2007-11-28
Crimes of Violence - Ratess
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
You were Police minister in the Martin government between 2002 and 2006. In the June quarter of 2002, there were 870 reported assaults in the Territory. In the June quarter of this year, there were 1450 reported assaults in the Territory. Do you agree that the Martin government failed to control the rate of violent crime in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. This is a government that stands proud of its investment in our fantastic Northern Territory Police Service. Since we came to government in the Northern Territory, we have increased the police budget by around 40%. There are 200 more officers in our police force, which was run down and demoralised, than there were in 2001.
Our Police Commissioner has done a fantastic job in looking at strategies to reduce crime across the Northern Territory, particularly domestic violence. The increase in assaults the Leader of the Opposition is talking about, from the advice I have from the Police Commissioner, is tragically, in the main, related to reports of domestic violence.
Why are we seeing an increase in reports of domestic violence? The advice I have is that since the Police Commissioner introduced dedicated domestic violence squads in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Darwin, women in the Northern Territory are much more confident about reporting assaults and police have taken a proactive strategy targeting repeat offenders.
It is very easy to put a line on the graph and say violent crime is going through the roof …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: The Leader of the Opposition …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants to run around and scare Territorians, but can I suggest …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I suggest to the Leader of the Opposition that if she really wants to get across the detail and come into this parliament to debate the facts rather than paint a dishonest picture, she seek a briefing from police about what is driving up these assaults.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr HENDERSON: Now, I do not deny …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. What is your point of order?
Ms CARNEY: The Chief Minister has somehow inferred that the figures contained in the government’s own crime statistics are not correct. I ask you to direct the Chief Minister to say once and for all whether his own crime figures are correct.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, Leader of the Opposition.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. She does not like to listen to the answer.
In respect of the rise in reported assaults, I am also advised it is related, in part, to the way police record the statistics and a change in the way that they are recording those statistics to match the national data collection records.
In the past, if there was an alleged domestic violence assault whereby a woman reported that over the last three weeks, her partner assaulted her four or five times and she is sick of it, complaining because she wanted something done about it, that would have been reported as one incident.
I am advised now that to comply with national data statistics and gathering, each of those four or five assaults has to be recorded as an individual assault. That also is contributing to the rise in the statistics.
That is not to say that we have had, in the northern suburbs and in my electorate, a spike just recently of totally unacceptable acts of violence. We have also seen a spike in Mitchell Street around the nightclub district of totally unacceptable acts of violence that police are dealing with. However, there are accurate reasons to suggest, and it is the fact, that these rises are, in the main, related to alcohol-fuelled domestic violence. They are as a result of the good work that the police are putting in which is encouraging more women to report because those reports are being actioned and police are doing their job. This government will continue to reinforce our police force to put the resources where we need to put them so that we can continue to address the levels of crime across the Northern Territory.
The Leader of the Opposition should stop being so cute with statistics and have an accurate briefing. I challenge the Leader of the Opposition …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: I challenge the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Blain, if you do not believe me, in terms of what is driving these figures, have the courage to get yourself informed, seek a briefing from the Police Commissioner and he will absolutely reflect what I have just answered.
Northern Territory Economy
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please advise the House on the state of the Territory’s economy and its effect on Territory families?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question because Territory families are at the heart of this government’s agenda and Territory families are springing up all over Palmerston at an extraordinary rate, given the growth there.
As I said when I came into this job on Monday, my key agendas will include economic development and jobs for Territorians of which Territory families and their children can take advantage of. I am committed to building a strong economy, to continue to build a strong economy. I have been committed to that from the very first day that I entered this parliament because an education that leads to a job is at the heart of a strong Territory and it is delivering real benefits to Territory families.
We have seen a series of recent statistics which show that the Territory is really bucking national trends and is powering ahead. The most impressive one is job advertisements that have grown a massive 23% since last October. In October last year, we were doing pretty well. We have had 23% growth in advertised jobs in 12 months. If you want a job, you can get a job in the Northern Territory. There are now more than 109 000 people employed in the Northern Territory economy, another record and, with more people in more jobs, we are obviously spending more money on the consumption side of the economy.
I was very pleased to meet a lady by the name of Lucy Voigt at a retail shop called Humidity on Cavenagh Street this morning. What a great story. Just four years ago, Lucy was working as a travel agent in one of the travel shops, and she decided she was going to step out on her own. She is going great guns. I really admire people like Lucy who take that big, brave step into the commercial world. She did it because she could see that the Territory was booming; that there was a real future for her in business. Congratulations to Lucy.
Figures show that Territorians spent almost $2.3bn on retail in the year to September, which is 10.7% up on the year before. That is a huge increase in spending; it is up on the national average of 6.8%. That is not only more money in the economy, it generates more jobs for Territorians in the retail sector.
Our population is growing at 2% a year. We have record investment levels in the private sector. The resources sector is going great guns in the Northern Territory. The future is very bright for Territorians. The Territory is the best place in Australia to live, work, invest and raise a family. Under this government, we will continue to work hard to keep it that way.
Crimes of Violence – Rates
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Between the June quarter 2002 and June 2007, the rate of violent crime in Darwin increased by 114%. By way of comparison, the population increased by 7%. Given that you were Police minister for most of this time, can you explain why it is, under your watch, law and order and the rate of violent crimes in Darwin increased ...
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the Leader of the Opposition to table that graph.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, Leader of the Opposition. Would you please table that?
Ms CARNEY: I am happy to table it, Madam Speaker. I will repeat the question.
Dr Burns: Well, we know your form in this place.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Between the June quarter 2002 and June 2007, the rate of violent …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: I am concerned that a minister of the Crown is not taking violence seriously, but of course, it is not surprising that they do not take violence seriously on that side of the House, given the elevation of some to the ministry …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, just ask the question.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Chief Minister, between the June quarter 2002 and June 2007, the rate of violent crime in Darwin increased by 114% based on government crime figures. By way of comparison, the population increased by 7%. Given that you were the Police minister for most of this time, can you explain why it is …
Mr Bonson: The question is?
Ms CARNEY: It is very distressing, Madam Speaker, that minister Burns finds violence so funny.
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not find it funny. What I am interested in is that graph and the figures that this Opposition Leader is putting to this parliament because we have had instances before of her bogus figures and her bogus presentations …
Ms CARNEY: I have said I will table the graph, you dill!
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Leader of the Opposition, I would like you to withdraw your comments where you implied …
Ms CARNEY: I withdraw ‘dill’.
Madam SPEAKER: No the comments before which implied that the minister somehow accepted violence as an acceptable practice.
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, he was laughing when we were talking about the violent crime in Darwin.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, whatever the minister may have been doing, I do not know. However, I can only go on what words where spoken which I heard. I ask you withdraw those comments, please.
Ms CARNEY: The comments that the minister seems to find violence so funny, I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Those comments, thank you. Could you please table this document?
Ms CARNEY: At your request. I am waiting for …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, could you just give it to the attendant.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Finish the last part of the question, thank you.
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Could I also ask that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw the word ‘dill’.
Madam SPEAKER: She already has. Resume your seat.
Ms CARNEY: You are on fire, you lot, aren’t you? You are just on fire.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Can you just finish the last part of the question, Leader of the Opposition?
Ms CARNEY: Yes, Madam Speaker, and a serious question it is.
Chief Minister, given that you were Police minister for most of this time, that is June quarter 2002 to June 2007, can you explain why it is that under your watch on law and order, the rate of violent crime in Darwin increased by a staggering 114%?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader for the Opposition for her question. I take the question with a pinch of salt, because we will test the assertion that she is making in her figures. I thought I was pretty comprehensive before about the recording of violent crime, a large part of which is related to the tragedy of domestic violence.
Police advise me that domestic violence accounts for over 50% of assault figures that are recorded in those charts. Over 60% of assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related.
As I have said, the police have done an absolutely magnificent job with the extra resources that this government has provided to them to better protect women and children across the Northern Territory, which has enabled our police force to establish Domestic Violence Task Forces in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin. Previously, they did not exist in those regional centres. Women now have the confidence to report assaults to the police knowing that police will take action. It is a tragedy that in the past, so many of these assaults were not reported because women did not have confidence in police ability because of the lack of resources to follow them through. The government has also introduced domestic violence reforms which put the protection of women and children first, and that legislation is currently before the House.
We have just had a federal election campaign. The seat of Solomon is looking pretty interesting. Postal votes are being counted today and it is going to go down to the wire. The sitting member ran a dishonest campaign, saying that violent crime was up 80% in Darwin in the last 12 months. That is patently untrue. There has been an increase of around 33% over that figure, but as I have said, there are responses to that, which include the way police now have to report figures to match national data sets. I recognise that any increase in assaults on Territorians has to be cracked down on and police are doing that.
Let us look at the overall crime picture across the Northern Territory from what we came to in 2001.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker. If the Chief Minister wants to take the liberty of going for a very long walk all over the Northern Territory, that is his prerogative. This question is very specific and it deals specifically with Darwin. The Chief Minister, as the Leader of Government Business, had great concern about the length of questions, but he is wandering all over the place and not coming anywhere near answering this one. I am concerned.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, there is no point of order. As you are aware, there is a fair bit of latitude, both in the asking of questions and in the answering of them. The Chief Minister is answering the question.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I said, there are reasons behind what is reported in these figures and they go to the heart of the fact that over 50% of the figures are related to domestic violence and there is a greater level of confidence by women to report.
If we are looking at crime right across the Northern Territory and the impact that our police force is having, since 2001, property crime across the Northern Territory is down 30% as a result of this government being in office. Commercial break-ins are down 23% since 2001. Motor vehicle theft is down 50% since 2001 and house break-ins are down by 48% across the Northern Territory. That was the legacy we were left when we came to government. You could not leave your house for five minutes in the northern suburbs of Darwin because people would be in there like a shot, raiding your house and turning it over.
The neglect by the previous government of our police force was an absolute debacle in the dying days of their government. In so many criminal offences, rates are down. I do not deny that there has been a spike in relation to crimes of violence against the person. Every crime of violence is totally unacceptable. We will continue to put additional resources into our police force. The reasons for the rise in the figures are explainable. Again, I challenge the Leader of the Opposition to seek a briefing from the Police Commissioner so she can hear for herself why these figures are going up.
Juvenile Offenders - Operation Zig Zag
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please outline what the current position is of Operation Zig Zag? Has it been effective?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Operation Zig Zag is in operation at the moment. As Police minister, one day I will where they get the names for these operations.
Operation Zig Zag was established to round up juvenile offenders in the northern suburbs. Some four or five weeks ago, we had an horrific night in the suburb of Wanguri, which was totally out of character for the suburb that I have represented as a local member since being in parliament. I have lived there for nearly seven years. That night really did scare many people. The type of behaviour exhibited by those youths and some young adult males is absolutely and totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated by this government.
The police have put Operation Zig Zag into effect. That has seen extra police on push bikes, motor bikes and our mobile police station deployed across the Northern Territory. The operation is very visible and it is very flexible. As a result of this deployment, there has been a marked reduction in reports of antisocial behaviour by youth in the Casuarina and Wanguri areas. This is backed up by the feedback that we are getting from retailers in those areas.
I am pleased to say that, by mid-October, 12 arrests had been made by police and the primary offenders are currently on strict bail conditions by which they are abiding.
I pay tribute to our police because people talk about curfews and whether we should have them or not. The courts place curfews on these juveniles as part of their bail conditions. They are not allowed out of the house during the night. The police go around and check to ensure that those juveniles are still in those premises. If they are not in those premises, they are back before the courts. They proactively police the strict bail conditions, and since those arrests have been made, things have gone very quiet.
Parents of two families whose children are in direct conflict with each other have requested police intervention. I am pleased to see that police are acting proactively in dealing with these families as well as reacting to the crimes being perpetrated by some small numbers of juveniles that cause such an enormous amount of concern and appalling behaviour through our northern suburbs.
Police are to be commended for the way they have responded to this. Those juveniles will face their time before the courts. The police are directly intervening with families concerned, and they can do so as a result of this government committing an extra 200 police officers to our police force so they can deploy operations such as Operation Zig Zag. They are going to be further supported by a brand new police station at Casuarina that will be state-of-the-art to process people on arrest, to enable police to get out onto the beat even quicker. There will be 30 additional police officers based at Casuarina when the new police station is operational in 12 to 15 months’ time.
Crimes of Violence - Rates
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Comparing the June quarter crime statistics for this year with the June quarter crime statistics for 2006, the rate of violent assault increased in Darwin by 88%, in Palmerston by 124%, and in Alice Springs by 60%. How do you explain those increases in assaults and violent crimes in those centres that occurred shortly after you were stripped of your Police portfolio? If say it was just a spike, why is it that there has been an upward trend in violent crime across the Territory in the last five years?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is listening to the answers because she keeps repeating the question, so I am going to have to keep repeating the answers. I am sure for Territorians who are listening to this broadcast, it is getting a bit monotonous.
We all know that across the Northern Territory, one of the key drivers of antisocial behaviour, domestic assault and violence in our streets and nightclubs is the excessive consumption of alcohol. That is something that this government is tackling in a much stronger and more strategic way than the previous government ever attempted in the Northern Territory. These reforms will continue. They will be ongoing. We will bring the community with us and we believe that over time, we are going to reduce the rate of alcohol-related trauma across the Northern Territory.
As I said before, in the last five years, the police have had a significant increase in resources deployed to them. In the specific tasking the Police Commissioner has put to the police force, Domestic Violence Task Forces have been put in place in each of the main regional centres to focus explicitly on domestic violence, targeting repeat offenders, and encouraging women to come forward. That is what is occurring. Advice from police is that domestic violence accounts for over 50% of those assault figures.
The Leader of the Opposition is trying to spin a line out there that nobody is safe to walk the streets at night, people are going to leap out of the bushes everywhere across the Northern Territory.
Violent crime is absolutely intolerable. It is not acceptable. This government has committed significant additional resources to police to enable them to tackle the insidiousness, the absolute blight particularly of domestic violence in the Northern Territory.
On Thursday, we will be debating further domestic violence reforms that I hope the opposition will support. For many years, this parliament has debated grog as being a contributing factor. We have dry areas legislation that now applies in public places in Alice Springs and is about to take place in Katherine. This is a big debate. ID systems are being contemplated for introduction. There is a lot of work happening to restrict the amount of alcohol entering our communities.
These figures are explainable. They are explainable by the fact that women have more confidence to report now than ever before because there are actually police dedicated and tasked to protecting women and getting prosecutions before the courts for violence and assault. They are also reflected, as I said before, in the different way in which the police are now recording these statistics to comply with national data sets.
As I have said, if the Leader of the Opposition does not believe me about the interpretation of these statistics, she should do herself a favour, seek a briefing from the Police Commissioner …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: I do not know why it is so difficult, seek a briefing from the Police Commissioner and she will hear for herself what is happening in the Northern Territory.
Tourism Initiatives – Top End
Ms SACILOTTO to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you advise the House on recent tourism initiatives for the Top End?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question because there has been a lot of activity in her electorate with tourist numbers increasing through increased numbers of cruise ships visiting the Territory and construction of the Convention Centre that is well under way. Anyone who has not driven to Stokes Hill Wharf recently to see our magnificent Convention Centre emerging really should have a look. It is very exciting. We can see cranes on the skyline with new hotels and apartment blocks going up. Earlier today, I was in Cavenagh Street where people are opening new businesses because of the increasing number of tourists and residents living in our city.
I am pleased to inform that the Tourism Top End Visitor Information Centre has a new home, which my colleague, the member for Casuarina, opened for me yesterday. I could not get there. On Monday, they started trading from the heritage-listed former Reserve Bank building in Bennett Street. Honourable members might recall the United Nations were based there for quite some time post- the Timor operation. It is in a strategic location. It will be in a fantastic location for people who are going to be walking from the waterfront development up to the CBD. I know that Tourism Top End is very pleased to be in their new heritage-listed building.
I encourage all members, as you are going down the Mall to buy your lunch, to visit Sylvia Wolf and Tony Clementson and the crew and have a look at the new visitor centre. The Territory government was pleased to contribute $110 000 towards the upgrade of the building. I am sure that it will serve the tourism industry very well.
Madam Speaker, I am also pleased to advise the House that we have just launched the new 2007 Tropical Summer campaign for the Top End. It is in partnership with Tourism Top End and it encourages Australians to take a tropical summer holiday in the Top End between January and March next year. I was interested when I was told that the tag was Tropical Summer because, obviously, in the Top End we do not talk about summers and winters; we talk about Wet and Dry Seasons. However, this is a campaign that is pitched to our southern neighbours, encouraging them to take a trip to the Top End between January and March which is traditionally our low season. It is traditionally when our hotels only have around 30% occupancy. We are really trying to boost those shoulder periods.
Last year’s campaign contributed a 10% increase in visitor nights to the Top End between January and March. That is an extra 22 000 nights. Many hotel operators, restaurateurs and tour operators are very pleased that we are putting this investment in at this time of the year. With our trade partners, we will be contributing $754 000 towards the campaign. I commend Tourism Top End. They do some fantastic marketing and have some very creative people. If people bought The Weekend Australian this weekend, as probably most of us in this House did, they will probably recall this fantastic spread that went out. I do not know how many copies of The Weekend Australian are purchased across Australia, but it is good exposure for a paper that everyone reads over their breakfast on Saturday or Sunday morning.
This is a government that has done so much to drive our tourism industry, to see the growth returning, the confidence in investment in accommodation and the increased numbers of airline seats into the Northern Territory. We are proud to continue to push this campaign further and build our seasons. I congratulate Tourism Top End and Tourism NT for their $750 000 marketing effort to bring people to the Top End early next year.
Heritage Listing - Pitchi Ritchi Sanctuary
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
You will have received a large number of letters from Alice Springs residents requesting that you review the decision of the Heritage Advisory Council not to list Pitchi Ritchi. As you may be aware, Pitchi Ritchi contains much to be preserved: the clay models by Bill Ricketts and the old mining and farming equipment, all very much part of the history of Central Australia. It certainly should be preserved for future generations. Will you do what the people of Alice Springs are asking you to do: heritage list Pitchi Ritchi?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question because this is an issue of great interest to the people of Alice Springs. I have received a lot of communication about the protection of the Pitchi Ritchi Sanctuary.
In September this year, the Heritage Advisory Council concluded that the Pitchi Ritchi Sanctuary does not meet any of the criteria for heritage listing. Therefore, the Heritage Advisory Council decided not to recommend the site as a heritage place, but requested that the department clarify the legal ownership of the sculptures and explore options for their future.
The decision has, as we know, caused significant concern within the community. Recent remarks by the Chair of the Heritage Advisory Council suggest that that council may be open to reconsidering its decision. It is not within the power of the minister to declare a place a heritage place without having first received a recommendation from the Heritage Advisory Council.
I have instructed my department to investigate contingency plans for the conservation and public display of the collection of carvings should the sanctuary not be recommended for listing. I am waiting on further advice from the Heritage Advisory Council in terms of their reconsideration of the listing. If they decide to continue with the recommendation not to list, by then I will have advice from the agency about how the important sculptures can be preserved and valued by the public.
Casuarina Senior College
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Last Friday night, Casuarina Senior College celebrated its Year 12 graduation, an event you failed to attend. The teachers and staff have had a trying year and have accomplished much despite a lack of support from you and your department. This includes buildings not ready for the start of the year, inadequate toilets and canteen facilities, changes to principals, building works threatening Year 12 exams, and although in private, continual disparagement of the college by senior executives in your department. Now we find the extraordinary situation where faculties need to be combined for 2008 due to a lack of funding. Why don’t you and your senior executives in your department support this wonderful college?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain. I agree with the last two words of his question, which were that Casuarina Senior College is a wonderful college. In respect of the snide remark that I failed to attend the Year 12 graduation, I was in Alice Springs for the Brolga Awards and the member for Johnston was at the Year 12 graduation. I was certainly at the Year 12 graduation night last year where I handed out all Year 12 certificates, and I did not notice that the member for Blain was there.
Casuarina Senior College has had a fantastic year. I have visited Casuarina Senior College as the Education minister on three occasions at least. I have met the School Council on two occasions and I have taken a very keen interest in the continued growth at the college. What the member for Blain failed to state in what was a very churlish and derogatory comment about senior members of DEET – and I forget the adjective he used - failing to support Casuarina Senior College, it’s okay to come in here, member for Blain, and have a go at me, but leave public servants alone.
Those public servants do a fantastic job on behalf of Territorians and they do not need to be publicly vilified in here by the member for Blain. Casuarina Senior College has had a fantastic year. There were record enrolments; which are a testament to the confidence that parents in our northern suburbs have in Casuarina Senior College. The college is moving from strength to strength. We do not back away one iota from our middle years reforms, to introduce middle year reforms to strengthen the senior secondary school. For Year 10’s going into Casuarina this year, of course it has been a difficult year. Any major change is going to be difficult.
When I attended a school council meeting a few weeks ago with the member for Johnston, who is a fantastic supporter of Casuarina Senior College, I did not pick up a level of hostility towards the public service or the government. There where issues about funding and the number of executive teachers, but there is a significant increase in resources going to Casuarina Senior College from next year compared with last year. For teacher positions, I think it is an additional three or four positions overall. If I am wrong in that, I will correct the public record, but the resources are going in.
At any school or workplace in the Northern Territory, people will always say: ‘Yes, we can do with more,’ but I have every confidence in Casuarina Senior College. They continue to turn out fantastic Year 12 results. That is going to strengthen in the future with the Year 10s moving in. I congratulate Casuarina Senior College for the way they have embraced the VET programs in schools, the number of WorkReady students who will be signing up next year at Casuarina Senior College. What they are crying out for, if Territory businesses are listening to this broadcast, is that we want Territory businesses to step forward to host these young students to give them opportunities in the workplace, because we have more kids now seeking opportunities in the workplace through VET in Schools programs and school-based apprentices than we have businesses to place them in.
So to businesses in the Northern Territory, please step up because our education system is really delivering for business and the economy. The member for Blain does himself no good coming in here and bagging public servants. It is absolutely offensive.
Senior Territorians – Government Support
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for SENIOR TERRITORIANS
It is great that many more senior Territorians are choosing to stay on in the Territory in their retirement years. On the basis of that, can you please advise the House how the NT government is supporting and encouraging our ageing Territory population?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question. We are seeing a reversal in the statistics where more of our seniors are staying in our great Territory, which is fantastic. For many of our seniors, part of that is staying healthy, connected and safe within their community. As they age, maintaining their independence for as long as possible is most important.
Today, I am pleased to table the Northern Territory government’s Framework for Active Ageing in the Northern Territory. The framework is to promote the benefits of active ageing in the community and demonstrates just how rich and full life can be in the Territory, and that ageing is a positive step in our life; it is not the end.
I am glad to have this question because we often forget the most important resource in the Territory, and that is our seniors. When I go to seniors functions and talk to our senior Territorians, they offer a lot of wisdom and they give you the most frank and fearless advice. I often meet with the seniors in Katherine with the member for Katherine and with seniors in Alice Springs, the ladies with their Can Can, with the member for Braitling.
Right through our regions, we have a very diverse group of seniors. They are a lot of fun. The framework has come through a lot of consultation with the Office of Senior Territorians, which I would like to thank for putting it together as well as COTA, which is the peak body of Council of the Ageing. My council for seniors has looked at it. Alice Springs has had a lot of input into this. My thanks to everyone. It is a great framework. I will ensure the members for Braitling, Katherine and Barkly receive copies because it will be great to distribute it through the regions.
There is a clear implementation plan in the framework, so we will be able to provide feedback about how we are implementing a lot of the strategies.
Casuarina Senior College –
Middle Schools Implementation
Middle Schools Implementation
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Is it not the case that under your stewardship of the Education portfolio, funding pressure resulting from the implementation of middle schools has forced Casuarina Senior College to amalgamate faculties, including Arts with Science and Careers with Library? Why is it that Labor says education is critical, however when it comes to taking action, you are degrading the capacity of schools such as Casuarina Senior College?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. Fundamentally, funding to schools is based on formulae that have been in place for some time based on how many students attend a particular school and the cohort or type of those students. What schools do, particularly a large school or college like Casuarina Senior College with over 1000 students involved, is to make decisions and base those decisions on their priorities of how to structure the campus. These priorities are determined by the principal. They are not determined by me, the minister. There has been no reduction in funding to Casuarina Senior College. As I am advised, there is actually an increase in funding to Casuarina Senior College for the next school year.
In respect of expenditure at Casuarina Senior College to accommodate Year 10s for this year, the government spent $3.4m on six separate buildings for five classrooms, upgrades of toilets, construction of a new bike shed, internal refurbishment and the construction of a new $1.8m multipurpose sports pavilion that I had the pleasure of opening, again, with the member for Johnston.
Mr Mills: What about the cyclone shelter?
Mr HENDERSON: The member for Blain probably has not been out to Casuarina Senior College. He has probably taking a phone call from some disgruntled teachers there at Casuarina Senior College who do not support …
Mr Mills interjecting..
Ms Carney: You idiot.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Carney: I am sorry, Madam Speaker, I withdraw idiot.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Chief Minister.
Mr HENDERSON: You should get a bar of soap for her, Madam Speaker.
It is no secret that Casuarina Senior College waged a very public campaign about the government’s middle year reforms and the introduction of the Year 10 students to the college that occurred this year. That was a very public campaign. We live in a democracy and support the fact that people can have a different view.
There is also no misapprehension at all that there are still a small number of teachers at Casuarina Senior College who have not agreed with the path that the government has taken. It is unfortunate that they continue to air concerns, but that is their right and I do not disagree with that right.
The vast majority of teachers at Casuarina Senior College, a lot of whom I know personally, are really pleased with the reforms. They can see that it is going to work. There is a new principal at CSC this year who is doing an absolutely fantastic job. The government committed just over $5m in new capital works. The budget is going to increase next school year and how the college applies the budget and applies the resources is fundamentally an issue for the principal. I support any decisions that the principal takes.
Alice Springs – Solar City Status
Mr HAMPTON to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
The Rudd Labor government has committed to a 20% renewable energy target by 2020. Solar power will be an increasingly important energy source to meet that target. Alice Springs has recently been named a Solar City, and the Northern Territory government has been a foundation partner and major funder of the project. What impact will this have on the town and the community?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for his question. I am certain all members of this House will congratulate the Solar City Consortium, ably led by the Alice Springs Town Council in partnership with the Northern Territory government, Power and Water Corporation, Chamber of Commerce, Desert Knowledge CRC, Tangentyere Council and the Arid Lands Environment Centrein winning this bid.
The Northern Territory government is proud to increase our commitment to this very exciting, innovative initiative by announcing funding of $928 000, which will add to the $3.5m already committed. In addition, the Power and Water Corporation is providing $2m in kind, and the Territory’s Renewable Remote Power Generation Program will also contribute almost $12m.
This brings a total of $36.5m into the Alice Springs community itself. The important thing is to get some very practical demonstrations, some real outcomes in terms of how you spend your money. The $928 000 referred to previously will go towards the Alice Springs Hospital for energy efficient initiatives aimed at reducing the running costs. The Araluen Cultural Precinct will also be a recipient of those dollars for innovative solar air conditioning, the first of its kind in Australia.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate Mr Grant Behrendorff, who is the Chairperson of the Solar City Consortium and, indeed, all the consortium members for their hard work, and Mr Tony Cheng, who is the acting CEO of the Solar City Consortium. There are very exciting times ahead for the Alice Springs community and we wish them all the best for the future.
Container Deposit Legislation
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
This is another plus for the Alice Springs Town Council, which introduced a trial of recycling cans with a grant from the Northern Territory government of $10 000. In a short term of four weeks, 200 000 cans were passed in by residents to claim the 5 return. You know South Australia has a successful CDL scheme. Western Australia has just introduced their extended producer responsibility, which imposes an obligation on companies to reduce waste, which could lead to CDL. Now that we have the new Labor government, do you think in 2008 you could introduce CDL for all the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. This government has a very proud record of introducing recycling programs across the Territory through the EnvironmeNT Grants scheme. It is an important scheme and we have seen a lot of very exciting initiatives across the Territory, including the initiative in Alice Springs that you mentioned.
Member for Braitling, you have participated, as I have, in plenty of debates about container deposit legislation in this Chamber. A jurisdiction the size of the Territory going it alone does not stack up. If we were part of national container deposit legislation, it will work. That is what the Environment ministers have been debating. However, what was the sticking point in the past? Johnnie Howard did not care about it.
We have an opportunity, there is no doubt about it …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: We have an opportunity to bring that debate back to the Environment Ministerial Council where it has been in discussion for some time now and to test where it is going to head in terms of a national scheme. It is a national scheme that will work for the Territory. That is a direction about which the previous minister for the Environment has had discussions at the national level. The Territory will continue to discuss with our colleagues and the new federal government a national scheme.
Sensis Business Index - October 2007
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for BUSINESS and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
It is important that the Territory has a strong, vibrant economy. Can you please tell the Assembly how the Territory economy is performing in contrast with the rest of Australia and why Territory businesses have such strong confidence in the Northern Territory government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for what is a very good question. Just one day before last week’s election, Sensis released the October Quarter 2007 report. That was very interesting because the day before, the former Liberal Party President, Shane Stone, wrote an open letter to Territorians telling them how bad Labor was, how bad we have been for business, how, when Labor was elected, all businesses would go down the gurgler. Well, I have news for Mr Stone. I do not have to say I have news for the Liberal Party; they heard the news early on Saturday afternoon. The Sensis report has shown, and I quote from their media release:
- NT business confidence heads north; the rest of the nation’s heads south.
Business confidence in the Northern Territory has risen to 71%, while the rest of Australia has collapsed to 43%. The profitability index in the Territory is up, the highest in the nation at 29%. The sales indicator is at 34%, whereas the rest of Australia is down 15%. I am not going to put political spin on this. I will quote directly from the report of Ms Christena Singh:
- The employment indicator in the Northern Territory now sits at 19%, the highest level we have seen since August 1997, 19 percentage points higher than the flat national average results.
It gets even better. Capital expenditure growth in the Territory is the biggest we have seen in two years, and support for the Territory Labor government has not collapsed; it is the highest in the nation. So much for Mr Stone’s letter about how bad Labor governments are for businesses. As a matter of fact, they are really good. We are doing well. We work with businesses, we consult with businesses, we listen to what they say. I well recall 2001, when we came into this place, we did not have money to mow the lawn on the sides of the Stuart Highway. We did not have money to pay the people who have period contracts to fill the holes or mow the lawns on the Stuart Highway. Oh, yes! I forgot there was one crane in the sky at the Mitchell Centre. Go out today and start counting. It will take a while, but tell us how many there are. Business in the Territory is good. The Labor government of the Northern Territory has a great one for business, much better than the CLP government.
Moil Primary School - Librarian
Mr MILLS to MINSTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Under your stewardship of the Education portfolio and as a result of your rush to force middle schools into the Territory and get it out of the way before the next Territory election, Moil Primary School will lose its Librarian. If you are such a supporter of education, why are you allowing schools like Moil to lose vital staff members like Librarians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. The comprehensive roll out of middle schools from 2008 next year will be a very exciting time for the Territory education system. As I have moved around the Northern Territory in my role as Education minister, and I have visited well over half of all the schools in the Northern Territory, I have spoken to students, teachers, principals and school councillors, everyone is looking forward to middle schools next year.
I have made it my role this year, in the last three months, to get around all of the primary schools in the northern suburbs, and I think I have been to most of them, where Years 6 and 7 will move up next year. I have spoken to many classes of Year 6 and 7 kids and asked if they are excited about moving to middle school next year. They are! They are very excited to be moving up to middle school next year and the mums and dads are, too.
I congratulate all of the middle schools across the Northern Territory that have reached out this year and made contact and developed relationships with all of their feeder primary schools. Teachers from the middle school have been in the primary school, the kids from the primary schools have been to the middle schools. There has been really close collaboration and interaction. There have been parent-teacher nights right across the Northern Territory. I can honestly say, because you have to tell the truth in this parliament, I have not received one complaint from any parent in the Northern Territory about their children moving up to middle school next year.
There have been some issues about some students who have not been able to get into the middle school they wanted to but overwhelmingly, there is enormous support for this. That is an absolute testament to the professionalism of our teachers, school councils and principals who have worked so hard to make this happen.
On the issue of the Teacher Librarian position at Moil Primary School, that has come about because, as I said earlier, schools are funded according to formulae. We are in a transition phase at the moment with a new staffing formula.
As a result of the Year 6 and 7 students moving from Moil Primary School next year, of course there are going to be fewer teachers at Moil Primary School next year because there will be fewer kids. The Principal, who has the responsibility of managing budgets, makes decisions about where they are going to put the resources that they have available.
I have received representation from a very good local member, my colleague, the member for Johnston, on this issue as I have received representation from members of the school council. Those have been forwarded through to the department and I await the department’s advice.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016