Year 7 to Year 10 students in whom we would expect to see some improvements. Therefore, if Year 10s going into Years 11 and 12, so that in three years from the beginning of next year they would be through their secondary, I would be looking for definitive signs of improvement in outcomes.
What are we talking about in improvement? We are certainly talking about the average rating of tertiary entrance ranking, which is one score of success. We are certainly talking about the number of school-based apprentices, which is a vocational measure of success. We are certainly talking about retention rates up from Year 10 to Year 12, notwithstanding the Northern Territory has a lower retention rate recorded, for reasons other than students dropping out of school. For example, in Nhulunbuy, some families leave, move or send their kids interstate for greater experience and exposure when their students enter those senior years. Similar things happen in other communities. Parents in Darwin and other parts of the Territory send their students interstate to boarding schools for senior years or to other family members, which show up as a lack of retention here, although they are retained through the secondary system, albeit somewhere else in Australia. Our retention rate does need picking up.
They are just three measures of success of strengthening vocational education and training within the senior years of school: the school-based apprentices, which we are absolutely committed to jumping on and building on those numbers, the tertiary entrance ranking and the retention rate. They are straight off the top measures of success by which we might be able to detect a beginning of an uplift, where middle schools have been implemented, once these next year’s Year 10s work through to a conclusion of Year 12.
Regarding an off-the-cuff comment about four or five years, well it is probably three ...
Mr Mills: Five to 10 you said.
Mr STIRLING: Yes, I accept I said it, although I do not think I was right in saying that. When you step back and look at what we would expect, by way of improvement, we are probably looking at three.
Cancer Patients - Improved Services
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you inform the House what the government is doing to improve services for Territorians diagnosed with cancer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am glad this question was asked, because I can give the member for Greatorex a couple of days to get some answers for us for the debate he has foreshadowed for Thursday.
I had great pleasure last week in announcing two new health appointments at Royal Darwin Hospital. Dr Mathew George replaces Dr Sid Selva as the new head of the oncology team at Royal Darwin Hospital. The cancer support nurse, Nicole Robert, has also started in a new position to support patients needing to travel interstate for radiation therapy, and also to oversee data collection from patients receiving the latest treatments in national trials. They join Dr Ferenc Szabo, a haematologist who was appointed to the staff last December. We now have a solid team of oncology specialists who can provide the treatment of …
Dr Lim: They need facilities. Where is your oncology unit?
Dr TOYNE: … and the deposition of patients for treatment coming in to the Royal Darwin Hospital.
I would like to deal with the issue of the radiation oncology unit. We need to keep on the record the facts of how this issue was presented by our government as an election promise in the first place. We said right from the start that it was highly likely we would need to have support from the federal government to provide such a high-level service within the Northern Territory system.
It is a major project. We are talking about …
Dr Lim: They have given you $750m. What have you done with it?
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, I am having a lot of trouble giving this answer with this constant noise in the background.
Dr Lim: You cannot hear yourself talk.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, this is a major project. We estimate it would cost in the order of $50m to set up and run in the first five years. We are talking about some very serious financial commitments, both in capital and recurrent costs. Additionally, there is the need to reliably source high-level specialist people to actually run the service. After some very extended investigations and a couple of consultancies that came back to us, we have now seen the model that would need to be followed. This is a model where we have a private sector partner, a third party, in the establishment of the centre, and a joint effort by ourselves and the Commonwealth government to get the project together.
We are now at that point. I reminded Dave Tollner the other day that there is work to be done in Canberra to convince the federal government to use part of their $72.7m fund for the support of cancer patients, including the establishment of radiation and oncology units around the country, and offer some of that to the Northern Territory to help us get this project under way.
I give the member for Greatorex a two-day job. Why does he not go and see Dave Tollner, and see if we can get something out of the Health Minister, Tony Abbott. Maybe we can all celebrate it in this House on Thursday. It would be wonderful for Territorians.
We have written twice to Tony Abbott. There is no secret in that we need to have federal support for it. We have let the federal Health minister know that twice. It is now a question of getting a decision out of the Commonwealth government to contribute to this project.
I say to the opposition: join in the spirit of getting this service going for Territorians who are unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with cancers of the form where radiation oncology treatments are indicated. We have work to do and, as my colleague, the member for Barkly, said earlier today, it is time the member for Greatorex rolled his sleeves up and helped us with these developments for Territorians instead of just simply scoring points.
Irrkerlantye Learning Centre
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
You say you are concerned about the welfare of children. What about the children from Irrkerlantye Learning Centre? You, in fact, gave scant consideration to a proposal from the Director of Catholic Education, and we now have a stand-off. We need a resolution. Would you consider a transitional program, whereby the Irrkerlantye children go to their learning centre at the beginning of the day to have their health, hygiene and religious instruction needs met, and then transport them to Bradshaw for their core learning after that is done? Will you consider that option?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. At the outset, there is no stand-off; there is an acceptance. I have seen the releases and the information from Irrkerlantye that …
Mrs Braham: They have not signed your agreement, minister.
Mr STIRLING: They put out a press release saying they were going to do it. So they do not sign the document?
Mrs Braham: I hate to tell you, there is no agreement.
Mr STIRLING: All I can do is see the press release that was put out on the day. I will seek to get it down here and table it.
In relation to the offer from the 11th hour bid, I suppose, from Catholic Education - and it was not dismissed absolutely out-of-hand, although there were discussions with Catholic Education going back probably three, three-and-a-half years ago, between DEET and Catholic Education - they ruled it out there and then, largely around the state of the infrastructure and the premises. They did not want to know about it then. I had that in the back of my mind when I was reading this 11th hour bid for Catholic Education to pick it up again, bearing in mind, one of the reasons that we wanted the learning centre part of Irrkerlantye to move was the pretty ordinary state of infrastructure.
The occupational health and safety concerns over the building, put up to me by staff and parents over the years,, was not going to go away overnight. They were seeking a reasonably modest amount of money - around $100 000 a year - to address that. That is not going to do it. The classrooms were far too small, dark and dingy. They did not allow for proper info-technology, the playground was too small. They wanted to take part of the preschool next door - without any consultation or discussion with the preschool - in order to enlarge the grounds, all of which, of course, was going to take probably many months to work through. The issues then would still be the same: inadequate learning environment, inadequate learning outcomes. When we have, as a government, the best possible facilities already existing in other schools, why would we do it?
We worked that through …
Mrs Braham: Where are the voices of the Aboriginal people in this parliament, speaking up to this minister? Why don’t you stick up for your people?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, you have asked the minister a question. Please allow him to answer the question without interrupting.
Mrs Braham: I thought we were allowed to interject, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, it is not a debate. You have asked a question; the minister is answering the question.
Mrs Braham: Madam Speaker, speaking to that, you told the Leader of the Opposition …
Madam SPEAKER: I have made a ruling.
Mrs Braham: … that we could interject.
Madam SPEAKER: Not continuously. Perhaps if you had listened a bit more closely …
Mrs Braham: Oh, but mine was not continuously.
Dr Burns: Standing Order 51. Read the rules!
Madam SPEAKER: I remind you of Standing Order 51, and also of 69.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, there is another issue the member for Braitling raised in that question, of whether they would still be able to go to the old site for nutrition, health and religious instruction. My understanding is that every one of those programs is embedded in the transfer to Bradshaw. There are two separate classrooms, there is a separate entrance for parents to come and undertake that intergenerational leaning that was going on at Irrkerlantye. All of those aspects are picked up in the Bradshaw proposal. Why would we want to continue across two sites?
Work Choices Legislation
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
The federal government’s Work Choices legislation was introduced yesterday, a dark day in Australia’s industrial relations history. Is the minister aware of any examples of workers already being disadvantaged by these changes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. I know he takes a very active interest in this. I can recall, in the last sittings of parliament, he stated that workers could be dismissed under this legislation without reason and without recourse, and there were howls of derision opposite,. Some of the events that have occurred, even in the day since this legislation has been implemented, really back up what the member for Brennan had to say.
This new legislation is some 1600 pages in number. I did think about bringing all the folders down that encapsulate this federal legislation. They probably would not fit on my desk, Madam Speaker.
The core point of this legislation is that it takes rights away from Australian workers. I believe we have seen that in the last day, particularly in relation to unfair dismissal. I refer members to this story on page 11 of the NT News today. It is about a company that sacked three workers – this is on day one of this legislation. They made them redundant, gave them a day’s notice of being redundant, and told them that they could return as casuals, or contract staff. It says in the article that, if they take up the new deal, they will lose sick leave, annual leave, public holidays, etcetera.
This is just a portent of things to come under this legislation. It is unfair, it is unjust, and it takes away the rights of Australian workers under this Work Choices regime.
It also says in the article: ‘Under the government’s Work Choices regime, they cannot argue it was unfair’. I believe most fair people in Australia, listening to this broadcast, would understand that what happened to these workers is unfair. Basically, they have no recourse.
Even worse than that, last night on ABC Lateline, the federal minister, Kevin Andrews, let the cat out of the bag. He was asked if a worker could be sacked simply because the boss does not like them. Minister Andrews replied: ‘That’s right’. This is where this legislation is. It is all about win, and about bosses jacking up on workers, taking conditions away from them on a take-it or leave-it basis.
We do not support this legislation. I know the two CLP representatives federally did. We believe that it is unfair, and it also has the effect of those bosses who want to be fair and straight with their workers now placed at a competitive disadvantage with these unscrupulous bosses who just want to give a day’s notice: ‘You are redundant, like it or leave it, sign these things that do away with your sick leave, annual leave and public holidays’. Madam Speaker, it is a retrograde step and the federal government should be ashamed.
Middle Schools Policy – Implementation
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Unbelievably, you seem to be unaware of the widespread opposition within the community to your plan to create a new secondary structure in just nine months. Opposition to your implementation plans are exemplified by: the rejection of four DEET models at the Sanderson community meeting; the rejection of the models by the Alice Springs meeting; no support from the Palmerston community until you build two schools; no public position of the AEU NT; the public protest by the Ludmilla community; and, the success of the CSC petition.
Do you intend to force these changes on to the community in 2007 and, thereby, commit what your former ALP colleague, Ken Parish, has described as political suicide?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, that will be the day when I take advice from Ken Parish, I can tell you. When you look back, sometimes you think the world has not really changed at all. I refer to headlines, around this time in 1985: ‘Senior school changes sent to Harris’. Guess what? In 1986, Casuarina was a Year 8 to Year 12 comprehensive high school. Tom Harris was a very good minister for Education, and he had a view to take the tops of those smaller high schools and create a senior high school, and the one he wanted to do implement it in was Casuarina. This went for weeks; there were protests, there were student petitions, the students went on strike. Teachers nearly went on strike at one stage. It went for weeks.
There were editorials. I will refer to this one: ‘High school humbug’:
- Opposition to the plan to establish senior and junior high schools in the Territory is nothing more or less than political humbug.
The interesting thing then was that Casuarina was Year 8 to Year 12, and Tom Harris wanted to make it Year 11 to Year 12, and he did. Guess when? The subsequent year – 1987 - this was all put in place and running in 1988. There is nothing new under the sun in some of these issues.
I am not standing here and pretending there are not issues with this. Of course, there are issues. I am dealing and working with each of those groups that put their hand up and say: ‘We cannot live or work with this model’. Julia Christensen on ABC radio the other day talked about her son and another family that was affected. You cannot make major change on a systemic basis around the case of an individual, or, indeed, even one individual school. You would simply be disempowered to do absolutely anything.
I take the member for Blain back to my previous answer. What is driving me and the government is the very poor student outcomes in relation to the rest of Australia. Notwithstanding that we have very good schools, even at those best schools, the average is five points below the South Australian TER average. Guess where South Australia think they are? At the bottom of Australian outcomes, which puts us somewhere well underneath the bottom of South Australia.
That is what driving us. It has driven us from the end of 2002 when the Chief Minister first spoke to me about the need for a major review. As I said before - and I stand by it - it is in the best interests of students in terms of educational outcomes, retention and what we do about vocational education and training which will drive us in the final decision making.
Spiraling Whitefly Infestation
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
I was quite concerned to hear on the radio and read in the newspaper that the exotic spiraling whitefly pest had been detected in Darwin’s northern suburbs. Apparently, it was detected by a member of the public in their home garden. Can the minister tell the House what actions the government is taking to combat this insidious, invasive pest?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question. When we mentioned the spiraling whitefly, somebody thought we meant the Spanish fly, but, no it is not. It is an insect that, unfortunately, came from Queensland and has the potential to cause significant damage to our horticultural industry.
Members of the public notified quarantine officers from my department that there was an unusual pest in their backyard which caused significant damage to their plants, especially the chilli plants. Following investigation by the officers, it was discovered it was the spiraling whitefly. Unfortunately, the insect had infested seven properties in the area. Further investigation in Darwin has revealed that there are infestations in Wulagi, Palmerston and Humpty Doo. The department immediately notified the Northern Territory Horticultural Association which, in turn, notified the horticultural, fruit and flower industries about the need for quarantine measures so that they can protect their export markets to other states.
The department has taken immediate action and not only advised people how to try to control the fly, but is also importing from Queensland a native wasp that is the natural enemy of the fly. This wasp will be released in Malak and other neighbourhood areas and places where the insect has been detected in order to control the invading insect.
It is very important that Territorians be alert. If they find something unusual in their garden, they should notify the department. Also, be very alert and try to avoid transporting plant material from one neighbourhood to the other, or even great distances inside the Territory. Sometimes, a mistake by one or two people bringing plants from interstate, or even transporting plants from, say, Darwin to Katherine, or Darwin to Alice Springs, can cause significant damage to our horticulture and agricultural industries.
Ambulance Services - Review
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HEALTH
There have been many reports about the ambulance service in the Northern Territory. So far, your government - a government which believes in openness and transparency - has chosen to release none. Last year, you reviewed the ambulance service. Will you release this review? If not, why not?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I believe what Territorians care about in this is that they get a sustainable, safe and enhanced service into the future. That is exactly what we are developing at the moment.
Since the ambulance reform was decided by government, we have put in place almost all of the reform elements to building that service up to a sufficient level. St John, the union and the paramedics are in negotiation about an EBA agreement as we speak. As we said during the announcement of the reform package, we will underwrite the outcome of that negotiation.
What we will have achieved is that you will have good wages and conditions for ambulance officers, and additional money going in annually into the service to renew and upgrade equipment …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! My question was, simply, would the government please release the review; if not, why not?
Mr Kiely: What is your point of order?
Mr WOOD: It is irrelevant to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The minister is answering the question. Please continue minister.
Dr TOYNE: I believe members are interested to hear a progress report on this, so I will persevere, even though the answer to your question is no.
We have additional ambulance crews going into place in Katherine, Darwin and Alice Springs, and an additional ambulance vehicle in Darwin. All of that is good news for Territorians who depend on those services.
We will continue to work with St John through the finance and operational advisory group to ensure this reform is successfully completed and we can move on into the future with a very reliable and good service.
Fujitsu – NT Government Desktop
Services Contract
Services Contract
Mr NATT to MINISTER for CORPORATE and INFORMATION SERVICES
Can the minister provide details of the contract that has been awarded for the Northern Territory government Desktop and Helpdesk Services?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. This is a very significant contract that was let by government for our desktop services. As most members in the House would be aware, the successful tenderer was Fujitsu. This is a very significant contract of $150m over four years. Fujitsu were judged to be the best tenderer in a very competitive field. Congratulations to Fujitsu. It was my pleasure to sign the contracts with their general manager, Peter McFarlane, on 23 March.
It has been a large body of work and I compliment those in the Department of Corporate and Information Services who worked very hard and professionally to assess the various tenders and bring forward those assessments to government. Also, the negotiations were completed in the time frame that I set, so I am very grateful to the department for that.
The key to this tender, apart from an increased level of service right across government, is that Fujitsu have undertaken to give more service to those government employees living in rural and remote areas. That is very important, because I know some of those employees often feel that they miss out. Part of Fujitsu’s bid was to have regular trips to these outlying areas and to provide face-to-face help for those employees living in more remote regions. That was a very important consideration for government.
Another consideration was a large component of industry development within their bid. They will also be refreshing some of the hardware - the desktops and printers - over the coming months. Government employees will see the results of this new tender when it comes into place in June this year. They will be providing a more effective service.
I am advised that the cost of the contract will decrease by an estimated 15%, so that is a saving to government. We are a government that watches our bottom line; we have delivered three successive budget surpluses. We are a very fiscally responsible government, driving the best deal for taxpayers and our employees. I believe this Fujitsu contract is an example of that.
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