2003-08-21
www.translatorscaf.com Web Site
Mr MALEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Earlier this year, you criticised me and called for me to be sacked for holding myself out as a legal practitioner whilst the opposition Attorney-General, despite the fact that many of your Labor colleagues interstate do the same, such as Duncan Kerr. What are you going to do about one of your ministers, the member for Casuarina who, through his web site …
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member has just stood and given notice on a motion to be dealt with later this day, and has the temerity to stand up and ask a question on it. One of two: have the debate now and no questions; or Question Time and you leave this alone until the debate comes on! You cannot have it both ways!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Excuse me, allow me to make a ruling on that. The question does not refer to the alleged contempt, which is about a failure to comply with section 10 of the Legislative Assembly (Register of Members’ Interests) Act. It does not refer to that alleged contempt; it is acceptable.
Mr MALEY: I will repeat the question, Madam Speaker. Earlier this year, you criticised me and called for me to be sacked for holding myself out as a legal practitioner whilst the opposition Attorney-General, despite the fact that many of your Labor colleagues do exactly that interstate; for example, Duncan Kerr. What are you going to do about one of your ministers, the member for Casuarina who, through his web site translatorscaf.com, advertises that he personally conducts a Greek translating service for $US30 per hour? I can table for honourable members a copy of the translatorcaf.com web site …
Mr Henderson: The Greeks are going to love this!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Is leave granted?
Leave granted.
Mr MALEY: Attached to that document …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Under Standing Order 83(4):
- A member shall not take any action in relation to, or refer to, in the Assembly, a matter which is under consideration by the Speaker in accordance with this Standing Order.
Madam SPEAKER: I reiterate that the question does not refer to the alleged contempt, which is about failure to comply with section 10 of the Legislative Assembly (Register of Members’ Interests) Act. That is not the question, the failure to comply.
Mr STIRLING: I accept your interpretation in the first instance, Madam Speaker, but when the member starts tabling information pertinent to the alleged activity, he is going to the core of the matter, and beyond the intent of policy and the Chief Minister’s decision. If we are going to have it in the first instance, let us have it now - abandon Question Time. Have the guts to give up your Question Time and take it on in the form of a censure. You are trying to have it both ways. You want to drill it all through Question Time and then have a two-hour debate on top.
Madam SPEAKER: Let me make it quite clear that I received a letter that I have considered. I have agreed that that motion should be debated at the end of government business. At this stage, the question that I interpret is about a web site, not about failure to comply. I have said that three times. If we could have the minister respond to that question, and let us get on with business. Minister, do you want it again?
Mr MALEY: Madam Speaker, if I could – sorry shall I continue?
Madam SPEAKER: I thought you had finished.
Mr MALEY: No. I seek to table this document …
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, and leave has been granted.
Mr MALEY: … with a picture of the minister with his home address …
Mr Henderson: Leave has been given!
Mr MALEY: Okay. Chief Minister, my question to you is: are you going to stand by your own high standards and now sack the minister? Are you going to stand by what you said earlier, or are there double standards?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, can I make a point on the question? The member for Goyder, through his Privileges motion, is making an allegation. Now we are dealing with a question based on moving that from an allegation to a fact before we have even discussed it. We simply reject the allegations made by the member for Goyder - reject them absolutely. There is no truth in them and …
Mr Stirling: You have form on this. You have got priors.
Ms MARTIN: Yes, we know. Let us make this quite simple. The member for Goyder can come in here and make allegations. We have previous history on this. We have form, member for Goyder.
Mr Stirling: You are already on record for this.
Ms MARTIN: Absolutely. The allegation is false; it is from a previous time. The member for Casuarina no longer does translations. He did! He did them for the Office of Ethnic Affairs before he came to parliament. He no longer does them. This is an international web site.
We have the member for Goyder coming in here strutting his stuff, making allegations that he then, with the fine legal skills he has, turns into fact. It is simply wrong! The point was made during this week about how much time the member for Goyder spends in Sydney at the Bar or whatever he is doing on taxpayers’ funds, and he has spent more time …
Mr BALDWIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This has no relevance to the question that has been asked.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think that is a point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the member for Goyder has spent more time in Sydney practising law this year than he has in this parliament. What does that say to the member’s constituency, the constituency of Goyder? How well are they being served by this member? He comes in here saying: ‘I am a lawyer; I am really smart. I know my stuff as a lawyer’ and consistently makes allegations that are wrong, wrong, wrong. Today’s is another example.
Darwin Harbour - Protection
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
The Martin Labor government is committed to protecting Darwin’s wonderful harbour. Let me say, this is a great commitment, certainly to the people of Sanderson who drop into my office with a catch of crab or other fish fillets and give them to us. That is great, and they commend this government for their position. However, minister, I was wondering if you could please update the House on proposals to protect Darwin Harbour, not only for the people of Sanderson, but for all Territorians.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I was very pleased to receive the first draft of the Darwin Harbour Plan of Management by the chairman of the committee, John Bailey. I would like to thank him for the fantastic work he has done wit the members of the committee. Their work produced a fine document, which the government has now released for wide public consultation. The final draft is going to be delivered to us by November. The consultation period will conclude at the end of September.
The harbour, with its significant ecology, is used by people in Darwin. However, the harbour does not belong to any particular group; it belongs to all Territorians. It is a working harbour, it has significant cultural and historical values, and we have to balance environmentally and economically sustainable development for the harbour.
The committee consulted with people during the first round of consultation, and put in place what the community wants this government to do. This is the first time in the Territory that the government has produced a document like that, after wide consultation. It is the first time that this government is prepared to consider all recommendations when they come to us, because our purpose is to protect the harbour the way it is today.
If we destroy the harbour, if we do not take care of it, it will be impossible to rectify or to bring it back to today’s condition. Our harbour will be under continuous pressure from increased usage by the Defence Forces, new port, railway, and the LNG plant at Wickham Point. The harbour, as we are talking today, is not the harbour that it was two years. The harbour area has now been extended from Charles Point to Glyde Point. We are talking about a significant area of the sea. We should also include the areas that surround the harbour, because it contributes to anything that happens in the harbour, through run-off, erosion, or even mangroves.
I was very pleased, and I was also extremely impressed by the way people from different backgrounds, with different interests and agendas, managed to work together without any friction. We have the Friends of the Harbour, Mr Duncan Dean, who participated in the committee, as well as John Bailey. We had people from the shipping industry, AFANT, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry who worked together very well to make sure they produced a piece of work of high quality; and they have done just that.
www.translatorscaf.com Web Site
Mr MALEY to MINISTER for ETHNIC AFFAIRS
We have all heard the Chief Minister just say that the web site is old and out of date. Could you tell honourable members what the current status of this particular web site is?
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This really does go to the core of the matter listed for business later in the day. I cannot see how there can be any other ruling.
Mr Reed: Oh, we are sensitive for something that does not matter!
Mr Stirling: We are not sensitive at all, but if you want to bring on a two-hour debate, have it!
Madam SPEAKER: I have made my decision, and made it very clear that I have considered the matter brought before this parliament, and that we will have a full debate later on after the business is finished. However, this particular question does not have to do with the alleged contempt of not declaring the interests of the member. Minister, you can give a quick answer to that. It may also help to clarify whether there is an alleged contempt, perhaps that could towards the debate later in the day.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am really impressed with member for Goyder’s research skills on the Internet. One thing the member for Goyder obviously has not realised, the translatorscaf.com is one of the international pages in the web that sources information from everyone who works with the government translators. I would actually direct you to ProZ.com. My CV is also there that says I am a translator. I would also direct you to Yahoo.com, where my CV also is, because it was put there as early as 1997-98 when I worked as a translator.
Since 18 August 2001, I have not worked as a translator for the simple reason I do not have the time to work as a translator because I am working here. I used to work for the Office of Ethnic Affairs and for DIMIA. I am not working there anymore. I used to have a partnership and put in a GST return. I do not put in the GST return in any more for the simple reason I have not generated any income through translations. The only time I did translation or interpretation was very recently, when I had the sad duty to attend the hospital and translate the doctor’s information to the family that their daughter was going to die in two hours. That was not for any reward. The only reward was the personal reward that I helped the family.
I did not fly to Sydney. I did not get paid for anything like you did, and I am not going to do it, because my job is here. It is not part-time politician and part-time lawyer.
Housing for Indigenous Territorians
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for HOUSING
You previously advised the House of the large unmet housing needs in the bush. Can the minister please advise the House on progress with IHANT’s housing capital works, and what is being done to establish real jobs in housing for indigenous Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for the question. The indigenous housing …
Mr Mills: Blame the CLP.
Mr AH KIT: Well, you cannot help yourselves, can you?
Ms Carter: I am interested, so keep going.
Mr AH KIT: You need to get organised over there, really.
Ms Carter: I am listening.
Mr AH KIT: That is good, member for Port Darwin, because the others have not taken their tablets.
Madam Speaker, indigenous housing for the Territory is provided through a unique and highly effective model, the Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory. While the unmet housing need in the Northern Territory is in excess of $800m, I am pleased to advise that IHANT expenditure on new construction in the last financial year was $40.1m. This included a significant carry over of funds from the previous year’s budget. The total expenditure for the year was approximately 3% higher than the original budget allocation of $38.9m. This 3% increase in the capital program was funded through the redirection of other funds within the IHANT budget.
Reaching full expenditure on the capital program is a significant achievement for IHANT, and has meant that the program was able to maximise the number of new houses built in remote indigenous communities across the Territory last year. In real terms, this means that 139 new houses were constructed in 2002-03, and 41 houses were upgraded or renovated, providing an additional 400 bedrooms in communities throughout the Territory. This is good news for the building industry and the Territory economy. In total, 1168 Territorians directly benefited last year in achieving housing through the IHANT capital works program. The program will not be as large in 2003-04, as there are no unexpended funds carried forward into the current year.
The generation of training and employment opportunities in remote communities is an important part of the IHANT program. Wherever possible, IHANT uses local building teams for construction and housing management. This means real jobs for indigenous Territorians. For example, in the central remote region, there are now seven training teams, consisting of a builder and four apprentices per team. Out of the 20 apprentices who worked on the training houses last year, 18 have completed all the requirements of Certificate II in Building and Construction, and will soon commence Certificate III. In fact, I will have the honour of attending their graduation ceremony next month in Alice Springs. The quality of the work is very high, and there is a very high level of community ownership of the houses that have been built through the training program.
Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the IHANT Board, under the leadership of Des Rogers, and staff for their achievements in 2002-03, and also thank the staff of indigenous housing in my department for their excellent work.
www.translatorscaf.com Web Site
Mr MALEY to MINISTER for ETHNIC AFFAIRS
You just told Territory people and members of this House that the web site is old and out of date. Why is it that the photograph which appears on the web site is precisely the same photograph which appears on the government web site under the Legislative Assembly? I have blown that up and I can table that.
Leave granted.
Mr MALEY: In the photograph which appears on the old and out-of-date web site, according to you, you are also sporting the Northern Territory government tie. Can you explain the currency of that photograph and why - the search was conducted and dated 28 August 2003 - that is not some activity that you have conducted during the course of your time in parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this photograph actually appears on my web page about the Greeks in the Northern Territory. That photograph appears on every other page that is in the web. As I explained to you before, but you refuse to understand, this web page is searching, absorbing and copying information. Yes, it is a photograph. Go and have a look at the Greeks NT, you will find the same photograph there, and on any other publication I have. It does not mean I put it there today. That photograph can be put any time, and the date you mentioned 28 August 2003?
Mr Maley: That is today’s date, on the search.
Mr VATSKALIS: It is 21 August today.
Telstra Full Privatisation – Impact on the NT
Ms SCRYMGOUR to CHIEF MINISTER
Today, the federal government is advancing its legislation to fully privatise Telstra through the House of Representatives. Telecommunications service delivery and costs are huge issues for communities in my electorate of Arafura. Can the Chief Minister please outline the impact of a fully privatised Telstra on the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for a question that actually goes to the heart of how this Territory functions. Telecommunications is hugely important for the Territory, both in our urban centres and so critically for the bush. Phones, faxes and the Internet play a major role in keeping our businesses linked to the rest of the Australia, to our neighbours overseas and, of course, phones link us to our families.
Increasingly, telecommunications are used to deliver education. Telecommunications cost Territorians more than other Australians, because we use more long distance calls than anywhere else. A myriad of small communities in the bush face huge challenges in getting the quality of services that we in places like Darwin and Alice Springs enjoy. Of course, when you are driving the Stuart Highway, the Territory’s major artery, there is no consistent mobile coverage.
My government cannot see that selling off Telstra will do anything to help the Territory. In fact, any Territorian would have to see that very clearly. We see real risks that a fully privatised Telstra would see upward pressure on prices and even more difficulties in getting improved services into the bush. A fully privatised Telstra will only have one master, and that is the shareholders, quite properly, that it is obliged to serve. The capacity of government to influence Telstra will diminish. This will be very good news if you live in a big city in the rest of Australia, or if you are in the suburbs of the eastern seaboard. It will, however, be bad news for Australia and very bad news for those of us living in the Territory.
This government opposes the full privatisation of Telstra. However, we know, very sadly, that the CLP supports a full sale of Telstra. Even though we said, before the last election - let us look at where the member for Solomon stands on this - even though he put his hand on his heart before the last election and said he would not support the sell off of Telstra, he now supports it. I am told that the member for Solomon did not even have the courage of his convictions to explain why this turnaround had happened during the debate on the bill in the House of Representatives today. He certainly did not have the guts to tell voters why he promised to oppose the sell-off before the last election, only to betray them today. It is very disappointing for the Territory that the CLP has adopted this position, which is clearly against the Territory’s interests and, I would have thought, clearly against the constituents of the member for Goyder, if he had any interest.
They say in Canberra that the National Party has become the little red caboose of the Liberal Party train. You would have to ask: what does this make the CLP? The trailer, if that, behind the little red caboose, behind the Liberal Party train.
This government believes selling off Telstra is bad for the Territory. It is bad news for service delivery, and it is bad news for the phone bills that we all receive. This Labor government, starkly in contrast to the CLP, will continue to oppose the full privatisation of Telstra.
www.translatorscaf.com Web Site
Mr DUNHAM to MINISTER for ETHNIC AFFAIRS
I wonder if the fax number listed on your web page - 89 484 813 - goes to the government-owned fax in your house?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the fax number is my own personal fax number, the one I installed in my house because I have two lines. One is 89 482 117, the other is 89 484 813, and that fax has been there for the past six years. I find it incredible that the member has the audacity to accuse me of advertising myself as a translator on an international web site. I did a quick search to find out what is advertised in the local telephone book. At page 244, it says: ‘Vatskalis, Kon, MLA, Member for Casuarina’. When I go back and look at page 117, it says: ‘Peter Maley, Solicitor’.
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: Who is advertising? Who has been down to Sydney at government expense and is being paid for it? Who is getting paid for it?
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: This is the hypocrisy: ‘Peter Maley, Solicitor’. If you have any problems, you ask Peter, he will fix it. Oh, and you have to pay him, sorry.
Defence Infrastructure in the NT
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for DEFENCE SUPPORT
Would the minister please advise members on what this government is doing to support Defence infrastructure projects in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. We all know how important the Defence Forces are, and their families, not only to our economy, but to our community. More than $500m each year is spent in supporting the Defence Force presence in the Northern Territory. That is money that is going around our economy, and that is growing every year. People in the ADF and their families make up 8% of our population. I am sure every member in this House welcomes ADF people to the Northern Territory, many of whom choose to stay here after their term of duty.
My Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development and Defence Support works very closely, not only with the Defence Force itself, but also with Territory businesses to try and ensure that our businesses have the capacity and the capability to secure as much of that Defence expenditure as they can and, more importantly, something of substance - jobs for Territorians. The department has undergone a significant restructure and created a new lead role at deputy secretary level to support our significant effort of working with the Defence Force and business in the Territory to ensure that our companies have the capacity to serve the ADF’s needs in the Territory.
I am pleased to say that, just yesterday in the federal parliament, by way of Notice of Motion, the Public Works Committee committed to $88m worth of capital investment in the Northern Territory over the next two years – fantastic news for our economy. Congratulations to that committee, the federal government and the ADF for that ongoing commitment to the ADF presence in the Territory.
We will soon have the 1st Aviation Regiment at Robertson Barracks in Darwin, with infrastructure valued at $78m. On Friday of last week, the design consultancy contract went to a local Darwin company, Spowers Architects, and I congratulate Ian Calley and his team. This is a big win for that company, and they are absolutely ecstatic about that contract. Construction activity is due to start and roll out through 2004 and 2005. That is great news for our construction industry.
In Katherine – the member for Katherine, I am sure, will be pleased to hear this – the perimeter security system is to be installed at RAAF Tindal with a value of nearly $10m. This is going to be the mother of all fences. I know the RAAF are very excited about it, and local contractors are pretty excited about that $10m worth of capital expenditure.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting with Brigadier Hutchinson from the Defence Estates organisation, a very important and significant meeting, with a recommitment for that organisation working with my department on how to maximise Territory business opportunities and jobs in these projects. ‘Hutch’ and his team are committed to doing that. That is going to be fantastic news for our economy. This is on the back of, a few weeks ago, a final signing ceremony at Timber Creek for the Bradshaw field training area. Again, fantastic news for our construction sector, with $55m worth of work. The tender is out now and, again, massive construction during 2004-05. My department is working closely with the Northern Land Council to assist them to build capacity to maximise Aboriginal involvement on the Bradshaw project, not only during the construction, but the operation phase.
This Commonwealth investment means jobs for Territorians. We are out there working with local business to ensure that, as much as possible, our local businesses get their share of that work. Jobs for Territorians is great news today for the economy in the Northern Territory.
Australian National University – Research Contract Awarded
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
According to the government Gazette of 2 July 2003, your department has awarded a contract to the Australian National University, Canberra, of $242 073 for in-house academic research capacity, and it has ‘2006’ after that. Can you tell us what research is being done by the ANU, and why that research could not be carried out by a Territory institution or body?
ANSWER
I thank the member for his question, Madam Speaker. As we usually do through the department, we have put that contract out to tender. The due process has been followed. I am led to believe by my chief executive officer, whom I have the utmost trust in, that the program is one that is going to be fruitful for the department in what they are seeking. We believe that the outcomes we are looking for are going to be achieved. I did have some notes in response to this question, because I anticipated it was coming. Nevertheless, I will give a commitment to meet with the member for Goyder and explain to him what the outcomes are and how that was arranged.
Indigenous Youth – Employment Opportunities
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for CORPORATE and INFORMATION SERVICES
As all members know, the Martin Labor government is determined to improve economic outcomes for indigenous Territorians. Could the minister please update the House on what is being done to create employment opportunities for indigenous youth.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Any question about jobs is an important question for our government, because we have made it very clear that that is the top priority for this government to work on in the Northern Territory.
In November last year, the Indigenous Employment Career Development Strategy was launched by my colleague, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training. As part of implementing that strategy, my Department of Corporate and Information Services has been working on entry level employment programs for indigenous people into the Northern Territory Public Service. One of those new programs is the Indigenous School to Work Apprenticeship Trial. This is an innovative 70 week program, which provides indigenous high school students with an opportunity to obtain a Certificate Level 11 in Business Administration while still at school. As part of the program, they will also attend work one day a week, providing them with valuable, on the ground experience. The students receive wages while they are in the work place and when they attend training. Twenty indigenous students in Year 11 from various high schools in the Darwin area have started the course, with one student attending from Tennant Creek.
DCIS is also exploring partnerships with indigenous employment organisations to establish a register of indigenous people interested in the Northern Territory public sector employment and training opportunities. This initiative is being developed in conjunction with a program to provide indigenous people with pre-recruitment assistance, training, advice and support when they are applying for jobs in the Northern Territory Public Service. DCIS is working closely with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment and other stakeholders on these whole-of-government initiatives for indigenous employment.
Funding of $60 000 has enabled a position to be created to work full-time on developing these initiatives. That position should be filled by October this year. These practical programs will provide ongoing valuable skills, development in business administration, combined with practical work experience and knowledge of the government sector.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate both the students who have taken part in this program and those within my department who have developed it. I look forward to seeing more and more indigenous public servants in our public service.
www.translatorscaf.com Web Site
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Your Minister for Ethnic Affairs has admitted in this parliament today that he has an active web site, which contains photographs …
Ms Martin: It is not his web site. It is an international web site.
Mr BURKE: It is a web site that is active for anyone to access as of today, with current phone numbers. It also includes a current photograph of the minister; that is, a government photograph. This web site also touts for business, quoting fees of as much as $US30 per hour. Whether the minister claims he is gaining that business or not, do you still stand by the fact that he has not breached your Code of Conduct?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the desperate attempts of the opposition to try and make allegations into fact, and simply not being able to do it, is not persuading anybody. The fact that we have the member for Goyder, who leads with his chin, yet again - the man who thinks that his highest priority in his day-to-day business is his legal activities, and that is very clearly put in the phone book. We know the man spends a lot of time and taxpayers’ dollars interstate, touting himself as a barrister and, I assume, getting paid for it. Does he put in a tax return, or does he get it all sucked into his former business? Who knows?
However, to have this man stand up in here and, yet again - he is very good at it. He stands in here, and has made all kinds of allegations in the short time he has been here. He has got it wrong, significantly, at least twice when he has demanded that I sack ministers. He came in here again today and said: ‘Sack another one’. Based on the previous evidence, you would not even listen to that kind of request. He came in and said: ‘Sack the Minister for Community Development’. He was totally wrong, and, on the CLP’s web site, still has the offending press releases; he has not even bothered to remove them. Despite a letter having gone to him this week, he still has the offending media releases on his web site.
He came in and demanded, earlier this year, that I sack the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General. On what evidence? He wanted him sacked on the basis that maybe there was something that might happen one day, and I should sack him then. It is patently incompetent, and this is yet another example. Okay, the Opposition Leader asked the question, but it is all to do with the agenda of the member for Goyder. You still have, on a web site that you are closely associated with …
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I would ask the Chief Minister to direct her answer through the Chair.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: The member for Goyder has offending media releases that were the subject of defamation on his web site …
Members interjecting.
Mr Henderson: After the letter on the 20th.
Ms MARTIN: Yes, when was the letter? The material, as of this week, was still on the CLP web site, twice under the member for Goyder’s name and once under the member for Port Darwin’s name.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Here we are dealing with the situation where there is an international web site that still contains the member for Casuarina’s name. It will be deleted because it is not active. This member stood in this House and said, since he came into parliament he is not active in that, and he has given one example of …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the rabble on the other side have form on this, and the member for Goyder especially. If we really had any leadership from the member for Brennan, he would not allow this rubbish to demean parliamentary procedures.
Passenger Rail Services – Construction of Terminals
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Can you please update the House on progress with delivery of the Martin Labor government’s initiative to provide facilities for passenger services on the Alice Springs to Darwin railway.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. While the other side is talking rubbish, we are getting on with the job and actually delivering jobs and infrastructure to Territorians. I am delighted to inform the House on the progress towards the associated infrastructure for the Adelaide to Darwin railway. The tender process for construction of the railway passenger terminals in Darwin, Katherine and Tennant Creek is on track. Currently, the tender is open for the design of the Darwin passenger rail terminal, and will close on 27 August 2003.
The development of the Darwin facility will proceed in conjunction with the Darwin Business Park in the East Arm development area. The project involves the construction of a platform at rail height of sufficient length to accommodate the whole train; a passenger terminal with toilets, seating areas, storage of baggage trolleys, small office and first aid room and parking facilities for 70 cars, a PA system, and floodlights for the train. The construction will start in September 2003 and will be completed by the end of January 2004.
Tenders for the design and construction of the Katherine and Tennant Creek railway stations will open next week. The Katherine passenger terminal will be located at the current construction site where the sleeper factory is, and that will be contained entirely in the railway corridor. There will be a platform to accommodate the whole length of the train. There will be a passenger terminal with offices, seating facilities, toilets and a 20-car parking area.
In Tennant Creek, the terminal will be located entirely within the existing rail corridor and will provide a platform of 50 m, a car park for 10 cars, a small shelter and toilets.
Construction of the Katherine and Tennant Creek railway stations will start in October 2003, and will be complete in January 2004 in time for the first passenger train to arrive in Darwin. The investment is $9m; $9m for the economy of the Territory which means more infrastructure and more jobs for Territorians.
Appointment of Senior Public Servant – Allegations of Breaches of Discipline
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
On 29 May, I asked you about the appointment of a Western Australian public servant to a very senior position in the Northern Territory Public Service, when that person was still being investigated for breaches of discipline in Western Australia. You said that the person had been: ‘… completely exonerated prior to his appointment to the Northern Territory Public Service’. In the Western Australian parliament on 26 June, Hon Kim Chance said that the report of the investigation was handed to the Director General of Health on 30 May. I seek leave to table an extract from the Western Australian Legislative Council Hansard.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: Minister, the Western Australian parliament was also told on 26 June that the Director of Public Prosecutions had never decided that there was no case to answer, again contradicting what you told this parliament. I seek leave to table that answer from the Western Australian Legislative Council.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: I ask again: how was this public servant appointed to a senior position in the Northern Territory Public Service, almost a month before the investigation was completed in Western Australia, and why did you mislead this parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there has been no misleading of parliament here, intentional or otherwise. I acted and gave response to the questions on the given date that the Opposition Leader has provided, on the advice of a brief provided through the Commissioner of Public Employment. I will have a look at the advice I provided in the House on that day against what the Leader of the Opposition has put in here, and see if there are any inconsistencies; and if there are, I shall report back to the House.
However, on the spur of the moment, with an answer some months ago - and I do not have that brief with me today - I am certainly not putting my hand up to admit to misleading this House when I acted on the advice that was provided to me on that particular day. As I said, I will check my response of the given day in parliament against the statement that the Leader of the Opposition has given today, and I will report back to the House.
Electricity Supply – Tennant Creek
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Tennant Creek has been experiencing power generation problems for many years. Can you update the House on any new developments?
ANSWER
I thank the honourable member for his question. Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that the supply and reliability of power is very important to our remote communities, particularly Tennant Creek, which, as the member said, has been experiencing difficulties for some time. However, I will come to that shortly.
I have received representations from the member for Barkly. I have visited Tennant Creek and had an extensive tour of PowerWater facilities there, which I always try to do wherever I go, whether it is the electricity generation, the sewerage, or the water. It is very important for me to get around and see what is happening on the ground. There is no doubt that Tennant Creek has been experiencing power difficulties for some years.
There were a series of Caterpillar engines that were installed in 1998 or thereabouts. They are a very good motor, but they were not suited to the needs of Tennant Creek in that, whilst they are very efficient in the way they generate power, they run on gas and, with any fluctuations in the load, they will shut down. As some members would be aware, Tennant Creek is a feeder station and there are some quite heavy loads.
In addition, this House would be aware that there are a number of projects commencing around the Tennant Creek area, particularly mining, with Giants Reef and the Peko rehabilitation project. These are very important to the economy of Tennant Creek.
I have been in discussion with PowerWater for some time, asking questions about the reliability of the power, and suggesting that something be done about it. I am very pleased to announce today that PowerWater is going to invest a significant amount of money in Tennant Creek to upgrade the power station and provide a more reliable power supply. It is not insignificant. PowerWater, through a board decision, are proposing to spend $9m in replacing the existing generating engines with two new 4 MW gas turbines. That is very important. They will spend a further $1m on refurbishing the old Ruston engines to ensure there is an adequate back-up of the electricity supply in Tennant Creek. Those Ruston engines have been very reliable. They are old diesel engines. I was very interested to see both the Ruston engines in Tennant Creek and the Deutz engines at Yulara. They are old, but they are incredible machines.
Unfortunately, the Caterpillar engines suffered from this problem of variations in load and shutting down, and in that the engines were sourcing gas from the pipeline, which had a variable mix of other gases in it, and that created problems.
This is a very important announcement for Tennant Creek: two new 4 MW gas turbines, and a further $1m to refurbish the old Rustons, which still have a bit of life in them yet. Many residents and business people in Tennant Creek have been frustrated by the reliability of the electricity supply. I believe this move by PowerWater is a positive one. PowerWater will look at options for the use of these Caterpillar engines - because they are relatively new- elsewhere in the Northern Territory where the limitations that I have just mentioned will be minimised. I am sure all Tennant Creek business people and residents will welcome the improvement in the reliability of their electricity supply, and I commend PowerWater for this decision.
I also acknowledge the work of the local member. He is tireless in the way he advocates for Tennant Creek, and the future is bright for that region.
Nursing Staff Numbers
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Some months ago, you advised this House that 50 Filipino registered nurses would start work here in the Territory in August. Given we are half way through August now, can you advise how many have started, when will the rest start, and where will they be working?
ANSWER
I thank the member for her question. Yes, Madam Speaker, we do have Filipino nurses arriving, some at the end of this month, some in September, October, November, December and, in fact, right up until the beginning of January, I understand.
This is going to raise the levels of nursing in the Northern Territory. I would like to advise the House that, since coming to government, we have increased the full-time equivalent numbers of staffing in nurses by 67. This increase will be quite significant and will help us over those periods.
We have had nurses accept positions in Alice Springs Hospital and Royal Darwin Hospital. Unfortunately, at this stage we have not had any nurses accept positions in any of the smaller hospitals, which is a disappointment. I would have to say that it does reflect the difficulties of attracting nurses, generally, to remote areas of Australia. We have 30 people who have signed their contracts, and they will be starting to arrive fairly soon.
Legislative Assembly Members Operating Businesses
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Are you aware of any members in this Assembly who advertise their tour company and book on the Internet?
ANSWER
Hands up members on the opposite side who are not running a business! As the minister for Business, Industry and Resource Development, I am absolutely very proud to advocate people starting businesses and getting involved in entrepreneurial activity, Madam Speaker. However, there is a bit of a conflict of interest when they are also holding a seat bestowed on them by their constituents, who expect them to work really hard in advocating their constituents’, their electorate, and regional development interest, rather than actually being out there owning, operating and running a business in order to line their own pockets. Members opposite have had form on this. We know that the member for Goyder is spending an extraordinary amount of time still practising in his legal practice. He has admitted it as much on television in saying that he is proud to be out there still …
Ms Martin: Charging like a wounded bull.
Mr HENDERSON: … working and charging like a wounded bull for his legal services. He is out there promoting and advocating his business as a solicitor, not only in the White Pages but in the Yellow Pages where you have to pay a little extra to get those adverts.
Only a few weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that the member for Katherine is now running a business in Katherine. I would like to table the current web site - not a historic one, this is current. Member for Katherine, it is fantastic that you are running business, but maybe when you retire, not just now. His constituents would expect him to be putting in a bit more effort than he is at the moment in representing their electorate. I table an extract from the current web site, and let us go through it.
- Customised guided bird tours ...
With 28 years experience in the Katherine region, I can assist in maximising your birding visit to the area …
For more information or to arrange a personalised tour, e-mail …
Blah, blah, blah. There are a couple of pretty Hooded Parrots there, through the eyes of a binocular.
If we go through this web site, we are also into publishing now. We are into publishing, we are going to be judged by Murdoch. It is good to see the current entrepreneurial flare of members opposite, where the member for Katherine is advertising an informative 14-page guide, $AU5, $AU6.50, $AU7.50.
Therefore, the temerity of members opposite to bounce in here, under a guise of the Code of Conduct, and say it is absolutely appalling that my colleague, the member for Casuarina, is practising as an interpreter. The member for Casuarina has laid it on the record; he is no longer participating in that.
What sort of forensic investigative mind does this brilliant member for Goyder have regarding the Internet and how the Internet works, how information can be copied and posted without your knowledge or approval? Who knows what could be out there on the Internet about the member for Goyder, or myself for that matter? That does not mean to say that it has the authority, is endorsed or is currently active.
However, this company is currently active. The member for Katherine is currently active in his birding visits to the Katherine region. His constituents elected him to represent their interests in this parliament. That is what this is about, not lining his own pockets as a business operator in the Northern Territory. The hypocrisy from members opposite!
One could understand if it was the member for Goyder bouncing in here off his own bat with some other hair-brained scheme, but it has the sanction of, I presume, all the members opposite who sit around planning Question Time tactics. The hypocrisy of members opposite, when we have the member for Goyder actively practising and touting as a solicitor, travelling to Sydney - goodness knows how many times! - to practice his profession. We also have the member for Katherine running a company in Katherine and trying to allege that, somehow, my colleague, the Chief Minister, should sack the member for Casuarina for something he did prior to getting into parliament. It is hypocrisy of the most amazing kind.
I would urge all Territorians to think about a career in business and starting a business for themselves. However, when you put your hand up to be a member of parliament, you are supposed to be in here serving your constituents’ interests, not serving your own interests like those members opposite.
Traffic Problems - Farrar and Brandt Roads
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for DEFENCE SUPPORT
As I and the member for Drysdale know – also from my time as President of the Litchfield Shire Council - traffic from Robertson Barracks has caused major problems for residents in Farrar and Brandt Roads, Knuckey Lagoon. You have now told the House about the construction for the 1st Aviation Regiment at Robertson Barracks. This will mean an increase in construction traffic and, later on, staff traffic. Will you please request that the Department of Defence immediately construct the planned new realignment of Campbell Road to Stevens Road, so as to direct traffic away from the Farrar and Brandt Roads residential area?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I am certainly happy to liaise with the member for Nelson on a local electorate issue and do whatever I can to make this issue – or if it is not your electorate; I am not sure whose it would be. We are happy to work with the ADF during these periods of intense construction activity to make sure that the impact on local residents is minimised. However, again I say: great news for the economy, a $78m project; just what we need in 2004-05. I am happy to work with members where this activity is happening in their electorate to minimise any negative impact that it may have on local residents.
Fire Service Review
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
There are ongoing industrial management and training issues that remain unresolved for the duration of your term in government. Firemen are facing disciplinary action for speaking out on issues that concern them. We have the extraordinary situation where a motion of no confidence has, apparently, been moved against our Police Commissioner, and staff morale is at an all-time low. Would you not agree that the only way forward is for you to conduct a full and thorough independent review into our fire service to ensure your funding levels are appropriate, equipment and training is up to standard, and the concerns of firefighters have been met?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition. He is correct. The issues that are affecting the fire service, in terms of the HR and IR issues, are particularly deep-seated and long-standing in the Darwin region. I would be surprised if he was not aware, during his term as Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, of these issues, which have been around for a long time.
I am pleased to say to today – I am surprised that the member has not heard this because it has been a commitment that I have made as minister for the fire services – that we are commissioning an independent human resources and industrial relations review into the fire service. It will be a totally independent review, because the bottom line for the fire service is that they do a great job across the Northern Territory. I can assure my colleague, the Treasurer, that the results of that ‘should’ not cost as much as the $75m that we are putting into the police force as a result of a review. We are going to look at those issues because they are deep seated, they are long standing, and we need to fix those issues first and foremost before we move on further. That review is under way.
Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016