2003-11-26
Gender Equality Legislation - Late Presentation of Petition from Greek Community
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
The day after you passed the Gay and Lesbian Reform Package, your Attorney-General presented a petition from 760 members of the Greek community opposing your legislation. The petition was, in fact, received in your office on Monday, and notification was also received in my office on the same day. Why did your government withhold the petition for a couple of days and rob those Territorians of their say before you pushed these laws through?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have not had a full briefing on this because I was not expecting a question on the procedures of a petition as the first question in Question Time on the opposition’s General Business Day. It is very curious that, on the opposition’s General Business Day, there is one thing that the new Opposition Leader is bringing on behalf of the opposition to the parliament and that is some legislation from Mr Dunham, the Random Drug Testing bill. That is the whole thrust of what this opposition is doing on its General Business Day, concerned about the future of the Territory and introduces a Random Drug Testing bill into the Territory.
As I said, I not have not had a full briefing on this. I believe the petition arrived in my office on Monday, and it then found its way to where it should have been. That procedure did not happen to get to the relevant minister until today, and we presented it as soon as possible. There is no evil intent here. If the Opposition Leader is trying to insinuate that there was some kind of plan on behalf of the government, there was not. I exhort the Opposition Leader to ask questions that are relevant to the future of the Territory.
Jobs Plan - Community Support
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Can the minister please advise the House, the constituents of Millner and the wider Territory how the Martin Labor government’s Jobs Plan has been supported by the community.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. I am delighted to say that the response has been positive across the board. Prior to the public launch earlier this week, my office and I engaged in a series of briefings with business and unions in Darwin and Alice Springs. At each of those briefings, both business and unions were expressing strong support. We are pretty confident that we had covered most of the bases before we went to the public launch. The most frequent comment at each of these briefings and at the launch itself was that for too long structured training in the Northern Territory had been uncoordinated. The effort lacked real strategy and the effort of government to support business and employing trainees across the board was inadequate.
People see, through this strategy, that this has changed, and changed forever. Comments were supportive of the development of the workforce report. Business and unions both agree that for too long we had a lack of understanding about where the skills are in our labour market, where the job needs are, and where the emerging needs are going to be. We have, of course, absolutely no picture outside of Darwin and the major centres as to what constitutes our labour market, and a very imprecise picture of the workforce in places such as Tennant Creek, Katherine, and Nhulunbuy. That will all change.
It is not every day of the week that you get the head of the business world in Darwin and the head of the trade union movement coming out in joint support of a government initiative. Janie Mason, the Trades and Labor Council President, and Carole Frost, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Officer, both publicly supported the government’s Jobs Plan on that day. However, the one comment that got me the most came from a great Territorian, in my view, one Penni Tastula. All members would be aware that Penni heads up a major tourism business in the Territory. She has seen, over the years, the practical benefits that quality, structured training can provide for her business. She said, as a result of the government’s Jobs Plan, she would be able to employ up to three more trainees. I quote Penni on Channel 9 News on Monday, 24 November:
- Every little bit of additional assistance that you can get does make a difference, it really does. It makes more staff more affordable.
There is one business on the record, right up front, that will employ more trainees as a result of the government’s Jobs Plan. Penni will be one of many who take up this opportunity. As a result, we would expect to see the Territory have a much more strategic approach to how it delivers its training but, more importantly, a better skilled, better prepared workforce for jobs and a more prosperous place for Territorians.
Gender Equality Legislation - Late Presentation of Petition from Greek Community
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
My question comes as a way of a briefing for the Chief Minister. The petition, which was signed by 760 members of the Greek community, took them two and a half days to collect. It was stamped on a Monday, I received it one and a half hours later of you receiving it. It was televised. I received notification that you received it. The question remains: why then did your government withhold this petition from this Chamber prior to the debate?
Madam SPEAKER: I have to say, Leader of the Opposition, I do think your question is repetitive, however, I call on the Chief Minister.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to answer it. Since the Opposition Leader asked the first question, as I said, I had not been briefed on what had happened. In the interim, I have. We took the petition very seriously, of course, when there are 700 signatures on a petition. We have talked to many members of the Greek community and understand their concerns.
Mr Mills: Did you apologise to the 760 people?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the Opposition Leader asked a question and I think I deserve at least the chance to answer it in silence. Thank you.
Mr Baldwin: You represent those people.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly!
Ms MARTIN: The petition was actually to me; it was not to the parliament, and there was no request to have it tabled. We decided to have it tabled. It went through the procedures, and it did not get through those procedures …
Mr Baldwin: Oh, nice spin.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly!
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting the member for Daly says, ‘Nice spin’.
Mr Baldwin interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly, cease. Member for Daly, can you hear me?
Mr Baldwin: Yes, Madam Speaker, I can.
Madam SPEAKER: Good! I have called you to order a couple of times. Allow the Chief Minister to continue her answer.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it is particularly offensive when I stand here and say this is what happened to that petition, and what you get from the member for Daly is, ‘Nice spin’. I am saying what happened. The petition was not the traditional petition. It was not to this parliament, it was to me as Chief Minister. There was no request to have it tabled. We decided it was an important petition, that we would move it through the tabling process, and it did not get to the relevant minister’s office until yesterday. It came in here today, as soon as it could.
Even though there was some disagreement with some members of the Greek community over that legislation …
Mr Mills: 760 Territorians.
Mr Baldwin: 760 Territorians - ducking and weaving, that is what you are doing.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly, again! That is twice.
Mr Baldwin: What are you going to tell them?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly, you are on a warning! I have spoken to you a number of times.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the petition was tabled appropriately, but there was no request to table it. We brought it into the parliament. We have had many discussions with the Greek community about their concerns, and will continue to have those discussions. The petition, quite appropriately, was tabled this morning.
I would like the opposition to stop the conspiracy theory and accept that I am standing in here not, as the member for Daly says, ‘putting a spin on this’. What I am telling this parliament is how that petition tracked, how it did not follow the usual procedure for petitions, and it has come in here and been tabled this morning.
Ghan Passenger Service - Impact on Economy
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Recent reports indicate that more than $10m worth of tickets have been sold for the Ghan passenger service.
Mr Dunham: It has nothing to do with you, apparently. The Chief Minister told us this morning it has nothing to do with you.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, cease. We will have questions asked in silence. I am getting a little tired of the opposition’s continual interjections when questions are being asked. You expect to be heard in silence, extend the courtesy to the other members.
Mr KIELY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
What impact will these extra visitors have on the tourism industry and the broader Territory economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Yes, I believe most people here would be aware that ticket sales for the Ghan have topped $10m, which is a fantastic feat. I am now informed that the train is well over one kilometre long, and growing. Great Southern Rail have informed me that they are very happy with the promotion they have had with Steve Irwin promoting the Ghan. In fact, they lay a lot of the success of this $10m in advance ticket sales to that particular campaign. They are not complaining at all.
The Tourist Commission estimates that this $10m in ticket sales translates to about 16 000 tourists each year, which is worth about $27m to our Territory economy, and is likely to support somewhere around 200 additional jobs. The Tourist Commission has contributed $200 000 towards joint marketing with Great Southern Rail. We are very happy with the $10m in ticket sales, and they are very happy.
It is interesting because, in the last fortnight, I have had discussions with a senior executive of an international Asian airline company. They are looking closely at Darwin, the links with the railway coming to Darwin, and looking at putting on some services in Darwin on the basis that this is one additional reason, along with a lot more business travel for people who come to see the gas plant, to be involved in business there.
All in all, I believe all these things are cumulative for us. I will be pressing that business case with a whole range of airline companies. I commend Great Southern Rail. I believe it will achieve a lot of great things for the regional economies, Alice Springs to Katherine, and up to Darwin. Part of what the Tourist Commission is doing with regional marketing initiatives will promote tourists on the train getting off and having a good look around at our great regional destinations throughout the Territory.
Gender Equality Legislation - Petition from Bagot Community
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, the member for Millner tabled a petition on behalf of 66 constituents from the Bagot Community about the gay law reform bill. Unusually, he chose not to have the petition read out. Chief Minister, why is your government deliberately denying Territorians their only voice in this House by refusing for their petitions to be presented in an honest and timely fashion?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, again, another question based on a fantasy of conspiracy from that side of the House. I made it very clear in response to the last two questions from the Opposition Leader that there was no conspiracy. I am advised that yesterday the member for Millner forgot to say: ‘I move the petition be read’.
Mr Elferink: Rubbish!
Ms MARTIN: You can say rubbish. The petition came to this parliament. It was tabled, and it will be appropriately responded to. I am certain the member for Millner will do that personally.
The element of that question goes to a conspiracy theory; just dealing with the first three questions today on a conspiracy theory from the opposition to the government - rubbish, rubbish, rubbish. What this side of the House is actually waiting for is some substantive points from the opposition, on this, the General Business Day, about what you would do for the future of the Territory. What we are waiting for, on this General Business Day, the first one for the brand new Opposition Leader, is your vision. Where is your motion to this parliament today that says what you are doing as Leader of the Opposition, where you are taking the Territory, and where you would take the Territory? Not an element. All we have is random drug testing of politicians - the only new contribution that the opposition is making on their General Business Day into this parliament. Conspiracy theories, but no vision.
Mr Dunham: You think that is funny, do you? We know you are a ganja smoker.
Mrs AAGAARD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I believe that reflected on the character of the Chief Minister and should be withdrawn.
Madam SPEAKER: I am sorry, I missed that. Was that from the member for Drysdale?
Mr Ah Kit: He called her a ganja smoker.
Mr Kiely: He said: ‘We know you are a ganja smoker’.
Dr Toyne: It was very grubby, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Unfortunately I did miss it. Members of the opposition, please watch your remarks. You are being a little disorderly today.
Community Housing and Crisis Accommodation Grants
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for HOUSING
I understand that you recently approved a number of grants under the Community Housing and Crisis Accommodation Program. Could you please advise the House on the grants that you have approved, and how this contributes to improve social housing and generates jobs for local contractors?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. The Community Housing and Crisis Accommodation Program assists community-based organisations that provide accommodation services to people with special needs or at risk of homelessness. The strength of these important programs is twofold. Firstly, it provides much-needed support for community-based organisations and their programs. Secondly, through its capital works program, it provides work for small and medium size contractors.
I recently approved 18 projects under these programs, ranging in value from $2700 to $290 000. In total, almost $980 000 has been approved under these programs so far this year. The Mental Health Association of Central Australia has received a grant of $226 500 for the purchase of two units, together with minor landscaping to the gardens. The program will assist tenants with a psychiatric disability to move into a sustainable rental situation.
An amount of $46 180 has been approved for Somerville Community Services for the renovation of a dwelling at Howard Springs and the sinking of a water bore. This property accommodates people with severe disabilities and challenging behaviour - and the member for Macdonnell may well laugh. Somerville Community Services will receive a further four grants, averaging $16 000 each, to carry out renovations and refurbishment to four properties in the Darwin region. The works planned include bathroom and kitchen refurbishment, renovations to floor coverings, and garden irrigation systems.
The Handicapped Persons Association Inc will receive two grants totalling $13 900 for the refurbishment of a kitchen, internal painting, and repairs to stormwater drainage. The YWCA of Darwin will receive a grant of $23 375 to refurbish a property that is currently unsafe and uninhabitable. The grant will provide for internal and external painting of the bathroom and kitchen renovations, and provision of security screens and doors.
Other grants, ranging in value from $20 000 to $70 000, that have been approved under these programs will fund the installation of hand rails, fire safety equipment, roof repairs, construction of car parking facilities as required under the town planning regulations, and housing extensions to include children’s programs at the Dawn House women’s shelter.
These grants ensure that our programs assist the most vulnerable in our community, and we are ensuring that they are of the highest standard. The capital spending of the grants program, in turn, provides an important stimulus for our local building contractors throughout the Territory.
Parks and Reserves Legislation - Area of Land Affected
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You are about to relinquish the ownership of 20 of the Territory’s parks, reserves and proposed parks. Can you advise Territorians of the total area of these parks, reserves and proposed parks?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. It is a bill we will be debating in this House. I am encouraged that there is a lot of interest in this debate when we get to it later this evening. It is an important bill for the Territory, because it shows that there are different ways to deal with sometimes difficult issues than we have seen in the past. From the previous government - it would have been litigate forever. We would have had litigation over a High Court decision that would have …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It was a very specific and direct question. We will be getting into the debate later.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition asked you a specific question, so if you could get on with your answer.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it needs a context. This is an important bill for this House and I was giving it the context. I will be brief. However, it is important to understand that this is an important bill. It shows the difference between how this government deals with sometimes difficult issues and how the previous government did. This bill results from a decision by the High Court, the Ward High Court decision last August, and it shows the way forward for both recognising Aboriginal land rights and native title, but also looking at how we incorporate that into growing the Territory, our tourism opportunities, jobs and enterprises.
The alternative to this was to litigate for the best part of 20 years, and probably cost Territory taxpayers something like $150m.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: I cannot give you the specific area but I can say - and we will be dealing with this in the debate - that it is something like less than 2% of the Territory land mass.
Mr Mills: Two percent!
Ms MARTIN: Less than 2%. I am happy, before the end of Question Time, to get you a specific answer. I am a little bewildered about what the actual quantum proves. What we are dealing with here are solutions, and what we have from the Leader of the Opposition is a nitpicking attempt to say: ‘Do you know the area of land we are dealing with?’ I can give you the names of the all the parks we are dealing with. I can give you the way we are proposing to deal with all these parks. However, in terms of how we move the Territory forward, with tourism, and jobs for indigenous people and enterprises, then this bill will show us the way to do that.
I give assurances to the Leader of the Opposition that we will do an accounting of how many square kilometres this is and get back before the end of Question Time.
Free Trade Agreement - Impact on Local Content
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
As you would be aware, Australia and the United States are currently negotiating a free trade agreement. They are hoping to finalise it by the end of the year. United States negotiators have indicated they believe that government practices requiring local content on projects are discriminatory. Can you tell the House what the Territory government has done to determine the free trade agreement’s possible impact on the policy of promoting local content, and the use of local contractors on projects such as the LNG project?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question and his continued interest in the proposed - and it is still a proposed - free trade agreement between the United States of America and Australia. The member might be aware that the federal Minister for Trade , Mark Vaile, yesterday, I do not know if he is back yet, was in Washington to further consider and discuss that potential.
To put this in context, the USA was the fifth largest export market for the Northern Territory in 2002-03. Territory goods exported to the United States in that year totalled $175m and imports some $115m; and they are dominated by the mineral products. We are also seeing increasing trade in barramundi, for example, from the member for Goyder’s electorate, going into Miami. There are potential opportunities for Territory exporters under a free trade agreement with the United States, which is an important export market for the Northern Territory.
Discussions are continuing. Territory government officials are involved in determining what is termed our negative list, the type of items we in the Territory would seek to have excluded from that free trade agreement. One of those things could be government tendering and purchasing provisions, for example, but all those discussions are currently under way. There has been no decision taken at the moment.
We encourage United States investment in the Northern Territory. Currently, the single biggest investment that the Northern Territory has ever seen from the private sector, the Bayu-Undan gas and LNG project, is operated by an American company, ConocoPhillips. They are making a huge $5bn investment in the Northern Territory and we want to see that level of investment grow.
As these discussions continue, there is no conclusive answer to the member’s question. I am happy for officials to provide him with a detailed briefing. Depending where the United States goes in terms of opening up their agricultural markets to Australian exports, which is obviously a sticking point - there is a lot of discussion in the media at the moment about US access to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, to Australian media content - all of these things are out for debate at the moment. It is conjecture, but we are engaged and considering our position within these discussions.
Diamond Indicator Mineral Base
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Can you please update the House on the status of the Martin Labor government’s development of a diamond indicator mineral base?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Barkly, for his question. He is a great supporter of the mining industry in the Northern Territory, and the Barkly in particular.
The government is committed to assisting the mining and exploration industry in many practical ways. A recent example, which I am pleased to announce today, is the development of a diamond indicator mineral and diamond mineral chemistry database comprising 58 000 samples from across the Northern Territory which has been released recently.
For members’ identification, I have a map of the Territory here. This map shows, in the dots shaded in various colours, the 58 000 samples contained within the database. Each one of these samples is freely available over the Internet to help explorers target where they are going to apply for exploration leases across the Northern Territory. There is much geological data held within the database about each and every one of these 58 000 samples across the Northern Territory. It is a great credit to the people in my department who have put this database together and have been working on it for the last couple of years.
As I said, the database provides a very powerful early exploration tool, combined with the geophysical data that the department holds, to assist the exploration industry to target where they are going to explore in the Northern Territory. As we can see, we are moving ahead of the rest of Australia at a rapid rate in the grant of exploration licences. By working in partnership with the exploration industry, and the land councils, we are starting to see significant take-up of exploration leases in the Northern Territory.
This database will be on display for the first time in Perth next month at the World Diamond Conference. A new two year program will also map and characterise broad regions of the Territory for explorers. Recent developments in diamond exploration across the Territory include: Gravity Capital announced a farm-in agreement to some of Rio Tinto’s most prospective diamond exploration areas using new airborne FalconTM technology; Rio Tinto, and the member for Daly would be interested in this, has been granted access to land in the Daly River/Port Keats region that represents some of the most prospective diamond country in Australia; and Striker Resources has picked up six exploration licences surrounding the Merlin mining lease in the member for Barkly’s electorate, where there is considerable potential for new diamond pipe discoveries.
When the member for Barkly and I were recently just outside Tennant Creek for Giants Reef’s first gold pour, some of the board members of Giants Reef are also board members of Striker Resources, and they gave me a ‘Geology 101’ lesson in regards to the potential for diamonds in the Borroloola area. They are very excited at picking up those Rio leases.
I am outlining further ways in which this government is assisting the mining industry in the Northern Territory. What this is all about is discovering new resources and, in this particular instance, discovering new diamonds. This is the potential of the Northern Territory.
I would like to show this to honourable members. I wish this was the real thing, Madam Speaker. This is a life-size replica of the largest gem quality diamond that has ever been discovered in Australia. It was discovered at the Merlin Diamond Mine, and was recently on display at the museum, where the Chief Minister and I attended the opening. One hundred and four carats, Madam Speaker. Where there is one, there has to be more, and that is what this database is all about. Rio Tinto asked the traditional owners to give the diamond a name - and I will try and do this justice - Jungiila Bunajina, which means star dreaming. The traditional owners from Borroloola were with the Rio Tinto executives at the museum at Bullocky Point about a month ago.
Territorians flocked to see this particular diamond - 35 000 coming through to see the diamond; more than the Monet Exhibition, according to the Chief Minister. Where there is one, there are going to be more and, hopefully, this database that we are putting together is going to uncover more of these fantastic diamonds in the Northern Territory.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: You can leave it with me, minister, if you like.
Ms Martin: It is not the real thing, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. I will treat it carefully.
Parks and Reserves Legislation - Value of Land Affected
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
We will, I guess, get greater clarification on the amount of land – approximately 2% of the Northern Territory. Chief Minister, as you would well know, all Territory assets have a value under accrual accounting methods. Could you please advise Territorians, and members of this House, the value of the 20 Territory parks, reserves and proposed parks that this legislation will allow to be handed over from Territory government control?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Opposition Leader, as I understand it, is asking for the value of the parks that will be handed over. It is interesting that when we are dealing with a quite complex and different bill, which is a framework for negotiations for parks and reserves, the Opposition Leader is asking questions that go to some of the specifics of it but not to the heart of it.
The first one was: ‘What kind of land mass are we handing over?’. Can I make it quite clear that this ‘what land mass are we handing over?’ is a blast from the past. The Opposition Leader had a briefing on this proposed bill which we now have in front of us. It was made very clear to the new Opposition Leader that this land is land that will be for all Territorians. It will be leased back to all Territorians. We are starting to hear a mantra from the Opposition Leader of, ‘What land mass are you handing over?’, without the other side of what is a very sensible and clear solution.
Mr BALDWIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I, too, was given a briefing by the Chief Minister’s staff, and the Chief Minister’s Chief of Staff gave me an undertaking that he would get this area to me, which he has not done. I would expect …
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr BALDWIN: … that the Chief Minister could answer the simple question.
Madam SPEAKER: You know, and the Leader of the Opposition knows, that the way that ministers answer questions is up to them, as long as it is relevant to the question being asked, which is about parks.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I will not take long. It is an important aspect of answering a question about what is a very important bill for the Territory. What I am saying is that, when the Opposition Leader talks about value of the land, we are talking about land that, of course, has a value. There are many aspects to that value - traditional, cultural, environmental and tourism values. The Australian Valuation Office will, in time, do the assessment you are asking about.
What the Opposition Leader is really asking is: how much are you intending to pay in lease payments? That is what he wants to ask.
Mr Baldwin: No, no, we are not interested in that.
Ms MARTIN: That is what he wants to ask.
Mr Baldwin: No, you are making the wrong assumption.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: What we are saying is that we are currently looking at a number of parks and reserves that make up – I said under 2%, it is way under that, it is 1.35% of the total Territory land mass, which makes it 17 700 km2 of land which will go towards enhancing our park system, our tourism experience and biological diversity. I am confident that the way we have chosen to deal with the difficult issue will benefit all Territorians, and will certainly not go - as we have seen in the past - simply to benefit lawyers and time in court. It is a way of practically dealing with a difficult issue.
Yes, it does deal with parts of the Territory. Yes, it does deal with 17 700 km2 of land, which makes it 1.35% of the Territory. Yes, there will be, once this whole process has gone through, some lease negotiations, and they will be based on the type of lease negotiations that we saw take place with Nitmiluk in the early 1990s. We are saying that the process put in place by the Country Liberal Party when they were in government worked well. It is a model we will follow.
All those arrangements will be made once this bill has been passed – hopefully - and once agreement details are negotiated over the period between now and 30 June. I am hoping we will receive full support for this bill from the opposition.
Madam SPEAKER: Before we continue, I advise members that the power was lost but it is coming on gradually. You will notice the lights are returning. They have to cool down before they actually come on. I am not quite sure whether this kryptonite here caused it or not, but be patient and remember it is a little difficult when we are in the semi-darkness.
Essential Services in Remote Electorates
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Thank you, Madam Speaker, I thought I would have to wave my hands around so I am glad the lights are coming on a little better here.
Minister, the Martin Labor government is addressing the years of neglect of essential services in the bush, including my electorate of Arafura, by the previous administration. Can the minister please advise the House on the action that government is taking, and the jobs that are flowing from that action?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am also grateful that the lights are coming back on, although they still look the same opposite.
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: I thank the member for Arafura for her question. It is obvious that she is keen for an update, unlike some of the bush members opposite.
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, I will try to speak above the rabble.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, before you go on. It is hard enough in the dark, but let us please have some decorum.
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, you have already been spoken to once, just settle down.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, the Martin Labor government has increased expenditure in the bush through the Essential Services Program from $35m at the time of change of government to $48m in this year’s budget. This is an increase of almost 40%. This expenditure is required to address the very substantial under-spending and neglect under the CLP government.
Under the former government, infrastructure - including barge landings, bores, airstrips and power stations - had been allowed to run down and neglected to a point where significant capital investment must now be made to bring them up to standard. The Martin government’s expenditure in this area is now generating more than 300 jobs, ranging from fuel distributors, emergency repairs, contractors, through to high technology solar energy contractors.
My department is preparing a service level agreement with PowerWater Corporation that will include provisions for local recruitment and training to generate more local and regional jobs. Through this year’s Indigenous Essential Services Capital Works Program, $10m will be spent to upgrade water systems, build power stations, replace diesel generators, and repair airstrips and barge landings throughout the Territory. This program generates some 100 jobs for Territorians. Wherever possible, local contractors and local recruits are employed. This means real jobs, and the money spent through the program remains, mostly, in the community.
This program is vitally important to people living in our more remote communities. As one example, work will soon commence to address issues relating to sewerage effluent disposal at Ntaria, or Hermannsburg. This will include the construction of an irrigation area 800 metres from the current ponds, and will also include electrical, hydraulic and earthwork components. This project is due for completion by April 2004.
During this financial year, $5.5m will have been spent on improving airstrips alone. In October, I approved an increase in the capital works program for airstrips, with funding provided for three vital community airstrips at Kintore, Pularumpi and Kalkarindji. At Kintore, the airstrip will be sealed and upgraded, costing $900 000. I am told Pularumpi is now complete, and the cost for the upgrading and sealing of this very important community airstrip was $1.1m. I am looking forward to travelling there with the local member for that region, the member for Arafura, on 15 December for the official opening. In Kalkarindji, $1.15m is being spent on the reseal of that airstrip. Other airstrips that are planned to have upgrades in the coming year include Gapuwiyak, Ramingining, Bulman and Minyerri.
Through a coordinated approach, working closely with local contractors and local councils, the Indigenous Essential Services Program is creating real jobs for the bush and addressing the neglect of the previous CLP government.
Finally, I thank the Local Government contractors and workers in the bush for their outstanding efforts, and the staff of the Essential Services Program for their dedication and excellent work.
Parks and Reserves Legislation - Powers Conferred Upon Chief Minister
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You have asked us to trust you with the way that this process is going to be negotiated, a process that we are unsure of the size …
Ms Martin: Which process?
Mr MILLS: … of the land, we are unclear on the value of it – the process that your legislation outlines to negotiate the adjusting of the land tenure of parks and reserves which gives you unfettered power to negotiate behind closed doors. How is this consistent with your policy of an open, honest and accountable government? You have the unfettered power, something we do not know about.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question, and I do say that we are going to have a comprehensive debate on this later. Let me say, the Opposition Leader came for a briefing last week, and walked out of the briefing saying he thought it was a good bill and had no problems. We are hearing a very different tack here in the parliament and you wonder …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: No, it was when he was leader. The response he gives to those giving the briefing and the response he is now giving in this parliament are two very different responses. You wonder where the hypocrisy is. The core, the element …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: No, and the Opposition Leader should remember that we are not silly on this side of the House. We know what response you give in briefings, and we see how different it is when you come here trying to make rhetoric and inflammatory comments that are totally unnecessary. Let us go to the heart of the question that was asked.
Madam Speaker, the Opposition Leader started the question by saying: ‘We do not know what the land is’. I have been very clear on that: 17 700 km of land that will be leased to Territorians for 99 years. Let us make this clear. We are talking about 1.35% of the Territory land mass. We are talking about 17 700 km, potentially, and we are talking about it being no permit, no entry fee. We are talking about access in the same way that we have seen at Nitmiluk National Park; the same type of process the CLP put into place.
Let us knock off the first bit of ignorance from the Opposition Leader: the land mass is known.
If you are talking about the value of the land, there are lots of different values that apply to the land. If we do not deal with this issue quickly, we are going to have uncertainty about operations in parks, uncertainty built into our tourism industry. We will have uncertainty right across the Territory.
We can provide, through this bill, certainty for our future in terms of economic development in a very critical area, which is tourism. A very critical area, complementary to that, is building indigenous employment and building enterprises in remote areas of the Territory.
Let us look at what the other aspect of the question was: ‘How can we trust you? You are doing it behind closed doors.’ Where is the sense and the logic of this man? It is out the window somewhere. We have introduced in this place legislation which is open and accountable. What you see in the legislation that we will discuss it this afternoon is what there is. Nothing else. It is spelt out. I hope you have read this legislation, because it is spelt out very clearly. We certainly did not have to do this. We have worked with the Commonwealth to establish a very accountable and transparent process, and they are very complimentary of it.
When the Opposition Leader comes in here and implies we are doing deals behind closed doors, he is wrong, he is wrong, and he is wrong! This is open and transparent, and has been from the first moment we realised what the High Court decision on Ward actually meant for our parks and reserves; there were 49 that were invalidly declared. The process has been open and it will continue to be open, because we are a government acting for all Territorians. The interesting thing is that our tourism industry, our miners and the business community have welcomed this approach. The only ones being churlish and negative are the opposition.
Student Behaviour in Schools
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Teachers and parents have spoken to me about concerns regarding student behaviour in schools. Can you please inform the House what action the government is taking to tackle this important issue?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. It is something that is right across the board, these continuing concerns from schools and teachers about student behaviour.
We have to recognise at the outset that almost all students are well-behaved and willing to learn in the classroom, but there is an element that is disruptive. The teacher’s role in the classroom, we know, is an unrelenting one, day in and day out. At times, we are getting to the stage where it can actually turn into almost a hostile environment.
There are a number of strategies that we have been bringing to bear on this, in particular, a greater draw-down on the Inclusion Support Assistance that is available to teachers in schools where we have these sorts of difficulties. We want to see a lift in the resources available to the classroom teacher where these sort of difficulties occur. We have to strengthen, across the board, the schools’ behaviour management programs, and they will be ticked off through the department. We have to put a lot more work in than is being done to improve relationships between parents and teachers. We want to ensure that the standards that the teachers and the schools expect in the classroom, that we have the cooperation and understanding of parents, so that we get a similarity and reinforcement from the home in an effort to improve student behaviour.
Next financial year, 40 new teaching positions are going to come on stream, as the final 40 of the commitment this government made prior to the election, that we would have an extra 100 teachers on the books over the life of this government. That will bring up the 100 teachers. Ten of those teachers are going to be assigned the task of behaviour management support. We expect they will work with teams of schools, and assist teachers in the school community to better deal where there are questions of poor student behaviour. They will be student behaviour experts in that sense, expertise and experience around them.
We are also looking at a package of initiatives where we want to provide teachers with support in an holistic fashion, in their role as teachers. We are going to focus it, initially, on remote and regional teachers, and trial it before we bring it in system-wide.
As part of the background, I have asked for preparation of a public discussion paper on how we might improve the value of education right across the community, as a background in a more holistic fashion to addressing the whole question of education in the community. If we can get education, and the value of education, elevated within the community, we might begin to get, also, a shift in attitude by the community, as a whole, towards teachers, learning and education. I hope that paper will be available to us to get out into the community some time in 2004.
Katherine - Potential for Wildlife Sanctuary
Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for TOURISM
Yesterday, you stated in parliament:
Engaging with the regional tourist associations, particularly Katherine, looking at possibly a joint production with Great Southern Rail to encourage tourists off the train at Katherine. This will be a great boost to Katherine. I was there last week and the place is abuzz with it. What we have to do is ensure that we entice people off the train to go to see the great sights of Katherine. It is going to be great.
One of the world’s best private collections of exotic and endangered animals, located in the Northern Territory, is on the market. At a time when you have a tourism infrastructure development committee searching for new attractions, I do have vision, minister. Would you support my endeavours …
Madam SPEAKER: What is your question please?
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Get to your question, thank you.
Mrs MILLER: Will you support my endeavours to have exotic and endangered animals retained in the Northern Territory, and a world class wildlife sanctuary established in Katherine to house them?
Mr Stirling: The question is?
Mrs MILLER: That is the question.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, perhaps - minister, before you start, order, thank you! Perhaps, member for Katherine, in future you might get to your questions more quickly.
Mrs MILLER: Yes, Madam Speaker.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will answer this briefly, it is probably more to do with my colleague’s portfolio. All I can say is, I think it is a very bizarre suggestion. Neither the Tourist Commission nor government are zookeepers. I would have thought we would have been looking at the logistics of getting people from the railway to visit Nitmiluk, the caves, maybe even to hire vehicles to go through to Kakadu, to see all the great war time history in the area, and we get this bizarre suggestion of a zoo. We are not zookeepers. I will let the member for Arnhem answer the question.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Baldwin: I do not believe it, what vision you have! Did you know they were for sale, minister?
Dr BURNS: We are not going to spend our $27.5m on a zoo.
Mrs Miller: We are talking about exotic animals. I did not say you had to buy them.
Madam SPEAKER: I am sure Territory listeners are intrigued by that little interchange.
East Arm Leprosarium
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
In the last sittings of parliament, there was discussion about the destruction of the East Arm Leprosarium. I believe you said that because East Arm was gone, the heritage effort should focus on Channel Island. As Channel Island Leprosarium had a history of its own, and East Arm Leprosarium a separate history, would the minister consider the excision of a small piece of land at what was the entrance to the East Arm Leprosarium so that members of the community who have a connection with that facility could erect a plaque to remind Territorians of what was once there?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is a constructive suggestion and I would like to further that conversation. I have no in-principle objection to that, so let us continue the conversation about that.
Preschools - Shortage of Places
Dr LIM to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Today’s NT News reports that some 2000 to 3000 children are missing out on preschool because of a shortage of places. What are you doing to ensure that Territory children can access preschool, apart from just palming off your responsibility to the Commonwealth government?
ANSWER
I do not know what you would call someone who leads with their chin in such a fashion, Madam Speaker. If they were a boxer they would have a pretty short career. What did they do for 26 years for our preschools in rural and remote areas in the Northern Territory? Zero. What have we done? We have mobile preschools going around the Territory.
What upsets me is not the 3000 who are potentially missing out on getting into preschool, it is the 6000 and 7000 out there who ought to be in school but are not because of the lack of effort and commitment from this mob over 26 years of government.
Regional Development Plan Progress
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Can you please advise the House on recent progress in preparing regional development plans under our government’s Stronger Region, Stronger Futures policy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Barkly. At the centre of the Martin Labor government’s policy towards the future development of the Territory, there is a conscious rejection of the Berrimah Line mentality from us that has for so long …
Mr Dunham: Rubbish! You closed down the regional centre board.
Mr AH KIT: Well you cannot help yourself, you grub. … that has for so long starved …
Mr Dunham: I do not mind being a grub? I thought that was offensive to parliamentary standing orders.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale, the minister has the floor.
Mr AH KIT: … for so long starved our regions of support. Members of the Assembly will remember the recent launch of the Katherine Regional Development Plan, which has received strong support across that region. As the minister responsible, in looking at that plan, I do not think they catered for a zoo or had that in the blueprint. Maybe that is something that the member for Katherine would like to take up with them, because that is not what they are planning for the region. What has happened in regards to her bid for the zoo is that she has been running a campaign in the papers there drumming up support, and has not even approached me …
Mrs Miller: We actually want to develop Katherine. What a terrible thing to do!
Mr AH KIT: … has not even written to me and has not asked for a meeting to talk about this as the minister responsible for animal welfare. However, I digress and I should not.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of launching the Anmatjere Regional Development Plan at Ti Tree. I table copies of the Anmatjere Regional Development Plan for members’ information. The document produced at the launch does two important things. Firstly, it identifies the seven key elements that will guide the people of the Anmatjere region and the government in developing the region. These are: to increase tourism; expand pastoral and horticultural industries; improve infrastructure; foster social harmony; expand regional employment and training; develop the Ti Tree township as a regional centre; and foster Aboriginal development. The plan sets out a framework for the creation of employment and community development in the region.
Secondly, and most importantly, the plan brands the Anmatjere region as the growing centre of Central Australia. It was fantastic to see the pride of the people of the Anmatjere region in their plan for the future of their region. On that day I was also privileged to be part of the opening of the Knowledge Centre, which is based at the council office in Ti Tree, as well as to launch their tourism FM radio station, not to mention to check out the sports oval and the new scoreboard for the mighty Ti Tree Roosters.
There is a real optimism and pride apparent from the moment you drive into the region, from either the north or the south, and pass the magnificent ‘Welcome to Anmatjere Country’ billboards. The tourism FM radio stations will be extended next year to Aileron and Tilmouth Well, and will provide visitors with a history and a run-down on the sites and facilities of the region.
One of the most impressive aspects of the branding of Anmatjere as a growing centre of Australia is the universal adoption across the region of the Anmatjere country logo. At the request of the people there, I have been asked to present to you, as an official gift from the people of the Anmatjere country to the Northern Territory parliament, an example of the flag they have adopted for their region.
Madam Speaker, it is a flag that is flown proudly down the Anmatjere Way, from Gregory Dick’s Roadhouse at Aileron, right up to Ti Tree and beyond. It is with pleasure that I pass on this gift to you on behalf of the Anmatjere Community Government Council.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please convey my thanks and the thanks of parliament to the members of the Anmatjere Community Council for their kind gift.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Henderson: Not a bad day, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: I have a diamond and a flag.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016