2003-05-28
Budget 2003-04 – Superannuation Liability
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, in the 2002-03 budget, you promised to set aside a provision of $10m for public servants and, from this year’s 2003-04 budget ongoing, to start meeting the unfunded superannuation liability. The $10m provision has gone from this year’s budget. Is it not true that your government has now taken the $10m your government promised public servants for their superannuation, and given it to TIO to meet its MACA shortfall?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the issue of unfunded liabilities for Territorians is one that the previous government simply ignored. The previous Chief Minister who asked the question made no effort himself to do anything about it. We moved the initial thought of having it in this year’s budget to next year’s, quite appropriately. The circumstances …
Mr Reed: Oh, right. So it is not important?
Ms MARTIN: The comments coming from a party that was in government for 27 years, which allowed not one cent for unfunded liabilities to grow …
Mr Stirling: They funded their own.
Ms MARTIN: As the Deputy Chief Minister said, they funded their own. We have moved the funding from this financial year to next. There are many issues to do with how you go about funding that, and that is being investigated now. The national circumstances of government and direct funding is being examined.
However, we have made that commitment, unlike our predecessors. We will be funding those liabilities, and that will happen in next year’s budget. To draw a comparison with that and MACA! Again, when the CLP were in government, year after year Cabinet sat there and did not put any premium increases in line with CPI - nothing in premiums for MACA, no ability, for many years, to build cash reserves. Yet we saw the ultimate cynicism in the 2001 year; they would not, on request from the TIO, for MACA, increase premiums. Why not? Because it was an election year. Why not?
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: If you are stupid enough to think that we do not know the details, then it just demonstrates the level of your stupidity. We know what you did. Every time you open your mouths, the hypocrisy gets worse - just gets worse and worse.
We are dealing appropriately through a loan to MACA, because the scheme’s solvency is in question …
Mr Reed: Oh, that is appropriate?
Ms MARTIN: Very appropriate, with a loan. We will start the funding of the unfunded liabilities in next year’s budget, which has been missing now for the best part of three decades.
Budget 2003-04 – Public Reaction
Mr KIELY to TREASURER
The budget has been well received by Territorians, with the exception of that side, from whom we would not expect anything different. Can the Treasurer please inform the House what comments are being made about the third Martin Labor government budget?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to respond to the question from the member for Sanderson. He is quite right; the budget has been well received, virtually universally throughout all sectors of the Northern Territory, with the exception of those who sit opposite. The internationally respected credit rating agency, Standard & Poor’s, issued a press release, very quick out of the blocks: ‘Northern Territory’s finances continue to improve’. They say very clearly that this government is on track to deliver its promised improvement in finances, deficit management and heading down to getting the budget under control properly when we get to debt.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO, Carole Frost, told radio yesterday that reductions in stamp duty that small businesses pay on leases and on franchise arrangements would have a big impact for small business. The Chamber put out a 2003-04 budget brief –with regional highlights. Again, we are happy to receive their commendation of the budget.
The Northern Territory division of the Property Council welcomed the budget saying it, ‘reflects a commitment to responsible and sustainable financial management while seeking to improve the delivery of services’. A press release issued by the Property Council Australia, Northern Territory division: ‘Property Council welcomes Stirling budget’. I will be happy to table each of these as I go, Madam Speaker. Indeed, I had breakfast with them this morning and the chairperson, Ross Finocchiaro, was very positive in his comments closing the breakfast this morning.
Their media release makes specific note of the fact that the changes to the land rich stamp duty legislation is clearly not a de facto land tax as alleged by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday. What he has to understand is that we do not have a land tax, as all other jurisdictions in Australia do. It is a recurrent, and it is based on the value of the land and set at a certain rate, and you thump it up every year, come hell or high water. We do not have a land tax in Northern Territory. This is not an every year recurrent; this occurs at the purchase of a property or a business at which time the purchaser pays it. It is a long, long way from a land tax.
The Police Association welcomed the funding commitments in the budget, describing it as a step in the right direction, under the heading ‘Northern Territory Police Association welcomes budget announcements’.
Mr Reed: You are not doing enough. Read the lot.
Mr STIRLING: I will table it, and I will read the whole lot, if you insist:
- The Northern Territory Police Association has welcomed the funding commitments announced in today’s budget.
Vince Kelly said the $1.5m committed to enhancing the PROMIS computer system is a step in the right direction.
Our members have repeatedly identified problems with this system and, by extension, the service we deliver to the public. Hopefully, for both police and the public, this money will improve the system.
We also welcome the $3m to properly fund civilian police positions …
I understand that our police minister will have more to say on that.
- What this will mean is that the operational budget can be spent on …
Guess what?
- … operations.
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: Well, apparently it was not happening for a long time. Why else would the President of the Police Association draw our attention to that little matter there?
- The $250 000 allocated to upgrade the Ali Curung police station is long overdue. On a recent visit there, I saw first-hand how run-down this police station is, and I urge the government to fast-track this money.
- While we welcome the spending commitments announced today, the real test for the government lies ahead …
- … when the O’Sullivan report on police resources is complete.
- Our members have painted a clear picture for Mr O’Sullivan and his team about the reality of police numbers, particularly in operational uniform areas.
I would like to catch up with Mr Vince Kelly and get to the bottom of this. This is intriguing:
- Our members have painted a clear picture for Mr O’Sullivan and his team about the reality of police numbers, particularly in operational uniform areas.
Frankly, I doubt that current recruiting has, or will cover attrition, and the promised increase of 50 police over four years, nor do I believe 50 will be enough.
Well, again, we await the O’Sullivan report to see where that takes us. There are a couple of intriguing little statements in here. I am looking forward to seeing the police minister and the opposition at the Estimates Committee, because I have a view that it might be the opposition that gets a bit of a grilling at the Estimates Committee on police staffing, numbers and budgets, rather than the police minister.
- A significant investment in policing is required, and there must be some attempt to reduce the attrition rate, otherwise the staffing crisis like that experienced in the early 1990s is just around the corner.
A bit of a gem. I am glad the former Treasurer asked me to read that out, because there are three potentially very damaging statements contained in that press release that go right to the heart of when he was police minister. As I said, there will plenty more to come out on that.
The Territory Construction Association says the budget has reinforced the role of construction as the prime economic driver: ‘NT budget reinforces the role of construction in the economy’. The CEO, Michael Kilgariff, endorsed the government’s view that residential and commercial construction should receive a boost over the next year.
That is pretty widespread community support for this budget, unlike the very tired, stale response we had from the Leader of the Opposition this morning. It is a signal address the opposition has, on the day after the budget. They have the full parliament to put on the record any complaints they have about the budget: what they like about it, what they do not like about it but, most importantly, where they would go and what they would do as a government. We heard very little of that this morning. It shows to us that they have not learnt from their time in opposition; they have come up with no ideas.
There is a little more on the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition. Apparently, he has taken to sending out faxes far and wide - quite ranting and raving faxes, I am told - to Territorians at 2.30 am. We know occasionally the Chief Minister gets phone calls at 2.30 am - that is where she said: ‘Press one if you want the Treasurer, press four if you want the Minister for Health’, but she has never sent out half-mad faxes at 2.30 am.
The government was contacted by a very irate Territorian whose combined home phone and fax machine happened to ring fairly loudly at 2.30 am. She thought: ‘My God! What is this?’ She had this page full of strange random thoughts generated by the member for Brennan. I suggest that is not a good look for the member for Brennan, or for the opposition.
Further to that again, we will be expected to go to the media and respond to the Leader of the Opposition’s thoughts on the budget. I was ready to go down to the media and they said: ‘Well, it is a bit hard to talk to you, Mr Stirling, we have not seen the Leader of the Opposition;, I said: ‘It is 12.30 pm, he said he was due down here at 12 o’clock’. If you are up sending out faxes at 2.30 am, I suppose you have to catch up during the next day. However, I suggest it is not a good look.
The budget has been warmly and widely applauded and, together with all Territorians, this government looks forward to getting on with the business of promoting this great place and our great lifestyle.
Budget 2003-04 – Health and Community Services
Mr REED to TREASURER
Yesterday, the Treasurer told us that the health budget had been increased and that there would be additional programs. The health budget has been increased by some 2.5%. He said in his budget presentation yesterday that inflation was 2.5% so, in fact, the Health and Community Services budget has received no additional funding. Can the Treasurer reassure us that no programs across the Department of Health and Community Services will be cut as a result of his failure to allocate additional funds to that department?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, he really does need to have a close look at these figures. The Territory government’s own source funding going into health has a growth rate of 4.2%; that is the reality. If you add up key initiatives - and this is what I really like about the budget presentation this year, it has strategic issues and key initiatives coming forward in the forthcoming financial year, but it also has far more information on key variations. It is something that the Leader of the Opposition could have paid a bit more heed to this morning in his reply to the budget, because he jumped around different agencies and said: ‘This is up, this is down. Why is this, why is that?’. I suggest he reads - and has a bit of a closer read - the variations and the level of detail that is provided on the second page behind each agency.
As I said, if you work through health and see the new initiatives coming forward, they do not add up to $14m, which is the increase from us this year. Why he is suggesting that we have to slash programs to deliver on those key initiatives in the budget paper is a bit beyond me.
The government injected $15m into the Health and Community Services budget in this current financial year; the member opposite is aware of that. With the further injection of $14.2m for the 2003-04 financial year you have to wonder how the opposition would argue that it is not an increase in real terms for Health and Community Services. Since we came to government, all up, some $98m has been injected into the Health and Community Services budget.
However, I suggest you have a look at the strategic issues, the key initiatives, and the budget variations. I can remember, year in, year out, in opposition, standing in Estimates Committee and saying: ‘Sport and recreation appears to be $5.4m down from last year; what is this?’. They would stand up and say that they they had a lucky year or they got a special purpose payment, or it was a one-off last year - whatever reason came to their head, probably, most of the time. Well, we are a bit more strategic and specific than that. We provide …
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: Have a look, have a look. Why do you not read the budget papers, that have been printed at great expense to inform you guys? If you have a look at the key variations it will tell you.
Budget 2003-04 – Nature-based Tourism Industry
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for TOURISM
Nature-based tourism is of critical importance to the Territory tourism industry, and we all enjoy the wonderful parks throughout the Northern Territory. How will the government’s commitment to parks and infrastructure support the tourism industry?
ANSWER
I welcome the member’s question. Indeed, nature-based tourism is an essential element of the strategic plan for the further development of tourism in the Northern Territory. We have wonderful natural assets here, and our parks are part of that. This particular budget announces some very important initiatives in further infrastructure developments in our parks: $1.8m in new infrastructure allocated to our most popular attractions - $500 000 for Litchfield Park, $500 for Wangi Falls …
Mr Dunham: $500!
Dr BURNS: … and $500 000 for Casuarina Coastal Reserve …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: … very important. Well, the members opposite can burr up about this, but these are three premier attractions. In fact …
Mr Dunham: $500!
Dr BURNS: … the Casuarina Coastal Reserve, as the member for Macdonnell well knows, is …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: There are some real attractions there for him. However, there are a lot of people who go to the Casuarina Coastal Reserve. There is $1.5m funding on infrastructure within those particular areas.
Another $300 000 is set aside for the management of the new Owens Springs Reserve, another important development of our natural assets by this government. We are putting money in to support infrastructure development.
Some other projects in this particular area include: $100 000 safety upgrade of Kings Canyon ring walk - very important; $50 000 for Buley Rockhole and Florence Falls walk tracks; improvements in interpretive signing; $60 000 for Gregory National Park boardwalk and retaining walls; and $90 000 for boundary fencing protecting parks. I would say, all very substantial spends by this government in the area of our parks.
However, the spending in the budget for getting people to those parks is also significant. In toto we have spent about $14m on Territory roads, $14m on national highway network - all important arterial routes for people to get to national parks and to view our wonderful, natural scenery in the Territory.
I was interested to hear the member for Araluen, the shadow minister, say to Fred McCue this morning: ‘In leaked various parts of the budget, there was no mention of tourism’. She was talking about the weeks leading up to the budget. Well, I can remember quite clearly, when we were in Alice Springs some weeks ago, making a major announcement about the Mereenie Loop Road - $3m - something the tourism industry in Central Australia have been wanting for some time, and this government is doing. That is a total spend over 10 years of over $30m - very significant.
By contrast, it is very unfortunate that the federal government, at a time when the tourism industry is in trouble and having difficulty, is being quite counter-productive in what they are doing regarding parks. As most people would be aware, they are about to jack up the entry fees to both Uluru and Kakadu from $16 to $25 per person.
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I have put the case to both ministers Kemp and Hocking. I challenged the member for Araluen on radio this morning, through Fred McCue: ‘Well, what are you doing about it?’. Here was the response:
- Well, no, I have left phone messages …
This is for Tollner and Senator Scullion:
- … I have left phone messages, but they are sitting. So I would expect to hear from one or other of them today.
This is about the best that the shadow minister for tourism can do to put forward the interests of the Territory and be an advocate for the Territory. Given the state of the other two, I doubt if they are awake enough to return the phone calls.
Mr Reed: You have approved the Nitmiluk Gorge to introduce fees!
Dr BURNS: Well, maybe we need someone back like Grant Tambling who actually stood up for the Territory and got his legs cut out from underneath him about it.
Finally, in relation to the tourism budget, I also noticed, with some amusement, that the shadow minister said - quoting from Fred McCue’s program again:
- Funding to the Tourist Commission has been cut by almost $1m in real terms from this budget compared to the last one.
Well, member for Araluen, I will direct you to Budget Paper No 3, page 263, the 2002-03 estimate: $26.058m compared to 2003-04 budget of $27.202m, which according to this, is a variation of plus $1.144m. So, member for Araluen, learn to count. I also notice statements by the member for Katherine along the same vein. I am looking forward to the Estimates Committee so we can talk about this.
Budget 2003-04 – Stamp Duty on Vehicles
Mr WOOD to TREASURER
My question is on behalf of yourself, Madam Speaker, as member for Braitling.
Treasurer, you have introduced a policy that used car dealers must now collect stamp duty on vehicles purchased in an effort to stop the abuses and rorts within the used car industry. All you have done is penalise the honest dealers by requiring them to become tax collectors. How will this impost fix the problem of unregistered dealers selling privately to Aboriginal people? Why do you not get Consumer Affairs to be more proactive, particularly when they are informed of deals being done without registration or vehicle checks?
ANSWER
I thank the member for his question. Indeed, it is a concern in relation to the private, or backyard, sales. It is something that is exercising Treasury’s mind at the moment regarding another loop that needs to be closed in this question of transfers and stamp duty.
In relation to the idea of the second-hand car dealer collecting the stamp duty on the transfer of registration at the point of sale, it is a move that has been successfully adopted in Victoria. It is really putting it in a slot earlier than it should otherwise occur. At the point of sale, we know, unfortunately, that there have been unscrupulous operators in the industry - car yards, not backyard private to private sales, but car yards - who have taken the stamp duty due on that vehicle for the transfer of the registration at the point of sale, and guess what, Madam Speaker? It never found its way through the system to Treasury; it was pocketed. We know of one person who operated a car yard - I believe it was in Palmerston. I remember him with some affection because it was the former Chief Minister, Shane Stone, who stood in this House and drew my attention to the fact that this particular gentleman had erected a very large sign outside his car yard saying something to the effect of: ‘Having a party? Invite Labor’s Syd Stirling. He is a clown’. Well, that is the sort of individual that we are referring to and we are endeavouring to pick up in the net. He was last heard of in Canada, I believe, with debts of $85 000 owed to quite a few people for pretty fraudulent dealing.
We do know that there is a gap here. It is a system that seems to work in Victoria. We have not put a time on the commencement date to pick this up because there will be some work with the industry in arrangements and mechanisms to ensure that this works. We are not going to rush anyone into this before systems are made adequate in order to get it up and running properly.
There have been some complaints reported that we are forcing them to be tax collectors. Even in the old days, with the sales tax at point of sale, businesses were acting, in a sense, as tax collection agents. The GST itself uses business operators as tax collectors for and on behalf of government. In this sense it is no different to that. Of course, if it is a new car, it is all paid at the point of sale in any case.
We will work with the industry to get the mechanics in place, and Treasury will consult with them to make sure the mechanics are right before we put a date and say with effect as of when.
Budget 2003-04 – Health and Community Services
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Yesterday, your acting CEO, Dr David Ashbridge, sent out an e-mail message to staff advising them that he considered the health budget yesterday to be tough, and warning them that there will be a need to disinvest from health programs. Can you tell Territorians which health programs are going to be cut?
ANSWER:
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for her question. In this budget, there is an increase of $14.2m to the health sector. This is an excellent situation for this portfolio. We are in quite difficult times regarding the overall amount of extra spending this government has been able to put into this coming year’s budget. This is an excellent outcome for this portfolio.
The budget comes on top of an increase of $15m into this portfolio earlier this year. At the beginning of the current financial year, the budget for health was $527m. It has now gone up to $561m, an increase of $34m, which is a 5.5% increase over this year’s spending. The opposition is raising all sorts of problems here. There is absolutely no question that my department will continue to implement financial management, together with audit and budget reforms. This is not new.
In February this year, we announced that there would be a different form of budgeting and auditing in my department, that there would be new ways of managing the financial situation. We will be getting the whole budget under control. This kind of thing does not happen over a short period of time, so naturally, there will be continued efficiencies throughout our portfolio.
That is what Territorians would expect of us. They expect that every dollar that goes into this portfolio is spent properly. We had this situation in the past. Every year, this budget would blow out ridiculously. We said that this is going to stop and that is what we are doing now. We are working towards having very good financial management in my department, and part of that is making sure that it is as efficient as possible. We had $15m go in earlier this year, and $14.2m now, which is an excellent result.
Budget 2003-04 – Taxes and Charges
Ms LAWRIE to TREASURER
Treasurer, yesterday’s budget delivered tax cuts for Territory businesses and families. How do Territory taxes compare with other states?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Karama for her question, Madam Speaker, because I have a rather delightful chart which clearly shows where the Northern Territory stands in its tax regime in comparison to other states. If you take the 100% to be the average, Queensland is at the bottom at 90%, but just nudging out the Northern Territory by 1% at 91%, Western Australia at 95%, ACT at 96%, Tasmania 98%, New South Wales 101%, Victoria 106% and South Australia tops the poll at 111%.
That is out of Budget Paper No 2, Fiscal and Economic Outlook, and it is something that this government is proud of regarding the tax load that we place on Territorians. Yesterday’s budget further delivered tax cuts for Territorians. Payroll tax is cut again. It was 6.5 % - it used to be 6.8% under the CLP, they got it down to 6.5%. We have taken it down to 6.2% this year. We abolished the stamp duty on commercial leases and franchises with annual rent below $30 000. That is a direct benefit to 400 Territory small businesses.
We abolished the $90 Temporary Budget Improvement Levy. The registration and insurance cost for a large car in the Territory is below the national average, and the cost of registering smaller and medium cars is even more competitive nationally - right down the bottom, probably just in second lowest spot.
The Territory has no land tax. It was an issue that seemed to be getting around yesterday in relation to the stamp duty provisions. It is a promise I enforced to the Property Council this morning, which was very well received. In fact, I ran into one former president of the Property Council, Mr George Cridland, at the university recently. He got up close to my ear and said: ‘Please say those words to me - no land tax’. I said: ‘George, what a wonderful idea’. He sensed I was joking, because we had no intention at that time, nor now, of introducing a land tax such as occurs in every other jurisdiction in Australia.
The tax cuts in this budget deliver and build on the previous initiatives of this government to lower the cost of living for Territorians. We introduced and continue to fund stamp duty concessions for first home buyers. That makes it cheaper for Territory families to buy their own home. We increased the stamp duty value threshold for first home owners from $80 000 to $125 000, and we introduced the new stamp duty rebate of $1500 on the purchase of the principal place of residence.
We have delivered these tax cuts, while still making significant inroads into the deficit and the debt legacy of our predecessors. We are proud that the Territory remains one of the lowest taxing places to live, work and invest in this country.
Budget 2003-04 – Northern Territory Tourist Commission
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
The budget allocation for the Northern Territory Tourist Commission in 2002-03 was, in fact, $28.16m. The allocation in this year’s budget is $27.2m, which means that there has been a cut of more than $1m to the Tourist Commission at the most critical time in its history. Given that tourism operators are facing the worst crisis their industry has ever experienced, how to you explain that cut to them, minister?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have already quoted from the budget book. If the member for …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Dr BURNS: This current budget book, that compares apples with apples. If the member for Araluen cannot read the budget book, she should go back to school. I will read it: $26.058m, 2002-03 estimate, 2003-04 budget - $27.202m, a difference of $1m-plus - $1.144m. End of question.
Finke Desert Race Funding
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
You would be aware that the Finke Desert Race is one of the largest road races in the world. Minister, can you please advise on our government’s commitment towards supporting this great event.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. It is one of my favourite topics and even my Caucus colleagues have been wildly excited about this topic over the last few days. This is the 28th running of the Finke Desert Race, and what a wonderful event it is both for Central Australia and for Australia as a whole. It has absolutely everything to offer in off-road racing, and its reputation grows absolutely, year by year. In a year that has been very difficult to keep large events together, tragically we saw the Arafura Games threatened by the world situation.
I am very happy to report that the Finke Desert Race is going to be very strong again this year, with 248 bikes and 88 cars entered. That is a touch down on cars, a touch up on bikes, so it has come through unscathed from any difficulty that exists in Australia, and despite the competition with another event that is being held elsewhere in Australia at roughly the same time. It attracts 12 000 spectators, either at the start/finish line or camped down the track. It is one of the great experiences in Central Australia to be able to camp out for those couple of nights while the race is going, and see the competitors go through south on the first day and come back north on the second day.
Our government is very proud to announce that we have pitched in $300 000 to allow the Finke start/finishing line to be relocated on to land that we are making available off the old quarantine block. For those in Central Australia, I will explain, that abuts the Stuart Highway and the old Ghan track, and forms a roughly triangular area between those two transport routes.
Dr Lim: Is it a permanent relocation?
Dr TOYNE: Despite the fact the member for Greatorex is trying to find some negative in all this, I can certainly report that both the race committee and the people who love the Finke Desert Race and compete in it are absolutely thrilled at what will be an enormous boost to this event.
This also takes care of some major discussions we had with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sports last year. They had safety concerns about the start/finish arrangements, and this new configuration of the start/finishing line will take care of that.
Other motor sports in Central Australia, such as drag racing, will have access to this facility to develop their section of the sport in between the Finke races. We are all going to win out of this, even the member for Greatorex. He can come down and have a look.
Palmerston - New High School
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Last year, the Chief Minister announced a $10m high school to be built in Palmerston. This year, there was a leak to the NT News that a $10m high school would be built in Palmerston. Yesterday, you announced that a $10m high school would be built in Palmerston in the middle of next year. Minister, this is three years of talk before a single sod is turned. Can you now understand why Territory businesses have very little confidence in this all talk, little action government?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Blain for his question, Madam Speaker. I am not sure if he is now arguing for a $10m secondary facility, a $20m secondary facility or, indeed, a $30m secondary facility.
He has to understand the capital works program and how it goes on the design list. That was the case last year when it went on design work, and we needed to step back and have a look at exactly what was going to be the best fit and make for Palmerston. We recognise that some 600-odd, or more, perhaps, secondary students come out of Palmerston to Darwin to school. What do you do? Do you build a full comprehensive high school right through Years 8 to 12? Do you build a senior high school? Where do you build it? Do you breach across to the block across the road from the current high school, put the senior high school there for Years 11 and 12? Do you go with the Centralian-type model under the auspices of NTU so you have a university-type senior college? It would then make sense, perhaps, to locate it at the NTU precinct, which is a pretty under-utilised site. It is a wonderful facility, it has a great library there. The day I was there, there was one person sitting in it. It seemed to be, from that point of view, if we had a seriously high quality senior college, it would make sense to link it with Charles Darwin University, which is going to grow, both in strength and credibility over the years to come. There are a number of questions that I do not feel qualified to tick off and answer …
Mr Dunham: Hear, hear!
Mr STIRLING: Despite the jeers of the goose opposite. He probably would have made a decision like that to the cost of all Territorians, had he been minister.
Mr Dunham: I would have put the school in place by now, that is for sure.
Mr STIRLING: I thank God, sometimes, that he is no longer a minister.
There is a review of secondary schools being undertaken throughout the entire Northern Territory, as I speak, under Dr Gregor Ramsey and his team from the Northern Territory University. We are very pleased that they were able to pick up this consultancy on behalf of the government, at a reasonable cost, and they will do a great job. I have run into them a couple of times on the track, both at Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. Really, they have a bit of a job to do in this area in consultation with the local community, because it is the views of the Palmerston residents - the school community, the students, the parents, the current high school - as to what they think should be the case. Those views will come forward in that secondary review. We might need to test that again, but we have tried to do that as quickly as possible.
However, at the moment - and let me be very specific – there is $10m in the 2003-04 budget, but we would not expect the actual construction until into the 2004 year. Given that the secondary review will not report until about September, the government has to have a look at those recommendations before it. As I said, I would think there would be a need for testing of what comes forward from the review with the Palmerston community. We will get down to design very quickly once exactly what we are going to do is worked out - where it is going to go, what it is going to be - and go from there.
International Cricket in Darwin
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Minister, many Territorians and visitors are looking forward to international cricket coming to the Territory. Can you please advise the House of the progress of the government’s initiative with international cricket for the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. From tomorrow, there will be just 50 days until the historic occasion of the first cricket test ever played in the Northern Territory. Members are aware that the government has already invested very significantly in the upgrade of Marrara Oval in order to secure international cricket and other events for the Territory.
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: Well, it may not be of interest to members opposite, but I will continue because many people throughout the Territory are supporters and followers, and are very keen to find out what the latest is with regard to the development of the one day international cricket match on 8 August, and also the test match which will be taking place from 18 to 22 July.
International test cricket and one day international cricket will be a great boost, not only for our lifestyle but also for our tourism sector and for Territory businesses generally. Earlier this year, we had the opposition attack the introduction of the Major Cricket Events Bill. Earlier today, we had the opposition spokesperson attacking government initiatives at Marrara.
I can advise members that, unlike the opposition, the International Cricket Council does support the government’s initiative in securing international cricket for the Territory. Earlier today, I received notification that the International Cricket Council has accredited Marrara Oval as an international cricket venue following the inspection by the international panel referee, Mr Clive Lloyd, in January this year. The Australian Cricket Board’s General Manager for Cricket Operations, Mr Michael Brown, issued a press release today in which he says:
- The Northern Territory government has done a terrific job in preparing Marrara Oval for international cricket and bringing the venue in line with the ICC’s standards.
The Australian Cricket Board advises that the Australian team is genuinely excited about coming to Darwin for this historic tour. I am excited, and I know Territory business and members on this side of the Assembly are also. I am really looking forward to it. I just wish the opposition would stop looking in the rear view mirror and get excited also.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Recently, a forum was held at Girraween Primary School on genetically modified organisms, GMOs. This forum, amongst other things, looked at the possible effects – positive, negative or neutral - of GMOs on the environment. A member of the audience asked whether there were any off-site evaluations occurring with the genetically modified cotton trials in the Katherine region to see if there were any effects on the natural environment. The answer given was: no, only on-site evaluations.
Minister, if this is true, are you concerned that these off-site evaluations are not being done, and will you instigate such evaluations before any more GM trials are approved?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Nelson because this is an important issue. Genetically modified organisms or horticultural products, or genetically modified cotton, causes considerable debate in the community,. It is a topical subject in Katherine, and I know that the town council has taken a very strong view on that issue, and they oppose it.
My feeling is that there are a lot of people in the Katherine area who oppose it and, if I am not mistaken, the member for Daly has also voiced some opposition to genetically modified cotton …
Mr Baldwin: No, concern is what I voiced.
Dr BURNS: Concern, okay. We all have to listen very carefully to what the community is saying on this issue because there is widespread community concern.
The trial of 75 hectares of GM cotton has been going on for a number of years now. It is regulated by the Office of Gene Technology Regulator, which is a Commonwealth instrumentality. However, the Territory’s position is that this particular research must demonstrate whether or not such a cotton industry would be environmentally sustainable, and under what conditions. Until this is achieved, the government does not support a commercial industry in the Northern Territory.
Before we would even consider a commercial wide-scale cotton industry, of course, the whole environmental impacts and assessments would be done, not just on-site but off-site. I can give an undertaking to the member for Nelson on this important question that all those factors will be taken into consideration.
Budget 2003-04 – Commonwealth Road Funding
Mr REED to TREASURER
In your budget papers, the Commonwealth tied funding for national highways maintenance in 2003-04 is $27.3m, of which the Territory expects to spend only $13.5m in 2003-04 - also shown in the budget papers. Treasurer, why are you failing to spend all of the Commonwealth funding on our deteriorating highways, and where have you siphoned the remaining $13.5m of Commonwealth funds, instead of fixing the roads that are crumbling beneath our wheels?
ANSWER
I thank the former Treasurer and member for Katherine for his question in relation to this $27.3m on roads. I can assure him that, if we are getting $27.3m from the Commonwealth for roads expenditure, that is exactly where it will be spent.
The other half of the question - and I forget the figure he used; I think about $14m or $13m was the amount - was where is the $13m going? It is going on road maintenance.
Budget 2003-04 - Education
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
It is well known that education is one of our government’s highest priorities. Could you please outline the initiatives that are contained in the 2003-04 budget that will impact on the quality of education services provided to the people of the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Arafura for her question, because I am always pleased to speak about this government and what it is doing in relation to education. We resolved, very early as a government, that educational outcomes in the Northern Territory needed a significant lift, and we are going to continue to concentrate on that. Expenditure of $520m this financial year, a record, up $13.5m on last year’s budget, is clear evidence of that commitment.
An additional $3m in that recurrent funding has been allocated to build on the significant work already undertaken in information and communication technology in schools. That provides laptops for teachers under the EBA, upgrading of student database, and interactive distance learning for remote students. That is going to provide high quality two-way visual and audio between teachers and students. This is something we want to build on, particularly in remote areas, and particularly where you cannot get the range of curriculum subject offerings in some of those areas. This is the key to be able to provide that type of service. An extra $480 000 will go to extra support for students with learning difficulties to help them to achieve those national benchmarks in literacy and numeracy. We have a total commitment to literacy and numeracy standards, and that will give those who are having the greatest difficulty another measure of support.
I dealt with the high school in Palmerston. Other capital works include: $335 000 at Gillen; almost $3.9m for Parap; the first $1m of $7m for Darwin High School; and a further $3m for remote schools, which is an ongoing item in the budget. It is an area of concern to this government that with some of our infrastructure, the more rural and remote you get, the more run down that infrastructure has become. There are minor new works at Bees Creek, Bakewell, Anula, Mutitjulu, Nyrripi, Nightcliff, Leanyer and Girraween.
There is also good news for teachers in the budget. We value highly the role teachers play in our community, and this budget seeks to support them and acknowledge that support, with wages increased under the EBA – 5% this year, 4% from February next year – a 9% increase over two years. This keeps our teachers right near the top in relativity for teachers’ salaries across the board. Twenty additional teachers will again be employed this year, going on the extra 100 teachers over this term of government.$760 000 is budgeted this financial year for 60 student bursaries - these are the 20 bursaries a year at $12 000 each. They are enormously popular and successful, and both students and parents are always keen to add their personal thanks to that scheme. It gives us home-grown, local kids getting into our teaching service. An amount of $224 000 has been provided to improve living and working conditions of teachers in remote communities, and those laptops for teachers as part of the EBA will be put in place.
Employment and training has been provided for with $2m to a new initiative to support and train apprentices. $1.5m goes to meet the anticipated 24% increase in apprenticeships over the next three years. That is a growth rate that we are really going to work at getting. $500 000 is to establish an employment bonus scheme, aimed at those small businesses that take on apprentices. $1m goes to Vocational Education and Training for ongoing funding for remote youth in the TRY program,. $450 000 is for regional VET coordinators in Katherine, Tennant Creek, Jabiru and Nhulunbuy. An additional $500 000 is for Work Health Occupational Health and Safety services to Territory workers and industry. There are five additional positions created, which will help support emerging industries such as oil and gas. We are very mindful of the need to be right up there in world’s best practice in occupational health and safety in our industries if our people are going to get a look in on the major projects coming up, such as the LNG plant with Bechtel
That demonstrates a couple of the highlights. In two short years, we have gone some way to improve the quality of education and training in the Territory. There was neglect under our predecessors, it is not being unkind to say that. It is probably being gentle; you probably could say much worse. There is a legacy of neglect there that we have had to pick up and respond to and, of course, that takes resources.
The future wellbeing of the Territory hinges on the product that we bring out of our schools. I saw a quote recently that, ‘those kids going forward into the future is a mirror on the society of today’. That is a great way to look at it. We have a responsibility to these kids, to provide access to the best quality education and training possible. I am proud of the foundation we are building. However, there is an awful long way to go, and we do not crow about those early successes that we have had yet, because, in particularly indigenous, rural and remote outcomes, they are so abysmally low that we should expect - and we demand, and will get - quite steep improvements, particularly over the first few years. We are coming off such a low base of achievement. We will continue to work at it.
I look forward to the MAPS national benchmark testing in literacy and numeracy at Years 3, 5 and 7 this year. It will be undertaken in about August, and it will be late in the year before we get preliminary results. However, we did see early turnarounds, albeit off the low base. I look forward to those results coming to us later this year and sharing those with the House and with Territorians, because that is a measure, in part at least, of how effective this government has been in lifting educational standards across the Territory.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker! As I recall, given your very useful contribution in relation to your explanation about the Youth Parliament, Question Time did not start until 2.10 pm. We do, by tradition, have an hour of Question Time, unless the government is running from opportunity for questions to be asked of them.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016