2004-02-26
Charles Darwin University – Amenity Fees
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Without warning, trainees and apprentices attending Charles Darwin University have had their amenity fees increased by 1500%. Minister, with one hand you give and with the other, you take. What will you do to assist these trainees?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, but he seems to have a complete lack of understanding of the relationship between the Northern Territory government and Charles Darwin University, and the relationship between that university and the federal government responsible for funding of tertiary institutions in Australia.
NT Fire Service – Industrial Relations
Mr BONSON to MINISTER fro POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Fire Service is an important part of our community. Can the minister please advise the House of the plans to overcome the cycle of conflict that has affected the Fire Service since the early 1990s?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Millner, for his question. I acknowledge that the member for Millner has family and a good many friends in our Fire Service in Darwin.
It comes as no surprise to members of this House that we have a Fire Service in the Northern Territory today that has been deeply divided by conflict for many years. However, today is the start of a new era for our Fire Service. Just an hour or so ago, the Metis Report into IR and HR practices of the Fire Service, as well as the government’s response to that report, has been provided to the 150 men and women of our Fire Service. I take pleasure in tabling a copy of this report for the parliament, and copies are available for all members.
I am delighted to advise the House that the Martin government will use the independent review as a road map for a new era for our Fire Service. It is certainly a new era that has been required for a long time by the dedicated men and women of our Fire Service.
It is a challenging report, because it is a story about the Fire Service that has been told by the men and women of our Fire Service. It is a no-holds-barred report, and I commend each and every one of the members of our Fire Services who have taken the time to be so frank with our consultants. I am sure members, when they read the report, will acknowledge that.
The report has found that the Fire Service has been marred by a cycle of conflict and resistance to change since the early 1990s. In fact, there has been a cycle of this type of behaviour going back 20 or 30 years. For many in our Fire Service, the conflict has been brewing and getting worse. There has been a gradual breakdown of trust between management and the work force, and the cycle of conflict had become entrenched. That is why government, and myself as minister, agreed to a totally independent review to look at the fundamental issues of human resource and industrial relations management into our Fire Service, so entrenched were the problems within it. Something significant had to be done to create a watershed and that is why the review was necessary.
This was not a review of the organisation as a whole. It was not like the Bansemer Review of Health or the O’Sullivan Review of our police force. This was a dedicated process targeted at the IR and HR issues. We cannot build the capability of our Fire Service until those issues are resolved. We all took the view that, unless we can get the trust levels up and a spirit of goodwill in the service, it is impossible for it to move forward constructively.
I am pleased to say today that the Martin government has endorsed the 10 recommendations of the report, and will use the report as a road map to bring the Fire Service into the new era. I have just spent nearly an hour with the shift that is on at Darwin Fire Station at the moment, as well as management, Bruce Mouatt, the new Chief Executive Officer, and the Police Commissioner. I have to say, talking to the people on shift, that they see this document as a healing document, a time to move forward. I would urge all of the 150 men and women of our Fire Service to get behind the review and its recommendations, Government is committed to implementing those recommendations, and let us see the conflict that has been entrenched in that organisation for many years be put behind us. I am confident that the men and women of our Fire Service will be able to do that, with the support of government and support for those recommendations.
Funding for Apprentices and Trainees
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Your government has made great note of the level of support that you will be providing for apprentices and trainees. In light of the revelation that there has been a 1500% increase for amenity fees for apprentices and trainees, who do you expect will be paying this increase?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, and I will point out to him in relation to the remarks I made earlier. In relation to VET training, Charles Darwin University delivers about 85% of all vocational education training in the Territory. From the Northern Territory government side, we put in over $30m to support and provide that training. In addition, we put in extras, such as the $300 000 I spoke about the other day, to upgrade the welding; $5m plus in grants and subsidies; and $1.5m for the Institute of Advanced Study. So all up, you are getting close to $40m in support from this government to Charles Darwin University.
I am aware of the concerns that have been raised in relation to these increased charges in apprenticeship tuition. I am advised that the VET tuition fee of $1.20 per nominal module hour has been attached to the user choice qualifications apprenticeships at Certificate III level and above. The university has advised that this fee applies to qualifications under recurrent forms of funding, and the university had concerns about the inequity of that situation for those students, as opposed to students completing their studies under user choice.
Under the National Training Guidelines, registered training organisations set their own fees right across Australia. In the Northern Territory, there is a wide range of fees across RTOs. DEET negotiated the current resource agreement with Charles Darwin University to accommodate the skilling and employment priorities outlined, quite correctly, …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr STIRLING: … as the Leader of the Opposition said …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Brennan.
Mr STIRLING: … outlined in the Jobs Plan. Under that Jobs Plan, we want increased training in traditional trades and skills shortage areas. We want increased training delivered in remote areas, particularly for indigenous people. We want improved access for young people, the unemployed and the disadvantaged.
That fee setting is a choice of the university, and not this government, let us be clear on that, although I am concerned that it cuts across exactly what we are trying to do in those traditional trades areas, and DEET are in communication with Charles Darwin University on this very issue. I will go into some of this detail so the Leader of the Opposition clearly understands. Under the direct delivery funding, 2004 DEET funding for Charles Darwin University, recurrent funding, inclusive of wage component - $17m. User choice funding, inclusive of wages component - $3.6m. Flexible funding component, professional development, equipment, infrastructure expenditure - $1m. Total $21.6m. That is for the delivery of training $21.6m.
In addition, administration and related non-delivery funding, ancillary payment, 36% against recurrent funding - $6.2m; ancillary payment 36% against user choice funding - $1.3m; superannuation payment - $2.7m; payroll tax payment - $160 000; station management, Mataranka payment - $410 000; vehicle hire, enterprise bargaining, FM radio - $210 000. In addition to what we pay, we pay the $21.6m to go and do that training for us, and that is the training we expect delivered. In addition, this figure …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STIRLING: In addition to the $21m that we pay the CDU to deliver that training, they get, this figure here, an additional administration and related non-delivery of training funding of $10.98m. Now, why would DEET not be going and talking to them! No other registered training organisation in the Northern Territory gets a cracker above what we pay for the delivery of training. $11m extra goes to Charles Darwin University for administration and related non-delivery funding. And you ask me how come this happened, minister? Well, I want to know the same answer. That is why DEET is in communication with Charles Darwin University now, because this sort of thing is reminiscent of where the former minister for Education, one Shane Stone, used to get the Commonwealth grants for Aboriginal education to be spent in the bush and it used to all be spent in town. That is what we are looking at here, a similar type of situation.
You do have to ask the question, when you are paying $21.6m for training, and we get that training rolled out, when there is an additional $11m for administration, that no other RTO gets that sort of supplementary ancillary funding, they are genuine questions as to why these fees need to be raised in the face of that extra or on top funding when it does cut across exactly what this government is trying to do.
Nonetheless, at the end of the day, it is a university choice. It is not controlled by this government, but we work closely with Charles Darwin University, as we have since we came to government. And if we had not, we simply would not have a university out there today under the new name. Under these turkeys, when we came to government, we were given notice that you had about 12 months to start a reform process into that university or it simply would not be in existence today.
NT Fire Service - Review
Mrs AAGAARD to MINISTER for POLICE FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Can you please outline if additional resources have been allocated to enable the recommendations in the Fire Service Review to be implemented?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Nightcliff, for her question. The Metis Report provides a new era, as I was saying before, and an exciting opportunity for the Fire Service to move beyond the cycle of conflict that has beset that organisation since the early 1990s. We have endorsed the recommendations of the Metis Report. I am pleased to announce today that the government has boosted funding to help make that happen and to build the industrial relations and human resource management skills within that organisation, an area that has been neglected for many years.
I am pleased to announce to the Fire Service, to the Territorians and this House today, an extra $2.5m has been allocated over four years. This includes $174 000 to boost openness and accountability; $800 000 to boost training resources; $1.3m to boost capacity in training, planning and occupational health and safety. I am also delighted that a lot of that training will be provided through courses at Charles Darwin University. Unlike the previous government’s review of the organisation in 1993, the Structures Review, basically the review that sat on the shelf, the recommendations were not implemented. There was certainly no additional funding allocated. I can say, talking to Fire Service personnel a couple of hours ago, how pleased they are that, at long last, government has acknowledged, in an open, accountable and transparent way, the problems that have beset that organisation for many years, problems that were brushed under the carpet and neglected.
For the first time, a government has acknowledged that, commissioned a totally independent hands-on process to get to the bottom of the problem, and funded the recommendations of the report to the tune of $2.5m a year. I can say very confidently that each and every one of the members of that Fire Service is pleased with the report and the government’s response to it.
This government was not prepared to let the cycle of conflict within the Fire Service go on. When we see problems, we work through those issues thoughtfully, in a considered fashion. We commissioned independent consultants to come in and get to the bottom of the issues of our Fire Service and, again, the call is to the 150 men and women who put that uniform on every day, who are so proud of their Fire Service, to put the past behind us and let us move forward together. We are prepared to fund those recommendations and, from the feedback that I have had this morning, I believe that the Fire Service is entering a new era.
Mt Todd Mine Rehabilitation
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
Yesterday, I asked some questions relating to the rehabilitation of the Mt Todd Mine. I did not get very far, except to be told that there were unpaid instalments, and there was an implication that the mine is up for sale. Who is responsible for the rehabilitation of the mine? When will the rehabilitation start? How much will the rehabilitation cost? How much money does the government hold in its rehabilitation bond for the mine?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, please allow me to give a detailed answer to the member so he is clear about what is happening with Mt Todd and who is responsible for rehabilitation of the site. The Mt Todd Mine was discovered in 1987, and was developed by Pegasus Gold Australia in 1994. The mining operation by Pegasus collapsed by 1997, and in 1999, the mine was purchased by General Gold Resources and Multiplex, with Pegasus retaining a small interest in the mine.
Later, General Gold Resources and Multiplex decided to buy Pegasus out, and the agreement was that they would pay three equal instalments to Pegasus to buy out its interest. Unfortunately, after the second payment, no further payment was made to Pegasus, so Pegasus decided to repossess the mine and try to sell it as an going concern, without success.
As a result, Pegasus decided to have a fire sale, which was held in August 2000. Pegasus has asserted its powers as a mortgagee, but it has not assumed management of the mine site. At the same time, an Australian company with an American subsidiary, Aussiequip, decided to buy the equipment at the site, and has proceeded to break up and sell the equipment in Australia and other countries.
My department is now managing the environmental situation on site by accessing the remaining security bond funds, currently $300 000 out of the original $900 000 paid by the company. It allows equipment on site to minimise any environmental contamination. The environmental management involves water management to minimise potential off-site run-off, especially to prevent any pollution of the Edith River.
The long term intention of the department is to reduce the contaminated water load, as the mine has several dams and tailings dams, so that the overflow potential is negligible and to minimise the potential impact of acid effluent drainage. Because of the severe seasons we have in the Top End, with high rainfall, there is always the possibility of dams overflowing. At the same time, the department is managing to release small quantities of water, after obtaining the necessary licence, only when the peak flow has been reached so the water dilution will be significant. As I said to you, the department is working through the rehabilitation, at least to maintain the mine in an acceptable situation and to prevent any pollution of Edith River.
My understanding is that Pegasus Gold Australia, or at least the people acting for Pegasus, because it is in receivership, are negotiating with Jawoyn, and with Jack Savage, who is the owner of Mt Todd Rehabilitation Pty Ltd, for the sale of the mine. An agreement has not been reached yet, and my understanding is that if Jawoyn and Mt Todd Rehabilitation Pty Ltd acquire the mine, they will be responsible to rehabilitate, as Mr Savage has developed technology to proceed and eliminate some of the environmental contamination on site and prevent any further leeching of arsenic effluent from the mine.
Charles Darwin University - Apprentices
Dr LIM to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
You claimed on Channel 9 News on Thursday, 19 February, that you knew nothing about difficulties being experienced by Cameron Mills and other apprenticeship panelbeaters unable to complete their apprenticeships because they do not have a tutor. The father of Cameron Mills has contacted the Leader of the Opposition’s office and claims that this is not true. Mr Mills has diarised discussions he has had with your office since Monday, 9 February, two weeks prior to your claim on Channel 9. He has told your office that you, minister …
Madam SPEAKER: Your question, member for Greatorex, please.
Dr LIM: I am coming to the question, Madam Speaker. He was told by your office that you, minister, would be meeting with the university on 11 February to discuss the problem of no tutor for these apprentices. Did you attend the meeting and, if so, why did you mislead Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Greatorex is putting a number of statements on the record here as fact, and I simply do not accept them as fact. I forget what he actually said, that I was supposed to meet with the university or not. I did in fact have a meeting with Vice Chancellor Helen Garnett over the last week, whether that was known by the staff and that was relayed …
Dr Lim: … rang your office, several times.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, let the minister answer.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, I am simply not party to these conversations. We are aware, and I am aware, of that quite serious situation where they lost the lecturer in paint and panel at Charles Darwin University, leaving those apprentices without access to training at the local level, which is what we always will attempt to do. They have advertised again, following unsuccessful advertising for filling of that position. As I said in parliament last week, that if they were not able to attract a southern-based contractor to come in and do that training, we would ensure that each of these apprentices, who otherwise would have their training disrupted even more, that they travel interstate and government would pick that up for them to access training. I am not going to go into who said what, at what time. Certainly, I met with Vice Chancellor Helen Garnett on a range of issues, and how would I know what staff said to a particular person on the phone on a particular day.
Mail Order Lottery Companies
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for RACING, GAMING and LICENSING
Can you please inform the House of any recent developments in regards to mail order lottery companies operating in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to speak about this issue of mail order lottery companies relocating to the Northern Territory. Last year, the government granted licences and signed agreements with three mail order lottery companies, following extensive probity and police checks under our regulations. I tabled those agreements in the House last week. The companies and their owners are: CMS Pty Limited, Mr Chris Kelly; Global Players Network Pty Ltd, Mr David Kennedy Jr.; and DK Marketing Pty Ltd, Mr David Kennedy Snr.
Global Players Network Pty Ltd and DK Marketing have relocated business operations from Queensland to the Territory, bringing with them jobs for Territorians and economic benefits for the Territory. Through their business, Global Players Network and DK Marketing take advantage of overseas interests in Australian lotteries, with each company selling tickets in their own lotteries to overseas clients. Tickets in Australian lotteries are highly sought overseas because they are seen as highly reputable and lucrative, if they win, but seen to be coming from a regulated, responsible jurisdiction as the Northern Territory is.
Both companies offset the cost of the tickets they sell in the lotteries to these overseas clients by bulk purchasing tickets in Tattersall’s weekly lottery draws, Tattslotto, Oz Lotto, Powerball and Wednesday Tattslotto. Of course, they have to lay off in case someone gets the magic. Those tickets are purchased from CMS Pty Ltd, which is an accredited representative of Tattersall’s Sweeps Pty Ltd. CMS are no newcomer to the Territory. They have operated from Darwin premises since 1980. They currently employ eight people specialising in information technology.
There are numerous benefits for the Territory that are expected to flow from licensing these companies, including jobs for Territorians and economic flow-on benefits. Sixty-seven jobs at this point - all but five are local Darwin recruits. So there are 62 jobs for Territorians that were not there before.
Global Players Network has already commenced operation in the Territory and is presently leasing an entire floor of the old TIO building, which is useful in itself. The company currently employs 36 staff, 31 of whom have been recruited locally, the remaining five staff coming to Darwin from interstate.
DK Marketing has leased a substantial portion of the old Archives Building on the corner of Bagot and Trower Roads, Millner. That company will employ 31 staff, 27 of whom have been recruited locally, the remaining four moving to Darwin from interstate.
Those initial 57 positions are simply for the start-up requirements. Once these moves are complete, we would expect both companies to show strong growth. Staffing requirements are expected to increase at a steady rate during the following 12 to 18 months. They employ a broad range of staff. They need accountancy skills, information technology, copy writing, interpreters, clerks, printing staff and factory hands. I want to assure Territorians that these companies only sell lotto tickets to overseas clients, so their presence here in the Territory has no adverse affect on the local market and local newsagencies selling lotto tickets to Territorians and tourists.
I would also like to raise an ongoing related issue concerning revenue to the Territory from the purchase of Tattersall’s products. Under normal circumstances, the Territory would receive a percentage of the revenue generated by the sale of Tattersall’s products sold in the Territory. Currently, revenue from the purchase of tickets by mail order lottery business is being kept by the Victorian government and not remitted to the Territory, because Victoria has a view that mail order lottery businesses do not fall into quite the same category as Tattersall’s accredited representatives for the purpose of sharing revenue. Negotiations are ongoing with Victoria, and I would hope to be seeing Mr Brumby face to face at the Treasurer’s meeting in March in Canberra. If it is not resolved by then I will be certainly taking it up with him face to face.
In the interim, the agreements with the mail order lottery companies that have relocated here provide that the Territory will receive licensing fees of $52 000 in year one, and increasing to $105 000 thereafter from the licensed companies. Should we succeed in winning our fair share of the duty from negotiations with the Victorian government, that total revenue would, of course, substantially exceed those licence fees in place and in that situation we would reimburse that licence fee to the companies.
We welcome the arrival of these mail order lottery companies to the Territory. Queensland’s loss, the Territory’s gain, in our view. Seventy-odd jobs there, nearly all of them local, and we would expect to see that grow significantly over the next year or so.
Tender Processes – CAL Accreditation
Mr MILLS to TREASURER
On 19 February, you claimed there was no CAL accredited company in the Territory to work on a water treatment plant in Katherine. Your government had advertised the tender, advising that CAL accreditation was not required, and then awarded the job to a non-accredited interstate company. Is it not true that another tenderer, a Darwin company, was CAL accredited well before tenders were called in October last year? Why have you misled the House, and will you now apologise to the Territory company that missed out?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I simply made no claim, in answer to the first part of the Leader of the Opposition’s question, that there was no such CAL accredited company in the Northern Territory. I made no such claim.
Counter-Terrorism Unit
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Sadly, international terrorism now concerns us all. Can you please outline how the government will participate in a counter-terrorism exercise to be conducted in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an important question for the Territory. It is a sad fact of life that we have to pay attention to the threat of global terrorism. This government has already reacted – and we have seen that very clearly over the last two years – to increased concerns about terrorism. We have established the Counter-Terrorism Unit in our Police Force; we have assisted in the purchase of biohazard equipment, and, in this House, we have past stringent laws to assist police deal with potential or possible terrorist events.
On a national level, there are revised arrangements for countering terrorism in this country, including an expanded exercise program, aimed at all states and territories testing and developing their capacity and capability to respond to a possible terrorist incident. This exercise program includes multi-state exercises, which are designed to test and develop arrangements, both within those states and territories, and between them and the federal government.
The first multi-jurisdictional exercise to be conducted in this expanded program is called Exercise Mercury 04. The formal aim of the exercise is to identify how Australia will respond to preventing, responding to and recovering from simulated threats and acts of terrorism occurring in different states and territories at the same time. Mercury 04 will involve four states and territories: our Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, as well as the federal government and a number of its agencies. The exercise will include the deployment of the Australian Defence Force Tactical Assault Group. It will also involve the Police Tactical Response Groups from Victoria, Tasmania and the territories, working in their own state or territory.
The National Counter-Terrorism Committee has set aside more than $1m, so they are taking this exercise very seriously. An Exercise Planning Group has been formed, and teams from each state and territory are developing scenarios based on a simulated common national terrorist threat.
In the Territory, the exercise will require police and government involvement. The Police Emergency Operations Centre and the Northern Territory Crisis Centre will be fully involved and fully operational during Mercury 04. The exercise will be conducted in the Top End between 22 and 29 March. It is an important exercise. It shows that, on a national level, the states, territories and federal government are working together to make sure that we know how to deal with and respond to a possible terrorist threat.
As government, we recognise the importance of having that coordinated approach and ensuring, although we never want it to happen again, that a global threat from terrorism will be dealt with adequately and effectively in Australia and the Territory.
Pool Fencing Laws – Proposed Amendment
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
There is a significant flaw in your proposed pool fencing laws. You are now offering compensation to people who have been affected by the mistakes you have made in relation to pool fencing. If an inadequate offer of compensation is made, what can people do? Why cannot a person appeal to an independent tribunal? Why cannot a person appeal to a court?
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I seek your ruling. We have legislation before the parliament at the moment in which this very issue has been flagged as an amendment from the opposition. The question is pre-empting debate on that particular legislation.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. We have had, consistently for the last two days, points of order on technical issues raised. These are important issues for Territorians. It is just as easy for the Chief Minister to stand up and answer this question, and I believe she should.
Mr HENDERSON: Speaking to the point of order again, Madam Speaker. We have standing orders for this parliament that clearly state a member’s duty to not pre-empt the outcome of debate that is currently before the House. This is legislation before the House, and a specific amendment that has been flagged by the opposition, which has not been determined by parliament.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you! Clerk, I seek your advice. As I thought, it is anticipating debate, because we are in the middle of such a debate. However, I will give the Chief Minister the option as to whether she wants to answer it or not.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am happy to talk about swimming pool fencing. It is interesting that the member for Macdonnell, who is usually so petulant about points of order, has not read Standing Order 68, which clearly says that if the answer to the question you are seeking will be answered within reasonable time in the House – which I would have thought today, in a debate we are currently in, was reasonable time - then it will be answered.
The issue of compensation is clearly spelled out in the bill we have right in front of us in the parliament today.
Mr Elferink: No, it is not.
Ms MARTIN: We have been very …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: We have been very clear, and I am not going to yell, opposition, if you want to hear my answer, at least have the courtesy to be quiet. Thank you. We have spelled out the grants available for taking pool fencing to a Community Safety Standard, that is $3000. We have spelled out the grant to go the modified Australian Standard for pool fencing, and that is $4000. For those who have currently spent sums, have taken advantage of the grant that was available or the loan that was available, we had said come and talk to us, and we will see how we can meet the difference within those new sums that have been identified.
Can I say, as I see the petulance again on the member for Macdonnell’s face, when pool fencing came into any state or territory around Australia, there was no grant scheme and no loan scheme. We are the only part of Australia that has put an incentive scheme into place, recognising that to put incentives in place was to encourage Territorians with pools and spas to be safer in their back yards. That is what we wanted in this legislation. When members on the other side say, $21m, this is what it is going to cost; we always knew there was a cost, there was a cost with the legislation over the last 12 months and that cost will continue.
I stand here proudly to say that we are working with Territorians, whether that is in Alice Springs, Palmerston or Darwin, wherever across the Territory, to be able to make our young kids safer in our backyards. This is very important. We knew it had a sum on it, and we had calculated that sum for five years. That is still the quantum that we are looking at, and we do not back off that in the slightest. If the opposition is trying to say we should not have safe backyards, if they are saying our kids should not be safe in those backyards, then they should go and say that clearly to our community and see what our community really thinks of the kind of hypocrisy that too often comes from their mouths.
Dengue Fever – Tennant Creek
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for HEALTH
It has been reported over the last few days that a mosquito type that carries dengue fever has been found in traps at Tennant Creek. Can you outline to members what steps are being taken in the Barkly region to eliminate the mosquito, and also advise as to how members of the public may be able to assist in limiting the spread of mosquitoes.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for this very important question. I can confirm that for the first time in nearly 50 years the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, which has the potential to transmit dengue fever, has been found in traps in the Barkly at Tennant Creek. The Medical Entomology Branch of the department’s Centre for Disease Control conducts weekly mosquito monitoring in Tennant Creek during the wet season. Last week, two dengue mosquitoes were found in separate traps. I understand the mosquitoes may have come from Queensland or overseas, although the latter is less likely.
I am assured that the presence of this type of mosquito does not mean that there is a threat of dengue outbreak in Tennant Creek. The dengue virus has to be present in infected people, and there is no evidence of that currently in Tennant Creek. Needless to say, though, the Medical Entomology Branch of the Department of Health and Community Services has acted swiftly to respond to the presence of the mosquito species. Surveys of the town started last Sunday, and spraying and fogging operations will commence tomorrow. I am assured that the department is confident there is a good chance that it can eliminate the mosquitoes quickly.
I take this opportunity to encourage people of Tennant Creek to help where they can to eliminate breeding sites. All water-filled receptacles should be emptied of water and sprayed with surface spray. Any visible wrigglers or larvae should be destroyed, and any water-filled containers, or those previously containing water from Tennant Creek, should not be transported to other centres. Fogging of residential and public places will start tomorrow. Staff from the Department of Health will also be distributing surface sprays and running house-to-house education programs. Anyinginyi Congress Aboriginal Corporation, Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Tennant Creek Town Council will be working closely with the department to support their work and encourage people to eliminate breeding places. I congratulate the chairs of both those corporations, Pat Braun and Ross Jagamara Williams, together with Mayor Paul Ruger and their staff, for working with the department so well to ensure everyone in Tennant Creek is informed about the findings and what they can do to help. For more information, people of Tennant Creek can call the Hotline on 1800 008 002.
Swimming Pool Fencing Legislation
Mr ELFERINK to CHIEF MINISTER
Recently, in a letter to you, the Chairman of the Lands and Mining Tribunal wrote complaining that the limitations of appeals regarding pool fencing matters was so …
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Again, the member for Macdonnell does not learn. He is offending against Standing Order 68. This bill is currently before the parliament and I ask you to rule on the acceptance of this question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Macdonnell, I was lenient with you with the last question. You are well aware of standing orders.
Mr Elferink: Madam Speaker, this is in relation …
Madam SPEAKER: Do not interrupt me. You often quote standing orders to me and I am sure you are aware of the one that states:
- Anticipation of Subject
… regard shall be had by the Speaker to the probability of the matter anticipated being brought before the Assembly within a reasonable time.
I believe it will be back on the agenda in about 20 minutes, which is more than a reasonable time. If your question is about the swimming pool laws that we are debating at the moment, it is not allowed.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I was referring to a letter from the …
Madam SPEAKER: But the subject of that letter is to do with the Swimming Pool Fencing Act?
Mr ELFERINK: With the old structure and the current …
Madam SPEAKER: It is not allowed. Do you have another question, member for Macdonnell?
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, I have ruled, member for Drysdale.
Mr DUNHAM: Could I seek your education for me, Madam Speaker? Under Questions Seeking Information, 112 …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, I know you are having hearing problems. What is your point of order?
Mr DUNHAM: My point of order is, a question should not ask ministers to announce new policy of the government but may seek an explanation regarding the policy of the government and its application, and I believe this is entirely in accord with that, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Read Standing Order 68, which talks about Anticipation of Subject, and that is what I have just quoted from. Not allowed. Do you have another question, member for Macdonnell?
Mr ELFERINK: No, Madam Speaker, I am being silenced once again by this government.
Royal Darwin Hospital – Accident and Emergency Waiting Times
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why are scores of people still having to wait days for a bed at our major public hospitals? Earlier this month, we had the story of a footballer who had to wait three days at RDH Accident and Emergency, and recently a colleague of mine has received an e-mail outlining the fact that a friend of his had to wait for quite some time with 26 other patients in the corridors of Accident and Emergency. What is going on?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for my first question in about a year, so it is quite a big day for me.
I have just come from the Royal Darwin Hospital, and from the very area that you were talking about. Speaking to the hospital management, they feel that the situation at the moment is under control in terms of a period of the year where there are high patient numbers. I not only understand the theory of this, I actually walked through the area and saw where patients were being cared for, right at this moment, this day, and there were no horror stories of people sitting in corridors. There were no people sitting in corridors at all that I saw.
I point out that hospital management these days is about managing the flow of patients through the beds. It is about the management of the capacity of the hospital against the patient numbers. My very strong advice, not only from our hospitals, is that we currently have a capacity in Darwin of 265 beds, and in Alice Springs of 163 beds, to take the two areas the member has been mainly referring to.
In your own media release the other day, you are saying we are 10 beds short in each one. In the case of Darwin, that is a 4% difference between the current number of beds available and the number you say would be an efficient coverage of the need. Four per cent is four patients in 100 within the hospital for whom they have to find a new disposition. In other words, move them out in to different care arrangements, free the bed up and move people on through. No matter what you put in terms of capacity, I went through the ICU and High Dependency Units just now, and there is an enormous area empty in the High Dependency Unit.
That is not unusual, it is just that the High Dependency Unit, the ICU Unit, the ED and the ward spaces around are built against the historic loads that come into that hospital. Sometimes they will be empty, sometimes they will be under some pressure to cover beds. However, it is all solvable through the management of the patient flow through the hospital and the use of the bed capacity that is there.
It is happening all over Australia. Hospitals that used to have 1500 beds are down to 500 or 600 beds interstate, and they are still managing their patient loads with the higher population in the jurisdiction. We do not have a problem. We have some very good management in those hospitals. We have enough capacity.
Daly River Region – Land Use Plan
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The Daly Region is a wonderful part of the Top End. It is fantastic for living, recreation, fishing and tourism. Will you please update the House on the work the Community Reference Group is preparing for a land use plan for the region?
ANSWER
I would be delighted to, Madam Speaker. A very important …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting, because the issues being dealt with by government, working with the community and interested stakeholders in the Daly, is absolutely critical for the Territory’s future. It is disappointing to have the opposition snigger like they do at the question. I was very disappointed.
I was delighted to appoint a Community Reference Group last year. They are tasked under the chair of a man with impeccable credentials for this, Rick Farley, to put together a land use plan for the Daly region that will support the future sustainability of that very important region for the Territory.
It is an issue that we all know has generated considerable controversy over many years, whether that is about land clearing, or the water levels in the Daly, and what will happen to fishing in the future. There are many issues, including whether cotton is grown there - and we have said no. In terms of the Territory’s future development, many of the issues have been encapsulated in the Daly region. The important issues that this Community Reference Group have to deal with range from finding a balance between economic development, social, cultural, indigenous, environmental and recreational, so it is, in one region, dealing with some of the critical issues for the Territory’s future.
The Community Reference Group consists of a very wide range of stakeholders from the region, including the indigenous land-holders, pastoralists, horticulturists and local residents, as well as representatives from peak associations, including AFANT, the Minerals Council, Katherine Regional Tourist Association, the NLC, ATSIC, local government, the Environment Centre and NT Land Care Council. If anyone has not been included, other interested parties and associations are free to contribute to the work of the reference group.
The reference group, under the chair, Rick Farley, have met twice, the last time was a week ago in Katherine, where 45 people attended. One of the issues that they had to deal was a very difficult one, and that is water allocation planning. Over the next few months, they will systematically deal with some of those difficult issues in the Daly Region. They are working closely with the Charles Darwin University, using local skills and research expertise. The reference group have commissioned studies from Charles Darwin University on a number of different issues they are working on.
Rick Farley tells me that within the reference group there is a wide range of views, not surprisingly. He was very straightforward when he first took on the job. He said:
- There will be a wide range of views, and what we have to make very clear through this process is we have to make effective recommendations for government.
- Government will be making a decision, quite properly, about the future of the Daly region, and that is what this Community Reference Group has to do: work through the variety of interests, work through some of those competing interests, and come up with a land use plan for the future.
Rick says it is happening with a lot of goodwill, and I commend the reference group on that, that they are working hard on finding that balance. I am sure everyone in this House wishes them well, with their very important deliberations for the future of this region, because it really is about keeping the Territory moving ahead: working through the issues like this, and finding a way forward. It is government listening and working with Territorians.
Tender Processes – CAL Accreditation
Mr MILLS to TREASURER
A few questions back, I charged you with claiming that there was no CAL-accredited company in the Territory with a capacity to do the water treatment plant in Katherine, and you said: ‘Oh, you never made such an allegation, you never made such an assertion’. You are now in possession of a press release that claims that I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I would ask you to make an explanation and to provide an apology to the company concerned.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition threefold for this question: (1) it saves me writing a laborious letter to your good self requesting time of this parliament to deliver a personal explanation, and (2) it saves a question from my own backbench in order to clarify this matter.
Notwithstanding my misreading of the question, in the opening part of the Leader of the Opposition’s question, he said: ‘You stated …’. I immediately assumed, wrongly, that he was referring to Question Time last Wednesday when many procurement issues were dealt with. At no time did I make that statement whilst on my feet answering questions in and around procurement last Wednesday.
The third thing I thank the Leader of the Opposition for - in fact, I believe it is the member for Greatorex – in providing me with a copy of the press release which says: ‘At the time, no Territory company had accreditation for the job’. They forget - they are a little careless here – ‘for the job’. It does not say: ‘No Territory company had accreditation’, as alleged by the Leader of the Opposition. This is where he is wrong, again. ‘No accreditation for the job’, meaning no Territory company had accreditation for the level required for that particular job. CAL was waived to get Territory companies eligible to apply …
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: That is exactly why it was waived, so that they could have a go at it. The fact is, the Queensland company that won the contract, in partnership with Territory company H2O, we seem to forget about this Territory company that is involved in this contract – H2O Solutions. The Territory company was accredited in October to this level. This contract was awarded in July …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STIRLING: Therefore, at the time, no Territory company had accreditation for the job, is an accurate statement. It was accurate then and it is accurate now.
SilkAir Service from Singapore
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Today we will see the arrival of the second SilkAir flight from Singapore to Darwin, capping off one of the most exciting and important months in Territory tourism history. Can you please inform the House about the new air service, and some of the other February tourism highlights?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the brighter future of tourism than we have seen for some time in the Territory. I thank the honourable member for his question. This exciting new air service from SilkAir, which is a regional wing of Singapore Airlines, brings an important airline back to the Territory. Two SilkAir charter flights from Singapore - we do not have regular flights - arrive in Darwin this week, carrying more than 200 passengers to and from the cruise ship, Europa. We had the Europa in yesterday, today we have the Aurora. It has been a superb month for cruise ship operations.
These are the first SilkAir flights to land in Australia, which is the start of something we want to see grow. A lot of work has been done with both Singapore and SilkAir, and ministers in this House have worked hard with the organisation, and we pay tribute to Peter Roberts, who works with us with aviation, to build our international capacity. About 70 German visitors landed in Darwin in the early hours of Tuesday night. The group toured around Darwin before boarding the cruise ship, Europa, which was bound for Bangkok. The second charter flight, a SilkAir Airbus A320, arrives later this afternoon, taking about 140 German visitors back home after they have spent several weeks travelling from Sydney aboard the Europa.
Charter flights have the potential to further enhance Darwin’s attractiveness as the Australian gateway for Europeans wanting to board cruise liners. This is great news for Darwin. It encourages these visitors to come here, to spend time exploring the Top End, what we have to offer, whether it is the start or end, or whether it is during their journey.
Today’s arrival of the second SilkAir charter caps off possibly the most important February that the Territory tourism industry has ever experienced. This month has included …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting, again, how the opposition does not want to hear good news. This is extraordinary. You do not want to hear about the jobs that have been created, the boost to the tourism industry and increased airline flights.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Wait a moment, Chief Minister, until they settle down.
Ms MARTIN: February is usually a tough month for tourism, both in the Centre and in the Top End. This month we have had news that Skywest will begin a new service in May, Perth/Broome/Darwin flights. We have seen the start of The Ghan passenger service, and in all 30 000 tourists will be using that each year. An increase in cruise ship visits that saw thousands of passengers. Today, the Aurora had something like 1800 passengers. We saw the Star Princess on Saturday with 2500 passengers. They all visit Darwin, they use mini buses and cabs, they visit our shops, our museum, they take tours around Darwin – this is great.
Ms Carney interjecting.
We have seen government vow to upgrade Fort Hill Wharf cruise ship facilities. There has been a most successful - I would have thought the member for Araluen would want to listen to this …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: … a most successful interstate marketing campaign …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: … promoting Alice Springs, and 1000 new visitors to Alice Springs over the last two months. The launch of Territory Discoveries into New Zealand, and yesterday’s announcement that Jetstar, which is Qantas’ new, low cost, domestic airline, will begin flights to the Territory as early as November.
What a spectacular month for Territory tourism! Territory jobs for an industry that has done it tough over the last two and a half years, and employs something like 15% of our work force. This is just the start. We are working closely with our tourist operators, the Tourist Commission is working with all who are involved in the tourist industry to make sure we can build on what has been a superb start for 2004.
Funding for Children with Disabilities
Dr LIM to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Your inadequate funding for children with disabilities has caused great hardship for many families. I received a complaint from a mother whose autistic child is not getting adequate support at school because funds for a support assistant for the child have been reduced by half this term. Why are you taking money from the very children who need assistance to get on at school?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I agree with him, in this instance only, that it is children like this who do need the greatest support that government and the education system can put at their feet, but he is wrong. Far from reducing funding for disabled kids across the system - it is something that is close to my heart - I am working hard and I am driving the department hard to address what I think has been a case of neglect for many years right across the system for disabled kids, including a complete audit of the Special Needs facilities right across, wherever they exist in our schools because, for many years they were simple add-on demountables thrown at the back of the school yard, and the kids, parents and teachers were left to cope as best they could.
That is going to cost serious dollars when we receive the results of that audit, but it is not true to stand in this House and say: ‘Funding has been cut’. This government has increased the funding, year on year, to include assistance support right across the system.
Notwithstanding that comment, it may be that there is a situation in a particular school with a particular individual. I am more than happy, delighted, to look at the detail of that if there is some effect in a particular school, but it is not true to say that funding has been cut, nor that this government is neglecting special needs and disabled kids.
I take great offence at that, knowing the role I have given the department, and a very strong role, to get on top of this and to start resourcing the infrastructure properly and adequately right through the system.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Questions Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016