2005-03-24
Chief Minister’s View of Abusive Taunts
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
You have told the people of Alice Springs that you do not approve of comments by your minister who repeatedly called me a ‘poofter’. This was after he was roundly criticised for making disgusting innuendos about me and root vegetables last year. As every member …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Macdonnell, would you cease for a moment. Because the word that you are claiming was spoken to you in this parliament, it does not mean to say that by repeating it continually it becomes parliamentary. It is still unparliamentary so, perhaps, when you ask your question you should not repeat that unparliamentary word.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, as every member of this House is aware, I was sexually abused as a child and, for good reason, those matters have become public knowledge. There has been a whispering campaign surrounding me for months in an effort to deflect your government’s culpability of this minister’s arrogance. In the Centralian Advocate today, there is another insensitive and flippant comment by a Cabinet minister. That Cabinet minister said, when he saw a pink shirt in a pub: ‘That is something I would expect John Elferink to wear’. Chief Minister, was this minister Kon Vatskalis? If it was not him, who was it? Will you right now guarantee an apology to sexually abused people, gay and lesbian people, and every other person in the Territory who would be offended by your government’s flippant attitudes towards them?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is interesting that the member for Macdonnell continues to raise this issue because, when the altercation - it was a verbal altercation and, in part, a physical altercation, initiated by the member for Macdonnell in February in the House …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There was no physical aspect to this. He is just making it up.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I dispute that. I watched the member walk across the House …
Madam SPEAKER: Before you dispute it, let me say, member for Macdonnell, you know you can make a personal explanation. Chief Minister, off you go, and could we have quick answers today?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I do not want to give too much time to this, but you made a decision on what happened in the House. I have spoken to the member for Johnston, and told him what he said was inappropriate, and that he should not be provoked by inappropriate and offensive language from the member for Macdonnell. I made that very clear.
Madam Speaker, you made your decision about the incident. You gave the member for Macdonnell 24 hours from the House for his behaviour, and the member for Johnston one hour. Let us remember what your decision was. I know nothing about the incident the member is talking about. I believe this is well left behind us. I thought the member for Nightcliff really touched it in the adjournment debate last night when she said it is time to move on. It is seriously time to move on.
I would like to think that the issues we are discussing in this parliament are relevant ones for the community of Alice Springs and Central Australia, and that the member for Macdonnell should accept the ramifications of his behaviour …
Mr Dunham: Oh, give it a break!
Mr Elferink: I was not even in this …
Ms MARTIN: … when it happened in February, because he was thrown out of our Parliamentary House for 24 hours.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, let me clarify clearly. The withdrawal of the two members was the decision of the parliament. It was not my decision, it was a decision made by this parliament. I also remind members that we do have very young children in the gallery, that is why we should refrain from some of the language.
Population Figures
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you confirm today’s population figures which show a surge in growth for the Territory, and can you advise the House what is now the expected growth for 2004?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker I thank the member for Karama as that is a great question and very pertinent to the Territory.
I am pleased to announce today the Australian Bureau of Statistics released figures for the September quarter of last year and, for the first time, the Territory population has passed the 200 000 mark. This is something to cheer about. The official figure is 200 449, and the bureau tells us it forgot to record 200 births, so it is, in fact, 200 more than that. The predictions from the bureau for the year to September last year was 0.3% growth. We have done a lot better than that; we had 0.84% growth. They are saying when they look at the December quarter it is probably up to 1%.
What does this mean in real numbers? It means 1665 more Territorians in the year from September 2003 to 2004. This is something we applaud. It represents strong overseas migration levels, a continuing good growth in the Territory’s own population, and we are improving something that is critical for us: interstate migration. It supports all the figures we are hearing from the real estate industry, the businesses who say: ‘We need to grow. We have the work there, we just need that skilled labour’. The economy is picking up and these population statistics are something to rejoice about. Having made it past 200 000 Territorians for the first time ever is a real sign of moving this Territory ahead.
Northern Territory Government Litigation
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
Integrated Technical Services is a Territory owned company, which this week instigated legal actions for compensation in regard to a government contract for work at Kings Canyon, which was wrongly awarded to a Western Australian firm that has, subsequently, gone into liquidation. Despite the overwhelming evidence in their favour and supportive finding by the Ombudsman, you still refuse to compensate this business, forcing them to go to court to seek a just and proper remedy. However, in your current rush to give away the many parks of Central Australia to the Central Land Council, you have repeatedly claimed that one of your core motivations is to avoid legal battles.
Will you tell the House why, when it comes to native title claims, you will go to any length to pacify the claimants and avoid legal battles; however, when it comes to Territory businesses, you have a bottomless pit of taxpayers’ money to fight with them in the courts? Why do you not support local businesses to the level you support other sections of the community?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the tenor of the question regards an issue that happened – how long ago was it? - two-and-a-half years ago when we had the Ombudsman’s report about which this government said it would take action to discuss the issue with the aggrieved party. I do not know the details of that, as it has carriage within another portfolio. Of course, there are times when we will be in the courts, and there are times when government will even initiate that action. We will deal fairly and equitably with Territory firms.
Any implication that most of the work seems to go interstate is rubbish. In the portfolio of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, 95% of contracts go local, to Territory companies. It is a figure we are extraordinarily proud of.
When it comes to resolving land rights or native title issues, we look at the track record of the previous government, the Country Liberal Party in government, which spent tens of millions of dollars in courts, not finding solutions, simply paying lawyers. As a model to follow, we reject it.
Let us see an example of how rejecting that has produced benefits for Central Australia. As every Alice Springs person knows - many of them are here and it is terrific to have you here - Alice Springs was land locked for the best part of a decade. We have worked with the native title holders, the Lhere Artepe, found agreement about land release, and we have seen land released in Alice Springs for the first time in a decade. That is 40 blocks already at Larapinta, another 45 blocks coming up, and we are only just getting to Mt John Valley. That is what you can do when you work outside the litigation system.
The Country Liberal Party said we should have gone the legal route. We would not have had that land released. We are very proud of judging circumstances and situations for the best outcomes. Sometimes this government is in court, and sometimes we find resolution. For land release in Alice Springs, we have found resolution without paying the lawyers.
Small Business – Impact of Population
Mrs AAGAARD to MINISTER for BUSINESS and INDUSTRY
How will an increasing Territory population benefit Territory business, particularly small business?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. It is great news that the Chief Minister has just advised that the population of the Territory, for the first time, has exceeded 200 000 people - 1600 more Territorians than this time last year. A large part of that increase has come from overseas and interstate migration, and also from the Territory birth rate.
What does this mean for business? Well, everyone who comes to the Territory brings their wallet, their assets, and they invest in the Northern Territory. That money goes around our small business. It is estimated that, for every 1000 people in the Territory, we attract approximately an additional $8m in federal funding. Therefore, this extra 1600 people represents about $12m additional in federal funding.
The gross state product - that is, the effect that these additional people have, the earnings that they make on our economy, the consumption they can undertake - can only be broadly estimated. However, it is expected to be around $10m for every 1000 working people. The combined total effect of those 1000 people is something like $20m a year into our economy to be spent amongst small business. It is not only spent amongst small business, these people also come here to participate in our work force. It is absolutely great news.
It makes a lie of the rhetoric that has been run by the opposition for weeks, months and, certainly over the last two days of these sittings, that the population of the Territory is declining and that people are leaving the Territory in droves. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mr Dunham: What about Alice Springs?
Mr HENDERSON: I pick up on the member for Drysdale’s interjection, because he never likes to hear good news. When he opens his mouth, he always puts his foot in it. ‘What about Alice Springs?’, the member for Drysdale asked.
I will tell you about Alice Springs and the growing numbers of people investing and the lowest vacancy rates ever in the property market. Again, the December 2004 quarter real estate monitor says: ‘House Prices Continue to Grow’ and, across the Northern Territory, ‘Vacancy rates in the property market are the lowest on record …’.
Let us look at the legacy that we inherited when we came to government three-and-a-half years ago. Under the CLP, we had vacancy rates in the property market across the Northern Territory at 12.7%. They are now 3.8% and declining. In that time, there have been hundreds and thousands of homes and units built.
Let us look specifically at Alice Springs. I quote from the latest analysis, December 2004 quarter:
- Alice Springs has seen some major growth in the median unit price in the last six months with the total value of unit sales for the quarter reaching a record level.
If everyone is leaving town, why have unit sales for the quarter reached a record level?
- The median price rose again, surpassing the overall Darwin figure for the first time.
For the first time ever, the median price of units in Alice Springs exceeds those of Darwin. This is great news, people are coming to the Northern Territory. The economy is on track. The only people who are looking at the Territory with doom and gloom are the members opposite.
Indian and Turtle Doves - Eradication
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
Madam Speaker, I ask this question on your behalf as the member for Braitling. Two years ago, the Parks and Wildlife Commission commenced an eradication program of Indian doves and turtle doves, which are a threat to our native populations in Alice Springs. The program was successful, except the numbers of these feral birds are now increasing. However, Parks and Wildlife state that there is no longer funding for the program. What action will the Parks and Wildlife Commission take to recommence this program and protect our native bird populations in Alice Springs?
Madam SPEAKER: What a good question.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, thank you for your question. As you are aware, you have written to me on this particular issue. The advice I have is quite different from the content of the question. My advice is that the eradication program was quite unsuccessful; that the doves were breeding faster than they could be removed. Also, doves in some areas became quite gun shy, which is the reason why the program was removed, unfortunately. We would like to see an end of these birds. An attempt was made; however, the program proved to be unsuccessful.
I am also advised that if people do want to trap doves in their backyards, or wherever, they can do so quite simply, as you are probably aware, with a trap. They can ring the parks service and someone will come and pick those doves up and dispose of them.
Tourism Policy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
As with the Northern Territory, tourism in every Australian state and territory was affected by the SARS epidemic, the Bali bombings, the collapse of Ansett and the 11 September terrorist attack. However, tourism in every state and territory has recovered, and they are now in a stronger position today than before these events – every market except the Territory. Last year, the Territory had 91 000 fewer international visitors than the year before, and Central Australia hosted 102 000 fewer visitors since you came to government. The days of grandstanding and excuse-making must end. When will you show real leadership, like other Tourism Ministers in other states, and take responsibility, rather than hide behind excuses? You may be interested in what Rex from the Reptile Centre had to say in this week’s Alice Springs News. He said: ‘At the moment, we are dying in tourism’.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, isn’t it interesting that the question from the member for Araluen basically goes to a gloating over the difficult times in tourism, with no recognition of the fact that tourism is starting to pick up, and in quite good numbers, across the Territory. All we hear from the opposition is bagging every initiative. I tell everyone here today that the opposition is still bagging the $1.2m that we are going to spend promoting Destination Alice Springs. They do not have a good word to say for it.
For the first time, we are spending $1.2m on a specific campaign to promote to the domestic market the wonders of Alice Springs and why tourists should be coming here.
Mr Elferink: And you have not talked to any of the local operators about it.
Ms MARTIN: We are very proud of that. I have to pick up on the comment from the member for Macdonnell, who says: ‘You have not spoken to any operators’. I reassure the member for Macdonnell that this campaign was developed with local operators.
Mr Elferink: This is not my …
Ms MARTIN: We have spent a number of months …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: They do not like to hear good news.
The additional money we are spending on marketing in tourism, really focussing on what we can achieve in the Centre. No doubt about it, it is almost as though somehow or other this government should have been able to counteract immediately the international events that happened ...
Ms Carney: Every other state did.
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: I will explain, before the member for Blain gets into a tizz again: when we came to government three years ago, half of our tourists, particularly to the Centre, were international. That compares with about 25% of other places: New South Wales, 25% international. We had half our tourists. When you have things like 11 September, the collapse of Ansett and other factors - which are facts of life, they are not excuses - it was going to hit the Territory harder.
We have seen a significant increase in domestic tourism, and the international market is only really just now starting to recover. In yields in tourism in the Territory, which means the dollars coming to local businesses, we have seen a growth, so our targeting of tourists is working. Tourists are coming here for longer and are spending more dollars.
I would like to think members of this parliament who represent Alice Springs would be working with us rather than trying to sell down the wonderful opportunities of tourism ...
Ms Carney: Well give us a reason to!
Ms MARTIN: She is almost a harridan as she screams. I hope our students are not taking any example of the behaviour of the member for Araluen, because it is not really good parliamentary behaviour …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Ms MARTIN: I am proud of tourism in Alice Springs and I wish this mob was …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, cease!
Mr DUNHAM: She might need to stay there, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Not ‘she’, Chief Minister.
Mr DUNHAM: I question, under Standing Order 62, which talks about offensive and unbecoming words, whether ‘harridan’ is allowable or not, Madam Speaker? If not, could it be withdrawn?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister was responding to the remarks made by the member for Araluen.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: I acknowledge the presence in the gallery of a group of students from St Philip’s who were in the Youth Parliament. They did an excellent job last week and I know they really enjoyed the Youth Parliament. They were the ones who said it is time young people were having more say in making laws and not us old fossils. Now you can see how the old fossils behave.
We also have in the gallery students from Alice Springs High School, with their teachers Trevor Read, Debbie Welch, Wayne McGillivray, Rebecca Smith and Janine Pearce. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to you.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Treasurers’ Conference– Impact on Territory’s Finances
Mr BONSON to TREASURER
Could you advise the Assembly on the impact the Treasurers’ Conference will have on the Northern Territory’s finances?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. It is a fair way to Canberra from Alice Springs and back, to spend about 10 hours on the ground there. However, I am pleased to be back here today to be able to report back on the conference.
The short answer is that our financial situation remains very tight indeed. As a result of last year’s relativities split-up of the revenue to the states, we lost $48m this time last year, and that remains ongoing. Yesterday’s conference has not altered that fact one bit.
We are committed to further taxation reform as per the agreement with the introduction of the GST, but we already have projected deficits in order to accommodate quite high level infrastructure needs in the future, and to continue to support such vital services as police, health and education, which we found to be in a fairly dilapidated state when we came to government.
This government has spent every cent that it has received from GST revenues. In fact, from 2005 to 2008, we will continue to run quite modest deficits: $16m, $9m, and $6m before we get to balance in 2008-09. We continue to spend marginally more than we receive. However, we do recognise, in the interests of the health of the Territory economy and the future of Northern Territorians, that we do, and should always, try to keep the budget in balance as far as we can. Population growth is useful - that is a good news story, as the Chief Minister and Business minister have already said. However, it brings additional costs and services as well to that growing population, so the budget remains very tight. Keeping within those deficit figures projections that we have laid down, modest as they are, is going to be difficult. However, it is absolutely necessary for the future health of the Northern Territory.
That is why, in the interests of the Northern Territory, I issued the challenge that I did to the Leader of the Opposition this morning. The challenge remains for the Leader of the Opposition and the Country Liberal Party to tell Territorians, whether they will stay within those deficit targets we laid down last year. That is the first challenge: will they stay within that deficit reduction strategy that we have going forward to a balanced budget in 2008? He has to tell Territorians exactly what the policies are going to cost. We have invited him to get them costed by Treasury. That will add some veracity to those figures if he puts them on the table and puts them forward for Treasury to cost them. You have to tell Territorians, most importantly, how the opposition intends to pay for these. It is quite easy to get out in front of a group of people and tell them what you are going to give them, and how much you are going to spend. However, he has not told anyone how he is going to pay for those quite extravagant promises that we see on a constant basis.
What we saw this morning was the Leader of the Opposition treating Territorians with contempt. He waved around a set of costings and said: ‘These have all been costed, but I cannot tell you by whom’. Before the last election, we spent a great deal of money on a company called Access Economics, which has a good reputation in this area, in order to clearly cost the opposition’s promises. If he does not want Treasury to do it, I suggest he go to Access Economics. He will get a big bill, but he will have some veracity around the costings. He told us he would not tell us anything now, he will tell us later. He refuses to have them costed by Treasury. He looks like he is going to refuse to stick within the deficit targets. What we are seeing is the same man we saw in 2001. He has not changed one bit.
Editor’s Note: Question Time suspended for proposed censure motion.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016