2002-08-13
Timor Sea Gas
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
It is no secret that we in this House are united in our efforts to get Sunrise gas onshore. You and I have heavily lobbied federal government ministers and led delegations to federal ministers to get them to support this endeavour. My office has been contacted today by members of the business community who are alarmed by comments from your federal leader that he remained unconvinced that piping Timor Sea gas from the Greater Sunrise field to Darwin was the preferred option. I must confess that it surprised me because I thought in this House you had said on previous occasions that he did support gas onshore. What are you doing to convince your Labor leader that piping Timor Sea gas from the Greater Sunrise field to Darwin is the preferred option?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is reassuring to hear that there is bipartisan support in here - that is what I would expect - and bipartisan support right across the Territory.
I am confident that we do have very strong support from my federal colleagues. We have spent considerable hours working with the federal Opposition Leader and other federal shadow ministers to outline, even further than we have in the past, the importance of Timor Sea gas onshore, and the very significant component of that, which is Sunrise gas onshore.
One of my key arguments that I have been talking around this country, and particularly talking with the Prime Minister about, is the importance of having a national energy policy. There is a real logic in that. We are talking about the importance of establishing a fourth gas hub. When you do talk to some elements of the community around Australia, they want to know how a fourth gas hub will fit into our overall strategy. We do not have one at the moment. Unless we do push hard to get that national energy policy - which is something that Opposition Leader Simon Crean very strongly supports - then you cannot see where all the new sources of energy, the new sources of gas, are going to fit into this overall picture. I strongly support his call for that. I have worked with other Labor leaders to ensure that they also are supporting us from a national energy perspective, and I have listed it as an agenda item for COAG. I think there should be a special COAG meeting to deal with the national energy policy.
There was a half-hearted look at a national energy policy by the Warwick Parer review but, unfortunately, that is taking its time. It is not really about a national energy policy, and at this stage I do not think there will be any result from that within a couple of years. I can assure the Leader of the Opposition that there is strong federal Labor support. In respect of Timor Sea gas and Sunrise gas onshore, I believe that there is strong government support in Canberra for that to happen as well.
I thank those prospective customers of Sunrise and Timor Sea gas and industry groups to whom we have been talking over the last couple of months, to whom we have outlined the case. They have embraced it. Individually and collectively they have taken those arguments to Canberra and to the Prime Minister. Over the last couple of months, we have seen incremental steps in our campaign to get Timor Sea and Sunrise gas onshore. But let not this House have any illusions about it – it is still a difficult task.
The floating LNG option is still out there. It is still a strong option. All we can continue to do, in a united fashion, is strongly put the case for bringing that gas onshore, and domestic gas, and keep encouraging customers to be very loud in their insistence that this should happen.
Underground Power in Northern Suburbs
Dr BURNS to CHIEF MINISTER
Can the Chief Minister please advise the House what progress has been made in delivering a key election promise of ours to deliver underground power to the northern suburbs of Darwin, and what has the reaction been?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the reaction has been one of delight. It is really difficult to find anyone who is objecting to the undergrounding of power in the older suburbs - except the whingers and the whiners across from here - and it is very sad to see. The member for Daly described undergrounding power in the older suburbs of Darwin as ‘madness’. In his own words, he said it was ‘madness’. There is probably good memory in here of last year when the Opposition Leader stood here pointing at the government and saying: ‘Spend, spend, spend!’ and it was a constant cry. Yet now, what do we have from the Opposition Leader? ‘Don’t spend any money at all’. There is a Jekyll and Hyde response from the Opposition Leader, but no logic.
When you speak to the people in the older suburbs of Darwin, where we do have overhead power lines, what they want is a more reliable power supply. We all know what happens when we do not have a reliable power supply and the irritation it causes us. It does disrupt our lives. It disrupts us from being able to carry on normally to having to reset every appliance in the house. It is very irritating and it does affect how we can have a good life here in the Darwin suburbs.
We made an election commitment very clear, very unambiguous, and it was with much delight last week in the Nightcliff shops - we were having community Cabinet at Nightcliff, and I must say the community Cabinets work very well around the Darwin suburbs as well as the many other places we have been to around the Territory - 80 community members, businesses and individuals were delighted to hear the announcement. To reaffirm what the announcement is about, over the next 20 years it will affect 16 000 customers in suburban Darwin. Once their power lines are underground, they will have reliable and safe power.
We are going to start in Nightcliff and Rapid Creek because, unfortunately for the customers in Nightcliff and Rapid Creek, they have the worst track record. They have the most outages …
Mr Burke: I think you will find Marlow Lagoon would be worse. That is where I live. Do I get underground power?
Ms MARTIN: Just to pick up on the Opposition Leader’s comment: ‘What about Marlow Lagoon?’ You do not want us to underground power, so why should we even consider Marlow Lagoon in the preferred households? We are looking at where the most outages occur, so we are starting the process in Nightcliff and Rapid Creek. Up to $2.5m will be allocated in this financial year, and the project will start with the high voltage feeder from the Casuarina Zone Substation going along Trower Road to the Nightcliff shops. That is what will be replaced first. Tenders were called for that on 1 August, and we are expecting that work to be completed by December 2002.
There is no doubt about it, underground power lines mean more reliable and safer power supplies. If there is one thing government should be focussed on delivering to the people in Darwin, it is safer and more reliable power.
Mr Baldwin: What about the election promise for Woolianna for power?
Mr Maley: What about the power to Dundee?
Ms MARTIN: In terms of local contractors, the undergrounding power contract will be over a period of 20 years. For local contractors, it will almost guarantee two-thirds of their current work for the next 20 years, which is great for jobs and job security in Darwin.
We are not just talking, though, about Darwin, and I do pick up a response from the other side of the House. Unlike the previous government which promised to underground power in Darwin and never did - except for Bougainvillea Street …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Except for Bougainvillea Street. Do you call that a promise kept? I doubt it.
This government intends to build the transmission line to Dundee Beach in our first term. That will open up development right throughout that whole Finniss region, and we are not forgetting the electorate of Daly. Not forgetting. There is a man who was in government, what happened in the electorate of Daly with powerlines? Nothing. So we will be building a powerline to the Woolianna area. We are investing a lot of money into improving the reliability of the gensets from Yulara, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and in Darwin.
To respond to the rural area. As everyone knows, the rural area does have an unacceptable level of outages. This year, we are putting $1.5m into upgrading the whole system in the rural area to make it more reliable, and I can say to constituents who ring me at two in the morning that we are doing something about it. We will have those insulators replaced and we are putting $1.5m into it.
There is a commitment to the older suburbs of Darwin, to the people of Dundee, to the people of Woolianna and to the rural area. We are going to make power better specifically in those areas, but right across the Territory. Have no doubt about it: it is a number one priority for this government.
Alice Springs Hospital – Staff
Mr DUNHAM to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES
In an effort to demonstrate that you had a series of solutions to rectify problems at Alice Springs Hospital, back in Question Time on 14 May this year you informed the House that the hospital had two staff in excess of establishment. Can you tell this House if there continues to be a full complement of staff at Alice Springs Hospital and, more importantly, what the retention rates are for nursing and medical staff?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very happy to answer this question from the member for Drysdale. I am sure he is, in fact, referring to a report on this morning’s news from the Australian Nursing Federation regarding nursing in Alice Springs Hospital.
I would like to report on the situation in the Alice Springs Hospital. I was very surprised when I heard this report from the ANF and immediately asked my staff to contact the department, and they have contacted the ANF. There are a number of misconceptions that the ANF have had in relation to nursing in Alice Springs, and we have organised a meeting and a briefing session with the department for next Monday, thus averting any form of industrial action.
In the meantime, I have also spoken to the Director of Nursing at Alice Springs Hospital, who has assured me that at no stage have patients been at any form of risk in the Alice Springs Hospital. I have also spoken to the Medical Superintendent at the hospital, who has assured me of the same thing.
In relation to the establishment numbers at the hospital, we are slightly below at the moment, but there have been reports of – misreports, I might say - of agency nurses at the hospital. There are, in fact, 16 agency nurses at the hospital, but it has been reported that there are a further 60. This is not correct. What has actually happened is that 60 were recruited through an agency, therefore we paid a fee to recruit them, but they are actually Northern Territory government employees. So, in fact, at this stage, the establishment levels are around the same that they were when I reported last time.
The key issue at the Alice Springs Hospital for the last few weeks has been a very serious increase in patients at the hospital. There has been a respiratory epidemic amongst children and the paediatric wing has been very full and this has put considerable strain on nursing staff in Alice Springs Hospital. This is something about which I am very concerned. I have asked my department to see whether there are other things that we can do to assist the nurses in this situation. I will be happy to report after the meeting with the ANF and the department, Madam Speaker.
Freedom of Information Legislation
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
What is the government doing to implement its election commitment to introduce freedom of information laws to the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for an excellent question. Indeed, tomorrow is a very important day for the Northern Territory. We will be introducing the final form of the Information Bill for the Northern Territory. This represents a very significant delivery of one of our election promises. It is long overdue, given the CLP’s appalling record of failing to introduce this legislation year after year after year, despite very strong calls for its introduction from the Northern Territory people.
The legislation we will introduce tomorrow stands on an extended period of public consultation. This is a bill that belongs to the people of the Northern Territory; it is not something that has been conjured up in the back rooms of our government offices. It stands not only on a very large body of responses we received in respect of the draft bill, it also stands on the expert work that has been done by my department and Parliamentary Counsel in drafting legislation that will take its place as best practice within Australia.
It is the only legislation of its type in that it combines freedom of information with privacy principles and with government record keeping provisions. It will be the only act in Australia that achieves a balance between the principles of privacy and of FOI within the one piece of legislation. By doing that, we believe we will create a much more effective and efficient form of information access and information protection for people in the Northern Territory and save ourselves a lot of inefficient or duplicated effort within the administrative arrangements.
Madam Speaker, I look forward to tomorrow and what will be the culmination of a very exciting and extensive process of consultation.
Electricity Outages – Rural Area
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
It is still the Dry Season and the power is still going off in the rural area, sometimes for long periods, sometimes for short periods. In fact, five minutes ago I had a phone call from a gentleman in the rural area who cannot have a shower, go to the toilet or have a drink of water because the power has been off.
The official reason given by PowerWater is bats. For many of us, those bats are invisible. Minister, could you tell the House: are there problems with any of the generators at Channel Island, especially generator number seven, which I think is a GM make? Are there any faults at sub-stations which need to be addressed? How much has PowerWater been downsized over the last three years, and has this downsizing affected maintenance of infrastructure due to fewer staff on the job, maintenance being a matter which your government, when in opposition, raised on a number of occasions? And will you put on hold the undergrounding of power lines until the supply problems are fixed?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, first of all let me tell the member for Nelson I understand the problem in the rural area. I am very well aware of the problem with the power interruptions and, quite rightly, you pointed out, a lot of these interruptions are caused by bats. I sought advice from Parks and Wildlife and they advise me that due to the Dry Season, larger than usual flocks of bats are actually short-circuiting the system.
However, I have to tell you that we are spending an enormous amount of money - equal to what we are spending to underground power - this financial year to address this issue. For example, we changed the type of insulators, we are replacing the cross-beams in order to increase the distance between the powerlines so the bats will not cause short circuiting. As a matter of fact, in 2000-01 the previous government spent $937 000 to address the power interruptions in the rural area. In 2001-02, we spent $1.7m, and this year we are going to spend $2m. So we are spending money to address the issue because we are well aware of the problem.
Another problem we have is because the power in the rural area is not interconnected in the same way as in the urban area. When there is a power interruption on one line, we have to find exactly where this power interruption occurred so we can reconnect it. That is one of the big problems; it is a design problem. It is was not designed by us, it is a problem because of the type of system.
What are we doing about it? I explained before that we are changing the design. They had exactly the same problems in Katherine, and the member for Katherine can vouch for it. They changed the design of the insulators and the poles in order to prevent bats and other wildlife short-circuiting the system. Another thing we are doing is working very closely with the land owners to clear vegetation so it does not cause any problems during the Dry or Wet season. These power interruptions are not attributable to problems at the power generation plant at Channel Island. We had problems with LM 6000. They were problems that were rectified. The company that manufactured the particular engine took it back to America, repaired it and sent it back and it has been working without any problem since then. We had minor problems, and they are not problems in particular with the engines, but with other elements associated with them like valves that control the flow of gas, something we cannot avoid. It is equipment that will fail every so often. It happens to trip the power and we have power interruptions – not only in the rural area; it can happen in Nightcliff or in downtown Darwin.
Some of the other problems we have is some of the equipment we have actually operates with dual fuel - gas or diesel. However, when we have the problem where the gas valve breaks down and the engine switches to diesel, then it trips the system and, for safety reasons, the system cuts the power off.
I note that some of the members made comment that the previous minister responsible for PowerWater does not make any comment because he knows very well what I mean because he had exactly the same problems when he was a minister in my position.
As for the cut in personnel, no, we have not cut personnel. The total staff of PowerWater is very stable, about 670-680 people. We do not want to have an enormous number of people working at PowerWater; we want people who can work smarter. They are working more efficiently. I do not have to have 100 people to service the lines; I can have 70 of them and provide the same service because we provide it smarter and we provide better conditions and they have modernised their equipment and system.
Cost of Living in Northern Territory
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
From your last answer indicating the priority you are giving to reticulating power in the Northern Territory and the money you are going to spend, and listening to the number of times the Minister for Essential Services used the word ‘spend’ in his answer, I gather and am happy that the coffers of government are finally full. It is amazing how quickly this black hole can disappear.
Prior to the election you railed about the cost of living in the Northern Territory. You said how atrociously high the cost of living was and what you were going to do to fix it. I note in yesterday’s NT News there is a front page and two inside pages regarding the high cost of living in the Northern Territory. This couple who are on this front page, they own two cars, they have a young family. Under your government, in less than 12 months their cost of living has gone up directly, by your taxes and charges, by $180.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is Question Time. The Leader of the Opposition will start reading the paper to us next. Could you ask him to get on with his question, please?
Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker, after the answer from the Minister for Essential Services - all the member for Nelson asked was that this poor gentleman wanted to have a shower. We did not require a long answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, ask your question. Get on with the question.
Mr BURKE: My question is simply this, Chief Minister: for this family here on the front page, under your government in 10 months, their cost of living has gone up directly by $180 registration charges, increases to third party insurance cost, a 5% cost in water and sewerage charges, just to name three. We know what you have done to raise the cost of living for Territorians. What are you going to do to lower it, and when are you going to do it?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, an incredibly undisciplined question from the Opposition Leader. Don’t you work on your questions? You rove all over the place. The point of order made by the business minister was pertinent. We could have the Deputy Chief Minister give you the outline again about what opposition is all about and how you prepare for parliament because it seems to be missing. This is a serious Chamber here, and we should have legitimate questions in Question Time, not the Opposition Leader giving us a stream of consciousness and waving a newspaper at us.
To deal seriously with some of the issues he raised. Yes, the cost of living in the Territory is an issue for us, and it has been an issue for us for a long time. One of the components we deal with is freight costs, and it is the reason why, when we were in opposition, we strongly supported the government in getting the railway up, and making sure that we can reduce freight costs – a very important issue for the Territory. Freight…
Mr Burke: Tell us what you’ve done to this family here.
Ms MARTIN: Could I just say to the Opposition Leader, Madam Speaker…
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Both sides! The Chief Minister has the floor.
Ms MARTIN: The Opposition Leader asked a long and undisciplined question where he did not know where he was taking it. The least he could do is be quiet while I try to answer it.
In terms of our cost of living, we are supporting those elements that we can to reduce some of the impacts of getting goods to the Territory. In the 12 months that we have been in office, we have seen key elements of our economy that, under the CLP, were unacceptably high, like the unemployment rate. We now see the unemployment rate across the Territory down to 4.2% in trend terms. Compare that with what happened to our unemployment levels under the previous government. Look at the numbers of jobs that have been created. We have seen a growth in the number of people who are in employment across the Territory. If you want to do key things about tackling the high cost of living in the Territory, we will get jobs, grow the job force and get unemployment down. I am proud to stand here and say that they are two things that we have done over the last 12 months.
There is a lot more to do in terms of creating skilled jobs in the Territory, but this, unashamedly, is our focus. When the Opposition Leader refers to the fact that there is a levy on car registrations, it means that our registration charges are only average across Australia. It is very unfortunate that we had to impose that levy of $90 or $45 for everyone who is on a pension or other concession. We had to impose it on Territorians, but it is a direct response to the incompetence and deceit of the previous government and the lies. As we go into our budget session next week, and you compare that …
Dr LIM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister used the word ‘lie’ in her response.
Madam SPEAKER: I don’t think she actually directed it against anyone in particular, but Chief Minister, you know …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: When we go into our budget session next week and compare that with the last budget brought down by the CLP, there is no comparison. That was a misrepresentation, that was deceit to Territorians. To have the Opposition Leader pretend that somehow or other in government the CLP was running a responsible budget, a sustainable budget, is further perpetration of deceit on Territorians.
We are bringing our budget - and every Territorian understands that - back into a sustainable situation. It is very important for this government and very important for every Territorian. I am looking forward to the budget next week, and I believe all Territorians will be.
Member for Goyder - Responsibilities
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Does the government have any concerns with the shadow Attorney-General confusing his responsibilities as a member of parliament and his role as private legal advisor to persons facing criminal charges?
ANSWER
I do thank the member for Sanderson for his question because his question does hit the mark. We do have concerns as a government in relation to recent activities by the shadow Attorney-General, and it gives me the opportunity to air those concerns in this House.
The Leader of the Opposition has chosen the member for Goyder to be the shadow Attorney-General. It is a senior appointment in terms of the shadow Cabinet because it carries with it responsibility for the opposition’s policies on all manner of crime and law and order issues. We as a government, rightfully, have no say over who the Leader of the Opposition appoints to his shadow ministry. It is a matter for him, and a matter for him alone, but it carries with it …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I have no wish to gag this answer, except I simply say on the issue of procedures of this House…
Ms Martin: To which standing order are you referring?
Mr BURKE: I am referring to Standing Orders 112 and 121. This question seeks inferences and propositions from the minister that he has no right to give. The question strays to the propriety or otherwise of another member of this House. The answer could only be provided by legal advice or, might I suggest, Madam Speaker, from yourself. Therefore, I would ask that the question be ruled out of order simply because this question is designed to politically muckrake, and the minister himself knows that if he wishes to discuss and debate this issue, he can do it by substantive motion. Without a substantive motion, the question is out of order.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek advice from the Clerk as to whether it is an improper question because it is reflecting on the character and conduct of a member of the House.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Because we are discussing whether the question is out of order, could we please have the question again? I want to clarify exactly what the question was and whether the question is out of order. May I just say the minister is allowed to answer as regards his portfolio as long as he is not reflecting on the character of the member, but I need to know whether the question is improper.
Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker, could I just say that when you seek the clarification, in your own mind, would you refer to 112 which says that the question should not lead for an expression of opinion.
Madam SPEAKER: Yes. This is what I am trying to clarify, whether the question was out of order.
Mr KIELY: Fortunately, Madam Speaker, I happen to be prepared and have written it down.
Does the government have any concerns with the shadow Attorney-General confusing responsibilities as a member of parliament and his role as private legal advisor to persons facing criminal charges?
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think the question is improper as long as the minister makes sure he does not reflect upon the member and makes sure his answer reflects the portfolio, not the character of the member.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the sensitivity alone is rather curious. As I was saying, the matter of the shadow Cabinet is a matter entirely for the Leader of the Opposition. We have no say, rightfully. However, equally incumbent on him is that he has a responsibility to ensure that his shadow Cabinet and members carry out their duties in a way consistent entirely with the public interest.
It is long standing practice in this parliament and other parliaments in the Westminster system that membership of a shadow ministry carries with it some privileges and, obviously, responsibilities, but special entitlements, and they include the privilege of being briefed by departmental officers at any time a government is proposing legislation on particular matters. It provides the shadow minister with information proper to allow them to come to the House properly informed for debate, but also properly informed to be able to carry out their duties as shadow minister fully in terms of public responsibilities. It is in that role that the member for Goyder has received briefings on matters, including the government’s legislation and drugs laws and, notwithstanding the comment attributed …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I go again to the standing order. I say this for the benefit of listeners: I am quite happy to debate this by way of a substantive motion, but this is a one-way debate where the minister only can express an opinion. That is what is happening here, Madam Speaker. He has already expressed the opinion that a shadow minister would have received briefings that somehow were privileged and not in the public interest, or not available to the public. That cannot be substantiated.
Madam Speaker, the simple fact is that the allegations that the minister has raised have been referred to your Clerk for a comment from the Clerk himself and, I would imagine, from you. As I said, if the government wants to do this by substantive motion, we are happy to accommodate them, but not to sit here and listen to a one-way conversation of political muckraking.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not believe at this stage the minister has actually reflected upon the member for Goyder or his character. I think he has stuck to his portfolio. So, bearing this in mind, minister, just make sure your answer is controlled.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, on 22 May this year the shadow Attorney-General did attend a briefing attended by senior officials of the Department of Justice and an officer from the office of the Attorney-General. It included details of the legislation, the rationale behind the government’s action in relation to these drug laws and it provides, of course, the shadow Attorney-General with the direct, face-to-face opportunity to question policy officers about the rationale, the wording of the legislation, how it will apply, where it will apply.
The member for Goyder maintains that it is appropriate for him to carry on that role, that very public role, as shadow Attorney-General, and at the same time, at exactly the same time, provide legal advice as a private solicitor. This is where we have the concern. I am aware of at least two of his clients: one woman, who resides either in the electorate of the member for Brennan or the member for Blain, contacted my office and complained about the size of the legal bill that she had been charged for legal advice provided by the shadow Attorney-General; police have also advised that the shadow Attorney-General has another client, a male client, who has been arrested and bailed on firearms and drug trafficking offences. To advance the interests of his client, the shadow Attorney-General made contact with the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Northern Territory Police during the course of the police investigation into this matter.
We are concerned that the access that the member for Goyder has to deriving information from departmental briefings in relation to his very public duties may be used to assist his private clients. I wrote to the Leader of the Opposition five days ago on this very point, spelling out the concerns that we had, as government, and identifying what we saw as a clear conflict between the public duties of the shadow Attorney-General and the private duty of a solicitor.
I have not received any response from the Leader of the Opposition to this point, but I have read comments in the paper that indicate that the Opposition Leader does support the actions and attitude and the dual responsibilities of the shadow Attorney-General on the one hand as a highly paid public official and on the other as a private solicitor.
In light of the failure of the Leader of the Opposition to act and to acknowledge that conflict, I advise the House of new measures that will be put in place, effective immediately. From today, the shadow Attorney-General will not receive departmental briefings on legislation in the following areas: drug enforcement and Drug Enforcement Unit operations …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can I say at the outset that after two attempts to point out to you the standing order breach, I am extremely disappointed first by your ruling. Second, can I simply say that I would be interested also in the comments of the Attorney-General. I believe the comments that the minister is making now, the contents of his letter that were rightly referred to the Clerk for his opinion, and I believe that the allegations that have been made without way of substantive motion are quite untoward in the conduct of this House.
Mr HENDERSON: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition well knows that he should not reflect on rulings from the Chair unless by way of substantive motion. To say that he is disappointed by your ruling is disrespectful of the Chair and he should withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: I am well aware that this topic is extremely controversial and sensitive. I have allowed the question to be asked and to be answered, and I have said to the minister that in his answer he should stick to the facts. I think it would be good practice for the minister to complete his answer and let us get on with it.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, I will endeavour to wrap up. I want to make it clear that the shadow Attorney-General will not be receiving departmental briefings on Drug Enforcement Unit operations, drug law enforcement, drug trafficking legislation, confiscation of proceeds of crime, or criminal prosecutions and procedures.
We do understand that it is critical for the opposition to receive briefings so they can participate in parliamentary debates properly and they can go about their role. It will be open to the Leader of the Opposition to nominate an alternative member of the opposition whenever those issues are before the House and whenever it is timely to have a briefing. Those arrangements will apply until one of two things occur: until the drug traffic and firearms charges facing the member for Goyder’s client have been heard and determined and wrapped up, or until the Leader of the Opposition or the shadow Attorney-General decide that the member for Goyder will give priority to his public rather than to his private responsibilities.
Commercial Vehicle Licences – Transfer of
Dr LIM to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE
Are you aware of the serious breach that has occurred in your regulations governing the transfer of commercial vehicle licences between regions, particularly those relating to minibus operations? On information available, it appears that approval has been given for the transfer to Alice Springs of a minibus licence. This is in direct contravention of regulations that state, and I quote - just in case you have forgotten - from an MVR information bulletin:
- Transfer of taxi, private hire car and minibus CVLs between areas (regions) is not permitted. The maximum number of CVLs issued in each region is also capped.
Can you please explain, minister, who is responsible for this breach which has caused detriment to the taxi industry in Alice Springs and to the Darwin minibus operator concerned?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Greatorex for his question, Madam Speaker. Yes, I am aware of it, but it is not a breach of regulations. As you probably know the regulations allow the minister, under exceptional circumstances, to issue permission to move one minibus licence or a taxi licence to another area. The only reason that particular operator came from Darwin to Alice Springs was because he proposed to purchase a minibus in Alice Springs and to operate in Alice Springs. Unfortunately, the deal fell through. That person has now been instructed to return to Darwin and that minibus will not operate in Alice Springs.
However, I might mention that the whole mess we found with the taxi industry was not created by us, it was created by you. You freed the number of taxis and as a result, the salaries and wages of the taxi drivers have gone through the ceiling [inaudible]. You allowed minibuses to operate without taxi meters and it does not happen anywhere else in Australia. You freed the industry and you ruined it. Now we have to go back and have a look at it, and heaven knows how we will fix it. So, do not come and complain to us about the taxi industry. You created the problem.
Economic Indicators and Prospects for Territory Business
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for BUSINESS, INDUSTRY and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Can the minister please inform the House of the latest economic indicators on the state of the Territory economy and the prospects for Territory business?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. Despite the doom and gloom that is continually being perpetrated around the community by members opposite, we can all see increased levels of economic activity around the Northern Territory at the moment. We can see increased levels of employment around the Northern Territory. All of the indicators show that the economy is slowly turning the corner from the 2000-01 results achieved by the previous Northern Territory government of 0% growth in the economy when they were at the helm of government. It has been a tough time. By no means are all sectors of the economy going gangbusters, but we believe that we have turned the corner, and we can see this is in a number of indicators that have come out recently.
The Territory unemployment rate in July 2002 was 3.9% in original terms, a fall of 0.7% over the month. In trend terms, the unemployment rate was 4.2%, a decrease of nearly 0.5% over the month, and a 3.1% decrease when compared to the last month that the previous government was in power in July 2001. The results are on the board.
In August last year, at election time, 7.6% unemployment in the Northern Territory. Twelve months on, we now have an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Do we hear members opposite saying that that is a good result? No. What we do hear is continuing doom and gloom from members on the other side.
We also have statistics that show that new business registration is up in the Northern Territory compared with this time last year, and bankruptcies are low and at a pretty static point in terms of trend levels.
This is the Territory’s lowest unemployment for three years. It is a key focus of how we as a new government are working in partnership with industry, why gas to shore is so important, and why the budget that we will hand down next week will deliver more jobs to Territorians.
There are other indicators. The number of Territory new residential building approvals increased by 73 to 122 in June, and the corresponding value increased by 9.3%. This is one area of the economy that is still doing it pretty tough, the residential construction sector, but we are starting to see that slowly pick up and turn around. By comparison, though, the commercial sector is going very well at the moment. One only has to look at the CBD. As well as the Mitchell Street development, we have Carey Street occurring; significant apartments to the tune of $70m, private sector investment, about to be constructed in Woods Street; TIO; and, of course, a $200m development in Chinatown being leveraged from the government’s office space tender about to start construction before the end of the year. So the commercial construction areas are doing well.
Mr Dunham: How come the V-G says 20% vacancy rate?
Mr HENDERSON: I pick up the interjection from the member for Drysdale talking about vacancy rates. Does that mean that we should not have put that office space out for tender and that the Northern Territory construction sector should miss out on a $200m project in Chinatown, that Territorians should miss out on Chinatown? I do not believe that that is the case. If we look at the issue in terms of vacancy rates, we are on a par with the other states. Mitchell Street, which was the CLP initiative, is certainly going to impact on vacancy rates and occupancy rates. We did not hear members opposite having concern when they announced that project.
This will also see an upgrading of the older office space in Darwin and, again, that will have an impact on the commercial sector. Even when there is good news to tell, we have doom and gloom from those opposite. Members opposite believe that Chinatown should not go ahead, so that is on the public record.
In the retail sector, let’s move to the retail sector …
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Chinatown should not go ahead, member for Drysdale. That is okay, that is what was implied: it was adding more to vacancy rates, therefore you shouldn’t do it. You cannot have it both ways.
In the retail sector, seasonally adjusted turnover in the Territory rose by 3.1% in the June quarter and increased by 4.5%, year on year terms. Again, the retail sector is one of the major employers in the Northern Territory economy and the tide is starting to turn there as well. It is not just the figures released by the ABS. The Chamber of Commerce issued a press release last week showing an increase in business confidence with forecasts for improvements in sales revenue. Confidence was up from 75% to 81%. Confidence was up in export sales from 72% to 89% of those companies surveyed. Companies were projecting increased profitability from 70% to 80%. Companies were projecting employment would go up from 77% of employers saying they were going to take on new staff to 92%.
So these are good figures. We will continue to work hard. The economy is the absolutely critical factor in terms of wellbeing for Territorians, and I agree with Carole Frost from the Chamber of Commerce who said - unlike the CLP, those opposite - that this is great news for the Northern Territory.
Container Deposit Legislation
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for the ENVIRONMENT
Madam Speaker, this question is on behalf of yourself as the member for Braitling, and it is an excellent question.
On 22 May this year, you tabled a report in parliament from a steering committee on container deposit legislation. You said then your department would investigate the issues raised in the report and that you would present an options paper to Cabinet. Later that day, you told ABC radio the options would go to Cabinet in three to four months. Could the minister please tell the House if you have taken an options paper to Cabinet, and when the government will be announcing publicly whether it will be introducing container deposit legislation?
ANSWER
Yes, I made the statement to parliament and, no, I have not taken anything to Cabinet yet for the simple reason that my office of Environment and Heritage has not finalised analysis of the report. There are very important reasons for it because, unfortunately or fortunately, the Territory is different from other states which have introduced container deposit legislation. One of the main concerns was that if we introduce container deposit legislation, what will be the effect on the Territory, on the environment and will it benefit all Territorians?
There are associated issues with containers: we have to collect them, put them somewhere and then transport them somewhere so they can be reused. Some of the concerns, for example, were: where are we going to store the containers in the north of the Northern Territory? What would we need to actually store these containers safely, because we have seasons, we have cyclones and the last thing you need is containers flying through the community or communities if they are not stored properly.
I have asked my department to have a look at all the issues identified by the committee and analyse them, and to find out our legal obligations and responsibility with regard to these issues. I understand it is a complex problem. I personally support container deposit legislation. I grew up in a country where container deposit legislation is in place and has been used for the past 20, 30, 40 years, and I would like to see something like that in place in the Territory, but not until I can be satisfied that it is going to benefit all Territorians.
Member for Goyder - Responsibilities
Mr BURKE to ATTORNEY-GENERAL
I refer to the allegations made in the previous answer by the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services.
Attorney-General, did you organise briefings or consult the Law Society, the Criminal Lawyers Association or any other private lawyers during the course of drawing up or drafting the recent drug laws? Did you brief them about those laws and, if so, how are these briefings different from the ones you gave the shadow Attorney-General?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. The legislation regarding our action on drug enforcement was developed through a dual process. Part of the process was the briefings that we offered directly through my office, and the other process was an extensive consultation between my department, in particular the policy section, and the bodies that you are referring to.
I have always taken the action to freely provide briefings to anyone who has expressed interest in any of the legislation that I have been developing, and I would say that I am not aware of any group that could report that we have refused a briefing on a piece of critical legislation.
In regard to the matter that was brought to this House by the Leader of Government Business, I have had a look at the letter that he sent to the Leader of the Opposition. I have had it assessed and we are satisfied that it in no way would have the effect of influencing a matter that is currently before the courts. I would have to say that sometimes lawyers get a bit close to the law, and I would be quite happy to give the shadow Attorney-General a bit of counselling in this matter, and I am sure you are well placed to give him counselling on contempt of court. Between the two of us, perhaps we can get him working within the boundaries of his job.
2002 Masters Games
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
I noticed last month that Dawn Fraser joined the minister in launching the 100 Days to Go promotional campaign for the Alice Springs Masters Games, which will be held later this year. Can the minister provide an update on current arrangements for the games, and what efforts are being made to ensure the success of this year’s event?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker; I welcome the question from the member for Sanderson. The Masters Games will be held, as most members are aware, in Alice Springs from 19 to 26 October this year.
Mr Elferink: What will you be competing in, Jack?
Mr AH KIT: I will pick up the interjection. I have already registered. Have you? I have registered for 8-ball and for darts. I will take you mob on. I think I have shown that I am a pretty versatile sports and recreation minister, even though he’s getting a bit long in the tooth.
Anyway, the Masters Games, 100 Days to Go. It was with our patron Dawn Fraser, who flew in to Alice. We teed off at the golf club. The mayor was invited to come along to the launch, along with the member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, and the member for Stuart.
The Masters Games is Australia’s first multi-sports festival for mature aged athletes and has grown to host 3500 competitors and officials in 38 sports from throughout Australia. To date, the games office has received around 1300 registrations. This is somewhat down on the number of registrations for the last Masters Games, but not dramatically so. At the moment, we are down about 200 registrations and I believe that, given the events on September 11 together with the collapse of Ansett, the organisers have done an excellent job in attracting competitors. Their efforts in attracting sponsors have also been commendable. The current secured sponsorship totals over $0.5m and comprises the following groups: Alice Springs Town Council, Peter Kittle Motor Company, Lasseters Casino, Compaq Computers, Imparja Television, Carlton and United Breweries, Coca-Cola, Optus, Colemans Printers, Netgrrl Web Development and Tattersalls.
There can be no doubt that the reduced airline seating capacity into Alice Springs has been a challenge for the Masters Games organisers. However, Qantas has scheduled additional flights which have assisted. The office of Sport and Recreation continues to undertake a number of marketing and promotional activities to maintain and raise the profile of the Alice Springs Masters Games in order to offset the disadvantage caused by the loss of the capacity of Ansett.
Planning for the games is on track, and just last week the organisers secured the agreement of Daryl Somers to be the guest medal presenter. Mr Somers was pursued for several reasons. Obviously, he has a close affiliation with the Territory after fronting a successful Territory tourism campaign. Most competitors would have been viewers of his long-running TV show Hey, Hey It’s Saturday. I am sure that he will be a very popular guest presenter of the medallions.
Organising this year’s event has been challenging for the Masters Games office, and I would like to congratulate them on a terrific effort. I am confident that Alice Springs will be hosting yet another successful event this year.
Commercial Vehicle Licences – Transfer of
Dr LIM to MINISTER for TRANSPORT and INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
In his response earlier to my question on minibuses, the minister admitted that he knew something about the event, and all but admitted that he had something to do with it. From information available to me, a Darwin businessman surrendered four of his minibus licences, took one down to Alice Springs to operate as a minibus, and intended to purchase another licence from a local operator there. However, that second deal fell through. He has now been told that he must come back to Darwin to run his minibus operation, although he has operated for the last three weeks in Alice Springs.
Does the minister realise that he could only transfer minibus licences within the region and, now that this man has returned to Darwin, what compensation will the government be liable for because of the damage that has been caused to this businessman for having given up his business in Darwin, gone to Alice Springs, rented a house, now having to come all the way back, and now has a business that is one-fifth of what he previously had? Is this how the Martin government intends to grow business in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, half of the question was answered by the member for Greatorex. What he said is exactly what happened. Nobody forced that businessman to surrender licences in Darwin to go down to Alice Springs. He went of his own free will with the understanding he was going to buy a minibus in Alice Springs because the person who ran the minibus in Alice Springs was going to surrender his licence. The deal fell through. The fact that he went to all this expense to go to Alice Springs - nobody forced him to do it, it’s a free economy. You make your own economic decisions, you make your own financial decisions. He took the risk, it did not work out and, unfortunately, he has to come back to Darwin. That is how it works. If you open a shop tomorrow you do not blame the government because it fails.
The point, again, is: nobody forced him to make the financial decision; he made it himself. He went there, the deal fell through, he has to come back because when he went down there, he knew that he had permission to stay for three months only until the deal went through.
Mr STIRLING (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016