2002-03-05
Sunrise Gas Field and Federal Government
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Last week, in both the Northern Territory News and The Australian it was reported that the Northern Territory government was shocked at the federal government’s stance in the development of the Sunrise gas field. The reports further quoted your office as saying:
- It appeared federal Resources minister, Ian Macfarlane, had reneged on his previous support for an onshore plant.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. If the Leader of Opposition actually read the article concerned - one in The Australian and one in the NT News, which was a direct carbon copy of The Australian article, he would have noticed that, at no time, was I quoted. There were no quotes attributed to me as the minister, and I can certainly assure the Leader of the Opposition and the members of this House that I was not asked for a quote in relation to this particular article. I made absolutely no comment to the reporter concerned.
In regard to the developments of the Sunrise gas field, this government has always, and will continue, to push the Northern Territory case to see Sunrise gas come onshore in the Northern Territory. It is absolutely, fundamentally the most important project that this government is pursuing at the moment. We are working cooperatively with the Commonwealth, and with all of the resource companies involved, in terms of trying to achieve this outcome. I would say that we have done so in a responsible manner, without having a public debate on the front page of the NT News, in the media, be it local or national. This story and the comments that were attributed to me and my office were patently false. We will continue to work with the companies and with the Commonwealth to achieve the objective of bringing Sunrise gas to shore.
Darwin Convention Centre
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Can the Chief Minister advise us of the steps the government is taking to assist the development of a convention centre in Darwin?
ANSWER
That is an excellent question from the member for Karama. First of all, Madam Speaker, in terms of a convention centre for Darwin, I put on the record that this government is absolutely committed to such a convention centre, and supports the concept of it. Quite obviously, as this House recognises, the economic benefits that come from such a convention centre - whether it be the Alice Springs Convention Centre that was talked about this morning or one in Darwin - the economic benefits right across the Territory are undoubted.
As honourable members would be aware, the Darwin City Council has a proposal for a convention centre on the Carlton Hotel site which would incorporate the Darwin Entertainment Centre. I have met with the council on the proposal and, at first glance, it seems that it would involve a considerably lower capital cost than the other proposals that we have seen. On that basis, I am pleased to announce today that the government is fast-tracking a preliminary assessment of the Darwin City Council proposal. This involves an assessment of the likely capital cost, the functionality and the marketability of the proposed facilities. Local and interstate expertise is being used in this assessment. While at this stage there is no commitment, this government is fast-tracking this preliminary work because of the benefits a convention centre will bring to our local economy.
The benefits are many. There is a significant project for the building industry during design and construction stage; there are jobs in the convention centre itself; there is business for suppliers to the convention centre; vastly increased convention business for Darwin, which will benefit all our hotels and operators in the wider tourist industry; and, last but not least, will provide considerably enhanced entertainment facilities for Territorians. I looked this morning at the benefits that were flowing, and will flow into the Alice Springs economy because of the Alice Springs Convention Centre, and these are very similar for a Darwin convention centre. This government is absolutely committed to developing a convention centre in Darwin, and will consider the results of our preliminary assessment within two weeks, and make a decision by the end of March on whether to either enter into detailed negotiations on this proposal with the Darwin City Council, or to immediately call for fresh expressions of interest.
There is a commitment to a Darwin convention centre from this government. We have a proposal in front of us from the Darwin City Council. Its capital costs look very attractive at this stage, so we are going to be fast-tracking that preliminary assessment. We will have the answer before the community by the end of March, and either we will be saying, ‘Yes, we will go further with the Darwin City Council proposal’, or we will call for fresh expressions of interest.
Mini-budget – HIH Insurance Levy
Mr ELFERINK to TREASURER
It has now been shown there are several serious flaws in the mini-budget which was handed down by the Treasurer at the last sittings of parliament. One alone, the emerging costs of HIH liabilities, will see a massive shortfall of $54m. Your industry and resource development minister told this parliament on 28 November:
- We have looked at that, and in this budget we have allocated an additional $6m by way of grant, a total of $9m, which will take us up to the end of this financial year.
Treasurer, do you agree with your industries minister that funds for this item are not sufficient and, if not, what action will you take against him and, more importantly, what method will you use to raise $54m from Territory taxpayers?
ANSWER
I would like to say thank you to the member for Macdonnell for his question. But, very, very sadly, Madam Speaker, it is a very ignorant question. First of all, he says that there were many inadequacies in the mini-budget we brought down in November. Absolutely wrong, Madam Speaker. This is a mini-budget with enormous credibility, and we need to go no further than Access Economics which has closely looked at it and then said, ‘Yes, Territory, you are on the right track and we are predicting 4.5% growth over the next five years’. Also, BIS Schrapnel, another economic forecaster, saying, ‘We have noted what the Territory did in the terms of its budget, in terms of its fiscal integrity and because of that, we are saying we are looking at growth over the next five to 15 year period of 6.5%’. So, any rubbishy questions that we are getting from the member for Macdonnell simply do not have any credibility.
Let me go to the issue of HIH. I do not know how to describe the attempt by the member for Macdonnell to say somehow there is a hole in the budget because of the HIH liability. There is no doubt that HIH and its collapse has had effect in the Territory and around Australia. It has been a massive company collapse, and its impact is widespread around the country. Initial assessments for the Territory of the impact over a period of 10 years was something like $50m. That has also been reassessed now at a sum more like $39.5m, and part of that reason is we did not take the approach of the previous administration and simply say: ‘We will help business by giving you a $3m loan’. They did not say it was a loan at the time, they said: ‘We will help out somehow with $3m’, but very quickly business realised it was a $3m loan.
This government said: ‘We recognise the impact of HIH and what we will do is underpin the payments for the first year at $9m’. And calculations at this stage show that that should take us through to maybe May this year. So, there is some information. That is, instead of the speculation we are hearing from the opposition, these are the facts, and it would assist your arguments, members of the opposition, to get some facts on this issue.
Let’s look at the impact on the budget bottom line of what might happen in the future on HIH. The funds allocated currently, the $9m, should be able to cover us through to May and that is, of course, as you understand, a moving feast. These are calculations that need to be made on an ongoing basis. Now, when these funds are expended I am in the position of approving a loan to the Nominal Insurer to be serviced by a levy. Cabinet has yet to determine the type of levy to apply, and that is something we are currently working on. We are doing a lot better than the previous administration which simply said: ‘$3m and it’s a loan’. So, we are working effectively and efficiently on this.
There will be no effect on the net debt as the loan will be a financial asset to be recovered over time through receipts from the levy. I hope that is clear, because what we said very clearly and what we have maintained is that we would pick up the impost for the first 12 months. Government is still working through what are the most effective ways of picking up the ongoing costs and this will be announced in due course. But let me just …
Mr Baldwin: A levy.
Ms MARTIN: What hypocrisy! What hypocrisy from the member for Daly! Every jurisdiction is working out how best to deal with the collapse of HIH. We dealt with the first 12 months but never made any pretence there would have to be different mechanisms in place over the forthcoming years to be able to deal with it. But it will not have an impact on our net debt, and any rubbish about a black hole in our budget is simply that - rubbish.
Drug House Laws in the Northern Territory
Dr BURNS to CHIEF MINISTER
We have heard that the Leader of the Opposition believes current laws governing drug houses are in no need of change. Will this deter your government from introducing new laws clamping down on drug houses?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, an excellent question from the member for Johnston. This government is tough on drugs and we are determined to make life as uncomfortable as possible for drug traffickers. We took that stand very strongly to the election and that is part of the reason why we are on this side of the House and the previous administration is on that side of the House.
Our three point drug plan details a law enforcement strategy of zero tolerance and identifies legislative responses to the problem of illicit drugs and drug-related crime. A comprehensive legislative package is being developed for the May sittings of this parliament, and I do expect bipartisan support for this legislative package from the opposition. The package will provide police with the powers they need to target drug manufacturers and drug pushers. It will provide the basis for an attack against drug dealers at all the points where they are vulnerable. New drug house legislation will be introduced to provide police with more effective search and arrest powers once premises are declared to be a drug house. The legislation will also be used to force drug dealers to vacate premises from which they operate by placing an onus on owners and landlords to take action, or by allowing police to pursue vacation orders.
In light of what we have talked about in respect of this package and in light of the problem that we have in the Territory with known drug houses and with half of property crime being drug-related, it has been absolutely extraordinary that you could have the opposition leader go on radio last Friday and utter the words he did, and I would like to quote them. The Leader of the Opposition went on ABC Radio last Friday opposing this government’s new anti-drug house legislation. Just absolutely extraordinary. How is this opposition leader and, I presume, members of the opposition, how do you do your work as local members knowing that you are opposing measures that this government is putting into place to go to the heart of some of the problems that we face in the Territory? Ones that were ignored for 26, no, 27 years by the previous administration.
This is what the opposition leader had to say:
Clare Martin comes out and suggests that she’s going to deal with these houses. The reality is the legislation is adequate at the moment for police to deal with them … [The legislation is adequate at the moment for police to deal with them] … and unless they can get evidence no new legislation will make any difference.
Madam Speaker, let me say how wrong the Leader of the Opposition is, and how it indicates what kind of fantasy land he was living in when he was Chief Minister, because none of these problems were tackled. The damage to our community has not been addressed and now, instead of saying we will work with the government because this is a significant problem for the Territory, he goes into his whinging, whining and carping mode and is simply going to oppose. Well, the government does not share the opposition’s view that the current legislation is acceptable or sufficient. Drug houses are doing too much damage and causing too much crime for the opposition’s do nothing approach to be adopted.
Thankfully, the government has sufficient members in this Assembly to pass the laws even if we do not get support from the opposition. We will not be deterred by their negativity and the new laws will be introduced into this Assembly in May.
National Container Deposit Scheme
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for the ENVIRONMENT
For a long time now I have been a long time supporter of container deposit legislation and I was very pleasantly surprised at the weekend to hear the New South Wales Environment Minister, Mr Debus, reported to have said that he would support a national container deposit scheme and would raise the matter at the next Environment Ministers meeting in May. Minister, would you support a national container deposit scheme? Would you support an extension of a deposit scheme on other containers, not just beverage, for example, agricultural chemical containers and promote that at the next Environment Ministers’ meeting. Would you still support the introduction of container deposit legislation in the Northern Territory, even if you could not get agreement for a national approach, and would you guarantee that you would not use that as an excuse not to introduce container deposit legislation in the Territory, even if we have to go it alone with South Australia?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I will begin with the proposal of the minister in New South Wales. I heard about it on the radio and immediately contacted his office asking for details on the report. I have to admit I tend to agree with him that we have to go to the national scheme of container deposit legislation.
With regard to the Territory, you are aware we have an inquiry underway. We have established a committee; we have asked for submissions from the public and we have already received 30 submissions. The cutoff date was 28 February, but we have extended the cutoff date for another two weeks. I am not going to make a commitment now until I see what the submissions are telling us, what the public wants. I will be totally neutral and I am waiting for the outcome of the committee to decide about container deposit legislation in the Territory. But I repeat, I support the national scheme for container deposit legislation.
With regard to the return of chemical containers, as you are aware there will be a plant in Alice Springs that proposes to treat chemical waste, and also chemical containers. I am waiting to see their proposal. I am meeting with them in the next few weeks and then I will make up my mind on that one, and I will make a Cabinet submission for consideration.
Northern Territory Economy
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Can the Chief Minister update the House on recent economic indicators and how the Territory economy is turning around?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that the Territory economy has been doing it tough, and we have seen the Territory economy doing it tough for the last two years. However, I am pleased to tell the House today that there are signs that we are finally seeing a turnaround, and I think we should hear cheers from this House.
Data released yesterday is showing good signs. The retail sales for January 2002 indicates that a recovery in spending in the Territory is under way. Trend data for January shows a growth of 8% over the year, and this compares with growth for Australia, as a whole, of 7.8% - that is trend figure over that same period. So, for the Territory, in retail sales over the period 8%; the national 7.8%.
Sales of new motor vehicles …
Mr Burke: That is month to month comparison. Not over the year, month to month.
Ms MARTIN: You could expect, and it is typical, to hear whingeing and whining again from the opposition, wanting to talk down figures, wanting to talk down the economy. This is about building confidence where confidence is warranted, and these figures are showing that we are looking at a turnaround. There should be support from the opposition on this.
Let’s look at sales of new motor vehicles. They have also been performing relatively strongly, up 8.1% in trend terms over the year to January. That compares with the national figure of 6.7%. Building approvals data for January - which were released today - indicate that the construction sector is slowly turning around. The number of new residential approvals almost doubled between December last year and January. The government is doing its part. We have responded quickly to demands from the construction industry that QuickStart II was needed, and so we put it in place.
Mr Reed: Couldn’t think up anything of your own.
Ms MARTIN: Before I hear the carping again from the opposition, I have said consistently in this House, we applauded QuickStart I last March, and we were happy to say that it worked first time, the residential construction industry was struggling, let’s put it in place. We responded to the requests of the industry. That is fine, and we recognise that you first put it in place. So, there should be congratulations all round, that putting QuickStart II in place has seen an impact on the residential construction industry …
Mr Burke: How much?
Ms MARTIN: It has seen a doubling, in effect, in numbers. That is terrific.
We responded at the time of the mini-budget to QuickStart, and we put an injection of more cash into the sector generally. Only last week, we announced an extra $4.5m for minor new works and $42m for the East Arm Port. Both these initiatives will give greater confidence to our industry and they will create more jobs. Those two announcements, the $4.5m for minor new works and the $42m for the final major stage of our port, hundreds and hundreds of jobs. Hundreds and hundreds of jobs for Territorians. Only yesterday, Denis Power from the Real Estate Institute talked about more confidence in the local economy. He talked about proposed unit and office developments worth millions of dollars that expose as lies the opposition claim that nothing is happening.
No one is denying that times have been tough. We have seen that happen over two years and we saw the previous administration stand in here and simply deny it was happening. I am not doing that. I am saying times have been tough, but it is terrific to be able to come in here and say we have indicators that it is starting to turn around. There is still some way to go, but this government - and I would like to say this opposition as well - is confident that things will be turning around for the Territory in 2002.
Mini-budget - HIH Insurance Levy
Mr REED to CHIEF MINISTER
As the Chief Minister said, it is terrific to be able to tell Territorians what is going on. Could the Chief Minister tell Territorians whether it was the Minister for Business, Industry and Resource Development who was correct when he said that the HIH funding would last until June; or whether it was the Chief Minister, previously in this Question Time in her statement, who said it would last until May; or whether it was the former Under Treasurer, who told the PAC that the HIH funding would last until this month? In telling Territorians that, will she please tell them, as soon as possible - if it’s terrific to give them good news, to use her own words - what the amount of the levy will be, bearing in mind that it is only a month or so away that it is going to be imposed? Territorians need to know to what extent their pockets are going to be hit, like the motor vehicle registry fee that this government imposed upon them, and they should, by right, have some notice as to what is coming in form of that levy.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a question from a member of the opposition who last year wanted to simply say to Territory businesses, to Territorians, ‘You cop the whole impost from the HIH collapse’. All the legislation in here …
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. The question is not about what I might have said. The question for Territorians is: was the minister right, was the Chief Minister right, was the former Under Treasurer right and what is the levy so that Territorians can see what is coming to hit their hip pockets?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order but, Chief Minister, could you address your remarks to the question.
Ms MARTIN: It puts it in context, Madam Speaker, and it is very important, because when you have the member for Katherine standing in here pretending to be sanctimonious, the hypocrisy of his situation should be exposed. This was the government, last year, that came in here and said we will have the whole impost of HIH picked up by the community …
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You made a ruling and asked the Chief Minister to answer the question and she is now going down the same road that she was formerly, avoiding the question.
Madam SPEAKER: The member for Katherine would know that ministers have a fairly wide licence to answer the question, but Chief Minister, do address the question.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I hope that we are not dealing with a former Treasurer who does not understand the issue of the collapse of HIH and the liabilities issues because the question seems to predicate that he does not. $9m was an assessment of a 12 month picking-up of the impact of the HIH collapse and the liability issues. You cannot calculate that to the last cent; it is movable. We are currently looking at a situation where the calculations of what the remaining costs are might change again. My last advice of the assessment was $39.5m. That might change again. The calculations initially were that $9m would pick up about a year’s worth and we are looking currently - my best advice is May/June, that is my best advice. My best advice is, at this stage, May. Let’s say, conservative, May.
Government is working on what is the future from this point and Territorians will be told in good time. I would like to contrast this attitude with that of the previous government who was dishonest about what they told business. Business believed that the previous administration had actually put $3m down and it was a loan with interest, nothing else, wanted legislation in this place to make business pick up the entire impost of the collapse of HIH. The HIH collapse was a tragic event for the Australian insurance industry, a tragic event that impacted on every jurisdiction and put major questions to the heart of the running of insurance and the way it is happening, the controls, the proprieties in place and that is being examined by a federal government Royal Commission. It is a serious issue.
We are dealing with it properly and we are dealing with it with Territorians and business very clearly in our focus. We have the track record; we put $9m down as opposed to a $3m loan which is the best they could do.
Territory Tourism - Promotion
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for TOURISM
Will the minister advise the House of recent initiatives to promote Territory tourism?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. Last week I announced, in conjunction with the new Qantas flight schedules for the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Tourist Commission’s $500 000 marketing campaign domestically on the east coast of Australia. I said that this was the start of the tourism industry fight back. I am pleased today to announce that the NT Tourist Commission launched in London last week a $750 000 campaign called Discover the Other Oz, really targeting the growth sector of the market that is the UK. We have had historically strong figures from the UK and even though we have seen the downturn of international numbers into Australia and the Northern Territory as a result of 11 September and Ansett - well, 11 September in particular - the London market, the UK market has held up.
This government is putting an additional $750 000 effort into further developing that market and bringing people from the UK to the Northern Territory. Again, it is an example of a responsible government delivering results.
The Discover the Other Oz campaign is being run with four partners: Qantas, the Australian Tourist Commission, the South Australian Tourist Commission and Bridge the World. Running the campaign cooperatively has allowed us to maximise its impact. I have met with the new federal Tourism Minister, Joe Hockey, on two occasions now, and I am pleased to announce to the House that he is certainly somebody we can do business with. He is somebody who is absolutely committed to his portfolio and to ensure that Australia maintains its place in the international market, and not only maintains its place, actually attracts more market share as a result of being perceived to be a safe destination. The Northern Territory government is working with the Australian Tourist Commission to actually maximise our impact in these market places.
Bridge the World is a travel agency that specialises in selling Australia and New Zealand. Its target audience is predominantly young London and south-east UK based travellers. These travellers straddle both the unstructured market - that is the backpackers, the people who throng to our area in the Dry season - and the young professionals. The month long campaign focusses on the Explorer Highway from Adelaide to Darwin with intensive advertising, brochure distribution and a dedicated web site - I would urge members opposite, those who have their computers logged into the Internet at the moment, to go to www.discovertheotheroz.com - advertising material, with huge billboard posters on the sides of major roads leading into London. These are the posters here - and I will table them for honourable members - on the London underground, we can see a typical London grey and wet day advertising the Northern Territory. Who would want to be in London at this time of the year when you can come to the Northern Territory? As well as the major campaign, there are also other brochures. I table these for honourable members and would urge members to visit the web site.
Last year the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia accounted for the greatest proportion of international visitors to Australia, and that was 30%. The ABS international arrival figures released this week showed arrivals from the UK were up 2% this January compared with January last year. I will say that again for members opposite: UK arrivals were actually up 2% on this time last year, showing that it is a very resilient tourism market, particularly compared with the Asian and US markets.
I will give some further figures to demonstrate how important the backpacker market is to our industry. 160 000 backpackers last year either entered or exited through the port of Darwin, an average spend of $140 a day. So this is money very well invested, on top of the $500 000 committed domestically last week, on top of the additional schedules that Qantas have put into the market place. The tourism industry in the Northern Territory is starting to fight back.
Ministerial Staffing Levels
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table a listing of all staff who worked for both me as Chief Minister and the eight ministers under the previous CLP government prior to the August election.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: For the benefit of honourable members the total is 72 staff and that includes Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Canberra and consultants. Chief Minister, your staff for both you and six ministers totals 80. I seek leave to table a current staff listing for the Chief Minister.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: I ask the question: how is it that you are prepared to reduce the size of the public service in making it leaner, meaner and more efficient, yet at the same time have more people working in ministers’ offices than ever before. Why can’t your staff work leaner and meaner, or are they fatter and slower?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I find the Leader of the Opposition’s question very peculiar. I do not know whether you employ staff on size or on leanness. I know that the Leader of the Opposition has given government an interesting proposition to deal with, because I think today is the day the two weeks is up, isn’t it?
Two weeks ago a newspaper article said, and this is the opposition leader: ‘I don’t like the fact that I have had to pull in my belt’. Government has pulled in its belt. The opposition leader does not like the fact that we are saying you will have to operate more leaner and meaner than you did in the past, because there is a large hole in our budget. There was a large hole in our budget left by the previous administration and we had to make sure …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: So, it is interesting. I think today is the day, actually, today is the day that the opposition leader went to the press and said: ‘I need more money to run my office or I am going to close’. I think the question should be back to the Leader of the Opposition. Two weeks you gave us, so what is the answer? Are you going to function with a 21% reduction in the amount of funds that you have …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister has the floor.
Ms MARTIN: Are you going to function? Madam Speaker, this is a very serious question. The opposition leader went out publicly and said: ‘Unless I get more money to run the office, I am going to close it’. Well, we have not heard that officially, and we are waiting. We as a parliament would hate to see the opposition turn up here next session of parliament as individuals not representing an opposition.
What we really do want to know is whether the opposition is going to be part of reducing the costs of government, because the operations on the fifth floor have been reduced by 27%. They have been reduced by 27%, and all we have asked of the opposition is 21%. Belts have been tightened. The hospitality is a mere blink of what it was under the previous administration, a mere blink. We have spent very modestly. Let’s just look at some of the hospitality figures under the previous administration. Last July/August - $20 000 - $10 000 a month was spent by the Burke administration on hospitality - restaurants, entertaining people. In the first five months …
Mr Burke: You spent $120 000 a month.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: A direct comparison - in the first five months of the Martin government, just over $3500 per month, equivalent - now let’s have a little measure here. $10 000 last July/August by the Burke government on entertainment; $3500 spent by the Martin government for the first five months, per month. Now, I know it hurts the opposition leader who is going to come in here and argue the case again and again that the opposition wants more money, that the opposition cannot function without more money. Government is functioning on a 27% cut across the board. We have seven ministers as opposed to your nine, and all we have asked of the opposition is 21% reduction. I think you can do it and it is important that the opposition leader, at some stage in this parliamentary sittings, tells us if the opposition will be closing down.
Mr Elferink: I apologise, Madam Speaker, I discovered the ‘Other Oz’ website.
Madam SPEAKER: So you should. Was this the gentleman who spoke the other night about dignity of the parliament?
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, my apologies. I did take the minister’s advice and I was travelling to the website. I did not realise it was such an active website.
Motor Vehicle Registration Levy on Restricted Plates
Mr WOOD to TREASURER
Madam Speaker, I ask this question on your behalf. The registration on vintage, veteran and classic cars in the Northern Territory has been given special recognition in the past with the granting of restricted plates. These vehicles are often only used once or twice a year for club or community events such as the Bangtail Muster in Alice Springs. Recently members of the Motor Enthusiasts Club have been informed by the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure that they will have to pay the $90 levy imposed by your government for the next three years. These owners already pay a levy on their own private vehicles, but now are being slugged for every vintage and veteran car annual registration, although most of the cars do less than 100 km per year.
These owners are being unfairly penalised, and having to wear a higher burden than the average citizen because of their hobby. I point out to the Chief Minister that there is no financial gain for the owners of these cars, just bringing pleasure to the community. A briefing with Treasury officials and your staff indicated that an exemption may be considered for these cars. Can the Chief Minister inform the House if an exemption, or part exemption, will be given to the MACA so that they are not unfairly treated by having to pay the levy many times?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, a very long and comprehensive question! As you are very aware and, as we made very clear when the levy was introduced last November, I felt very sorry at having to impose a levy on Territorians. But that levy was directly because of the black hole and the deceit left by the previous government in the budget …
- Mr Reed interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: We are not going to run down those lines again. They have been prosecuted, and we are going to hear the cries of, ‘It couldn’t have been us’, from the opposition. I wonder who it might have been if it wasn’t you? We have mumblings from the former Treasurer, who is the one now being exposed as having perpetrated the deceit on Territorians …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That has not been demonstrated in any debates in this parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. Chief Minister, continue.
Ms MARTIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To have to introduce a temporary budget levy was a great disappointment to a new government, and a great disappointment to me, both as Chief Minister and Treasurer. It would not have been needed but for the dishonesty of that previous budget, and that dishonesty is being exposed month by month.
The levy was instituted to raise $24m over three years, and it was directly towards plugging that black hole that we found in the budget. It is not therefore linked to being a road user charge that can vary depending on the level of use of the vehicle. While we were formulating the levy, due consideration was given to the impact and to what exemptions would be made. In the interests of equity across the community, and to keep the levy as low as possible, it was decided to limit the number of exemptions.
While it currently costs $204 to register a vintage or veteran car, including the budget improvement levy – that is $204 including that budget improvement levy - this is still well below the standard cost of registration of $528.90 for a vehicle between 1500cc and 2000cc. This means a VCC-registered vehicle still receives a significant concession of $324 per vehicle. Any further concessions would have a negative impact on that revenue. I say again, the levy is a temporary arrangement, it is due, and it is in legislation to end on 28 November 2004.
Public Housing for Seniors
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for HOUSING
What has the government done to ensure that movements in the CPI and indexation of superannuation payments do not disadvantage seniors in public housing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. Eligibility ceilings for public housing were originally set in 1991. Since then, eligibility ceilings have eroded to a point where they require a review. With eligibility ceilings not indexed to the movements in the cost of living, some eligible public housing tenants have found themselves pushed over the eligibility limit only because their Centrelink and superannuation payments are indexed to cancel out inflation.
The department prepared a Cabinet submission on the matter, which recommended increasing the eligibility limit by 5% and annually indexing them with increases in Centrelink benefits. Cabinet adopted the recommendations of this submission, and the new eligibility rates were effective as of 1 February 2002. This decision by government has addressed the growing concern amongst Territory Housing tenants, particularly seniors who have suddenly found themselves ineligible for public housing due to the CPI rises in their Centrelink and superannuation payments. By indexing rises in Centrelink and superannuation income to public housing eligibility levels, this provides a much fairer assessment system. I am advised that the previous CLP administration did not review or increase eligibility levels …
Mr Reed interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: The former minister said that he started it, well I would like to report that the review, or increase, in eligibility levels was not acted upon for at least a decade. He may have started it but he certainly did not finish it. Maybe the election in August got in the way. Doing nothing about this was yet again another CLP initiative.
Northern Territory Public Service Employment Levels
Mr REED to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In light of the minister’s comments on television news last night that we now have a leaner and meaner public service, could the minister please tell Territorians how many public servants were employed as at the end of August 2001; how many are employed in the Northern Territory Public Service today; and how many public servants have received redundancy packages since the end of August 2001.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the comment in relation to the leaner, meaner, more efficient public sector that I was referring to came on the back, and in the context, of a media interview I was doing in relation to another matter, that is payouts of former CEOs who would no longer have been Chief Executive Officers in the new administrative arrangements that we were bringing into place.
We took the decision to restructure, a very major restructure, and on reflection probably the smoothest transition in terms of restructuring the public sector.
Mr Reed: It ain’t over yet!
Mr STIRLING: The member for Katherine would have been here through 1987 when we saw massive disruption to the public sector and quite violent street demonstrations and ugly scenes. Compare this: because we took the unions into our confidence, the people that were going to be effected, because we put them on the transition arrangements, because we consulted them, we did not have any of that uproar.
The point is this: my comment was made in the context of that interview about restructuring the public sector and it meant that the outcome of the restructure brought us down to 18 agencies from about 34 or 35, and quite a number of separate agencies, falling into administrative arrangements with a lot fewer CEOs out there with line control. That is the context of my remarks in relation to a leaner, meaner and more efficient public sector.
In relation to the question of how many public servants were on deck as at 4.21pm yesterday as opposed to August last year, I will get those figures. I will get them across to the member for Katherine at the earliest opportunity, probably before the end of Question Time if they get down here in time.
Employment Opportunities for Indigenous People in Central Australia
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Can the minister inform the House of the steps being taken to foster better employment opportunities for indigenous people in Central Australia.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for such an important question. I am delighted to be able to talk about this event, which was held on 6 February in Alice Springs, also attended by the Chief Minister. It was organised by Alice in Ten Employment, Education and Training Subcommittee, a group of people from a range of organisations and businesses that are working together on ways the Alice Springs community can make real inroads into this area of indigenous employment.
The aim of the workshop was to start planning an indigenous employment strategy for Alice Springs. About 35 local people attended the workshop in which two visitor experts from Moree in New South Wales summarised the factors that they believe have been fundamental to the success of the Aboriginal employment strategy in Moree. The main message was that this strategy was more than just finding jobs, and the important factors were building self-esteem within the community; building partnerships; and focussing on the future. The key point emerging from Moree’s experience was the need for a central contact point, a one-stop shop for indigenous employment which provides support to employees, employers, mentors and individuals, and builds networks and shares information.
A second main point was the need for mentoring. Mentoring provides a high level of personalised support for employees and employers, assisting them to work together to address retention issues. Mentors are also needed to work with families to assist them to support members of the family to remain in employment. They can also assist Aboriginal students to get work experience, and participate in part-time work before leaving school. Other key elements identified were: developing strategies for employers that lead to successful employment; providing temporary supportive and safe housing options for young people; and awards and events that bring the community together.
In addition to the workshop, a community breakfast was held to involve the private sector in finding solutions to one of the most pressing local issues. It was most pleasing that over 70 people attended this breakfast, with approximately 30 people representing the private sector. The Employment Working Group will meet again in March this year to further develop the ideas put forward in the workshop. It is anticipated that the Alice Springs Indigenous Employment Strategy will be available as a public document by the end of June this year.
The federal government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has indicated that they are keen to work in partnership with the NT government to develop responses that best suit Alice Springs and Central Australia. I put on the record this government’s support for the Alice in Ten project and its efforts to move beyond mere words and really get indigenous employment going in Alice Springs.
Northern Territory Public Service - Redundancies
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, is it true that departments have been told that they can offer redundancies to their employees, contrary to your assurances in this parliament, to the media, and in a letter directly to members of the public service stating that there would be no forced redundancies, and no voluntary redundancies? I refer the Chief Minister to what she told ABC Radio on 13 November last year, and I quote: On the question: ‘Will there be voluntary redundancies?’, you said: ‘No. We want to see the public sector to be able to do its job; it’s very critical in terms of service delivery for Territorians…’ etcetera.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I was very clear when I announced on 13 November last year the restructuring of the public sector that this was not about any attempt to force public servants out of their jobs - very clear that this was about no forced redundancies - and I think we have proved in the months since that restructure was announced that that is absolutely the case.
Mr Burke: What about voluntary redundancies? You said there would be none.
Ms MARTIN: In terms of voluntary redundancies, and in answer to the question, what this Labor government is about in the Territory is about getting better service delivery through our public sector. That is what it is about. That is what our public sector is about. A restructure, as in the one we did, was about providing better service delivery. It was about providing better service delivery to Territorians across the Territory. Always, throughout our public sector there have been voluntary redundancies. This has happened in the hundreds over the years. Voluntary redundancies have happened throughout our public sector forever, and they are a fact of life. But what I did not want to be saying to public servants was that this restructure was about losing our ability to have good service delivery, and that is dependent on having good public servants doing their job.
That was the focus of what this restructure was about. It is very sad that the opposition cannot understand that. Instead of applauding us for taking the action that should have been taken a long time ago - a small jurisdiction in numbers like the Territory where we had 35 agencies does not work. With 18 agencies we have ability to have more effective service delivery. We have better opportunities in terms of promotion, in terms of training for our public servants, and we will have efficiencies over time.
The restructure has been a great success. Shortly in this House we will be having a major statement on that restructure. And I hope in that statement we will see a fulsome response from the opposition to it. I hope we simply will not be having one speaker from the opposition on it because it has been a very comprehensive and thoroughly thought through change to the public sector, and considering how we did it, the information we gave to public servants, the transition task force we put in place and the measures we will continue to monitor, that it will be a successful one.
In terms of our public service, what I want from our public servants is commitment to the job, is commitment to the best service delivery, and this government is looking to enhance their career prospects, and certainly not talking about forced redundancies.
Northern Territory Public Service - Termination Payouts to Senior Public Servants
Dr BURNS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
In the last 24 hours, the Leader of the Opposition has espoused views about termination payouts. Can the minister advise the House whether the Leader of the Opposition adhered to this vigorously expressed rhetoric when he was in government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Johnston for his question because it stands in stark contrast to the comments of the Leader of the Opposition over the past 24 hours or so and stand in stark contrast to his actions. And actions always speak louder than words. That is why we take with a grain of salt the sort of remarks he has made over the last 24 hours.
Mr Burke: That is why you told lies.
Dr TOYNE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order. Withdraw that, Leader of the Opposition.
Mr BURKE: Or?
Madam SPEAKER: You cannot do so unless you do by way of substantive motion.
[Leader of the Opposition moves suspension of standing orders to move a motion of censure of the Chief Minister]
Mr STIRLING (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016