2003-06-19
Gove District Hospital - Safety of Staff
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Yesterday in this House, I raised the issue of staff safety at Gove District Hospital. We both received a copy of a letter written by the Australian Nurses Federation to the member for Nhulunbuy on this matter. I seek leave to table a copy of this letter.
Leave granted.
Ms CARTER: Minister, it strikes me that nothing was going to be done about the walkway until you realised that I too had a copy of the letter. Yesterday, you said you would arranged for quotes to have the walkway fenced off from the itinerants. Can you categorically confirm the walkway will be enclosed and, if so, by when?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for repeating the question that she asked me yesterday. Yesterday, I advised the House that this government - this government, not the previous government, which has known about this issue for at least five years, it had been raised with the former minister and, presumably, the minister before him, about putting up a walkway between two buildings at the Gove District Hospital.
Yesterday, I advised the House that I had already liaised with the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure regarding obtaining quotations for this type of fencing for the Gove District Hospital. In addition to that, I advise the House, once again, that $1.5m has been set aside for this coming financial year for a redevelopment at the Gove District Hospital. As part of that multipurpose service, these issues, together with the walkway, will be dealt with.
I am not quite sure which part of the answer the member for Port Darwin was having problems with, but that is simply the answer.
Ghan Passenger Service
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Territorians have welcomed the Martin Labor government’s decision to provide railway stations which will allow a passenger service to operate on the Alice Springs to Darwin rail line. Can you please inform the House, when the first Ghan passenger train will arrive in Darwin?
Mr Dunham: And is this answer different to yesterday’s answer to the same question?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a terrific question and I thank the member for Karama. I say to the member for Drysdale: listen to the questions. Yesterday, I proudly talked about the commencement of work on elements of Wickham Point, with the clearance of the site and construction starting onsite – jobs and opportunities for Territory businesses. That was yesterday’s question.
Again, I am proud to stand here and talk about jobs for Territorians and opportunities for businesses, because $7.5m has been allocated by my government to build passenger terminals in Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin to allow a passenger service on the Alice Springs to Darwin rail. This is great news. Those buildings will be constructed over this Dry Season. The detailed design work is well under way. The site preparation - for anyone who would care to go out to the port area - has commenced for the Darwin station. They are very important pieces of infrastructure for the Territory. It will allow Great Southern Rail and the Ghan to operate one of the world’s great train journeys between Adelaide and Darwin.
I am pleased to inform the House - and particularly the member for Drysdale - that Great Southern Rail has today announced the first passenger train will depart Adelaide on Sunday, 1 February 2004, and arrive in Darwin on the afternoon of Tuesday, 3 February - a great event for the Territory. The return journey starts the next day, Wednesday 4 February, heading back to Adelaide. Tickets are on sale now for the regular weekly service. That weekly service will start the following Sunday, 8 February.
This is great news for jobs in the Territory, and it is great news for tourism. We are pleased to have made this possible with the construction of those passenger terminals in Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin.
Great Southern Rail have also appointed Steve Irwin, the great crocodile hunter, as their ambassador for the Ghan to Darwin. It will be a pleasure to welcome the great crocodile hunter to the Top End and it will give a lot of panache to this rail journey …
A member: And class.
Ms MARTIN: And class.
Let us look at what this means for tourism. I know you are very interested in the passenger service, Madam Speaker. The Adelaide to Darwin train journey is a great train journey. It covers 2979 km. The Ghan will stop, as it does now, in Alice Springs. However, we can extend that journey going through to Tennant Creek, Katherine and, finally, Darwin. Passengers will have the opportunity to get off the train at Alice Springs – which is a boost for tourism - and also at Katherine, where they will have the opportunity to experience the Katherine Gorge. It will be a significant boost for tourism in Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin.
I am very pleased to announce today, thanks to the Tourism Minister, that the Tourist Commission is contributing $200 000 to a joint marketing campaign with Great Southern Rail. Overall, that campaign is worth over $1m - $1.3m - to encourage Australians, Territorians and international visitors to visit the Territory on the Ghan. It will be a once in a lifetime experience. That campaign will run from June to September.
The Tourist Commission is estimating that the Ghan will deliver an extra 16 000 tourists to Darwin per year. The calculations of that translates into a direct and ongoing injection of $27m per annum into the Territory in direct visitor expenditure. $27m worth of tourist expenditure will support around 200 new jobs in our tourism industry. Therefore, it is great news for tourism and jobs growth in the Territory.
I look forward, on 3 February next year, to welcoming those passengers on the very first Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin.
Gove District Hospital – Safety of Staff
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Can you guarantee the safety of staff in the car park at the Gove District Hospital at night, given the problems that hospital is having at the moment with drunks?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I actually answered this question twice yesterday, when I advised the House …
Mr Dunham: No, you have not.
Ms Carter: No, we have not talked about the car park.
Mrs AAGAARD: Gee, they are a rabbley bunch, Madam Speaker. Yesterday I advised the House that, in fact, aggressive behaviour towards staff at the Gove District Hospital had decreased by 90% since earlier this year …
Mr Reed: Under your government.
Mrs AAGAARD: … there have been increased …
Ms Carter: You mean decreased.
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, I am not sure whether it is actually worth responding to this question, given that members, particularly the member for Port Darwin, do not appear to wish to hear the answer.
There have been increased police patrols at the hospital. I was in Gove, not last week as the member for Port Darwin seems to think, but, in fact, the week before, and I would have to say, in discussing this issue with staff, they all said to me that it was much less of an issue. We did talk about the walkway, and I have already told the House exactly what the situation is. We are putting in $1.5m this coming financial year. There is going to be a total redevelopment of the site which, I have already stated to the House, will include increased safety measures.
Wickham Point LNG Plant – Employment Opportunities
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
On Monday, construction will commence on the site for the Wickham Point LNG plant. Can the minister please outline what our government is doing to prepare Territorians for the employment opportunities which will flow from the recent exciting gas announcement?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. This week’s exciting developments regarding oil and gas mean one important thing for Territorians, and that is jobs. As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure that as many jobs as possible, in major projects such as Bechtel and the Wickham Point LNG plant, go to Territorians. To do that, we need to ensure that local people have the necessary skills mix and training to take up the opportunities available on those projects.
The Department of Employment, Education and Training has been meeting with Bechtel, the construction company for the Wickham Point LNG plant, and has received advice on the mix and break-up of the anticipated labour demand on the project. Officers of DEET also travelled to Gladstone in Queensland to observe first-hand how Bechtel undertakes major projects such as this, including the role of training in it. Following those assessments, meetings have been held with the registered training organisations across the Top End to ascertain their capacity to deliver the right mix of just-in-time training for people to be able to participate in these projects. In accordance with the needs of Bechtel, the training will have a particular focus on steel fixing, crane operation, welders, concrete finishers, forklift operators, electrical trades assistants, mechanical trades assistants - those types of job opportunities. The training will focus on a range of possible options to meet the demand, including pre-vocational apprenticeships and that just-in-time training, as I mentioned. It is a good example of how collaborative employment opportunities might be worked on by government and industry into the future.
Another example is a pilot training project which aims to have 30 local indigenous people trained to take up jobs on major projects such as Wickham Point. I was pleased to sign a memorandum of agreement for this the other week with the Northern Land Council, the Territory Construction Association and Larrakia Nation. The government is providing around $200 000 towards this collaborative project as a first step in the development of a skilled, local, indigenous work force that will be able to take up jobs on construction projects as they arise. Wickham Point is the largest private investment project the Territory has seen, and government will continue to work to ensure as many Territorians as possible are able to take advantage of that development.
There are two areas I would like to focus on in relation to training currently underway to meet the immediate and medium term demand for welders. As I speak, existing welders have been given just-in-time training to an international oil and gas industry standard for pressure equipment, welding and braising. The program has been funded by the government and run in conjunction with the Welding Technology Institute of Australia, the Northern Territory University, and with representation from the Manufacturers Council. Seventeen local welders are undergoing a two week course which started on Monday. Six of those have been released by local employers to enable them to take advantage of that training. Nine participants are self-employed, and two are currently between jobs. That course will ensure that those 17 people will have the skills to go along to the hiring hall and apply for work at Wickham Point.
In the medium term, DEET will work with industry, the relevant training advisory council and the Welding Institute of Australia, to plan and design appropriate welding training for work on major projects over the next two to three years. I do not have to point out that there will be an enormous need for welders when that big pipeline has to come all the way across the Territory from Blacktip, past Wadeye through to Nhulunbuy and Alcan. We need, and will have, as this training unrolls, people skilled up and ready to take advantage of that project as well.
Madam Speaker, it is further proof that the Martin Labor government is about the future, unlike those opposite who seem to be misty eyed and dwelling on the past.
Gove District Hospital – Safety of Staff
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Your much heralded aggression policy, introduced in February 2002, was meant to reduce harm to staff. Staff training was to be a key aspect of the program. Has any of the training been provided to nurses at Gove Hospital on this matter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. Is it not fascinating that the member for Port Darwin has such an interest in the seat of Nhulunbuy? I do not think the member for Nhulunbuy ever saw any interest in his electorate - for how long have you been a member?
Mr Stirling: Thirteen years.
Mrs AAGAARD: In 13 years. I would be very surprised if there were too many dorothies on the Gove District Hospital, but I digress.
Violence against staff anywhere in my department is completely unacceptable, as it is in the general community. We have put in place significant policies in the past year or two to address this whole issue of aggression. In relation to specific training at the Gove District Hospital, I am afraid I am unable to answer that question. I will attempt to get that information back to the House by the end of Question Time.
There has been a lot of work throughout the department. The Category 1 clinics have duress alarms. We are now funding for duress alarms in Category 2 clinics in communities. All of the hospitals have duress alarms and people to respond to duress calls.
In relation to specific training, I know there has been training in several of the hospitals, and whether that has happened at the Gove District Hospital, I will be happy to advise the House later.
Welcome Home Parade – Iraq Conflict Veterans
Mr KIELY to CHIEF MINISTER
As a young fellow, I was a serving soldier at the end of the Vietnam War. In fact, I had two brothers serve in Vietnam. I am well aware of the meaning and symbolism behind a welcome home parade. I and my fellow Australians are pleased to see the safe return home of our much loved troops. Can the Chief Minister please advise the House what our government is doing to welcome home our troops from Iraq to Katherine?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, a good question, and I thank the member for Sanderson for sharing some of his history with us. I am proud to share with the House that the government is funding a welcome home parade this Sunday, 22 June, in Katherine. That is going to be done in conjunction with the Katherine Town Council and RAAF Base Tindal. It is to welcome home members of our Armed Forces who served in the Gulf. I am delighted to be able to give details of the welcome home parade, in the presence today of the Mayor of Katherine, Mr Jim Forscutt. Welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN: Marching in the parade will be 200 members of RAAF Base Tindal and 322 Combat Support Wing. They made a great contribution to the Australian deployment of forces in the Middle East. I express my gratitude and, I believe, of all those in the House and all Territorians, that all of these troops who served in the Iraq theatre of operations have returned home safely to their families and communities. I know, for those families and community whom I spoke to in Katherine, there certainly was a lot of anxiety about the safety of their fathers, husbands and family members who served in the Middle East.
The parade starts at 3.30 pm on Katherine Terrace, proceeding through Katherine and concluding with a flyover of four F/A-18s at 4 pm. All personnel from RAAF Base Tindal are then to be joined by their families and friends, and the community of Katherine, at a public function. That will be held outside the council chambers. There will be live entertainment, children’s activities and food stalls. I invite all Territorians who are able this weekend to join us at this welcome home celebration to give thanks for the safe return of our troops. I look forward to joining the Mayor at that welcome home parade on Sunday.
Safety of Remote Area Nurses
Mr DUNHAM to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I have today received a copy of a comprehensive report relating to numerous, serious assaults on health staff in the East Arnhem region. Minister, are you aware of this report? If not, do you at least recognise that this is a serious issue posing danger to your staff, which requires immediate urgent attention?
ANSWER
I would ask that the member table the report, Madam Speaker.
Leave granted.
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, I am unable to say whether I have seen the report until I actually have it in front of me.
Mr Dunham: You would remember it if you had seen it. It is not easily forgotten.
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, I have repeatedly said in this House that, in fact, violence is a very serious matter. I said that in my last answer as well. I can say that, overall, the incidence of violence towards staff in my department has decreased over the last year. While no level of violence is acceptable, the fact that it has actually decreased over the past year is a positive thing. In relation to this report, until I actually see it, I am unable to make any comments about it.
Territory Discoveries – Plans for Expansion
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for TOURISM
Territory Discoveries plays a key role as a wholesaler of Territory tourism product, particularly for small and medium operators. Are there any plans for an expansion of the Territory Discoveries program?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. Territory Discoveries is the wholesaling arm of the government’s business. It does stand independently, but it is very much supported by government. I know there have been question marks put over Territory Discoveries in the past, and basically there has also been a Treasury-initiated review into Territory Discoveries.
It is very important, in this time of pressure on the tourism industry, that we look for new markets, not only our existing markets, but look to develop what are essentially new markets, or markets in which we do not get a lot of the market share.
I am pleased to announce today that Territory Discoveries’ program will be expanded into the New Zealand market as of 1 January 2004. Traditionally, although New Zealand is one of Australia’s largest source markets, only 12% of New Zealanders travel beyond the eastern seaboard. In fact, there are only about 1% that make it to the Territory. It is very important, I believe, that the Territory gets its market share of New Zealand tourists. Currently, return on investment for expenditure in the New Zealand market place is reasonably low, so there is limited availability of Northern Territory product within the New Zealand markets.
The entry of Territory Discoveries into New Zealand will significantly expand Northern Territory product by a factor of three. So there is going to be a three-fold increase in Territory product within New Zealand. The Territory Discoveries’ program will be in New Zealand dollars and, as I have said, increase the depth of the NT product currently available. There will be a 56 page, full colour brochure produced, featuring a wide range of holiday experiences within the Territory. It is important to note there will be no additional cost to Northern Territory operators to participate in this New Zealand program. The Alice Springs call centre will facilitate trade and customer inquiries and bookings from New Zealand. That is very important for the call centre in Alice Springs.
Although Territory Discoveries will initially make a relatively small loss in expanding into this market, I am informed that it is projected that an extra $1.2m will be injected into the Northern Territory tourism economy through this activity. That is the forward forecast.
Importantly - and I cannot stress this enough - the Northern Territory Aviation Committee’s business case for an international carrier to establish direct Darwin/New Zealand services is strengthened by having a dedicated Northern Territory wholesaler in New Zealand. I have been briefed by the aviation committee and the Aviation Development Director about some of the exciting possibilities that are on the horizon regarding international carriers coming into Darwin and then going on to New Zealand. That is a very real possibility, and that angle is being pursued with a lot of vigour.
Madam Speaker, in short, this is an exciting entry of Territory Discoveries into the New Zealand market. It will reap benefits for the Territory, not only in terms of the tourists it will attract to Northern Territory destinations, but it is also setting a foundation for future expansion of international aviation services into and out of the Territory.
Coolalinga Area - Traffic Safety Issues
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Yesterday, I raised the issue of your department’s non-negotiable position on closing a left-hand entrance into the Coolalinga Service Station. You implied it was being closed because of perceived safety issues. Is it not a fact that there is no proof of any accident at that particular site? I quote from your own department’s position on this:
- The accident statistics for the Mobil service station in the vicinity show eight accidents have occurred over the last five years, but there is no proof there were any accidents at this particular site.
Why then, if you believe safety is a concern, can your government spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars to put infrastructure in for one of the world’s biggest energy companies at Wickham Point, and you cannot spend a few lousy dollars in comparison to redesign - not eliminate - a simple entrance to a service station, so the small businessman can, just like ConocoPhillips, expand and create employment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As I was saying before, I did not refer specifically to that area he referred to at Coolalinga. That has seen an unprecedented growth in the past few years. We cannot see this matter in isolation. We cannot just see the exit or the entry to the Mobil station. We have to see it in conjunction with the crossroad, and the way that Girraween Road joins the Stuart Highway.
I also said there was a public consultation period that finished yesterday. Just this lunch time, I met with one of my officers from the department who has been dealing with that particular issue. He had consultations with the public and the owner of Mobil. The department also consulted the public during the Freds Pass Show, and they had 200 people agreeing with the proposal of the department. However, as I stated yesterday, we are still talking to the owner of the Mobil petrol station. However, I repeat again, I am not prepared to compromise public safety for $100 000 or $100m. We are working to find the best solution for the public and for the Mobil petrol station, and we intend to do that. My understanding now is that the solution we are proposing to the owner of the Mobil petrol station is to his liking, and we believe we will find a very reasonable and acceptable solution for all parties.
Gove District Hospital – Safety of Staff
Mr DUNHAM to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
It took the prompting of my colleague for you to initiate at least some action to protect Gove District Hospital staff. Perhaps the tabling of this report will have a similar effect and force you into action to prevent Territory nurses from being bashed, intimidated and assaulted. This report is an indictment of you, and it puts to a lie all of the assurances you have previously given to this House on this matter. Do you now admit some responsibility for the carnage that is occurring to your staff?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale, the former minister for Health, for his question.
Mr Stirling: Never happened before 2001.
Mr Dunham: Never happened to this degree.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you. Order! The minister has the floor.
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, I have not seen this report before. I understand it is actually a report that went to the Select Committee on Substance Abuse in the Community. I have received a message from my CEO saying that he has not sent the report to me. He has not seen it either. However, he has seen an extract, and he has already arranged to talk to the Commissioner for Public Employment about this issue.
I have quickly looked through the report. There is absolutely no question that violence is completely unacceptable, and there is no question that this actually looks at violent incidents. But they do seem to range a fair bit. I have only had about three minutes to look at this. It seems curious that the member for Drysdale does not mention the incidents in this report that go back to 1999.
Members interjecting.
Mrs AAGAARD: There are several pages here of incidents that happened prior …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I cannot hear the minister.
Mrs AAGAARD: There are significant numbers of incidents that happened prior to my coming to government. I keep saying that there is no reason to say that any level of violence is acceptable. Was it the member for Drysdale’s responsibility to look after violence when he was the minister? Madam Speaker, where is the walkway at the Gove District Hospital which nurses wanted at least four or five years ago? There are two former health ministers over there who must have known about it, the now Leader of the Opposition and the member for Drysdale.
I have not had time to look at this report. Neither has my CEO. Clearly, it is a serious matter. Some of these violent incidents are verbal threats, which are certainly not acceptable either. There is a significant difference between a verbal threat and an actual violent, personal attack. I will have to look at this report. If members opposite wish to get a formal response from me, perhaps they would like to write me a letter and ask me about this incident.
Members interjecting.
Once again, I think it is very curious that there is a sudden interest in the electorate of Nhulunbuy, an excellent electorate with an excellent member who has lobbied for years for his electorate. Many of these issues, I am sure, have been raised in this House and we are working on these issues.
Members interjecting.
We are putting in significant money to upgrade various things in the whole electorate. Members opposite really show an incredible level of hypocrisy on this issue.
Madam SPEAKER: Members, there are far too many interjections at the moment. I am quite sure the broadcast of this is very difficult for anyone to hear. I suggest you keep your interjections to a minimum.
Sales of New Motor Vehicles – ABS Data
Mr KIELY to TREASURER
The ABS released data today on new motor vehicle sales in the Territory. What does the data say about activity in the Territory?
A member: We talked to the MTA yesterday, Syd, they are really pleased.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Burke: Tell us what Graham Bevis wrote to you.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I just spoke to all members and asked you all to keep your interjections silent.
Mr Burke: I am sorry, Madam Speaker.
ANSWER
I can be patient, Madam Speaker. I understand the arrogance of the Leader of the Opposition sometimes when faced with the truth.
The ABS did release data today on new motor vehicle sales in the Northern Territory. What it has to say about activity in the Northern Territory is interesting. The information relating to new motor vehicle sales is very robust because it comes from returns from all the motor vehicle dealers. So you can be quite sure that it is an accurate portrayal of what is going on unlike, for example, and I am not casting aspersions against the ABS in relation to employment statistics, but it is not, and no one can pretend, and the ABS would not pretend, that it is by any means an accurate account, it is an estimate, whereas this is an accurate account. The estimate for the ABS employment statistics is walking down streets and knocking on doors. That is how they work out the percentage of people employed and unemployed. This is returns from motor vehicle dealers.
Of course, though, there is a degree of volatility in the month to month data because of the smallness of the population, so it is important to use trend lines in information such as this. In May 2003, sales of new motor vehicles were up 1.3% from the previous month to 715. The increase from May 2002 to May 2003 is 14.6%. That was the third highest increase in the country, behind South Australia and Queensland, but it is well above the Australian average of 10.8%.
I said these figures were interesting because of how robust they are, and they do contrast strongly with those population figures that the ABS published. On the one hand they are saying the population has declined, and is continuing to decline, yet we have this almost 15% increase in new motor vehicle sales. If people are leaving the Territory, as those opposite and some of the ABS figures would suggest, you would have to ask who is buying all these new vehicles? The graph shows South Australia at the highest, Queensland the second highest, Northern Territory coming in third, but well above the Australian average, which is the black line. I table the graph for the information of members. The trend across Australia is the blue line, and there is the NT very strongly kicking up throughout 2002-03.
If you look at housing finance data, both the number of loans and the amount borrowed is rising strongly at present. Again, that sits somewhat at odds with the information on population from the ABS.
I put the mix in there, because the opposition always seems to want to jump on one series of statistical information that suits their cause at the time as an indicator of the overall economic performance. I have stood here in relation to the budget and said economic performance has been patchy. We do not deny that at all. However, when you see these figures and we are told the population is declining, we do not agree with those population figures. We will continue to run that with the federal Treasurer. These statistics certainly defy any prediction like that.
Safety of Remote Area Nurses
Mr DUNHAM to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Now that you have had a chance to flick through the report, I hope you will, like me, feel the horror, disgust and anger that I felt when I first read this report. Minister, I am totally dissatisfied with your hand-wringing platitudes that you have offered staff, your feeble assurances of safety in this House will give no comfort to nurses who are at substantial risk. All of your undertakings have come to naught …
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Is the member for Drysdale making a statement, or is he asking a question? Could you ask him to hurry along, please?
Madam SPEAKER: Your question, member for Drysdale.
Mr DUNHAM: Madam Speaker, I am left with no option but to censure the minister to force the minister to give the proper ministerial attention to this urgent issue that it deserves.
I move that this Assembly censures the Minister for Health and Community Services for:
- her failure to meet her statutory responsibility to protect the health and safety of staff of her department while at work as evidenced by the current crisis in the Gove district;
her failure to implement any real commitment to her aggression policy, as introduced in February last year;
her failure to ensure that staff working at our hospitals in remote community health centres can go about their work in safety without the risk of assault; and
the government’s practice of transferring victims out rather than solving the problem.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, the government will accept this censure motion. It is the most serious motion that can be brought before the House, and we will take it on board.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016