2004-06-17
Family and Community Services Staff – Industrial Action
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
During the last sittings, your Treasurer tried to explain away the overspend in the Health budget by saying that part of it was the millions of extra dollars that had been put into child protection. Given that, why did the Darwin staff go on strike yesterday, and what are you doing to address the issues behind this industrial action?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will answer the first part of that question, but I do not have carriage of that area, and I properly refer it to the minister who does have carriage: the Minister for Community Services, quite appropriately.
To have an allegation come from the Leader of the Opposition that there was an overspend in health is, again - the Opposition Leader has to get his facts right. To lead with his chin and get it wrong does not give his question credibility. There was not an overspend in health, there was an increase in the programs and the budget to meet that, clearly and strategically. This clearly contrasts with the previous government, which starved health of funds. We have put over $100m of additional funds in health just to meet needs …
Mr Stirling: And proud of it.
Ms MARTIN: And we are, as the Deputy Chief Minister says, very proud of that.
To deal with the issue of child protection, I will properly refer that to the very capable Minister for Family and Community Services.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Family and Community Services): Madam Speaker, yesterday we were advised that about 50 staff from Family and Community Services had gone on strike, but not all staff had gone on strike, there were a lot still at work.
There were a number of issues that needed to be resolved. They have been resolved between the Commissioner for Public Employment and the CPSU, and everyone is back at work.
Budget 2004 05 - Infrastructure Spend
Mr KIELY to CHIEF MINISTER
Budget 2004-05 allocated a record $441m to infrastructure. My support for the biggest ever infrastructure program in Territory history is on record. Can the Chief Minister advise the House on how this budget compares with previous infrastructure efforts?
ANSWER
Yes, certainly, Madam Speaker. That is a very strategic question from the member for Sanderson. This government has always believed in high cash injections into our infrastructure program and it is not …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Does this minister have carriage of this issue, just for clarity during questions in Estimates next week?
Madam SPEAKER: This is an overall budget question. I will allow the Chief Minister to answer it.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it is interesting that the member for Drysdale does not want to hear about how we are supporting, as government, jobs growth, development growth and growth in economic activity. He is not interested. As Chief Minister …
Madam SPEAKER: Just answer the question, Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Of course, cash into the infrastructure program rather than simply a program, is critical and is a clear contrast between this government and the CLP when in government.
We have strategically focussed our infrastructure spend in this coming budget, this year focussing on tourism, roads and strategic developments like the waterfront and the port. These projects are chosen to promote further development through encouraging private sector investment spin-offs; and they will. Sealing the Mereenie Loop Road at $38m and the Litchfield Loop Road at $15m will promote other infrastructure spend from the private sector: new product, new accommodation, new tourism options. It will be a very strategic spend. Importantly, this keeps our Territory moving ahead.
The opposition has criticised this spend; they say it is not enough. Let us do a comparison. If the opposition is saying that this record infrastructure spend this year of $441m is not enough, well, maybe you did better. Let us have a look at it. In the years 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01, the previous CLP government spent $1.12bn in infrastructure spend. That also included a one-off hit of $32m for a new generator at Channel Island. In the three full year Labor budgets, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, we have spent and will spend just over $1.3bn - that is $1306m. That means that we will spend more than $186m more actual cash in our three budgets compared with the CLP ...
Mr Dunham: You get an extra $400m every year.
Mr Burke: How much did the federal government give you?
Ms MARTIN: … and this is what it looks like. You see the graph heading up, and yet the opposition criticises us for not spending enough in our infrastructure budget. Clearly, this is considerably more than the CLP spent when they were in government. In fact, three years on three years - $186m more.
Mr Dunham: That is going to be tabled, is it?
Ms MARTIN: Now, if you look at that ...
Mr Dunham: You going to table that?
Ms MARTIN: If you take out ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, order!
Ms MARTIN: … $110 000 equals one job. That is a reasonable benchmark. Therefore, that extra $186m spend supports 1700 jobs for the Territory over the last three years, just in additional spend. That is because this government is driving economic growth …
Mr Dunham: Four hundred in the last 12 months, jobs gone.
Ms MARTIN: We are driving jobs growth and we are moving Territorians ahead, despite the whinging and whining from the member for Drysdale.
Mr Dunham: You are not going to table it?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, would you cease.
Ms MARTIN: Why would we table it?
Mr Ah Kit: Take your angry tablets.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you!
Mr Dunham: I am quite happy, mate.
Dr Burns: You do not look it.
Madam SPEAKER: Do not push your luck.
Mr Burke: He is a happy fellow, what is wrong with you? He is a nice bloke.
Madam SPEAKER: With such a large number of people in the gallery, I am sure they are being entertained.
Child Protection Services – Call for Inquiry
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
The Darwin Child Protection Services has undertaken industrial action in order to get their workloads under control. Today, the headline on the front page of the NT News is, ‘Kids working as prostitutes’. Labor has been in government for nearly three years and things are getting worse. Will you commission an independent inquiry into child protection in the Northern Territory so we can find out what is wrong and where we need to go?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, if the Leader of the Opposition had been interested to listen to the answer from the minister previously, he would understand that the issue within the child protection area is being dealt with; that, under the previous government, it was chronically underfunded. We have increased that funding considerably. If you look around Australia, it is a very difficult area. I certainly want to put on the record in this House our support for those who work in that area. I believe there is something like 55 staff, and we know what a difficult job they do - and an important job for the Territory.
We have increased the funding. We are working with those in that area to make sure that the job they have to do is well supported. The resolution yesterday of those industrial issues is an important one. I am confident we are on course, because this government has made a commitment to the child protection area. We have put the funds in; we are concerned. It starkly compares with what the CLP said, but did not do, when they were in office.
HomeNorth Scheme
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for HOUSING
Yesterday there was almost universal acclaim for the Martin government’s exciting new HomeNorth loans package. Are you aware of any contrary views on this tremendous government initiative?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. The new HomeNorth loans have received widespread support. People are excited. I have been stopped in the street by people asking about HomeNorth - in actual fact, yesterday morning, by a person from the media who said that they certainly would be taking up the opportunity of taking out a loan with HomeNorth. There was a person in Parliament House yesterday who also approached me and said they had read through the documentation and thought it is great for the Territory.
They love our great lifestyle; they want to live here. Now, it is even easier for them to own their own piece of the Territory. As the Northern Territory News said: ‘A house in the sun for less than $5000’. We have already had, as of 12 o’clock today, 92 people call TIO, which manages the loans for us, and already making appointments for 1 July when these loans kick in. That is an incredible number.
With the old package of loans, we only granted an average of 16 loans a month. ‘It is a great scheme’, said Michael Beare from Beare Homes in today’s Northern Territory News. Sue Shearer, from the Real Estate Institute, said: ‘It will help get low and middle income earners out of the rental trap’. I remind members that, to buy a new home, all you need now is a 2% deposit. There will be no lenders’ mortgage insurances. There is also a $10 000 interest-free loan that is available to help with up-front fees, and $1500 of that can be spent on whitegoods. We keep moving the Territory ahead because that is our top priority.
I am, however, disappointed to inform the House that there has been one lone voice in the wilderness, and that is coming from the Leader of the Opposition, who has criticised this package. The member for Blain cannot help himself; he views everything through grey-coloured glasses. Last sittings, he said, referring to Darwin: ‘… the place is in ruins’. Well, it looks pretty good to me. I go up the street a couple times a week, and Darwin is still the lovely place that it is. It also looks pretty good to Adam Hayes, an agent from Sterling Realty. I thank Adam for contacting my office this morning. He said that he loves the package and that it is better than he thought it would be. He went on:
- This will make it easier than ever for people to buy homes in the Territory. It is a bargain, people will move here.
I looked at Sterling Realty’s listing in Saturday’s NT News, and 14 of the 23 properties are eligible for purchase under this scheme.
What is the member for despair reported as saying on ABC? ‘It does not do enough to encourage people to put down roots’. Well, he has put on the boxing gloves for a fight with the Real Estate Institute …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister knows well that I, and the opposition, support the package. My point was simply that the additional stamp duty that flows to this government could be used to alleviate, to a greater degree, first home buyers. We support the program.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr AH KIT: He has to be careful, as the Leader of the Opposition, when he goes on the media and says: ‘It does not do enough to encourage people to put down roots’. That is what he said, and I quote from his media interview. He has put on the boxing gloves for a fight with the Real Estate Institute, because that is not what they think …
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: That is not what they think. I remind the House …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, get on with your answer, please.
Mr AH KIT: Well, Madam Speaker, they are so provocative.
I remind the House of what Andrew Doyle, the Real Estate Institute’s southern delegate said:
- It is a good, positive move by the government because $180 000 did not cover much of our market. Raising it to $240 000 will now provide first home buyers with access to a wider range of the market. Any assistance we can provide to people to become permanent residents of the town is good for the sustainability of the town.
HomeNorth is great for industry. We are driving economic development because it means jobs for Territorians, and it is great for low to middle income earners. It is great for everyone but the member for despair ...
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Minister!
Mr AH KIT: Member for Blain, sorry. As you are well aware, Madam Speaker, the opposition is always knocking the Territory and is intent on damaging the Territory’s great reputation.
The Territory is a great place to live. We have a great lifestyle and this government is going to make it easier for people to stay here and own their own piece of turf in the Northern Territory.
Lifeline Counselling Service – Alice Springs
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Madam Speaker, this question is on behalf of yourself as member for Braitling.
Lifeline Central Australia has requested funding to assist them in continuing the essential work they have commenced in Alice Springs. The 24-hour telephone counselling service has identified a need in the Barkly and Central Australian area. Will the minister advise if she will assist this service by providing the funding they have requested?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question on your behalf, as you have a great interest in this area. Suicide, particularly youth suicide, is a tragic problem and Lifeline does provide this great service throughout Australia towards suicide prevention. It is my understanding that they did start their operations in Alice Springs with support from the federal government. The service was very successful, with demand very high, based on the number of calls received. Despite this demand for the service, the federal government decided not to continue with its funding.
When Lifeline started this project in Alice Springs, they did indicate at that time they would not be seeking any further contribution from the Northern Territory government, but they would look at trying to raise funds from other sources, as they do with most of their programs in other states. Given this, the government allocated its suicide prevention funding towards other worthwhile programs, and we undertook these funding allocations in line with our strategic Framework for Suicide Prevention which was released late last year.
What we do need to consider with suicide prevention is that the nature of suicide - particularly youth suicide, which is a huge problem in the Northern Territory – means that sometimes a phone service is not the best preventative approach, particularly in remote areas where access to phones can be limited and those at risk can be somewhat reluctant to use such services. Having said that, as I said at the start, Lifeline does provide a very worthwhile service and any requests from them for funding deserves our respect and close consideration.
When I was in Alice Springs last week with Community Cabinet, I met with one of the representatives at the Women’s Forum who raised the issue of Lifeline and some the problems that they were experiencing. With that, I then asked a representative from my office to meet with Lifeline.
The Minister for Central Australia and I are committed to seeking a resolution to Lifeline’s funding problems, and one of them is the accommodation issue. That is something that we are committed to ensuring that we meet.
Family and Community Services Staff – Industrial Action
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Contrary to your comments that everything is fine, last night on ABC TV we heard from the Community and Public Sector Union, which is representing your staff during this time of industrial unrest. Mr Rod Ellis from the CPSU said, during an interview:
- You get to a stage where the job is not being done as well as it should be and, if workers do not make a stand, we get further and further into a mire.
Is Mr Ellis right? Are your staff in Child Protection Services getting further and further into a mire?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. In response to the last part of her question, no. However, let me firstly state, following on from what the Chief Minister said before, my unqualified support for all child protection staff in the Territory. Any of us who have worked at the coalface of health, particularly those workers and the family complexities they deal with, know it is not easy. I as minister, and my colleagues on this side of the Assembly, appreciate the work and all the efforts they make to protect our children. Sometimes the work that they do is not appreciated, and all we see in newspapers is the headline. Those workers tend to go into a siege, and into a bunker, and there is not much appreciation for the hard yards that they do.
There are a number of issues that have to be resolved. I was notified late on Tuesday night that this action was going to be taken. We were informed that there were 50 staff who were going to take strike action. Not all of those 50 staff - and I place on record my appreciation to many of the staff who could have gone on strike and did not because, at the forefront of all their thinking was the protection of children. There were some who did go on strike and took this action. However, that was taken out of my hands. The CPSU and the department are now back in discussion again. I have instructed the department to address some of the issues that staff have raised and we are hoping that we can move forward on them.
Appointment of Chief Magistrate – High Court Decision
Mrs AAGAARD to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
This morning, the High Court handed down its decision on the long running action taken by NAALAS against the appointment of the Chief Magistrate. Can you please inform the House of that decision.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I am pleased to advise the House today that the High Court has found the 1998 appointment of the Chief Magistrate, Mr Hugh Bradley, to have been validly made. The High Court has confirmed the decision of the Full Court and the Federal Court, and unanimously dismissed the appeal taken by the North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service.
This judgment brings to a close this extended legal action. As Attorney-General, I am pleased that it sees an end to a long period of uncertainty for our legal system and our courts. The only outstanding issue now is the question of legal costs. As is the situation with any long-running litigation involving a number of different parties, costs will take some time to settle. This will involve negotiation between the parties and may include court processes. The Solicitor-General for the Northern Territory will be handling the question of costs, and I look forward to his advice in due course.
Today, I have also given notice of the government’s intention to introduce two bills into this parliament next week to ensure this situation can never arise again. The Remuneration Tribunal Amendment Bill 2004 and the Magistrates Amendment Bill 2004 will ensure, consistent with the principles of judicial independence, that the government is unable to intervene in the remuneration of magistrates. Those bills will provide that an independent body, the Remuneration Tribunal, will determine magistrates’ remuneration. Those determinations will be tabled in the parliament and, unless disallowed by the Assembly, will automatically come into operation.
Madam Speaker, I welcome the High Court’s unanimous decision, and I am pleased that this long-running case is now over.
Family and Community Services Staff – Industrial Action
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
With regard to the industrial action that has been occurring in the Darwin area in Child Protection Services, what are the issues the workers are complaining about?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. It is interesting that, suddenly, child protection - and this was an issue yesterday. Child protection in the Northern Territory was completely ignored for many years under your government …
Ms Carney: Rubbish!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: It was. It was left by the previous government in a state of complete disrepair, and this government …
Mr Burke: Get a bit of time up, will you?
Ms SCRYMGOUR: We are actually undoing the damage that was left by your government.
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: We are the ones who have injected the extra $53m in. Anyway, I digress, Madam Speaker. There are work-related issues there, but these are at operational level and they are being worked through.
ABS – National Crime Statistics
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released its National Crime Statistics last month. What do these statistics tell us about the rate of crime across the Northern Territory, and the effect of the Martin government’s law enforcement and crime prevention strategies?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we were very pleased to see the ABS figures come out, because, quarter after quarter, as we have brought out the Territory-based crime statistics - the most comprehensive set of statistics released by any government in Australia - we have seen the property crime levels in those statistics drop and stay down. The ABS figures are certainly confirming what we have already shown in our data series, and that is that crime is reducing in the Northern Territory, particularly in the area of property crime.
The ABS figures tell us that the Northern Territory had the largest drop in reported crime across Australia. For the benefit of members opposite, I will table the national comparison, which shows a fall of over 15%. You can see that in the blue – 15%, Madam Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, just cease for a moment. I cannot hear anything. Member for Drysdale, would you cease!
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, you are on a warning. I am trying to hear the answer.
Dr TOYNE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. You will see the blue bar there is a 15% drop for the Northern Territory; this is the Australian average. You will see that crime is reducing around Australia …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the minister if he would table that. I can also table the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which gives us the highest murder rate, the highest homicide rate, the highest …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, I will table this, and I will table the other graphs for the edification of the CLP over there.
That 15% is almost 3000 fewer victims in 2003 compared to the previous year - 3000. That is what we are doing about victims of crime; we are having less of them.
Delivering on our promise to attack crime and the causes of crime, we have produced drops in 11 out of 14 offence categories.
For their further benefit, I will go through the major changes: sexual assault, down 8.5%; unlawful entry with intent, dropped by 25%; motor vehicle theft, down 13%. Unfortunately, to give a complete picture, we have seen an increase of 6.8% in the number of assaults in 2003 compared to 2002.
We are increasing our efforts to address offences against the person through targetted policing and the very extensive community-based crime prevention measures that we are rolling out at the moment, together with work on the Alcohol Framework. We continue to work community by community to get local initiatives up that are going to impact on these terrible crimes, particularly domestic violence and crimes against women and children.
To conclude, there were 2000 less unlawful entries in the Northern Territory; 1500 less on property theft than under the CLP; 200 less motor vehicles stolen than under the CLP …
Members interjecting.
Dr TOYNE: Have a look at these, you might learn something about crime prevention and how we are going about it. We are preventing crime, they did nothing.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind members that anyone who is named today does not come back into the parliament until next Friday afternoon, including committee stages. Therefore, I would suggest you all settle down a little.
Recycling Oil in the Territory
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for BUSINESS and INDUSTRY
A month ago, the federal government ran an advertising campaign in Northern Territory newspapers urging consumers to recycle their waste oil, but they did not bother to find out first that it is almost impossible to recycle oil in Darwin. This week, the NT News ran a story about two small businesses that are trying to recycle their oil, but cannot because recyclers are not collecting it. Collex has run out of space to store the oil, and Wastemaster says there is no market for it. Is there a role here for the Northern Territory government to help find a solution and, if not, what do you think all these small businesses are going to do with the waste oil they cannot get recycled?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will speak to this from a business point of view. This has been an issue that has been around for some years now. I am aware that there have been a number of commercial interests which are actually looking, at the moment, at the capacity for a recycling of waste oils in the Northern Territory. My understanding is that the commercial aspects of that are very marginal. There are storage facilities around Darwin that people traditionally have had access to. From …
Mr Dunham: You are trying to evict them from these storage facilities; trying to chuck them out!
Mr HENDERSON: The member for Drysdale is either interested in this or he is not.
Madam SPEAKER: Keep going, minister; ignore him.
Mr HENDERSON: There are commercial interests looking at the recycling opportunity of waste oils at the moment. I have not had an up-to-date brief on that, but it is an important issue. I am happy to come back into the House - and I am sure my colleague is - at a future time to update the Assembly. Certainly, commercial interests are looking at recycling opportunities in the Territory at the moment.
Child Protection Services - Staff Numbers
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Minister, I am surprised and disappointed that you are not prepared to tell this House why the workers have been on strike over the last day. However, perhaps you would be prepared then to answer this question: all year, you have been saying that you are putting millions of extra dollars into child protection. Exactly how many extra positions have been created and filled since January?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. At the last count, I believe there were six additional staff in Darwin, and right throughout the Northern Territory, about 19. If the member wants a breakdown of where those new positions are, I am happy to provide them to her.
Anangu Tours - 2004 World Legacy Award
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for TOURISM
An indigenous Central Australian tour company has recently been recognised for its achievements. Can you provide details of this recognition, and what it underscores about the Territory’s tourism industry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly. I was delighted - and I am sure you were too - at Anangu Tours’ win at the 2004 World Legacy Awards - very significant awards. They are sponsored by the National Geographic Travel Magazine and Conservation International. They are very competitive awards, with more than 100 entrants from 40 countries on six continents, and there are only four categories. The winners of those four categories were generally described, in the words of the sponsors, as:
- … the best examples in the tourism industry of the ideal balance between nature conservation, the protection of heritage sites, social responsibility and commerce.
Anangu Tours won the Heritage Tourism Award. There was also recognition of Voyages Hotels, who were finalists in their category of Hotels and Resorts. No other Australian company made it through to the finals. So, a prestigious international award and two Territory-based companies - which is great.
The Territory tourism industry is very proud of what Anangu Tours has achieved, and very proud to see Richard Kulitja, who is a resident of Mutitjulu and a senior guide with Anangu Tours, receive the award in Washington.
We often hear how difficult it is for Aboriginal people to be involved in businesses, especially ones as demanding as tourism. Yet, here is an Aboriginal-owned company which has nine years of operation under its belt, and has shown the world that Aboriginal people can not only be involved in commercially successful businesses, but can beat the world in how they deliver that product.
Anangu Tours is not backed by government or ATSIC funding, but relies on partnerships with the private sector for its success. All of the guides are Aboriginal people from the south-west of the Territory, and it is one of the biggest private sector employers of Aboriginal people in the Territory.
This win is also great publicity for us. Cultural tourism is one of our major building blocks, and this award recognises that the Territory has one of the best cultural experiences in the world. As we know, many visitors to the Territory want to know more about indigenous culture - 30% of our international tourists actually indicate that the chance to experience Aboriginal culture is the key motivator in why they come to the Territory. Therefore, I am sure I can say, on behalf of this House, that we congratulate Anangu, and also Voyages, on operating successful world class tourism businesses, and we should celebrate that win with them both.
Members: Hear, hear!
Child Protection Services – Notification of Cases
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On page 139 of Budget Paper No 3 for this year concerning the area of child protection, the facts for what has been done by that unit this year are largely missing - great areas of white, blank paper. Why is it that you cannot tell us how many notifications of child harm there have been this year, and how many children were admitted to care this year? Why are these bits blank, and why do you refuse to answer our question with regards to the issues on industrial action?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I answered the question in relation to the Industrial Relations Commission. In relation to the notification and other issues that the member for Port Darwin has just asked me, well she has not asked me those questions. I am quite happy to provide her with a briefing if she wants me to give her those numbers.
Ms Carter: Why are they blank? Why can’t we know?
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I do not have them.
Road Funding – Commonwealth Contribution
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Early this year, you led a delegation involving pastoralists to lobby Canberra over the federal government’s lack of commitment to equitable road funding for the Territory. Can you please provide an update for all Territorians on whether the Commonwealth has done anything to improve road funding to the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Barkly. Road funding is a very important question, particularly Commonwealth road funding. As members would be aware, the Commonwealth released the AusLink White Paper earlier this year. Whilst there were some elements of the AusLink paper that are welcome to the Territory, there are quite a number important issues in there that remain unanswered.
The most glaring omission is the issue of ongoing funding for maintenance of the three federal highways in the Northern Territory. Those members who have had a look at the White Paper - I suppose it is a bit hard to see on this bit of paper, which is the extract to do with the Territory – there are asterisks against the maintenance funding for the years 2005-06 to 2008-09. They are completely blank, with a little note down the bottom which reads: ‘NB: maintenance funding for 2005-06 to 2008-09 is yet to be allocated’.
It is a very important component, and I would have thought maintenance funding for the federal roads - they are not Territory roads, they are federal roads - would have been something that should have been right up there with the other figures. It is not all that difficult to calculate what the maintenance funding should be. Historically, it has been around the $18m mark. The accompanying letter from Mr Anderson, the Deputy Prime Minister and federal Transport minister, said that the issue of maintenance was going to be an issue for ongoing negotiation between the Commonwealth and each state and territory.
That sent shivers up our spines, because the Commonwealth has an agenda with the eastern states about the national highways there. They are trying to extract their pound of flesh. The Territory could suffer in this bit of a blue that the federal government is having with the eastern states. I want to place it on the record here today that I will be advocating very strongly for the Northern Territory, as I have in the past, face-to-face, to the Commonwealth …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Well, I wanted to be positive.
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I have taken the appropriate people with me, member for Macdonnell.
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Well, are you going to put down the cattlemen, because they went with me? Are you going to put them down - the executive of the Cattlemen’s Association? Who are you talking about here? I am quite capable …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I do not need your help, member for Macdonnell. You obviously have not had a result so far. What has David Tollner done in this whole fiasco and scenario? What has Nigel Scullion done? I do not see anything. All I see is asterisks on this bit of paper, and open question marks, in terms of road funding for the Northern Territory. If you want to do your bit, you do it.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Have you finished, minister?
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I did say that there were some positives in there. There has been an extra $4m allocated under AusLink to upgrade bridges on the Victoria Highway, something that my predecessor and I have been advocating for over a number of years. It is very pleasing to see that within the AusLink paper. Some of the important road projects, such as the Victoria River project and the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive, are there and I welcome that. Also the duplication of the Stuart Highway around the Strauss Airstrip. I know that will make the member for Nelson very happy. We fought hard for that with the federal roads minister. We have had a result.
When you look at this document from the AusLink paper, there are some very puzzling figures in terms of the cash flow for capital works: $22.3m this financial year; $5m the next year; $19m in 2006-07; $21m in 2007-08; down to $6m in 2008-09.
Madam Speaker, every craze comes around again, and I have been noticing on the TV the yoyos are there. These figures are like yoyos; they are in and out like a fiddler’s elbow and there is no consistency in them. These are very concerning ...
Mr Dunham: It looks like a filibuster.
Dr BURNS: No, no. I now turn to the 9000 km of unincorporated roads - and this is a big issue for the Territory. There are 9000 km of unincorporated roads. We received $20m over four years for roads, which is finishing this year, and we reckon we missed out on $20m extra. That is the case I have been putting to the federal government. That is the case the cattlemen have been putting to the federal government, but we still have not received a clear answer about that. I will keep on pushing until we get a clear answer.
The Prime Minister himself has acknowledged, in a letter to our Chief Minister that, basically, we are in need, we are eligible, we should be getting more money, but we still have not seen it. We have had the spectacle of Senator Ian Macdonald coming up here and making all sorts of promises to cattlemen - $20m extra, $30m extra, $40m extra - but we have not seen the colour of his money.
Madam Speaker, I am on this case and I am going to run it down to the end. I am going to get this money for the Territory …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: It is interesting that Martin Ferguson wants to give us some money. He wants to give us some money, so it may very well be that that might be the best way to solve the issue.
Arterial Roads – Use of Overpasses
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
The Commonwealth government recently announced its road funding for the NT. Included in that funding was an allocation of money to extend Tiger Brennan Drive to Palmerston. Can the minister, who says he is concerned about the proliferation of traffic lights along the Stuart Highway, say whether his government will connect the Palmerston end of Tiger Brennan Drive to the Stuart Highway via an overpass to eliminate at least one set of lights that are the scourge of rural people travelling to town? I remind the minister that this was the original design for the connection of the Stuart Highway to Tiger Brennan Drive. It would be nice if we could do something like that for a change instead of the cheap option of traffic lights.
ANSWER
Well that is ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, a little less filibustering. Perhaps a shorter answer.
Dr BURNS: I was not filibustering, Madam Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: A shorter answer, minister.
Dr BURNS: I was just demonstrating that I know about my portfolio areas. Let me say, if there is one thing the members for Nelson and Brennan and I - and probably a few other people - agree on, is that there are too many traffic lights.
Incidentally, I had a strategic meeting with my department yesterday, and that is my request: I want fewer traffic lights. I am with you, member for Nelson. As part of the planning for that, I will be looking to eliminate traffic lights along our strategic roads, and I am assured by the department that that is certainly on their agenda.
We are in a fortunate position in the Territory. We have two great carriageways; one is the Stuart Highway and the other one is Tiger Brennan Drive. Interstate, they pay hundreds of millions of dollars for these, and the last thing I want to see is a proliferation of traffic lights along them. That is my mission in life in respect of that. I will probably have a bit of a battle with some of the engineers, but I am prepared to fight the good fight.
Child Protection Services – Notification of Cases
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I notice that the Chief Minister has provided you with Budget Paper No 3, in which I am sure you have now turned to page 139, Child Protection Services. Going back to my previous question, drilling down quite specifically to the line item that says: ‘The number of children admitted to care during the year’, which has a footnote No 4, which I will advise you is exactly the same descriptive footnote as appeared in last year’s budget book. Therefore, this is exactly the same sort of product, service or number that we are talking about: how many children were admitted to care during the year? Why is it that that space there is blank for how many children were admitted to care for this year? Why do you not know, and why don’t you publish that number?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. She is actually a week early. I thought you might reserve these questions for estimates.
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Look, will you button up! If you want the answer, why don’t you listen instead of carrying on.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Members!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: In answer to the member for Port Darwin, the reason why the statistics are not available - and if the member for Port Darwin could read one line further, she would know. All this misleading, it is like your allegations about the $50m blow-out in the budget.
The 2004-05 performance indicators are more useful than the previous 2003-04. Why we have put that, and what it says is: ‘The majority of measures are new and commence on 1 July 2004, thus estimates for 2003-04 are not available’. If you want them in terms of 1978 to 1988, there has been an increase of 223% in child protection notifications, and an increase of 171% of children in out-of-home care.
Education – 100 Additional Teachers
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
The Martin government promised to employ an additional 100 teachers in the education system. What progress has been made against this election promise?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question, because it was indeed a key election commitment of this government. I am pleased to be able to report to the House that it is well on track to be satisfied in terms of the original commitment.
Sixty positions are already in place in the education system and, this financial year, the additional 40 to make up the 100 will be completed. We have allocated the positions in the following way. Back in 2001-02, we put 20 special education positions as follows: three in urban schools, Casuarina Street Primary, Bakewell Primary and Woodroffe; six teachers, that is, one each to the group schools in Rivers Cluster, Barkly, Alice Springs, East and West, Top End Group School and Arnhem Cluster; 11 teachers were employed in the following non-urban schools that were identified from a priority list of 40 schools that did not have special education support, and where housing at that time was readily available - those places were Borroloola, Maningrida, Shepherdson College, Yuendumu, Batchelor, Ngukurr, Ti Tree, Yulara, Mutitjulu, Yirrkala, Gunbulanya and Angurugu.
In 2002-03, the deployment of 19 additional teachers was as follows: three teachers for a Capability Development Unit in Darwin for schools at risk - and that unit has well and truly proven its worth already; five teachers to be employed as assistant principals for the group schools in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and two Alice Springs group schools; two teachers for the Remote Education Resource Development Project; five teachers under the Alternative Education Program; and four additional special education teachers for priority schools not picked up in the 2001-02 allocation, which were Numbulwar, Papunya, Moulden Park and Tennant Creek.
In 2003-04, 20 teacher positions were allocated. There were 10 positions for English as a Second Language teachers to augment the ESL general support program and four teachers for learning and technology in schools, an area that continues to require a fair amount of support for our teachers, and an area that is going to eat up that support when we issue the laptop computers to teachers in the latter part of this year. I believe we will get to a stage where teachers are ahead of the kids in the next few years. Certainly, with laptops and these support teachers in learning and technology, I would expect that to be case.
Two positions are allocated to resource and research literacy approaches in schools, given literacy deficiencies are one of the great challenges in the system in the Northern Territory. If you do not have literacy, it is very hard to get on top of numeracy. There is a lot of work still to be done there.
One position has been allocated to research into effective education intervention. One position is for an Alternative Provision Manager in Alice Springs to manage, monitor and evaluate the range of alternative provision sites in Alice Springs. There are already a number of alternative delivery education services in Alice Springs, so we are picking that up under one manager.
Two teacher positions are to be allocated to supplement relief teacher pools in regional centres. Again, the question of availability of relief teachers across our regions has been problematic in the past but, by having these relief teacher pools, we assist a great deal in that area.
In the 2004-05 year, of the 40 positions to be allocated, there will be 10 teachers allocated to Behaviour Management in Northern Territory schools. A union survey showed that behaviour management in schools was at the top order of priority for classroom teachers and for the union. The union has been delighted with the departmental and governmental response to this problem. They will be an invaluable support right across the system.
There are 10 positions for the Accelerated Literacy Program. I have spoken at length in this Chamber about the fantastic results we are getting through that program.
There are three positions to create a Capability Development Unit in Central Australia. We have one in the Top End and, as I said before, it has already proven itself in the 18 months to two years it has been there. I would expect a Capability Development Unit in Central Australia for schools at risk to perform the same sort of role as in the Top End and achieve the same excellent results.
There are seven physical education sports coordinators. Again, they will go to the clusters. They will be both delivery to the students and will also coordinate sport and regional championships and activities in those areas. They will be a ‘go to’ person when it comes to selection of Northern Territory representative teams because, what I found as minister for Education thus far, is that many of the representative teams are almost all Darwin-based. Sometimes Katherine sneaks in, sometimes Alice Springs gets a couple in. However, the regions, by and large, do not get picked up in those Northern Territory representative teams. Having these seven physical education sports coordinators out their in the clusters, as a mentor, as a deliverer of PE in themselves, and as a coordinator all round, will strengthen that whole process.
Ten positions are not yet allocated. Eight will be placed in classroom roles. Options might include special education, sport and physical education, full-time relief teachers, accelerated literacy, age intake trials, deputy positions in remote schools or lighthouse schools. They are the sorts of areas you could always do with more teachers.
These additional 100 positions have been put in place right across the department to support the teachers at the coalface. That is what these 100 extra teachers are for. They are designed …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Clearly, the minister is filibustering. You have warned against excessively long answers. The question was very specific. It has already been answered three times over, and the minister should stop filibustering.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please get on with your answer.
Mr STIRLING: I will, Madam Speaker. However, it is important for people to understand. If we are going to spend a big bucket of money like that on 100 teachers, people will need to know where they are and what they are doing. These are designed to support teachers in the classroom. They are designed to supplement existing resources and to focus in key areas where the normal teacher/staff formula ratios would not allow them to be placed.
I am proud of our commitment and of our promise there. I have wondered at times how we are going to do it in terms of the resources. However, we have done it, we have got to this point, and we are going to finish it this year.
Child Sufferers of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Ms CARTER for MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Madam Speaker, at last, another question! Last year in September, Mr Charlie King, a member of the Top End Child Protection team, told the media that there were 197 cases of children under 14 with sexually transmitted diseases during the 2002-03 year. He called for an independent inquiry into child protection and child abuse. Since then, we have heard and seen, time and time again, numerous stories in the paper with regards to child abuse and child protection problems in the Territory. This has been going on for months. Now your staff are voting with their feet with regards to confidence. Will you agree to establish an independent, external inquiry into child abuse and child protection in the Northern Territory and, if not, why not?
Madam SPEAKER: I did think we had that question before; however, Minister for Family and Community Services.
ANSWER
I thank the member for her question, Madam Speaker. The member stands up and talks about a system that was ready to collapse when we came to government. The previous government left the care and protection …
Ms Carter: It went on strike!
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Well, she asked the question, and she went on about this question, so I am going to give the answer, and I will take my time. The previous government left the care and protection of our children to chance …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Members of the Opposition, let the minister speak.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: There was no vision and no insight into the need for building stronger and healthier communities. Our government will ensure the building of a child protection system, and that is what we are doing.
In relation to Charlie King, who has come out in the media - he has not come out in the media lately, or for some time - we have had dialogue between myself and the Child Protection Review Team …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Perhaps members on both sides could allow the minister time to answer the question.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I think too many of them went for a walk through the Mall at lunch time and had one too many …
Members interjecting.
Mr Burke interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Why don’t you just sit down – when you were in government, what did you do?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan, order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: What did you do as the minister for Health? You have the cheek to stand up here – you did nothing!
Mr Burke interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: You did nothing. You have the cheek to sit there and open your mouth, when you, as the minister for Health, and the former minister for Health, did nothing.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister! If you could direct your answer through me.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I am sorry, Madam Speaker. The child protection area should not be brought into here and made a political issue. It is not a political issue.
Members interjecting.
Ms Carter: Oh, it is none of our business, is it? What were the strike issues?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: We have put in the extra resources and extra funds. We have put on extra staff to deal with this issue. It does not need an independent inquiry. There are a number of restructuring issues that are happening within the department. We have a community welfare reform and a review is happening within that child protection area. There is no need for an independent inquiry.
Sustainability of Fish Stocks
Mrs AAGAARD to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
Fishing is not only the lure of the Territory but provides jobs for Territorians in regional centres within the fishing, aquaculture and tourism sectors. What is the Martin government doing to ensure that there will be fish for the future?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. Certainly, fishing is the lure of the Territory. It is a very important part of our lifestyle. Fishing provides employment for many Territorians, other fishermen, and tourist operators, but is also part of our unique lifestyle in the Territory. Quite a few of us enjoy going down the river or the beach and throwing food in the water; catch a barramundi or two like myself and my colleague the member for Johnston did at the Daly River the other day. It is a very pleasant experience.
The Northern Territory continues to lead in the sustainable management of fisheries. We are leading the world in some groundbreaking research. In the past few days a number of fishers, scientists, and recreational fishers in Darwin were learning about revolutionary research that will be developed by the Northern Territory Fisheries Group. The fisheries group is developing a technique to see if a DNA sample from Spanish mackerel, without even catching the fish, can be taken and later compare the DNA sample with the fish caught by recreational, indigenous or commercial fishers. That then will extrapolate to estimate the sustainability of the fishery. Once again, this technique is so revolutionary that Canadian fishers and officials have taken up the technology to apply to the deep sea fisheries in Canada.
We have new research commencing soon on Black Jewfish. Black Jewfish has a habit of congregating in large numbers and areas, and that makes it very vulnerable to commercial fishermen. What we are going to do is use an acoustic device that will be inserted in the fish, which will be released. At the same time, we will put listening devices at the bottom of the ocean, which will record for six months the passage of the fish as they swim past the device. Then we will collect the devices and find out about the movement of the fish, the pattern of the movement, and the number of the fish.
The way we manage our fisheries has been subject to an audit by the Commonwealth government. I have to tell you that the results are very good. The Commonwealth will only allow our fisheries to continue to export if we can demonstrate that commercial, recreational and indigenous fisheries are managed in a sustainable manner, both now and in the future, and that the environment is protected. I am very happy to report that the majority of our key commercial and recreational fisheries have now been audited through a transparent assessment, which included public consultation and a formal review by a panel of experts.
The Northern Territory’s Spanish mackerel, Timor Reef fin fish trawl and demersal fisheries have received the highest level of accreditation possible. That means all of these fisheries are sustainable and they will be allowed to export in the next five years. We are one of the very few jurisdictions to receive this high accreditation from the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth is now reviewing the shark and trepang fisheries and soon an issues paper will be released for public comment. Assessment reports for the aquarium and barramundi fisheries will be submitted within the next 12 months, and we expect that we will receive accreditation. This clearly demonstrates our fisheries are sustainable and, most importantly, that there will be fish for tomorrow.
This government is working very closely with the scientists because we want to make sure that the fish are there tomorrow. The fishing industry is a significant industry for the Territory and for Australia. We manage our fisheries very well. There have been examples in other countries that mismanagement of their fisheries has led to the collapse of the industry, with significant impact on the country and on the industry. The most notable example that is taught at universities is the collapse of the sardine fishery in Peru when too many trawlers fished sardines. As a result, the fishery collapsed within two years. Even after five or 10 years, the fishery has not recovered.
Some of our fishermen congregate in areas, making it very vulnerable to fishers and fishermen, plus we have increased pressure from illegal fishermen who come from the north and as far as Argentina. They try to catch some of our very valuable fish that attract high prices around the world. We had the incident when some patrol boats and Corvettes were sent by the Australian Navy to near the Antarctic to apprehend some of these commercial fishers and, in some cases, confiscate their fish.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016