2003-11-27
Murder - Sentencing Regime
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
With the passage of your government’s legislation relating to murder sentencing today, will you concede that, for the first time in the Northern Territory’s history, there will not be a mandatory term of imprisonment for the offence of murder?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question because this important issue is in front of this House today, and we will be debating it later this afternoon. Again, I say to the Leader of the Opposition, if you are going to come in here and ask questions, get the facts right. We have had consistent questions asked this week where your facts are not right. This legislation says, very clearly, that for murder there is a mandatory life sentence. I do not see where you are missing the point here. Certainly, that is the intention of this government and we will discuss the further details of that legislation this afternoon. Mandatory life sentence for murder continues in the Northern Territory.
Darwin Business Park - Expressions of Interest Process
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
There has been a great deal of interest expressed in how the Darwin Business Park is shaping up. I know it is of great interest to my constituents in Karama. We are looking forward to the exciting developments there.
Mr Dunham: It is packed out, they reckon. People are lining up to buy property there.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Karama, cease for a minute. I warned you yesterday, member for Drysdale, when questions are being asked they should be asked in silence, understand?
Mr Dunham: Thank you for your advice, Madam Speaker.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Could you please update the House on the expressions of interest process for this exciting Darwin Business Park?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. Earlier this month, I announced that the Land Development Corporation had called for expressions of interest for five rail front blocks in the Darwin Business Park area. The expressions of interest call has gone to local, interstate and international markets, including advertising in local, interstate and international newspapers, and in the Straits Times.
The member for Drysdale is absolutely right. People are queuing up to buy land in the Darwin Business Park. We have already received 22 formal applications for expressions of interest material from both local and interstate companies. Trevor Dalton, Executive Officer of the Land Development Corporation, has also taken representatives of national and international companies on tours of the Business Park site, and has reported a very positive response to these tours. Obviously, there is interest from national and international companies. You are absolutely right, member for Drysdale. People are queuing up to buy a block of land in the Darwin Business Park. They can identify the opportunities for Darwin, with the completion of the railway and the port and Darwin becoming the gateway to Asia, for export and also import.
The expressions of interest process will remain open until 15 January 2004. This government is supporting the Darwin Business Park and is prepared to spend $11m for the construction of hardware and for the subdivision of works in the area.
I am pleased to inform the House that Toll Holdings has already commenced construction of a $17m two-stage development of a state-of-the-art freight consolidation and distribution centre. Not only that, I confirm that Toll intends to take a further $1m expansion of stage one of its facilities, currently under construction. I invite all members – especially the member for Drysdale – to take a trip to the business park and look at the development. I was surprised when I saw that, within a very short period of time, the Darwin Railway Station was about 50% complete, and Toll’s big shed has gone up very quickly. That indicates a strong confidence of freight forwarding companies in the location of the Darwin Business Park, and very strong confidence in Darwin as a gateway to Asia.
I reiterate, we have already received 22 formal applications for the expressions of interest material from both local and interstate companies.
Territory Economic Growth Figures
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
Why is it that you are happy to quote Access Economics’ forecasts predicting growth in the Northern Territory economy at 5.1%, when our own Treasury figures indicate a growth of 1.2%. Is our Treasury correct?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, can I ask the Leader of the Opposition, are you saying Access Economics at 5.1%?
Mr Mills: Correct. This is state final demand.
Ms MARTIN: Again, I say to the Leader of the Opposition, we have Question Time, and earlier this week we had a censure motion that you brought on, and one of the points I made to the Leader of the Opposition was to get his facts right. Again, he is coming in here …
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, he should listen to the answer, because it is important.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, it is not your turn to speak. The Chief Minister is answering the question.
Ms MARTIN: No. I have not been long on my feet. We had a substantial debate here on Tuesday, where I said, the latest Access Economics predictions for our economy was 4% growth over the next five years per annum.
Mr Mills: Access Economics.
Ms MARTIN: Access Economics. I said that clearly. I said BIS Shrapnel are still a bit more optimistic, they are running at 4.5%. I have also said in the past, and so has the Treasurer, that our forecasts are more conservative coming from our Treasury, but we are confident that growth is in our economy. The independent forecasters are very important for predictions for our future. We have confidence growing in our economy, and the only ones who want to sell our economy down is the Leader of the Opposition and the nine little sellers down of the economy who sit with him on that side of the House.
I say again: if the Leader of the Opposition wants to have any credibility in his first week in here as Leader of the Opposition, get your figures right. The first question he asked, he did not have based on fact, and this one is not based on fact either.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I wish to table the facts, which are figures from Treasury which quote the Access Economics …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, if you wanted to table papers, you should have done it when you asked the question, not when the question is finished. Get the process right. Can we settle down thank you.
Members interjecting.
Mr Mills interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Did you hear me?
Mr Mills: I heard you.
Madam SPEAKER: Good. Well listen. I apologise to our senior citizens. They are really showing off a lot, aren’t they? Let us hope they settle down.
Territory Real Estate Market
Mr BONSON to TREASURER
Can the Treasurer please advise the House on the strength of the Territory’s real estate market and how this reflects on the growing confidence in the economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member …
Mr Dunham: Removalists – a few of them are doing okay.
Madam SPEAKER: Can we just settle. Member for Drysdale, as soon as the minister gets on his feet, you continue to interject. I really am losing patience with it. I think you need an early Christmas. Just behave.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the member for Millner for his question. I thank him for the specific nature of the question as opposed to the question we just heard earlier where the Leader of the Opposition talked about economic growth and a figure that I have not heard associated with economic growth from Access Economics, and then qualifies it half way through by saying we are talking state final demand. Well, there are any range of indicators: there is gross state product, there is state final demand. Let us get a bit specific here. If you are going to talk about economic growth, which indicator are you talking about? The member for Millner was specific in his question.
I am pleased the member asked the question because it is an excellent story. If there is one indicator of growing confidence and strength in our economy, it is the housing and construction sector. Recently, the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory put out its real estate local market analysis …
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: They would not want to hear this on the other side, because it is a good story. It shows the September quarter 2003 sales are the highest sales figures ever recorded since they started taking these figures of recording the data in 1999. Interstate inquires increased 30%; the average rental yield sits at around 6% compared to interstate averages of 2% to 4%. Confidence in the market continues to grow as does the median price. In Darwin, overall recorded sales jumped 15.6%, for last year; 7.9% in the northern suburbs; 44.3% in Palmerston; 30.6% in Darwin rural, with increases recorded in all the major regional centres, except Katherine, where the growth quarter on quarter increased 27.3% - so you have not missed by much if you are talking 27.3% quarter to quarter increase.
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: Units, also doing well. Significant increases …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members, I am sure people would like to hear this answer.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I am sure they would, too, particularly if they are property owners and looking at the price of their property.
Units are also doing well. Significant increases in the sales of units in Darwin overall, up almost 60% on last year. Decreases in the vacancy level of units and houses. In the case of Palmerston, the lowest level ever since they started recording these statistics. Of course, drops in vacancy levels means a likely boost in construction of new houses and units, and we already know that the Territory leads the country, from the information I tabled in the last sittings, in the level of home owner finance approvals, some 43% increase over the last year, compared to a national average of around just 14%.
The other critical factor that has been reported quite recently is that Darwin has the best home affordability rate of any capital city in Australia.
What does this all mean? It means that confidence in the future of the Territory is strong. House and unit prices, and rental vacancy rates all indicate that construction will increase significantly in this area. Of course, that will mean more jobs in the construction and private sector, and greater levels of private investment. When you put all those factors together, still at the end, we are the most affordable capital city in Australia. It does spell growing economic strength and confidence – and that is good news for everyone – even the members opposite.
Driver Training And Licensing Program - Cost Increase
Mr MILLS to CHIEF MINISTER
You have received more than $362m in GST funding from the federal government …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: … but this has not stopped you consistently dipping your hands into the pockets of Territory families and businesses. Why have you now hit Territory families further with an increase of $44 for their children undertaking the NT government’s DTAL Program?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: That question was very obtuse and there was some noise. Would you …
Mr Mills: Would you like me to ask it again?
Ms MARTIN: Yes, I would like to hear it.
Madam SPEAKER: The final part of your question, thank you.
Mr MILLS: The final part? Chief Minister, why have you now hit Territory families further with an increase of $44 for their children undertaking the NT government’s Driver Training and Licensing Course?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I say again to the Leader of the Opposition, when you ask your questions, it is important to get the facts of those questions.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Even though we keep saying to the Leader of the Opposition that he is not doing his sums right, he keeps saying, ‘You have $362m’, I think, ‘additional dollars’. We have not.
Dr Lim interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, order!
Ms MARTIN: It has been made very clear that the accounting in producing that figure is transitional. As you would say to a five year old in transition: ‘You’ve got it wrong’.
Here, again, coming in using the wrong facts and distorting. If the Opposition Leader wants to have any credibility, he has to start producing facts that have credibility. You cannot just make them up.
On the detail of the driver training, because it is within the Treasurer’s area, I would like him to respond.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: No, I would like the Treasurer to respond, because he has the details. Thank you.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I am happy to take the question and provide Territorians with information as to where this is up to. I was pretty concerned when this ran in the paper, and I believe the NT News even reported accurately the concern that I had expressed.
It seems that, some time ago, the DTAL Board made a number of decisions. They made a number of critical decisions without recourse to the department or, indeed, to government. The sorts of decisions that they made were to open up what had been strictly for 16-year-olds and include up to 18-year-olds. So, you are significantly increasing the numbers and the cohort that would come into what had been an excellent scheme, and what is still an excellent scheme, in providing and ensuring that our young people have adequate and quality driver instruction …
Ms Martin: They do it very well.
Mr STIRLING: They do do it well. That was the first decision that was made.
They also made a decision - again without recourse to either the department or to government - that, instead of eight lessons per student, which had been going along ever since it was in place, they said they would have 12 lessons per student. Of course, what does that do? Up go the costs again. They said they would fund payment for provisional licences which was not part of the scheme before. They had covered the initial learner’s licence but, at the end, after you had done your driving instruction and you had everything covered up to there, when you went to get your provisional licence - your first probationary licence - you paid. However, again, without recourse to anyone, the board made that decision. Again, of course, what happens? Up go the costs. They increased the value of the vouchers per lesson from $35 to $40.
There has been a move to introduce it into remote locations, and we well know what that means. Of course, it should always have been in remote locations, and this is one change that they made which we would support.. However, the costs of getting driving instructors into remote areas adds costs to the program overall.
You just cannot keep making decisions, based on the recurrent funding that you have, without something occurring. That something occurring means you run out of money. Of course, at that point they have gone back and said to MACA, where this is funded from, and through TIO where it was budgeted at $760 000 for 2003-04 - the projected budget is around $1.2m: ‘Now, hang on, we have a problem here. We only have $760 000 in the bucket. We have made a few decisions here and now it is going to cost us $1.2m’. DTAL did write to MACA requesting further funding because they were under pressure so early into it. Well, you have to look at some of these decisions that were made regarding the bucket of money that you have for that financial year, all of which spiralled the prices up.
Current arrangements continue until 30 November. I do want to say - particularly in view of the road toll which does not get any better and it has not been good this year - this is too vital a program to let go. Therefore, we have to look very closely and strategically at these decisions that have been made. For example, why should you have 12 lessons? If eight was sufficient before and the young people were getting their licences, why do we need 12 per student? If a student can get their licence in …
Mr Dunham: Eight did, mate. Safety – saving lives.
Mr STIRLING: For years, mate, they were getting their licence in eight lessons, and that was deemed adequate then. No evidence was brought forward, or been produced to me that that is not enough and they ought to have 12 lessons. It may be that we go back and say: ‘We pay for eight. If you are not up to the mark in eight, user pays beyond the eighth lesson’. That is something that we need to look at with the 16-year-olds to 18-year-olds.
The added costs of going to remote areas: what is the impost there? I would say, in terms of equity, you have to have it out there. It does not surprise me you blokes never did, but that does not mean we do not put it out there. In terms of that road toll, it is a great program. We are going to make sure it continues, and we are going to reduce the impost the Opposition Leader referred to as reported in the NT News today. However, we do have to have a look at these decisions that were made. DEET is looking at a series of options, and probably recommendations will come back by way of a brief to me on how we go forward. It is an important question, not fully resolved at this stage, because I do not yet have the full series of options and recommendations.
Mr Dunham: Use your speeding fine money. You are swimming in cash from speeding fines. Use it for kids to learn to get a driver’s licence.
Madam SPEAKER: You could not help yourself, member for Drysdale, could you? You have been so good for so long.
Mr Dunham: I am trying to be helpful, giving him policies.
Mr Kiely: It is pretty clear why RBTs never got into the …
Mr Dunham: Pardon?
Mr KIELY: Pretty clear why you didn’t put alcohol in the …
Madam SPEAKER: Just ask your question, member.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He was speaking to me and I missed what he said.
Madam SPEAKER: No. Member for Sanderson, just ask your question.
Police Force - Increased Resources
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
In August, you announced the Martin Labor government’s $75m plan to build our police force, a plan welcomed by residents in my electorate. Can you please update the House on the implementation of the government’s plan?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Sanderson, for his question. I believe all 25 members of this House, and all of our constituents, welcomed the government’s investment and commitment of $75m additional to our police force. It is the single largest commitment in terms of cash to increased resources that the Territory police force has ever seen. It did come on the back of an independent assessment by Jim O’Sullivan, the former police Commissioner in Queensland, of resources required by the Northern Territory police. The number one key finding from Jim O’Sullivan was that the police force was run down over a decade, with underfunding and staff shortages. This was compounded by a total recruitment freeze between 1991 and 1994 when the previous government did not recruit one single police officer, which has left our Northern Territory Police force with a very significant deficit in terms of experience at the sergeant and senior sergeant level. That deficit is going to take some time to pick up.
We did draw the line in the sand. We had made that commitment of $75m to our police, with a plan to increase the numbers of police officers in our police force to see 200 more police on the street across the Northern Territory by 2006.
Mr Dunham: Do not think so!
Mr HENDERSON: I would have thought that the member for Drysdale would be applauding that effort instead of his usual rude and snide comments.
We are recruiting those constables at a maximum recruitment capacity of 120 constables a year. Compare that: 120 constables a year, compared to zero constables between 1991 and 1994. The training college is currently working at full capacity. There are three squads in there at the moment. Eighty new officers are being trained at the college at the moment. Since the government announced its $75m plan, 35 constables have graduated from training, 52 recruit constables have commenced training, joining the 26 already in training, 15 Aboriginal Community Police Officers have been sworn into duty, and I was very pleased …
Ms Martin: Fifteen?
Mr HENDERSON: Fifteen, Chief Minister. Only two weeks ago, I was very pleased to be at the graduation parade to see those Aboriginal Community Police Officers. They have now been sent out across the Top End, and a similar recruit squad is to be initiated in Alice Springs after the review of the ACPO scheme is completed this year. We need significant numbers of new ACPOs in the Central Australian region and we will be holding a recruit and training squad there next year.
Five police auxiliaries have started duty in Alice Springs, and another 27 constables begin their training in January.
Compare that initiative to making the Territory a safer place for all Territorians, to 1991-94, where we did not recruit a single police officer to the Northern Territory. The most derelict abrogation of responsibilities to safety and law and order the Territory has ever seen.
I put on the record my personal thanks to each and every one of our police officers. They have done an absolutely magnificent job this year.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I urge all members and all people listening to this broadcast to have a look at the police annual report for this financial year. We can see crime across the Territory has decreased by 20% this year, and for members opposite not to acknowledge that, is to accuse each and every police officer of falsifying those figures. Those crime statistics are independently audited by Ernst & Young. Each and every one of us would know that the police are doing a magnificent job. Crime is down. My thanks to each and every one of those police officers and our Police Commissioner, who has had a huge role to play in turning this police force around. We are building a new era of Territory policing, with 200 additional police out on our streets by the end of 2006.
Cane Toads - Captive Breeding Programs for Threatened Wildlife
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
Bearing in mind that the cane toad will soon arrive in the Darwin region, does the government have a policy which would allow private land owners to be permitted to develop and manage captive breeding programs for the northern quoll, for example, outside of the Parks and Wildlife regime?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I believe the matter of the cane toads and the intrusion of the cane toads into the Northern Territory has been discussed recently by the relevant committee, which made recommendations to government. Government is examining these recommendations to find a solution because the cane toads are a very big problem. We understand it is going to have a significant impact on our wildlife.
We are trying to save some of our species by organising a Territory Ark, by relocating animals on isolated islands, trying to prevent the extinction of these animals, especially of the quoll. However, my department is open to suggestions. We are prepared to do anything to rescue wildlife in the Territory because, unfortunately, the previous government did nothing for all those years. They knew very well …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, if I recall, the Labor government has been in power for only two years, and for the past 27 years we have had a CLP government. The problem with the cane toads has been identified in Australia since 1945 when scientists were claiming that the impact of cane toads in the Northern Territory would be significant.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There was a three volume paper tabled in this parliament that does not make those recommendations. It is about to be debated.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr DUNHAM: The point of order is, a committee of this parliament has made recommendations, none of which include what the minister is talking about. He is reflecting on a committee of this parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, I will continue. There is scientific evidence of the damage cane toads will do to Territory wildlife and that of north Western Australia. Despite that, nothing was done. Nothing has been done for the past 10 or 15 years.
Mr Dunham: Rubbish! You liar! You liar!
Mr KIELY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale, withdraw. Withdraw!
Mr DUNHAM: Madam Speaker, I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: I suggest you sit down, because you are on a warning. Do not interrupt like that again. I do not know what the people from Katherine are thinking. Your manners are appalling today.
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker. Whilst I agree entirely that the member should withdraw that comment, he is provoked because the minister is actually slandering a former senior public servant of the Northern Territory, a person who enjoys high respect in the Northern Territory and it should not occur.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Minister, continue your answer.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, I do not criticise any public servant at all because, after all, the responsibility lies with the government and the responsible minister. It does not matter what was suggested by any public servant to the then government; it was a decision of the government and the then minister, the former member for Katherine, Mr Mike Reed.
Mr Wood interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: I will continue, member for Nelson. I am prepared to accept any recommendation from any member of the public, or any scientist, because I consider the threat of cane toads to the Territory’s wildlife as a very serious threat.
Mr Baldwin: What an outrageous statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly, I am waiting for quiet. You know that.
Associations Act - Lack of Consultation
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
I have written to some 300 clubs and associations about your government’s recent changes to the Associations Act. Many replied that they were not consulted, and that they were angry about the changes that will make life harder for the mum and dad volunteers in the 1700 clubs around the Territory, which, as you know, are the fabric of our community. Can you explain why it is that your government did not fully consult with the Territory’s clubs and associations?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, at this stage I cannot give the full extent of the consultation that was done for the Associations Bill. However, I would like to be able to pass this question – not that I am avoiding it – to the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General who has carriage of it.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, maybe the opposition does not understand, but in here, different ministers have carriage of different legislation.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, in terms of an overall position, yes, I am happy to answer those questions. I will answer many of them in detail. But when it comes to what consultation was undertaken by the Department of Justice for the purposes of this legislation, I cannot give you that detail, but the minister can. I can assure Territorians I will be …
Mr Baldwin interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, while I can assure Territorians – I would like to say to the member for Daly that I do not have all these portfolios. We have a ministry that has …
Mr Baldwin: It is your government. You are the leader of it.
Ms MARTIN: Absolutely, and I accept responsibility.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, do not talk across the floor to them. You will only provoke them more, you know that.
Ms MARTIN: Sorry. I will pass the detail of this question to the Minister for Justice, quite appropriately, because he has carriage of the Associations Act. The Associations Act was reviewed, very importantly, because our clubs and associations are a very important part of our community. However, they have to work well, they have to be able to meet the demands of 2003 in terms of accountability. We have put considerable dollars into training for those who are involved in associations so that they do understand the standards and accountability that are expected, quite rightly.
In those terms, I can answer the question. We are committed to help those who are involved in associations. Having been involved in many associations myself, you struggle, as a committee, to meet the accountability requirements that you have. When you have people who are doing this in their spare time, and certainly sometimes they are complex, then of course we are putting adequate training in place. We will continue that training for a number of years because, as committee members turn over, you have to be able to support those who are new to the committees.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, wind up, if you are passing the question over.
Ms MARTIN: In that sense, I am very happy to say this is important legislation. We are putting in place the funds so that we can assist members of our community to be able to effectively function on committees of associations and, for the details, I quite appropriately hand to the Minister for Justice.
Madam SPEAKER: For the benefit of our visitors in the gallery, it has been the convention in this parliament that questions be directed to the minister responsible for that portfolio, and the Chief Minister has every right to pass over those questions.
Dr TOYNE (Justice and Attorney-General): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am very happy to take this question, because I was certainly aware of the scurrilous attack that the member for Araluen made on me, as the midnight sniper, in the House last night.
Ms Carney: You should hear what people are saying about you. You lied to this parliament. You said consultations had been extensive and they were not.
Dr TOYNE: The conduct of the member is to be absolutely deplored, Madam Speaker. She has written to a number of associations, saying …
Ms Carney: A random selection of 300.
Dr TOYNE: … they were randomly selected and highlighted the penalties in some sections of the new Associations Act.
Ms Carney: Yes, because you were not about to do it, were you?
Dr TOYNE: She is scaremongering, she is playing politics with serious legislative reform.
Ms Carney: Because you did not tell them. They said this was the first they had ever heard of it.
Dr TOYNE: She is abusing her position of trust as a parliamentarian by running a scare campaign.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker. He cannot claim that a member of this parliament writing to constituents is abusing trust. He cannot claim that. She is the shadow minister.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. I would like the opposition to settle down. We know it is the last day of the year but let us have a little decorum.
Dr TOYNE: Madam Speaker, the member does not tell people she has written to that the penalties are maximum penalties, and she knows very well, as a lawyer, how penalty provisions are structured and how they are applied. She does not tell the associations that the act does not commence until March 2004, and that there will be an extensive campaign of education and training. She could access details of that training and education simply by asking my office for a briefing, but she does not bother to get the facts. She does not bother to bring her concerns to me so that we can address them.
Ms Carney: What? Do you think the mums and dads can just ring up your office and get a briefing, do you?
Dr TOYNE: No, she races off and feeds this claptrap to the associations, and then comes in here claiming that we have not fully informed them.
Ms Carney: Rubbish! This is great. Keep it coming. I will send the Hansard to them and they will see you for what you are, you little grub.
Madam SPEAKER: Cease, minister, cease. This is Question Time. You have been asked a question - I would like the questions today to be shorter - would you get to the point.
Dr TOYNE: I am getting to the point, Madam Speaker.
Despite the insulting language used last night in this House against me, I will provide the following information. In October 2002, I announced the current Associations Incorporation Act would be reviewed and replaced with more modern, appropriate legislation. The draft associations act and discussion paper were released for public consultation in February 2003. The release of the draft act and discussion paper was advertised widely in the NT News, regional papers, as well as on the NT government and Department of Justice web sites.
The draft act and discussion paper were available for downloading from the web site, and a significant number of documents were e-mailed to interested persons and organisations. Copies of the draft act and discussion paper were sent to key stakeholders, such as accountancy firms, CPI Australia, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the National Institute of Accountants, and Law Society Northern Territory. Seminars on the draft act were held in Darwin and all regional centres in February and March. Approximately 200 copies of the draft act and discussion paper were distributed at these seminars. Fifteen written submissions were received. Those submissions have now been incorporated - in many cases, the ideas and the concerns - into the final bill that we introduced into this House.
When we come into this place and make information available to the members of parliament, the absolute minimum we would expect is that they would respect the processes that are announced freely in this House when they go out and peddle ideas around the community …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Dr TOYNE: The member for Araluen knew very well that the government was committing to a substantial education and information campaign, which is now being prepared and will go out to all of these associations. I call on her to stop peddling claptrap and trying to spread fear and anxiety around associations, when they will be getting all the information and training that they need to take up this new legislation.
Accelerated Literacy Programs
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Can the minister please advise the House on programs to improve the literacy of Territory students - which we are very committed to and value the importance of, unlike the other side. What is working and what results are these programs showing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her interest in this area of education. I know she is watching it closely as it rolls out. It will have application in her electorate, with rural and remote schools, as much as it will have in mine.
When it comes to teaching and teaching methodologies, I guess I am a bit of a traditionalist at heart. I was trained along fairly traditional lines at the old State College of Victoria at Geelong - the old Geelong Teachers College - and I would have, at heart, some misgivings over some of the traditional methods being lost over the years. I put the failing literacy and numeracy levels that we have, across the board, at the feet of some of those lost methods.
I am particularly struck with this accelerated literacy program. It is trialling in six schools as I speak, and I have seen it in four of them. I have been more impressed each time I have seen this method in operation. I will give you a little background on this. It is at Gillen Primary, ANZAC Hill High School, Dripstone High School, Ludmilla Primary, Nightcliff High School and Ngukurr Community Education Centre. The shadow minister for Education has an opportunity if he wanted to come through my office and see this in operation in these Alice Springs schools.
The outcomes: what they have been able to achieve to date is enormously exciting. On average, all of the students involved in this program have achieved a 1.8 year jump in literacy in one year in the program. That means, of course, some students are gaining two and three years leap in literacy against physical age in terms of reading age.
At lunch time, the member for Nightcliff and I were at Nightcliff High, where there is a class of 26 with a teacher who is an exponent of this accelerated literacy program. The strength of the program is this: it places the teacher right in the middle of the classroom. The method of teaching used puts an intensive workload on the teacher in the sense of engaging every student in that classroom. Equally, it puts an intensive load on the student. I believe this is one of the great strengths in this, because you have high-level, quality interaction between every single student and the teacher through this program.
It takes me back - and I spoke to the students about this. I am 52 this year, so I am talking 40 and more years ago when I was in primary school. I would be interested to know if the shadow minister for Education had this sort of approach when he was going through: you had a passage, and the teacher would go through and identify the verb, the noun, the adverb, the pronoun. I see you nodding, Madam Speaker, with recognition. What did that mean? It all got a bit boring, it all got a bit dry later on, but you understood the construct. You understood the construction of the language as it was put together, and you were able to break it down. You had to take the verb out; what does it mean? It all becomes a bit meaningless. Take the pronoun out, take the adjectival phrase, underline the adjectival phrase. We did all that.
When I finished teachers college and began to teach in 1979, 1980, 1981, they had left those methods behind. They walked away from those methods, which I believe, to this day, gave us, my generation, a great grounding in our own language not just in reading ability, but also comprehension, because you understood how it was all put together. Walking away from those tried and true traditional methods, I believe, are a part of the struggle we have today with literacy outcomes.
And this is what it does, and it does not do it in that traditional sense so much, but it still concentrates on one passage from a book. They are able to take that apart, pull it apart, put it back together, how does it work without it, does it work, and what does it mean.
I will give you some more detail on this. Obviously, at this stage with the pilots, the students that have been targeted to go into the program are those who are many years behind their physical age in reading age. At Gillen Primary, they were reading between transition and year 3 level, but way beyond that in years. Now, all but one of those students can read a year 5 text studied in class, and over two-thirds can pick up a text, read it and understand it, although it is a text they have not seen before.
At Ngukurr Community Eduction Centre - we are not just talking about great leaps forward in the urban situation but also the rural remote situation – secondary age students were reading at about year 2 level or were non-readers. The majority of these students at Ngukurr now read at their appropriate age level, and about one-third of them can read unseen text at age level after just 15 months in the program.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr STIRLING: As traditional as I am, I am pretty taken with the outcomes here. Part of the reason I am taken with it is because I believe it is reaching back to a quality of teaching and a method of teaching, and I do not know if the member …
Dr Lim: I was a student of English.
Mr STIRLING: … understands. I think he understands and probably went through a similar process. There is close monitoring of this so that there is no deceit in the outcomes. We certainly do not want to be sucked in, I guess, to embracing something that looks good on the surface but is not sustainable. I am certain that is not the case. The literacy development is monitored very closely and tracked through regular assessments on the student’s ability to read texts to that level that they had not seen before.
There are about 570 on the program, as I said. They were identified as low performers in literacy, and that is why they are in there. Literacy and numeracy are key priorities for us. We have been relentless in driving that view through the department. There is a fair bit of further work to be done. We are talking about what has worked well in a pilot fashion in six schools. If we are going to pick this up and embrace it across the system, there are going to be enormous resource implications in terms of training, because you need some pretty high level instruction to be able to run these sorts of programs and, of course, resources across the board.
We will continue to monitor it, to make sure that effectiveness stays up there, and get a handle on what the resource implications and the funding needs would be to put it through our schools. This is a big call, but it is probably the most exciting development in teaching methodology that I have seen in my life.
Members: Hear, hear!
Associations Act - Effect on Women’s Organisations
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for WOMEN’S POLICY
We all know of the important role the Territory’s 1700 clubs and associations play, many of which are women’s groups. Your government has imposed penalties of up to $22 000 for breaches of the Associations Act. Of the 300 clubs I wrote to about the recent changes, many replied that the new financial penalties would reduce and limit their ability to attract members and office bearers. What can you say to the many thousands of volunteers who will no longer join these clubs or offer themselves as office bearers as a result of your government’s changes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. This is important legislation, because it underpins the health and transparency of many clubs and associations around the Territory. In her question, the member for Araluen asserts that we have people who are going to be abandoning clubs based on the new legislation. I would like to see the level of evidence for that. It is disappointing that the member for Araluen is implying in her question that we have one kind of club or association. That is a nonsense. When she talks about the penalties in the bill, she is not reflecting that they are appropriate for how substantial a club is based on what their turnover is. Those penalties and the requirements for accountability are at different levels according to your turnover. If you take a club that has multi-million dollar turnover, then very appropriately …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, if the member for Araluen does not want to hear the answer, why is she asking the question? I say to the member for Araluen, there are very different clubs. For example, if you take a club like the Casuarina Club, a very successful club with a multi-million turnover. There are certain requirements that are going to be different in running that club …
Mr Elferink: And the same penalty applies for the bridge club. You were warned about this. You were told it was going to happen and you ignored it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am happy to answer, but what is the point when we have members of the opposition who are not interested in the answer?
Madam SPEAKER: Your choice, Chief Minister. Do you want to continue or not?
Ms MARTIN: Briefly. Again, I say to the member for Araluen that the minister responsible for this legislation is the Minister for Justice. It is appropriate that the question is asked of the appropriate minister, as you did very clearly with the previous question.
There are different requirements according to whether you are on the local family centre club, or whether you are running the Casuarina Club. As the minister said in response to the last question, we are putting extensive funds into education and information for those who are involved in associations. We are not setting people up to fail as has happened so many times. Which member in here does not know of a club in the last 12 to 18 months that has not failed?
It is difficult times for clubs. Our environment has changed. Things like drink driving laws have changed a lot. People are busy, their ability to be involved in clubs has lessened because of the nature of their busy lives. We are assisting those who are, importantly, involved in our clubs and associations by putting funds into helping them be able to meet the requirements of running such a club or association. Appropriately, I pass for further details to the Minister for Justice.
Dr TOYNE (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, there will be a certain point in this process where you are going to look like a dill. I will tell you when you are going to start to look like a dill: we passed this act on 15 October this year, and the regulations are now under development. The commencement of the act will be March next year. As I said in debate, when we passed the bill through the House, there is going to be an extensive education and information campaign throughout the Northern Territory for our 1700 associations - small, medium and large.
For the rest of the year, we have committed $230 000 to this campaign, and we will continue to fund it beyond that at an appropriate level. Discussions are being held with the Commonwealth and it is expected they will commit an equivalent amount of money. The development of these training and capacity building programs is well advanced. Negotiations have commenced with the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations for a joint delivery of training programs to indigenous communities. Training for management committees, association members, auditors, accountants, financial advisors, and club and association managers is planned for presentation to these specifically targeted groups in all major centres. The training will be in a format designed for each sector. For example, there is an extensive information session for accountants, auditors and professional advisors. There will be sessions for the large associations where there is a professional manager employed, like The Hub at Palmerston, or Darwin Sailing Club, or those types of big organisations.
In addition, there will be training programs for committee members, and for management committees. Because most of the committee members are volunteers, these sessions will be run after hours, perhaps for three hours a night over two nights. Training for committees and management of indigenous associations will be run in regions for a duration of one to three days, depending on individual requirements. We will be running 10 programs in major centres and six in remote centres. All of these sessions will include governance skills, as well as information on legislative responsibilities. In addition, there will be shorter information sessions for committee members on the new act.
That is where the member for Araluen will be seen for what she is - someone who is a political opportunist, who wants to duck in here, while a proper program is being developed to take out to these associations, to give them not only the ability to adapt to the provisions of this new modern and protective act, but also to support them with training and skilling so that they can fully do the work of their associations.
Ms Carney: Yes, sorry I told them about the fines. Sorry I told them the truth.
Dr TOYNE: I think the member had better get back into some information here, and provide accurate information instead of picking out areas of penalties that are just going to be used to scare people and basically mislead them as to what we are trying to do here. We are trying to support and strengthen our associations. We will do that, and we will do that in the timeframe I have indicated.
National Airspace System
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Much of the Territory relies on air travel due to our remoteness and our enormous geographic distances. In terms of recent criticism from commercial pilots, airports and air traffic controllers concerning the federal government’s implementation of a new national airspace system, what can you tell us in terms of the Territory government sharing these concerns, and what is the government doing to bring these concerns to the attention of our federal government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. This is a very serious issue and, I have to admit, a very scary issue because of the possible implications on air safety in the Territory. Members from both sides of the House use light aircraft or commercial jets to travel to their electorates, and the changes in the air space management will create a few problems. That has been recognised by air traffic controllers and commercial pilots. We had the International Federation of Commercial Pilots coming out against it yesterday. We have to resist the attempt by the Commonwealth government to implement and introduce this national airspace system in Australia before it fully examines the effect it will have on air safety.
In May 2002, the federal government accepted a recommendation of the aviation reform group that a National Airspace System, NAS, be adopted in Australia. It is a model that is based on an American system. Stages 1 and 2A of the National Airspace System have already been implemented; however, it will not have a direct impact on the Territory because it relates to the introduction of some American-style instrument flight rules and procedures. Stage 2B commences today, and that will really scare you, Madam Speaker, because it will allow uncontrolled traffic in some air space previously under full control.
I am aware of highly experienced members of the aviation industry who oppose these changes. Recently, it came to my attention, in the Health Business Daily News – ‘Air Safety Worries Royal Flying Doctors’. From Townsville, the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Queensland has added its voice to concerns about changes to air space regulations. However, the organisation stopped short of the criticism levelled by RFDS colleagues in the Northern Territory and South Australia, who warned of a major drop in air safety in Alice Springs. I will table this document, Madam Speaker.
It is going to create problems, mainly at remote airports like Yulara, Alice Springs and, of course, Nhulunbuy where there is a mix of light aircraft with heavy jet operations. Earlier this month, the Australian Transport Council met in Adelaide. I supported the proposal to urgently request the Commonwealth government to direct the NAS implementation group to undertake a comparative assessment of the existing system and the proposed changes to ensure air safety in Australia is not compromised.
In the event the Commonwealth refuses to undertake this assessment, state and territory transport ministers have agreed that we will pay for an assessment ourselves and provide the outcome to the Commonwealth and the aviation industry. I have to note that, at this Australian Transport Council meeting, the federal minister for transport did not bother to turn up. The Commonwealth has yet to officially respond to the request. However, I have written again to federal transport minister Anderson, urging him to undertake this work as a matter of priority, to reassure our aviation industry and the people of the Northern Territory that the federal government is providing world’s best practice in aviation safety, something that will not be happening if the NAS implementation continues.
Larapinta Stage 4 - Release of Residential Land
Dr LIM to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
The minister’s continuing ineptitude and poor handling of his job has allowed Alice Springs to be locked up without a definite date of land release by the Lhere Artepe at Larapinta Stage 4. Are reports true that negotiations within the Lhere Artepe Corporation have broken down? What does it mean to the people of Alice Springs, waiting for you to deliver on your promise to unlock residential land by early 2004? What have you done to ensure that the Lhere Artepe Corporation is being assisted to come to a resolution for the benefit of themselves and Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member very much for his question. I have to admit the member for Nhulunbuy was right yesterday; he is leading with his chin. He comes here to criticise this government, but he did nothing to release land in Alice Springs. His own party, his own government, had done nothing in the past 15 years to secure even one block of land in Alice Springs.
Do I have to remind the member for Greatorex of the letter in the Centralian Advocate that I read a few weeks ago about his role in not securing any land in Alice Springs, and the complete loss of jobs for the construction industry in Alice Springs? The member for Greatorex is very quick to criticise, together with the candidate for Braitling, I believe, who is all of a sudden coming to the defence of the people of Alice Springs that they do not have access to cheap land in Alice Springs. That was one of the latest issues that came out.
Let me tell you, member for Greatorex, we are progressing with the negotiations with the Lhere Artepe. As a matter of fact, today I announced that the headworks for the Larapinta development had been awarded to an Alice Springs company, Sitzler Bros, to the value of $220 000, to work on construction of an intersection in the proposed development which will allow construction companies to enter and continue with the Larapinta development.
It is a new agreement; it has never happened before in Australia. We understand it is going to be a difficult process. As I said before, we are prepared to provide assistance and support, and we have done so for the people in Alice Springs and the Lhere Artepe Corporation. My understanding is that the Lhere Artepe Corporation will be meeting very soon to discuss the issue of progressing the Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the government. The issue will be resolved, and we will be on target to deliver to the people on the street what the CLP government has not delivered for the past 15 years.
Construction of Stable for Christmas
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
Before the member for Nelson asks his question, perhaps I could ask a question of the Minister for Lands and Planning on his behalf. Are you going to allow the building of the stable this Christmas without planning authority?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased that you asked this question. I have noticed that the member for Nelson put something out: ‘Stable prohibited by decree of the Bethlehem planning authority’. I am very pleased I am not in charge of this planning authority. I do not think I have to respond to this question. You know very well I am a Christian and I defend the right of the Christ to be born anywhere he wishes this year.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, you try.
Humpty Doo Police, Fire and Emergency Services Facility
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Recently, there was a serious hold-up at the Humpty Doo Tavern where two young workers were wounded. Could you tell us at what stage the new Police, Fire and Emergency Services facility at Humpty Doo is and where it is going to be built?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As I said in answer to a similar question earlier this year, the Humpty Doo Police Station is on the capital works program for this year, and construction will begin this financial year. I am not sure, specifically, where it is at within the tender process, but construction will start work this financial year. It is going to happen.
Major Sporting Events in 2004
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Sport is a vital part of our Territory lifestyle. It is a fact that Territorians are sporting fanatics, including me. Can you please advise the House of the major sporting events that Territorians and visitors to the Territory can look forward to in 2004?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. Members are aware that the Martin Labor government has invested substantially in sporting infrastructure in Darwin and regional areas. In addition, the government has entered into negotiations with national sporting bodies to secure high quality events for the benefit of Territorians and to attract more visitors to the Territory. This investment is really starting to produce results.
On 18 February next year, the first ever premiership match of the National Basketball League will be held in the Territory when the Perth Wildcats take on the Brisbane Bullets at Marrara. The agreement with the Perth Wildcats also includes annual development clinics for players and coaches, with visits to schools, shopping centres and the Royal Darwin Hospital. Wildcats players will hold annual clinics in Alice Springs and remote communities. The Wildcats head coach will also conduct a coaching clinic in Darwin.
A major sporting double header will occur that week in February because the AFL powerhouses of Essendon and Fremantle will clash at Marrara Oval in the AFL Wizard Cup on 21 February.
Members are aware of the government’s $5m commitment to upgrade Traeger Park in partnership with the Alice Springs Town Council. The lights are now going up, and will be in place for an AFL challenge match to be played in Alice Springs in early March. This will be a huge night on the Central Australian sporting calendar, as I am told, some eight years ago there were around 11 000 people at Traeger Park for the match between Essendon and Adelaide Crows. Of course, we are all looking forward to the AFL Allstars matches to be held in 2005 and 2007 that are included in the government’s agreement with the AFL.
Alice Springs will again experience top class cricket as it hosts the annual Imparja Cup in February. This carnival has developed into a key component of Cricket Australia’s Indigenous Development Program.
International cricket returns to Darwin in a really big way when Sri Lanka takes to the field at Marrara Oval. The Chief Minister’s XI match is scheduled for late June, followed by the Australia versus Sri Lanka test match from 1 to 5 July 2004. What a privilege it was to have Steve Waugh here earlier this year, captaining Australia in the first ever cricket test to be held in the Territory. Many people will, no doubt, go back to that match and will class themselves as being very lucky and fortunate to have seen him on his way out because, as we know, he has now announced his retirement from test cricket. Once again, Territory cricketers can look forward to the opportunity to compete with and against first class players in the annual Chief Minister’s XI match.
Territory footy fans will experience first class football on 14 August, when the first ever AFL premiership match will be played in the Territory. Port Adelaide will clash with the Western Bulldogs in Darwin as they compete for valuable premiership points. This will be a massive addition to our sporting calendar.
October will once again see the highly successful Masters Games held in Alice Springs, with great economic benefit to the region. From memory, the last Masters Games brought in something like $7.5m to the economy in Central Australia.
In summary, 2004 is quickly stacking up to be a fantastic year with a high level sporting feast of events for Territorians. Although we have managed to secure these events to this stage, we are not sitting on our hands. The government is involved in discussions with a number of other national sporting bodies, and I hope to be in a position to make further announcements in the near future. These new events will add significantly to the tourist calendar that already includes the Darwin and Alice Springs Cup Carnivals, the V8 Supercar Series, the Finke Desert Race, the Desert Bike Challenge, the Solar Car Challenge and the BassintheGrass concerts. It is truly looking like a Merry Christmas and a prosperous sporting New Year for Territorians.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, on that happy note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016