2003-02-25
Yellow Pages Business Index
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
What is your response to the findings of the Yellow Pages Business Index of small and medium enterprises released today that finds in the Territory in the past three months business confidence declined noticeably, sales declined substantially, employment dropped significantly, profit weakened further this quarter, and support for the Northern Territory government declined significantly, and further, business is now facing the first decline in Territory population since Cyclone Tracy?
Chief Minister, what are you going to do today to stimulate the economy, and we do not want to hear that you are going to review it, study it, inquire into it, engage consultants, or set up task forces to hide your inaction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. First up, I would like to say regarding the Yellow Pages and the latest quarterly report from the end of last year, is that it is very disappointing.
It is very disappointing for the government and very disappointing for all members of parliament, but more so, it is disappointing for those small businesses. We all know that some small businesses are doing well and some are really doing it tough, and have been doing it tough for quite a while. I would like to say to those small businesses that their disappointment is much greater than ours. From the point of view of what the Yellow Pages is saying, of course, we are very concerned. However, what heartens me about what the Yellow Pages is saying regarding the expectation for the next quarter, is that there is a lot more optimism about.
There is a lot more optimism for those key areas of wages growth, sales and profitability. Whereas the businesses surveyed show that the last quarter of 2002 was a tough time for many of them, their expectation for the next quarter has significantly grown, and when you look at the figures …
Mr Burke: They have always had faith in the Territory; it is the government that is the problem.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, has the Leader of the Opposition finished being rude, do you think? It is a standing order that you actually are quiet while someone is answering the question.
If you look at those figures in the Yellow Pages for sales, there is a significant growth and expectation for the next quarter. In work force increases, again, a significant growth, and in profitability, a massive turnaround and expectation of 33%. The last quarter of 2002, for many businesses, was tough. However, the expectation for the first quarter of this financial year is a lot more positive, a lot brighter, a lot more expectation.
When this government brought down its last budget, it had the biggest capital works budget in the Territory’s history. It was not about promises, it was not about having lists of projects with no dollars allocated against them. We had cash against our capital works commitments, and those are flowing through the system - a significant expenditure by government to the economic activity stimulus in the Territory and for small businesses. No apology about that.
Government is spending more than has been spent in the past. What we have seen is a shrinkage of private sector activity. This is why we are focussing on the importance of the significant projects that have been announced. For example, the Alcan expansion, $1.5bn, the stimuli needed for our economy …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: The opportunities from growing the potential of the rail corridor, the warehousing, the distribution …
Mr Reed: They are worried about paying next week’s wages to their employers, not two years time.
Ms MARTIN: … import and export. Madam Speaker, I am sorry the member for Katherine is not interested, because the rail in Katherine presents significant opportunities for the growth of the Katherine economy, and his constituency is very excited about it. It is a shame the member is not.
When we look at those major projects, those injections of private enterprise confidence in our economy, then the predictions for our future are bright. It is not just this government saying so. BIS Shrapnel, in its latest predictions, are saying our economic future is bright. Also, Access Economics - both predict over 2% growth over the next five years. As the rest of Australia slows down, the Territory, to quote the words used by BIS Shrapnel: ‘The beginning of an oil and gas driven boom that may last a decade or so’.
So, with regard to the Yellow Pages, yes, very disappointing. Disappointing from government’s point of view, more so disappointing from those small businesses which are struggling and those small businesses have this government’s commitment that we will continue to spend the capital works dollars, to support them with changes to the legislative framework, and to effectively pursue those big projects which are coming on board, which will create the economic activity in our economy that is needed for prosperity for our small businesses.
NT Economy - BIS Shrapnel Report
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The latest BIS Shrapnel Engineering Construction Report predicts a massive increase in construction in the Northern Territory over the next four years. What is the government doing to make these predictions a reality?
ANSWER
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, again it is incredibly disappointing to hear this sceptical talking down of our economy that we hear from the other side of the parliament.
Mr Baldwin: We are talking you down.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, you hear the cute words from the member for Daly saying, ‘Oh well, we’re talking you down’. No you are not, you are talking our economy down.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: You are talking the economic activity down and you are not supporting the growth of business confidence in the Territory. You are talking this economy down.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please direct your remarks to me. Members of the opposition, please refrain from your bellowing. Remember this is being broadcast.
Ms MARTIN: When BIS Shrapnel reports that the Territory is in for significant growth. In their latest report on engineering construction over the next four years, they give a total of something like $11.4bn. It is important that government responds, and responds effectively. I announced today that we will be forming seven new task forces.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Again, Madam Speaker, the continued contempt from the opposition. Let me explain to you and Territorians about why we have need for these task forces. We have some major projects coming on board, and let us look at some of those. Let us look at what the drivers for the Territory economy are. Let us look at where the focus is for stimulation of the local economy so that businesses can prosper, so that we can create local jobs and build our economy.
These are in the big projects, some of which have started, some are about to start and some are in the next two to three years. They are very significant projects: the LNG plant at Wickham Point; the proposed Alcan expansion at Gove; MIM’s proposed McArthur River zinc project; the AustralAsia trade route and the opportunities for building import and export of the warehousing and distribution associated with that; and projects from our Defence industries, including the Tiger helicopters. As contemptuous as the opposition wants to be, those Tiger helicopters represent, in repairs and maintenance over the life of the projects, $100m per annum to the Territory economy - $100m. Eurocopter want to see many of those dollars come locally. That is just one Defence project. We have the Defence Housing projects, we have the Bradshaw training base, we have the patrol base. We also have the Stokes Hill Wharf redevelopment and the Darwin convention centre.
Private enterprise is thoroughly supportive of the initiative of the task forces, because it means the government can focus its attention on those projects and bring together the key players from government so that we can fast track, where possible, each of those projects. A one-stop shop for Alcan, a one-stop shop for Defence industries, a one-stop shop for all those involved in building a convention centre.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: I make no apology, despite the cynicism and scepticism, and the stupidity, coming from the opposition, because this is a way of providing that one-stop shop for these major projects and, more importantly, it is about concentrating on the local content of those projects and local jobs. It is that local content and those local jobs from these big projects that will bring billions of dollars to our economy. It is important to make sure that we are doing it as effectively as possible.
The task forces are important; they will focus the government effort. They will mean, for those big projects, there is only a one-stop shop needed. The approvals, the whole regulatory processes of government, will be dealt with effectively and we will be able to concentrate on local content, that is, prosperity for our businesses and local jobs.
Madam SPEAKER: Can I just say the answers are getting far too long in Question Time. Could we perhaps have shorter answers.
NT Economy – Business Closure Rates
Mr DUNHAM to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, at the September meeting of the Business Round Table, you personally were told that: ‘Many business owners have left the Territory’. How many business owners have left, and what have you done to find out why they left? How many Territorians were forced to leave when the jobs provided by these business owners left with them? Will you admit that it is the actions - or rather the inactions - of your government that has led to this population and jobs loss?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we have had a number of difficult years in the Territory, and it is not just associated with this government. We have seen the nett migration loss, for example, from the Territory from 1997. It was a number that we tried to draw the attention of the then government to. It fell on deaf ears, year after year. We said there is a nett migration loss; the population is only growing very slowly because of our birth rate, but the nett migration loss has been in there since 1997.
For the now opposition to pretend that, suddenly, it is something that happened - it has been in place for a number of years. If you go back to the year 1999-2000, which was the government that gave us zero economic growth? For a whole year! Zero economic growth. The impact on the Territory economy was substantial. We recognise that there are businesses in the Territory that are doing well. We recognise the substantial …
Mr Reed: Which two are they?
Ms MARTIN: Oh, stop asking stupid questions.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: There are many businesses that are doing well and are benefiting from the initiatives and policies of this government, and certainly benefiting from the significant capital works dollars that are going into our economy, and from the building of the railway. Over $700m worth of contracts …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question is not about which businesses are still in town, the question was about which ones had left and whether the minister had done an audit on it.
Madam SPEAKER: You know there is no point of order, but I did make the comment that answers are getting lengthy.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I have probably had about two minutes. Let me just say that, with $700m worth of contracts into the Territory - Territory specific businesses from the railway - there are businesses in our Territory that are doing well.
Let me give you - and I will not carry this answer on any longer, I take note of you asking to keep the answers brief. Let us just look at the number of company registrations in the period from 16 May 2000 to August 2001, the last 16 month period of the previous government - company registrations 481. A similar period, 16 months between September 2001 and December 2002 – 499 company registrations.
Retail Tenancy Legislation – Discussion Paper
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
A discussion paper on retail tenancy legislation was released yesterday. How will this initiative help protect small business people in the Territory?
ANSWER
A very good question, Madam Speaker. My government is committed to the development of legislation to clarify the laws for both tenants and landlords of commercial retail properties. The new legislation, when it is introduced in the next few months into the parliament, will ensure that there is a timely disclosure of both rights and obligations, and it will be legislation that will prohibit some of the practices that can be adopted by what you would call unscrupulous landlords.
These measures will improve the environment for business, and especially for small business, where overheads such as rent can be so critical for business viability. Draft legislation and a discussion paper will be distributed widely for comment, and seminars will also be conducted in Darwin and other regional centres. The legislation will be finalised after these consultations, and we expect to have it in the parliament in May.
One of the roles for government is to create a fair and certain trading environment right across the Territory; that is, for our small businesses. Part of that environment is a regulatory framework in which the businesses operate. Current legislation simply does not do the job.
To put a bit of history on this, national standards were developed in this area in 1997. The Northern Territory was the only part of Australia that did not enact any legislation, nor develop a code of conduct in light of those national standards - which the previous government signed up to. They went to a national meeting, signed up to it, did nothing - did nothing for our small retail businesses. The former government received at least two reports from joint government industry working groups, and probably there are some on the other side who remember the 1993 Setter report. Both of the reports the government received urged reforms, and what happened? Nothing!
This government recognises the need for an attractive business environment, one which encourages sustainable economic growth, development and jobs, and an important component for that for our retail sector is legislation that protects them. We are the only part of Australia that does not have it, and this government has made a commitment to rectifying that, and it will be a significant assistance for our small businesses.
Danila Dilba Health Service at Palmerston
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
We know one of the reasons for cutting back on the Palmerston Health Clinic was its viability. Recently, there have been moves by Danila Dilba Health Service to move to a site in Palmerston over the road from the clinic. Minister, would you not agree it would be better financially, and as a means of maintaining and promoting racial harmony and understanding, if Danila Dilba was part of, or attached to the Palmerston Health Clinic?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. This government respects the decision of the Danila Dilba board of directors to relocate its service to Palmerston, hence the gifting of land by our government to Danila Dilba to expand its service. This also has the backing of the Commonwealth government, which funds Danila Dilba and, I might add that the Territory government does not fund Danila Dilba. The government respects the right of this service to make decisions in the best interests of the Aboriginal people in the greater Darwin area.
Population Decline - Effect on Public Service Numbers
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
In May 2001, there were 14 779 public servants in the Territory and, according to the latest figures of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment, in September last year there were 14 321. That is a loss of 458. Chief Minister, how many of those lost positions have resulted in Territorians and their families leaving the Territory? Chief Minister, will you admit that your own policies in cutting the public service has been sufficient to see our population fall?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, when the member for Blain asks a question, he should not put misleading bits in it. There is no policy from this government to cut the public sector and, in fact, if you look at the track record …
Members interjecting.
Madam Speaker: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: There are always fluctuations in the public service …
Mr Reed: Especially when the Chief Minister says 1500 are going to get shot.
Madam Speaker: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Again, the rubbish being spouted from the other side of the House, who brought us, in the early 1990s, the ERC and, in the late 1990s, Planning for Growth, or as every public servant said, ‘pruning’ for growth. It was done in a most hamfisted way, with real damage inflicted on our public sector, especially Planning for Growth, or ‘pruning’ for growth.
This government is proud of our record of growing critical areas of our public sector: 100 new nurses, 100 new teachers, 50 police officers. When we have looked right across the board …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Let us look at some other areas: pool inspectors, a growth area. Let us look at the Office of Indigenous Policy in my department, a very small office that is changing the face of how the Territory government does business. We are proud of growing those key areas of our public sector. The question from the opposition has no credibility - no credibility from a previous government that set about to hack and simply remove vast numbers of public servants. The whole outsourcing of the IT, how many did that lose?
We are focussed on growing the key areas of our public sector and we are proud to do it.
Exploration Licence Grants in the Northern Territory
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Can the minister please advise the House on the current status of exploration licence grants in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. This is a good news story. There has been an outstanding increase in the number of mineral exploration licences granted since this government came to office in August 2001; an area of economic activity that the previous government played politics with for many, many years and saw a flood of investment from the Northern Territory. It is very true, and it is certainly critical in the mining industry, that if you are not out there investing in exploration for today, then you cannot grow the industry for tomorrow.
It was an area that the members opposite played politics with for many, many years. The runs are on the board. This increase has been absolutely dramatic in the time that we have been in office. Over a 300% increase in the number of exploration licences granted in the previous financial year under the CLP government – a 300% increase. It is something that this government is very proud of.
A resurgence in exploration will bring economic benefit to all Territorians. In the first year alone - the first year of exploration since we have opened up the land mass of the Northern Territory – there has been an additional $16m in exploration expenditure in the Territory. The development of the exploration and mining industry is one of the key areas and focal points for this government’s economic development strategy. We saw in the House just last week, Olympia Resources announcing a new garnet mine for Central Australia. We have massive projects going ahead at Alcan and McArthur River mines, and good news coming in a couple of new mines that we expect will get up and running in the next few months.
This government has forged an increase in exploration activity in conjunction with strong environmental and land management practices and, as a result of these additional licences, there are presently 648 granted mineral exploration licences in the Northern Territory, carrying a land mass of 340 000 km2. The level of coverage of active exploration licences is the highest since 1996. It is estimated over that land mass there will be over $30m worth of exploration activity this year.
This exploration recovery has been achieved through the recognition of indigenous rights and interests. The Territory’s use of the Commonwealth provisions of the Native Title Act has largely contributed to the increase in the number of exploration licences being granted. To show how the previous government has not moved on in this debate, at a dinner on Friday night here, with people from the mining industry, one of the top three miners in the Northern Territory gave a specific and very detailed account of the way ahead for the industry. What he talked about, and what the mining industry has come to recognise - and I pay tribute to the industry for that - is the fact that they have to embrace - and they were the words that this CEO used - the new reality that exists globally, not just in Australia, regarding native title and the community. Members opposite need to move on from that, and we need to work cooperatively with people to benefit the industry, not work against people’s rights.
To achieve this goal, the Territory placed additional conditions on the exploration licences. These conditions served to further protect native title rights and interests, and amongst other safeguards, ensure the native title holders are consulted prior to the commencement of exploration activities.
This is good news. I commend the staff in my department - the people in the Titles Division and all of those people in that area of the department. There are exciting times coming for the mining industry in the Northern Territory. Exploration activity is happening again after years of neglect by the previous government. That exploration activity is going to lead to investment, new mines and jobs for Territorians.
Employment and Training Strategy
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You told Territorians before the election that you had a jobs strategy and jobs were your top priority. What happened to the jobs strategy you had then and why, in October, more than a year after your election, did you contract a South Australian organisation to develop - in the words of the Gazette - ‘an NT employment and training strategy’?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we are proud of the focus of this government on jobs and job creation. If the member for Blain was listening to the outline of how differently we function in exploration and mining to the previous government …
Mr Mills: You cannot stand up and say you have something you do not have.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, just listen.
Mr Mills: Oh, all right, if I must.
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, you must.
Ms MARTIN: Well, Madam Speaker, in that case I will not bother. If the member asks a question he does not want to hear the answer to, then I say: ‘Forget it’.
Mr Mills: It speaks for itself, thank you.
Mr Dunham: You don’t know the answer. That is interesting. You do not have a clue, have you?
Ms MARTIN: Of course, I do. I was answering it.
ABS Figures - Census
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
Is the government aware of reports by some Territorians that their census forms were not collected in the last census? What is the government doing …
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Instead of chuckling and being so childish, why don’t you listen?
What is the government doing to ensure the Territory’s population is accurately reflected in official statistics?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a very important question, and I thank the member for Arafura, who is obviously very interested in how we have accurately reflected the numbers of our population in those statistics. Yes, I am aware of claims that some census …
Mr Dunham: You cannot even tell us how many public servants there are. Count them.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, you are beginning to get tiresome again.
Ms MARTIN: Yes, I am aware of some claims that census forms were not collected. We know that the ABS responds that there are swings and roundabouts in the census, and that an estimate is made of household numbers when those forms are not returned, or when nobody is home on census day. We do accept that the Bureau of Statistics needs to make such estimates.
However, government is concerned with whether the model that is used by the ABS takes into account the circumstances of the Territory, particularly our population demographics and whether there is inherent under-counting in the model that they use. The factors that we are all very aware of are our large indigenous population, language and cultural difficulties, and a highly mobile population. This is not knocking the ABS. They do the best job they can with the resources available, but we want to ensure that the figures are accurate. Having an accurate as possible picture of Territory population will help us better target the provision of infrastructure and services in an equitable manner.
Under-counting costs the Territory in Commonwealth revenue and, disgracefully, last week we saw that a small statistical blip was enough to affect our federal parliamentary representation. It is a ludicrous result, and I hope that the Opposition Leader has contacted the Prime Minister - I certainly have - to ask that he legislate to guarantee the NT a minimum two seats. I certainly do expect bipartisan support on this.
Today, I am announcing that we will commission independent, high level research into the methodology used to estimate the Territory population. Officials of my Department of the Chief Minister have had initial discussions with the ABS and we will work cooperatively with them to make sure that the model and collection methods used to estimate our population are the most accurate available. This work is long overdue and will give governments - both the government here and the federal government - a valuable tool with which to plan our future. I expect that work to be completed by the end of the year in time for the next inter-census population review.
Glyde Point Access Corridor
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Minister, residents of Wallaby Holtze Road in the Litchfield Shire have recently been given letters saying that there is a road to be built from Temple Terrace, Palmerston, parallel with their road, connecting to the new corridor in Glyde Point, and that technical and surveying work will start soon. Could you tell the House, when does your department intend to start building this road, how much it will cost and why cannot Howard Springs Road, not Gunn Point Road, be used as a cheaper alternative?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, first of all I thank the member for his question. The government is determined to put in place the roads and infrastructure for the future development of industrial sites in the Territory and, of course, Glyde Point is one of these sites. However, in order to facilitate the development of that corridor we have to start planning well ahead and, also, to put it in maps so that when people buy land, they know what they are going to have in their backyards. Some of our colleagues here found out somewhere in Palmerston there is a railway line passing 100 m from their backyards.
We considered very carefully the access corridors to Glyde Point; we examined many options. One of them was actually Howard Springs Road, but we have to have access to the centre of Palmerston, the centre of Darwin, and also to East Arm Port. The department, during the studies, found out that the rural traffic, together with the future traffic from Glyde Point, will put a lot of pressure on Howard Springs Road and that would be totally unacceptable for the residents in the area. So, the other option was actually to extend Temple Terrace through to the Stuart Highway and bring it up to Glyde Point.
We had discussions with the residents. The residents, of course, objected to the original proposal. Then we had discussions with the Department of Defence to acquire part of the Defence land. The Minister for Defence has now agreed to surrender some of the land so we can realign the road away from residential premises. However, in addition to that, the department has undertaken that, when the road is constructed, noise attenuation measures will be taken in order to eliminate any noise problems from the region.
I understand that people will be upset because there is a road coming through their region but, at the same time, we have to provide a safe and easily accessible route to the industrial estate of Glyde Point as something we can use and develop in the future. That was the best solution.
Swimming Pool Fencing Regulations
Mr MALEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, a significant number of people who have contracted to sell their properties are now liable to pay penalty interest because of delays in obtaining approval to sell under your new pool fence regulations. What are you going to do about this serious problem?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we are aware because reports from the real estate industry, which are heartening to hear, are that there is a lot of real estate activity, which is certainly an indicator of much more optimism about the Territory economy. At my latest Business Round Table, that was certainly reflected by the discussions there.
We employed what we thought was an adequate number of inspectors under the swimming pool legislation, but the growth in real estate activity - delightful that it is happening - meant that the inspectors could not keep up. We are employing inspectors. Two more inspectors have been employed, and we are better prioritising those properties that need to be sold and the time lines that need to be kept. So, I do apologise to Territorians who are part of this greater economic activity in our real estate industry. We have employed two more inspectors and we are confident that will meet the demands.
Schools – Capital Works
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In August last year, you announced that the 2002-03 budget included close to $14m for the upgrade, replacement and construction of schools. Can you please advise the House how these capital works are progressing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for the question. DEET’s capital works budget for 2002-03 reflects this government’s commitment to building a better Territory education system for all of our students by ensuring that they have better facilities within their schools. I am pleased to inform the House that the capital works are progressing well, and significant enhancements to both Leanyer and Parap Primary Schools are well under way. I have spoken to those principals recently and they are absolutely delighted. The upgrading and construction of library and administration areas at these two schools, at around $3.5m, are expected to be complete by mid this year.
At Minyerri School, work on the new library, classrooms, storage area and toilets has been completed. They are absolutely delighted, because here is a rural remote school that never saw a cracker under the Country Liberal Party and they are absolutely rapt.
Construction of a $2.1m multipurpose hall at Nhulunbuy High School is expected to start shortly, with completion by the end of the year - long promised by the CLP government. It went back as far as 1995-96, with the former Education minister, Fred Finch, standing in here saying it will happen. Well, it is going to happen, it just happened to take the election of a Labor government, and now it is getting into the capital works to make sure that their promise was met by us.
Other works announced in the 2002-03 budget were the $1.26m airconditioning upgrade at Alice Springs High School, completion date target of April. Another interesting one is the second stage of that upgrade. It came to me very early as minister, and it had obviously been a problem for quite some time - a problem that I had not been aware of on the opposition side. I just wonder what the former member for Araluen and the member for Greatorex were doing about the representation that they must have been receiving from Alice Springs High School teachers, parents and students, because the former government simply did nothing about it. We had to pick it up very early on, as a cash-strapped government - thanks again to our predecessors - to find those millions to put in a two stage upgrade of something that ought to have been replaced probably two and three years before we came to power.
There is $3m for improvements to remote schools; $1m at Maningrida - again, rural remote school, very happy to see that; $1.05m at Papunya; $400 000 going to Milyakburra; and $410 000 for homelands centre upgrades. Tenders for those projects are expected to go out in March. The double demountable classroom toilet block, costing $350 000, is up and running at Bakewell Primary School, Palmerston, to meet that surge of enrolments in that area, with two more classrooms to be erected on site mid-year if needed. We will watch very closely the projections of each of the primary schools there. Generally, across the board at Palmerston, with that work going into Bakewell, it brings primary schools across the Palmerston area down to around about 85% usage, and that is the critical line. If they move above that, we again have to move to put in more classrooms. However, at the moment, certainly Bakewell was pushing the limit, it is back down to the across the board average of 85%.
These projects are all part of the government’s record 2002-03 capital works budget and, of course, meets this government’s commitment to greater spending on education. Territory schools are also benefiting through this year from the extra $860 000 funding boost for essential supplies, stationery, textbooks and computer equipment - a 21% increase, and the first, I believe, in about nine or 10 years that they have ever received. That takes total funding for school supplies from $3.8m to $4.6m. All those initiatives are part of the government’s commitment to improving our public schools and ensuring that our Territory students have access to the best education possible.
Virgin Blue Services to Central Australia
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Members of the Chamber of Commerce, tourism operators and representatives of the Alice Springs Town Council met in Alice Springs yesterday because of the lack of government action and their failure to get Virgin Blue to fly to Central Australia. The meeting resolved that members want to be part of the government’s Aviation Committee. Minister, will you now guarantee that you will accede to their request?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. I will go back through some of the history of this for the benefit of the member for Araluen. I have stated continually in this House that what we are interested in doing with Virgin Blue is putting a business case to them. I welcome both the petition from the Alice Springs community, and the meeting yesterday. As I understand, an undertaking and a desire of that particular meeting is to put submissions through the NT Aviation Committee to further build that business case that is being put to Virgin Blue.
A comprehensive business case was put to Virgin Blue in December 2002, and that has been followed up, subsequently, by quite a number of meetings between our airline development director Mr Peter Roberts and also, recently, executive officers from the NT Airports Corporation which, of course, is a privately owned company. As recently as yesterday, I was briefed on those negotiations. These are negotiations that are occurring between Virgin Blue and NT Airports, specifically in relation to Alice Springs. Those negotiations are at a quite detailed stage, and it is appropriate that those details move along. I am keen to see both sides come to agreement. However, at the end of the day, it will be a sustainable business case, on the part of Virgin Blue, to come to Alice Springs.
Certainly, we as a government, and as a parliament, would welcome that. We want that. However, it comes down to a sustainable business case. Much is being made of the $4m that was laid on the table to encourage Virgin Blue to come to the Northern Territory. I am very keen that, in terms of travel within the Northern Territory …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister is not answering the question. The question very specifically was: would he accede to these people’s request that they be allowed to be a part of the aviation committee. I and others would be most grateful if the minister would answer it.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, if the member for Araluen had been listening close enough, I did say that.
Ms CARNEY: No, you didn’t. What did you say?
Dr BURNS: Well, you can read it in Hansard. I am satisfied. I have answered your question, thank you, member for Araluen.
Aboriginal Housing – Commonwealth Funding
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for HOUSING
Can the minister advise the House on the progress in settling a new funding agreement with the Commonwealth in regard to Aboriginal housing.
ANSWER
I thank the member for Arafura for her question, Madam Speaker. This is a truly vital issue for Territorians. All members are aware of the pressing need to address the poor health and education outcomes, and the need to develop employment opportunities, in our rural and remote communities. These issues cannot be considered in isolation from the need to simultaneously address the chronic housing shortage in our rural communities.
It is widely recognised, and it is an indisputable fact, that the Territory has the greatest needs in regard to the Commonwealth/state agreement on Aboriginal housing programs. In 2001, the Commonwealth Grants Commission reported to the Commonwealth government on indigenous funding. That report found:
- The indicators we measured consistently point to the highest needs per person, or per household, being in the remote ATSIC regions.
- … better targeting indigenous specific programs to areas of greatest need, including remote locations.
In 2001, the ABS reported that 52% of the discrete Aboriginal communities in Australia are in the Northern Territory. These communities include 36% of the nation’s temporary dwellings; 81% of the nation’s communities that do not have a sewerage system connected to all permanent dwellings; 67% of the nation’s communities that do not have water connected to all dwellings; and 75% of the nation’s communities where electricity is not connected to all permanent dwellings. These numbers speak for themselves.
Despite these acknowledged facts, and despite the Commonwealth government’s stated commitment to better target, these programs to areas of greatest need, I regret that I have to advise Territorians that the Commonwealth’s current proposal under the Aboriginal Rental Housing Program is based on 1987 data that is clearly out of date. The Commonwealth funding for the program has not increased since the financial year 1990-91, over 13 years ago. The Commonwealth funding contribution to this program has not even increased with inflation. So, the real value of the Commonwealth funding has decreased substantially. The Commonwealth’s latest funding offer flies in the face of the Commonwealth’s stated commitment to addressing areas of greatest need. Moreover, it is based on data that is 16 years out of date.
My department has estimated that the Commonwealth funding offer is at least $15m per year less than what the Territory is entitled to under a fair allocation based on the real needs of Territorians. This is a very important issue for all Territorians. This program has vital linkages to health, education and employment for our whole community. I have written recently to the federal minister expressing my concern at this poor response from the Commonwealth. There is an undeniable funding need, and I have suggested that the Commonwealth minister and I meet at an early opportunity to address this serious anomaly.
I trust the government has the support of all members in this parliament, and our federal representatives in the Commonwealth parliament, in securing more realistic Commonwealth funding under this vital program.
Virgin Blue Services to Central Australia
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
According to the Treasurer’s Mid-Year Report, only 34% of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission’s funding has been spent this financial year. Will you now give an undertaking that some of this funding will be directed towards obtaining Virgin Blue’s services to Central Australia, given that they have indicated that a contribution to marketing support may tip the balance in deciding whether to fly to Central Australia?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I call into question that last part of the member for Araluen’s comment. I am not aware of any public comments that Virgin Blue have made regarding increasing funding tipping the balance. All I have ever heard from Virgin Blue is that, and I will quote here:
- The management have continued to publicly state that Alice Springs services are marginal, although they remain under active consideration.
What we are trying to do is build a business case. I can state categorically here that drawing funding out of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission, as far as I am concerned, is not on. It is a business case that has to be built and it has to be sustainable.
Crime Prevention NT Grants Scheme
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Last year, the government established a Crime Prevention NT Grants Scheme to provide funding to community projects. How is that grant funding being applied, and can you tell me the status of the latest round of applications for community grants?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for a very important question. If you want to ask the question: ‘What is our government doing in real terms with real resources to back our communities in their attempts to help us lower crime?’, here is your answer - $400 000 a year as a crime prevention grants program. That grants program is being rolled out, as we speak, by the Office of Crime Prevention through increasing numbers of regional crime prevention councils.
The $400 000 is divided into three areas. $180 000 is for targeted grant programs. These are grants that can be sustained over several years, if necessary, and they are to take on programs that we believe are particularly important to be brought into a more recurrent picture. An example of that is Real Justice Northern Territory, which is being trialled in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Palmerston and Sanderson High Schools. This is a restorative justice program aimed at kerbing antisocial behaviour of students and other problems that are occurring within those schools. It is an excellent program, and I look forward later on to see the results of the evaluation of that program. However, the early indications are that issues that have come up have been very well resolved within that program.
Some $100 000 of the grant fund is being used to underwrite the establishment and the early operation of some of the regional crime prevention councils. We have been able to provide some establishment grants to support Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and, out bush, the Kurduju Committee. We look forward to seeing further regional crime prevention councils established, not the least being in Darwin itself. Last week, I was able to indicate to members that the Neighbourhood Watch committee has agreed to form the basis of the Darwin regional crime prevention council. That is a very major step forward in turning the initiatives that have been coming out under things like the itinerant strategies and the Night Patrols into evaluated, repeatable crime prevention initiatives to the benefit of each of the centres in which one of these councils is going to operate.
The final component of the grants scheme is $120 000 to fund small crime prevention grants throughout the Territory of up to $15 000. The first round of this scheme closed on 20 January this year, and we were absolutely delighted with the response we got from community groups all over the Territory – people from remote communities through to the major urban centres. Fifty-two applications which totalled over $1.3m were received. We will now be assessing them through the Crime Prevention Committee of CEOs in mid-March, and will be congratulating a number of organisations that are successful in that grant scheme.
We want to see advice from our regional crime prevention councils. We want to be able to work, through the Office of Crime Prevention on that advice, to pass crime prevention initiatives throughout the government system. We are not seeing the Office of Crime Prevention as the only part of government that works on crime prevention. For us, it is a whole-of-government commitment and there will be whole-of-government initiatives located in all of our agencies that are contributing to the overall effort that we are making to reduce crime in the Northern Territory, and make for safer communities for Territorians to live in.
Review of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
As you are aware, the federal government has been reviewing the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act in recent times. In the interests of open, responsible and accountable government, have you made any submissions to the federal government and, if so, what have you told them?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we welcome the review of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act and believe that the federal government, probably for the first time, believe that there could be a constructive review of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. There have been previous ones and they have come to nought.
Mr Stirling: We do remember them.
Ms MARTIN: Yes, we do remember a couple of reviews of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. We have been very involved over the last few months, working with all key stakeholders in the Territory, to be able to find some constructive changes to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act - particularly the mining and exploration access areas, Part 4 - and are confident that the proposals that we will be able to put to the federal government will have wide support.
The work has been done; and has been done constructively. We sought expert advice in doing it, and worked, I believe, very effectively with the land councils, other indigenous interests, the Minerals Council, and the cattlemen, and have undertaken consultation very effectively.
I have had many discussions with the federal minister about it. I am confident that we will have some effective proposals for change put forward that are agreed by stakeholders. That is the critical component, because it has to make way through the federal parliament. We have to have constructive results here. We have seen what happened in the past when there has been political motivation in changes being proposed to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. I believe we have coordinated, through my Office of Indigenous Policy, a very effective process. It has been constructive and I believe we will see some changes to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act.
Todd River – Management
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
Can the minister advise the House what action is being taken to effectively manage the Todd River in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. This is another proof that our government is not a government for the Top End, or Darwin; it is a government for all Territorians. We do not accept the Berrimah Line. The only lines we accept are the ones that actually define the borders with South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.
This is a project like the projects we have initiated in Borroloola, Tennant Creek, Douglas/Daly, other regional centres and, of course, in Alice Springs. For years now, there were calls for the remediation or the effective removal of silt and scrub from the Todd River. Yes, there were many calls that were successively ignored by the other side. This time, though, the government is going to provide $400 000 to the Alice Springs Town Council - $400 000 to not only improve the environment of the Todd River, but also to make sure that there is not going to be any further flooding in Alice Springs.
We have negotiated with traditional owners. They support us and have actually agreed to proceeding with the removal of young trees, grass and also thousands of tonnes of silt. That means the effective remediation of the river, thus avoiding any future problems. We have obtained a sacred sites clearance certificate.
One important thing is that we are prepared to work with the local government and also with traditional owners. We are not prepared to go to court and argue; we are prepared to sit down and discuss issues with them. This is a good example of how this government can successfully negotiate these kind of outcomes.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016