2002-08-14
Budget 2002-03 - Process for Debate
Mr REED to TREASURER
Next week, the Treasurer will bring down the first full budget of her government. However, none of us know how this parliament is going to be able to debate and examine that budget. Can the Treasurer give us the full detail as to when and how the process that she proposes to use will allow all members of this parliament to, on behalf of all Territorians, examine that budget?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. As we committed to in the run-up to the election, there will be an Estimates Committee process in place to undertake the examination we have previously here year after year as the Committee of the Whole. We are catching up with every other state and territory by putting in place that Estimates Committee process. I have an assurance from the Leader of Government Business, who has carriage of the Estimates Committee proposal, that you will be fully briefed. We will be making time, you will be fully briefed. I am sure that you will embrace this new process enthusiastically. It certainly provides the same opportunities that every other parliamentarian around Australia has to examine a budget in detail.
We are very proud of the budget that will be brought down next week and look forward to the estimates process so that we can talk in detail with the community, with members of this House, about the important initiatives that we are funding in the budget. I can say with great confidence to the opposition - and thank you for the question, member for Katherine - that you will be briefed.
It is interesting, for year after year, we were in here saying: ‘Bring in an Estimates Committee process’. It fell on deaf ears, absolutely deaf ears. It is interesting that finally the estimates …
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister and Treasurer has demonstrated and indicated quite clearly that she is going to introduce a new system. It is no good pointing to what the historical circumstances were or are. In terms of the Leader of Government Business, the Chief Minister has indicated that he knows what the process is. Why, then, can’t Territorians be advised of it now?
Madam SPEAKER: There is actually no point of order, but Treasurer, you know you should be getting to the answer.
Ms MARTIN: There will be a motion establishing an Estimates Committee debated next week. The Estimates Committee takes place in September. Let me make the point.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Can we put some clarity into what is being discussed here? We have an opposition who never wanted an Estimates Committee, who have not been asking us about the process, and are standing up here now saying: ‘Tell us more about it’. We will tell you about it. You will be properly briefed on it, and we will discuss it here next week. I do not think we have had any requests at this stage. We have had a request? We have had one request, one request…
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This parliament spent $10 000 or more sending members of this parliament to Tasmania to investigate their system. The Public Accounts Committee, on behalf of this parliament, reported back. Indeed, I think the government bench members of that committee reported that they supported the Tasmanian system. Yet we are still not going to get any information in relation to it. I think Territorians are owed an explanation as to what the processes will be.
Mr Stirling: Yes, we will make time tomorrow. We will give you time tomorrow.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of Government Business, order! Let me say that you know that there is no way I can tell ministers how to answer questions, you know they have flexibility. I think your comment is fair. Treasurer, complete the answer to the question.
Ms MARTIN: Very simply, Madam Speaker, we will have a motion in here next week. The Estimates Committee process will be in the September sittings. I welcome the change of heart from the opposition who would not touch an Estimates Committee year after year after year, but finally they think it is a good idea. So, this is great, bipartisan support. You will be briefed tomorrow, member for Katherine, and the motion will be in the parliament next week.
Mr Reed: Well, we’ve got a little bit of something out of you. It’s like pulling teeth.
Ms MARTIN: You could have phoned.
Mr Reed: I did! I couldn’t get an answer.
Mr Stirling: And your concerns have been taken into consideration.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you! I do remind members, my office had phone calls from members of the public who were rather concerned that they could not hear Question Time yesterday. I hope we do not have a repeat today.
Commonwealth Games – NT Performance and Support
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Would the Chief Minister please detail how Territorians fared at the recent Commonwealth Games? Could the Chief Minister also explain to the House how the Northern Territory government supported the Commonwealth Games effort?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to talk about the Commonwealth Games. If anyone in here had a chance to watch some of the activities, our Australian athletes did us proud. Our Territory athletes did us proud as well.
It was a bit embarrassing in the end how many medals we won; 206 is an enormous number of medals of which 82 were gold medals. The fact that the second closest was England with 165 medals of which 54 were gold shows that the real commitment of Australia and the Territory to sport generally and elite sport is certainly paying dividends.
The success we saw at the Olympic Games is not just a one-off, and was carried strongly to our performance at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. It was our largest team ever and I am sure this House would like to congratulate all the athletes. They did a fantastic job. They were great ambassadors for Australia as well as being great athletes.
I would like to highlight the Territory contribution. In hockey, Mark Hickman was the Kookaburras goal keeper. He is an Institute of Sport scholarship holder. Mark has become the number one goal keeper for Australia and helped steer us to a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. It was a great contribution from Mark Hickman. Another NTIS athlete performing was Jan Palazzi. She was in the Ladies Fours in the lawn bowls and performed wonderfully. Unfortunately, that team missed out on a medal. The NTIS hockey coach Terry Evans was an assistant coach and video analyst with the Kookaburras. One of our NT hockey administrators, Pip March, was one of the judges at the games.
Greg Chan, whose reputation as a clay target coach is going from strength to strength, coached Michael Diamond and Russell Mark who were medallists at the Commonwealth Games. When you consider that Greg did so fantastically well with Michael Diamond at the Olympic Games, he really is someone we ought to have enormous pride in.
We are having a welcome home this evening on the Speaker’s Green - thank you, Madam Speaker - for those Territory athletes who went to the Commonwealth Games, but also some other athletes who went, and we thank Telstra for their sponsorship of this. This afternoon we will see shot-putter Justin Anlezark and boxer Paul Miller who actually hails from the Territory. Justin’s win was the first time an Australian male shot-putter has won gold at anything like the Commonwealth Games, so that is at the World Championships, the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games. A tremendous effort. Boxer Paul Miller performed well for us, too.
Then there are others who were at the Commonwealth Games who have a Territory connection: national cycling road coach, Shayne Bannan, and cyclist, Cadel Evans, spent time in the Territory before moving south. Australia and the Territory put in a good effort at the Commonwealth Games, and we would like to encourage everyone to go to the reception this evening and congratulate our athletes.
This Territory government is pleased to continue the previous government’s strong support for Territory sport. When you look at how we contributed to Australian athletes preparing for the Commonwealth Games, the athletics team spent a month here in July before going off to Manchester. We were able to assist with transport to and from the Arafura Stadium, also with a minor upgrade of the athletics track. I am sure those Australian athletes who spent time at the Arafura track before Manchester will be delighted to hear we have put $800 000 into resurfacing that track. It needed it. We will be able to use it for more of the pre-competition training that athletes from other parts of our country and the world need before major competitions. We should be very proud of our athletes, both Territory and Australian, and be proud to welcome them home tonight.
Australian Crime Commission – Ministerial Representation
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Last week, state and territory police ministers and the federal Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Ellison, finally agreed on a set up for the Australian Crime Commission which will become a key player in the fight against organised serious crime right across Australia. It was a most significant meeting with far-reaching consequences in the area of law and order.
Why was the Territory represented at this meeting, not by you, not by another minister, not by the Commissioner of Police or his deputy, but by a political minder from your office, Mark Nelson, who has no expertise, experience nor authority in this vital area of law and order?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Brennan and Leader of the Opposition for his question. I am really proud to stand behind and with my state and territory police minister colleagues on this issue, because I think it is probably instructive to take the Leader of the Opposition through how quickly things turned around from the Police Ministerial Council that I chaired here some weeks ago and the difficulties we had then in the understanding between what the state and territory police ministers envisaged by way of an Australian Crime Commission compared with what the Commonwealth, through Senator Ellison, at that meeting, envisaged.
Senator Ellison came to …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, he is going to get this answer if it takes to 3.15.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STIRLING: I am very patient. He has asked for an answer and I am going to give it to him. The longer they take, it suits me.
Senator Ellison laid down very briefly at the outset of that meeting - which we got to at about 3.05pm - and it was very clear to the state and territory police ministers that far from an enhanced National Crime Authority, which is what the whole process of this Australian Crime Commission was to be about, we were going to have a reduced and much smaller body, less effective in dealing with questions of national crime than indeed the National Crime Authority which itself has been subject to much criticism over its effectiveness.
Senator Ellison was apparently not going to be in a mood to listen to anything, the state and territory ministers sat on their own, without the good Minister for Justice, for about an hour, to form up, in a direct proposal, where they thought the Australian Crime Commission should be headed - the level of resourcing, the investigative capacity it should have and a whole range of questions behind that. Senator Ellison then came back in and was presented with the proposal from the state and territory ministers. He virtually said: ‘What do you expect me to do with this?’ He was asked to take those proposals to the Prime Minister. He gave an indication that the Prime Minister wouldn’t be the slightest bit interested in what the state and territory police ministers had put to him.
There was a remarkable turnaround in the space of a few weeks. The Commonwealth was asked to respond by the end of July, and we had this remarkable turnaround. I commend the efforts of one Michael Costa, the Minister for Police in New South Wales and his team, because it was remarkable, far from not listening, Prime Minister Howard took on the concerns of the states and territories in relation to the resourcing of the Australian Crime Commission. Through that process of discussion, consultation and negotiation through Michael Costa’s office in New South Wales directly with the Prime Minister, the Commonwealth went a very long way to seeing the concerns of the states and territories in terms of those resourcing questions and the ability of the Australian Crime Commission to do its job.
When he suggests that my Chief of Staff, Mark Nelson, has no expertise in this area, I hope he is not suggesting he thinks I am an absolute expert on these matters. I sat and chaired the meeting in Darwin which got me across many of the issues, because many of my state and territory colleagues are much more versed in these matters than am I. Nonetheless, Mr Nelson was there all of the way through that ministerial council with me. We both read all of the submissions, the details between the Commonwealth, the states and territories, and we had phone link ups at which Mr Nelson was present with the state and territory police ministers in advance of this further meeting. It was not …
Mr Burke: It is unprecedented.
Mr STIRLING: The meeting in Sydney …
Mr Burke: The question is it is unprecedented.
Mr STIRLING: The meeting in Sydney …
Mr Burke: It is unprecedented that you would do that, any minister would do that.
Mr STIRLING: The meeting in Sydney …
Mr Burke: Why didn’t you send the Police Commissioner?
Mr STIRLING: The meeting in Sydney …
Mr Burke: It is unprecedented. You don’t send minders.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, order! You have made your interjection.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STIRLING: The meeting in Sydney, as of last Friday, when I was at Docker River and Kintore visiting schools in the communities …
Ms Martin: Wasn’t that the first time an education minister …
Mr STIRLING: I think it was the first time. It is a long time since a police minister or education minister had been at Kintore, I can tell you. In fact, the people asked if I could remember a minister having been there myself.
Nonetheless, the meeting on Friday was a meeting of police ministers, not - I repeat, not - a ministerial council. Had it been a ministerial council and as I was unavailable to attend, it would have been appropriate to ask the Commissioner of Police to attend and represent the Northern Territory in my absence. It was not a ministerial council, it was a meeting of ministers. I was not the only minister who did not attend, and I understand other ministers who were not in attendance had their chiefs of staff, or people from their office connected with policing matters represent them.
So, far from being inappropriate as to who I sent or who I didn’t send, had it been a ministerial council, I would have spoken to the Commissioner of Police and had him attend. It was not a ministerial council; it was a meeting of ministers to finalise the position, the negotiations and the outcomes coming from the Prime Minister’s office, and a way through to put a line under it.
We had almost unanimous agreement in the end between the Commonwealth and each of the state and territory police ministers. That is the reason Mr Nelson attended. He reported fully back to me on that meeting, and I appreciate his efforts because, in the end, the states and territories have, on behalf of Australia, finished up with a model Australian Crime Commission that will take us into the future, unlike the proposal the Minister for Justice, Senator Ellison, was shoving on to us.
Budget 2002-3 – International Tourism Marketing
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the government doing to encourage international tourists back into the Territory after the post-September 11 tourist slump?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. This is great news toady, and it is something I am sure Territorians will agree is good news for the tourism industry. I am pleased to announce today that over the next two years, the Tourist Commission will receive an extra $1m for international marketing to drive more tourists to the Northern Territory, to drive inbound international aviation capacity to the Northern Territory. An additional $500 000 this financial year, and an additional $500 000 next financial year.
This is new money and it is a 10% increase on the marketing budget that was handed down by the previous government. This money will allow an aggressive international marketing campaign to drive those tourists back to the Northern Territory. As we all know, September 11 last year really did have a detrimental impact and, as a government, we reallocated money from the American market to the drive market, and we have seen an excellent drive market this year. It really has been the backbone of the tourism industry this year, and certainly has been well received by all operators to whom I have spoken up and down the track.
That international market is recovering now, and this additional money, this new money - and I confirm to honourable members this is new money; there were no cuts to the marketing budget as a result of the mini-budget. - is going to the heart of our commitment. It is going to be in the budget. This is about jobs for Territorians. As I have said, this is a 10% increase on the previous marketing allocation that was handed down by the member for Katherine when he was tourism minister.
This additional $1m, on all the historical evidence, will drive an additional $12m worth of expenditure in the Northern Territory next financial year. We will be spending that money in Japan, the UK, Europe, America and New Zealand, and cooperatively with those airlines to drive those airlines back to the Northern Territory.
I am really hoping that the shadow tourism minister - I hope by the end of the afternoon - actually gets out there with a ringing endorsement because I have been to the web site this morning and done a bit of research. We still have some press releases from her out there. She should provide a ringing endorsement of this initiative, congratulating the government on backing the tourism industry, and just putting to rest the rumours, innuendoes and scuttlebutt that is being run by the shadow minister. If we go to a press release on 2 July this year: ‘Government will engage in further cuts’.
That was the crystal ball. It is not working very well; it is a bit cloudy over there: ‘Government will engage in further cuts’. Then, again, on 27 June last year called on the minister to justify government’s plans to further cut funding to the tourism industry. We have not cut funding to the Tourist Commission; we are actually increasing it in terms of the marketing allocation.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: ‘Government is gearing to make further major cuts to Northern Territory tourism’. Got it wrong again. Wrong again!
Ms Carney interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Going further on: ‘This government is hell bent on further budget cuts to the Tourism Commission. Both the Holiday Centre in Sydney and Territory Discoveries have been targetted’. How wrong!
Ms Carney interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Then the other line that was run, the innuendoes, not backing the tourism industry, not supporting the government in the tough times, not supporting the tourism industry, saying we were going to cut funds to the RTAs.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order for a moment, minister. Member for Araluen, would you please refrain from your screaming across the Chamber. I think members of the opposition should not interrupt the minister.
Mr HENDERSON: The innuendoes were going to be run that we were going to gut the RTAs and take the money out of the RTAs. Where was the press release? I am sure that the member for Araluen’s networks in the tourism industry are pretty good - it is a small place, the Northern Territory, and everybody knows everybody - but I held a meeting with all of the chief executive officers and chairs of the RTAs some weeks ago in Darwin and made an absolute commitment not to cut the funding. We are going to work closer in partnership to actually build on the communications, build on the relationships. I did not see a press release from the member for Araluen saying: ‘Good on the government. I take it all back. It is a great initiative’.
This is an extra $0.5m a year - $0.5m, a 10% increase on the previous government. We are backing the tourism industry. We are backing jobs in the Territory and I am really looking forward to the press release from the member for Araluen being up on her web site this afternoon.
Tomato Virus – Incorrect Identification
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
On 22 April this year, your department received a tomato plant from the Darwin rural area for diagnosis. To quote a report from your department:
- Six weeks after the original sample was presented, and following a positive test result …
- … for potato spindle tuberviroid, (PSTVd), the quarantining of commercial tomato growers, notification of an exotic disease, drafting of legal instruments and numerous man hours, the decision was made that, in fact, PSTVd was not present and the action should cease.
Could you please tell the House how many growers and other businesses were affected by what your own department said was: ‘A debacle in exotic pest and disease incursion management’? Have all those people affected been fully compensated for what your department says was: ‘…significant financial and emotional hardship’? What will be the total cost to Territorians for this incorrect identification of a plant disease, and will the minister release a full report to this House explaining what happened and what the government intends to do to make sure it does not happen again?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It is an excellent question and it is certainly an issue that did take up an enormous amount of time in my department. There was a significant impact on the growers, and I can provide the House with some detail in terms of the outcomes of that incorrect identification.
First, if we can set the scene that diagnosing plant disease and potential plant disease is very complicated. It is very complex. The nature of determinant and the diagnostics are certainly something that I have come to learn over the last couple of months is not immediately obvious. There are extremely complicated testing regimes, facilities and sample stock that we do not have in the Northern Territory and we must have that testing conducted interstate. Melbourne, I believe, is where the samples went.
The other complicating factor in all of this is the lack of a national support scheme for affected growers for plant disease. There are national schemes to compensate pastoralists and other farmers in the animal side of things, but in terms of plant disease, there is no national scheme, and that is something that we are working on.
The actual issue in terms of the question from the honourable member was a delay of a month between the initial symptoms being displayed and a final definitive negative result. During that period, what we received from the laboratories in Melbourne were both positive and negative results, so the communication out to the affected growers, erring on the side of caution, was that we did have this potato spindle tuberviroid disease in the Territory amongst those potential affected growers as a result of receiving both positive and negative results. It was not until a definite negative DNA result was returned that we could be sure one way or another.
That did take one month. It was certainly something that was of great concern to me as minister. We did effect the department’s response under the protocols of Operational Response Plan for Exotic Pest and Disease Outbreaks. I was concerned about the amount of time, and I did commission an independent review of this process. An expert from the Queensland Primary Industry Department was brought to the Northern Territory at my request to review all of the protocols that we have in place for responding to plant disease, to talk to the growers as well as departmental officers and scientific staff. His report finally arrived yesterday. I have not seen it yet. I have it upstairs in my office, but I have been advised that that report arrived yesterday.
I can say that I did speak to the affected growers in terms of the financial hardship that they suffered. I asked them to put together applications for hardship assistance. Those applications have come in, and all of those growers who have put in applications have received allocated monies. My advice is that the total cost of eradication and financial assistance amounted to $160 000. So that has been disbursed, and we have that independent review. It is on my desk; it arrived yesterday. As minister, I have carriage of that, and I can say to the member that I will come back to this House and either make a report or a statement on the outcome of that review.
We did have a serious incident. The detection of these diseases is not straightforward. It is the single biggest issue that we face: trying to keep disease out of the Northern Territory. I can also advise the House that I am very keen to see a federal scheme brought together for compensation. I think that the industry is exposed. I have written to the federal Minister for Agriculture, Warren Truss, about this issue, and this is an issue that will be on the next agenda for the Primary Industry Ministerial Council. The concerns that I have are that unless we can come to some sort of national scheme to protect potential growers, we certainly run the risk of not developing the industry to its full potential. Anybody looking to invest is going to be deterred in terms of an investment commitment because of the problems of putting risk management strategies in place. I believe there is a potential problem in terms of encouraging people to report if they are in total fear of their livelihood. It is a very complex issue.
I can offer the member for Nelson and the shadow minister in this area a full briefing. We have a report. We will respond, and $160 000 is what it has cost government in terms of the response and hardship assistance to the affected growers.
Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants – Local Government
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
I understand that there have been some concerns raised in relation to the allocation of funding to local government through the Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants. Can the minister explain the method of allocating this funding, and why it is that some councils in the Northern Territory may be faced with reduced levels of funding?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. I am aware that some councils are facing reduced funding under the Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants this year and, not surprisingly, they are unhappy with the situation. However, it is important to understand that the framework for the allocation of this funding is essentially determined by the Commonwealth government. It is the Commonwealth government that determines the global funding level to be provided nationally to the local government sector, and it is the Commonwealth government that determines the distribution of that global allocation between the states and territories.
The Northern Territory Grants Commission then has the job of allocating the funding across the local government sector within the Territory in accordance with the national principles developed under that Commonwealth legislation. The methodology used by the Northern Territory Grants Commission, which is driven by those national principles, has been in place for some years and has previously been approved by Commonwealth and Territory ministers.
This year, there have been variations in the size of grants to some councils. This is due primarily to the availability of more up-to-date data and, in particular, more accurate population statistics. The old data for expenditure and population that the Northern Territory Grants Commission had been using meant that, in the past, some councils were receiving more than they should have and, in turn, some were receiving less.
Let me emphasise that the Northern Territory Grants Commission is an independently incorporated body. This ensures that allocations to councils occur in an objective and independent manner. The Northern Territory government has no power to approve or reject the formula used by the Grants Commission. Ultimately, approval for the allocation lies within the Commonwealth government. The assurance I can give, however, is that I will do all I can to win a fairer share of the global funding available to the Territory. I will also be doing my best to ensure that the data and statistics available to the Commission are as accurate and as up-to-date as possible. That way, we can win a better deal for local government in the Territory, as well as reduce the likelihood of dramatic, one-off adjustments to the level of funding to individual councils.
Budget 2002-03 - Teacher Numbers
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
This weekend, it is a year since your government promised Territory families 100 more teachers on the job. With students now facing the most critical part of their school year, the union asserts that there are 67 vacant teaching positions. The minister’s own comment gives the figure somewhere around 35, perhaps 40. By my calculations, that would leave approximately 1000 primary school students without classroom teachers, at 25 students per class, perhaps enough to fill 2.5 urban primary schools.
Whilst in opposition, the current government run a number of MPIs on important issues in education.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The questions are getting longer and longer …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Teacher shortages were often key…
Ms MARTIN: There is a point of order.
Mr MILLS: I am sorry.
Ms MARTIN: There is a very clear line: that you keep your questions short and to the point. This is a statement from the member.
Madam SPEAKER: I do admit that the questions have been getting longer, but I am sure the member for Blain is about to ask his question. Your question, member for Blain.
Mr MILLS: It is important to see the broader context. There were a number of MPIs and a line of questioning in the last session of parliament. There was at this time in 2001 a shortage of five teachers in the teaching service.
Minister, the Martin government has failed to fulfil their election promise. Will you acknowledge that this is the worst teacher shortage the Territory has ever faced? And, short of admitting your promise was a total sham, will you explain why you have failed to fulfil your election promise?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I can tell him that schools and teachers out there are a little bit more excited about the commitment and the emphasis that this government is putting on education, schools and training than they ever saw from the Country Liberal Party.
It is no secret that teacher recruitment becomes ever more difficult. There is a national shortage. I am sure the member for Blain knows that. That focusses this government’s attention ever more closely on this whole question of teacher recruitment and retention. It is an opportunity for me to inform the House on the accuracy of the vacancy situation in our schools without the erroneous calculations based on erroneous figures supplied to the member for Blain in the first place.
At the beginning of this week, there were 17 permanent teacher vacancies across the teaching service in government schools. Of those 17 vacancies, 10 recruits have been identified and are being processed. There are also 17 temporary vacancies, and eight potential recruits have been identified for those. So the combined number of vacancies represents 1.7% of the 1992 classroom-based teachers currently employed in the department.
Just yesterday, or the day before, there were media reports emanating through the Australian Education Union that there were four teacher vacancies at Taminmin High - not so. This is the sort of information that gets out there and the member for Blain jumps on the back of. One vacancy - and one is too many, let me acknowledge, one is too many. But there is one English teacher shortage at Taminmin, not four as alleged by the Australian Education Union. That position has been advertised both locally and interstate.
In the short term, to ensure that there are no classrooms without teachers in front of them, a number of strategies have to be put in place. School principals, as the front line management in our schools, take action to ensure that all classes have a teacher in front of them and wherever possible, relief teachers are brought in. The problem with relief teachers is that they get shorter in supply as the year goes on. As a former principal, the member for Blain would well know this, particularly if they are good and high quality, they don’t remain, unless they choose to, in the relief teacher category very long, because sooner or later a vacancy arises, and they are in the school and the principal puts them in. If they like the school, they like the community, they like the class, ‘Any chance of you staying on?’ and very quickly that is agreed and the system has one fewer relief teacher but on the other hand, the class has a quality teacher in front of it.
There is additional work load for teachers who are called upon to cover those classes, including assistant principals and principals. I commend our teachers for the selfless dedication they show in those situations. I can assure the member for Blain that everything is being done to fill these vacancies as quickly as possible.
In respect of longer term action, we recently approved a new recruitment and retention strategy for teachers. That includes the department’s current work with universities, in particular NTU, Sydney University and the University of Canberra to recruit graduates directly. Wherever possible, officers from this department attend university open days and fairs to show what the Northern Territory Department of Education can offer by way of a teaching career.
If I could concentrate on one specific initiative, and I am sure the member for Blain would join with me in commending the department for this one, and that is the 15 interns, masters students at Sydney university. These were students who had an interest in indigenous education. To that end, within their course of study, they covered cross-cultural awareness, Aboriginal history studies, teaching of the hearing impaired and the deaf because of the high numbers of indigenous students who have hearing difficulties, and they covered English as a Second Language teaching skills. They are the sorts of skills that we need right across the board in indigenous education. At an all up cost to the government of less than $100 000, we have those 15 teachers in remote community schools - I think I have exactly where they are - for the 10 weeks of this third term. We have paid their airfares, we have paid them a small living cost, nowhere near a salary. I met two of the three sent out to Shepherdson College at Elcho Island; one of them was in a homeland school at the time, and I met with about 13 of them at Mirambeena before they went out.
Early indications are that all 15, based on their experience so far, would be interested in coming back to teach in the Territory on a permanent basis. I think that is fantastic. If we get 10, if we get eight, I think the program is justified. I would see relevance for a program such as this in terms of health for nurses, that Health could have a look at what Education is doing in this regard. The linkages with other universities, such as we have established with Sydney University in this case, have to be strengthened. There is a real opportunity for us to go forward there.
They are a couple of the initiatives that we have in train in terms of where we go in the future. Obviously, the enterprise bargaining agreement, for which discussions and early negotiations will commence sometime before or around October this year, if not before, will go to the core of how well we keep teachers into the future and how well we are able to recruit. We have to be mindful of the shifts that have occurred in other jurisdictions in terms of wages and conditions and to ensure that we at the top - and should be at the top - of those salaries and conditions in order to be able to continue to recruit quality teachers to the Northern Territory.
I say to the member for Blain: I would welcome him putting his hand up at any time and coming for an accurate briefing on these matters. The media is there to report what people say…
Mr Mills: No, it is COGSO and the union that are telling me this.
Mr STIRLING: Well, whether it is COGSO or whether it is AEU, they are not necessarily accurate. My figures can be relied on. The AEU can test them against the department. Just be careful of what is out there on the media at any time. Check with this office, come in for a briefing; we would be happy to take you through it.
Leanyer Recreation Park - Progress
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
Could the minister please inform the House of the progress being made in the development of the Leanyer recreation park.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, earlier this year I announced the formation of the Leanyer Water Park task force to have a look at what was known previously as Lake Leanyer. I am very pleased to advise the House that the task force that was chaired by the member for Karama with deputy chair, the member for Sanderson, including a large number of members of the community - local educators, people with expertise on water safety, young people and, of course, public servants - have now completed their report. They provided their report and also a concept plan.
They are proposing a water recreation facility for the people of Darwin and Palmerston, with a special focus on the family. In their concept plan, they propose a water park play area with water-based play equipment, and maximum depth of water 300 mm with soft matting. They also propose a permanent body of water with an 800 mm depth. They are proposing improved safety to Australian standards; the establishment of a kiosk; a telephone for use by the public; a caretaker’s residence; a skate park; a half basketball court; a grassed amphitheatre and facilities for the public for entertainment such as barbecues and other facilities. It is an exciting project, and this concept plan will form the basis for wider community consultation.
I would like every member of this House to advise their constituents that I would like their comments, because we want to find out what the community really wants. This is the basis of what we propose, but if people have some different ideas or want something different, I would welcome these comments. They have until the end of September…
Mr Dunham: They want their lake back. That’s what they want.
Mr VATSKALIS: I have an interjection. I have been there many times. One particular time we went for a barbecue and we finished up at the hospital because my son hit his chin on the cascades and his chin was split open.. We are proposing a safe family facility. I do not think anybody has doubts or concerns about it. We all want to see a facility that can be used by anybody, but one that is going to be safe. We do not want to see any more deaths in the recreational area. It is tragic for the family and it is tragic for our community which is very small, and we all know each other.
We have been to the show circuit. We have shown people what we are proposing and we would like your comments. I take this opportunity to congratulate the task force for the work they have done, and also members of the community who have already responded to our request. I believe there is a large number of people who have already made comments about the proposed water recreation facility.
Pool Fencing
Ms CARTER to CHIEF MINISTER
You have told us that you are going to take steps to enforce pool fencing in the Northern Territory. People are now becoming confused. They want to know when is this going to happen because they are needing to make decisions about pool fencing. Can you tell us when you are going to take this move to enforce legislation? How much is it going to cost? Will there be compensation paid to the people who are already complying with current laws? Will taxes and levies have to be imposed to pay for it?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question, but it is interesting. I would say to the member for Port Darwin that I am not actually sure what her attitude is to this issue. I would like to know, from the opposition point of view, what kind of attitude there is across the opposition because you have been very silent on this issue, very prevaricating on this very important issue for the Territory, which is pool fencing.
It is a very interesting question and an important one. I would really like to know, and after Question Time is over I will be going over to the member for Port Darwin and asking her what her attitude is, because she has been very silent on an issue that affects her electorate and an issue that affects many of her constituents.
Mr Dunham: You are in the government now, Clare. This is your call, darling.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I heard the member for Drysdale pass a very uncomplimentary comment that is totally unparliamentary about the Chief Minister, possibly sexist, and I ask him to withdraw it. He knows what he said.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drydsale, withdraw your remark.
Mr Dunham: I confess that I did use the word ‘darling’, Madam Speaker, and I do withdraw it unreservedly.
Ms Carter: When are you going to do it?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has the floor. Let us allow her to get on with the answer.
Ms MARTIN: Yes, I do worry about members on the other side of the House who feel as though they have such affection for me that they have to call me ‘darling’. We had the member for Katherine consistently doing it. It is a worry that it is a contagious disease.
Let me just say very clearly this is a very important issue across the Territory. It is important that we have safety standards around our pools that match the rest of Australia. This is not rocket science; this is just making sure of a level of safety in our community that every other state has. We are working with local government on how we move forward on this. It is a very complex issue, there is no doubt about that. I do not make any pretence that it is not. It is a complex issue. But I would say, and it will take some while to put in place, to find the balance that we need in where …
Mr Reed: You said it would only take six weeks when you started.
Mr Elferink: You said isolation pool fencing.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it is very difficult when they are rabbiting on.
Madam SPEAKER: You are quite right, Chief Minister, it is very difficult.
Ms MARTIN: Yes, and I am attempting, across the noise from the other side - if you ask a question, are you interested in the answer?
Ms Carter: Yes, I am.
Mr Baldwin: Can you get to it?
Ms MARTIN: Good! I have been giving the answer. If you are slow to understand, I can go back to the beginning and start again, member for Daly.
I am more interested to know where you guys stand on this because you have been very silent and prevaricating. I am very firm about this, let me make it very clear. This side of the House is very firm about this issue. For too long, we have not had effective standards of pool fencing that meet the same requirements that every other state and territory have in place. It is not acceptable, from this government’s point of view, that we don’t have those standards; that is why we are moving.
I am moving, this government is moving to look after young children in the Territory particularly. The under-5s - but anyone who knows, it is not just about under-5s, it is about every child, because no matter what age you are, you can have an accident around a pool. I am committed to getting it right. We are working towards this, and I would say to anyone who is looking a putting pool fencing in right now, putting in a pool as we are coming into the build-up, there are standards that have been issued that are the Australian standards: follow those; it is simple. People have been able to put pool fences around their pools that meet Australian standards of high level separation and isolation for many years now. People who put pools in years ago, for example, put pools in that will reach these requirements, no problems about it.
There is not an issue about whether there is any confusion now, there is not. We are moving towards this carefully, and we will get it right. I can assure Territorians that those who put in pool fencing to meet current requirements will not be penalised. This is not what this legislation is about. It is not about penalising those who, in good faith, put in perimeter fencing. It is not about that. But perimeter fencing does not reach the Australian standard now. It does not reach that high level separation, and it does not reach isolation.
I would say to anyone considering putting a pool fence in now: ‘Do that. It is about community safety. It is about safety for your kids and safety for the neighbours’ kids. So let’s make sure that is the standard we are all embracing. We are doing the work - complex work it is - to make sure we can move from where we did have the standard to the Australian standard that is acceptable.
Family and Children’s Services - Funding
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Minister, can you advise the House of the steps that have been taken to boost the resources provided to Family and Children’s Services since this government came to office?
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I wonder if that can be read out again. We missed it completely over here.
Madam SPEAKER: Well, I am not surprised that sometimes you do miss questions. I am sure the member for Barkly would be happy to speak up, but I suggest all members listen – quietly! - both sides of the House, thank you.
Mr McADAM: I would be happy to do so, Madam Speaker. Minister, can you advise the House of the steps that have been taken to boost the resources provided to Family and Children’s Services since this government came into office? Have you got that?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his excellent question. Family and Children’s Services staff employed by my department provide an essential service in investigating child abuse, working with families to prevent abuse or re-abuse, and providing case management services for children in the care of the minister. All members of this House recognise the dedication and commitment of staff working in this always difficult and stressful area of child welfare. The staff who provide these services are an extremely valuable resource in their own right, and this government is fully committed to supporting them in the performance of their complex duties.
There is absolutely no doubt that Family and Children’s Services staff have been stretched by ever increasing numbers of child protection reports and inevitably, as a result of this, increasing numbers of children entering care. Senior members of my department have been working closely with the community and Public Sector Union to identify strategies to ensure the provision of services continues to meet the needs of the community.
In last November’s mini-budget, the government allocated an additional $800 000 to Family and Children’s Services, and I was very pleased recently to announce a further increase of $500 000 to the Family and Children’s Services budget. This will allow for the employment of eight new staff members. Of these, four will be Aboriginal community workers.
This increase of resources for Family and Children’s Services by $1.3m in the first year of this government is more than the increase in resources provided by the former government over the past 10 years to this stifled service. Members should be confident that this government will continue to monitor the resources required by Family and Children’s Services to ensure that it maintains the capacity to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable and precious members of our society, our children.
Ashmanor Pty Ltd Taxi Licence
Dr LIM to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Come this weekend, you will have been in government for a year.
Members interjecting.
Dr LIM: Congratulations to the government for being able to hang on for a year!
Members interjecting.
Dr LIM: But you are still no closer to fulfilling the Chief Minister’s taxi reform plan that you promised at the election. Minister, in July a Darwin taxi company, Ashmanor Proprietary Limited, went into voluntary liquidation with debts of around $110 000. Can the minister please tell me were the nine taxi plates handed in, hence reducing the taxi fleet, or are they still operating? If so, under which taxi company’s badge? Is the licence still held and being operated by a business which has gone into liquidation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we have not provided a paper for commercial vehicles yet for the simple reason that they have done such a good job of ruining it, it will take us a long time to fix it. But it will be fixed.
The member for Greatorex stood up here yesterday made comments about the licence in Alice Springs and the licence in Darwin, but obviously he does not know much about the legislation and how it operates. Nobody owns a licence; the licence is owned by the government. You borrowed in excess of $20m to buy back the licences and we have to pay for the next 10 years. That was a clever idea: getting a really good industry, borrow $20m, ruin the industry and we have to pay for the next 10 years. Not only that, you managed to create such a mess, they took you to court in Tennant Creek and Gove and they won. Now we have to pay compensation.
Now, let me tell you about that particular case …
Dr LIM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! My question was asking the minister to tell me what happened to the nine plates that were handed in, whether they are still operating and under whose badge.
Mr VATSKALIS: You just said it!
Dr Lim: Answer the question.
Mr VATSKALIS: You asked the question. You just said what happened to the nine licenses that were handed in!
Dr Lim: That’s right.
Mr VATSKALIS: You just answered the question! They were handed in. The licences belong to the government. If the taxi company came and put them on the counter, we take them back. Nobody can touch these licences. The company went into liquidation, they can lose all their assets, but nobody can touch the licences. They belong to the government.
Dr Lim: Are they still operating?
Mr VATSKALIS: You just said yourself, they were handed in. I cannot see the need to answer any further, Madam Speaker. What is the point? He asks the question, he knows the answer, he answered it himself. The licence was handed in. End of story.
Mr STIRLING (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016