2003-04-29
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: It is now Question Time. I acknowledge in the Gallery students from Centralian College and St Philip’s College, and I believe we have students from Batchelor College. On behalf of all members, I extend to you a warm welcome. If I have missed any school, I do apologise as, unfortunately, I might not be keeping track of them.
I remind members that if you are raising a point of order, you need to go to the lectern if you want to be heard. Do not raise your point of order where you are because it will not be recorded.
Alice Springs - Community Safety
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, under your administration, violent crime in the Territory is increasing. Your government’s own figures for over the last three months reveal robbery is up 38%, assaults are up 20%, and sexual assaults are up 53%. Can you answer the question of the 27-year-old Alice Springs teacher who was attacked recently by six youths in the Todd Mall, who asked: ‘Do we have to wait until some poor woman is raped before the politicians act?’ Chief Minister, what is your answer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, a question about community safety is always welcomed by this government because community safety is one of our key issues. Ensuring that Territorians can go about their business, their recreational activity, and that our homes and businesses are safe is a key priority for this government.
What we have seen over the last 20, 21 months of this government is a real focus on dealing with the causes of crime and with those who commit crime. We saw the previous government, headed up by the now Leader of the Opposition, simply having its one shot in the locker - one shot – and that was mandatory sentencing. It did not work. It was one shot in the locker. What we have done in those 21 months of being in government is begin the process of putting in place effective measures for dealing with crimes throughout our community.
I am very pleased to say that, across the Territory, we are seeing trends of declines in crime. We heard the Attorney-General this morning produce the figures of comparing the last 12 months of the Country Liberal Party in government with this government. The figures are conclusive. It is a disappointing when you have the now opposition saying: ‘We cannot believe your figures’. What it does indicate is the party which used to produce figures for ‘only presentational purposes’ still does not believe figures. These are figures produced from our police data through the Office of Crime Prevention, and they are figures about what is happening in our community.
I would love to stand here and say to the Centralian community, and the wider Territory community, that there was no crime. There is crime, and it is not acceptable that it is happening at this level. But let me assure Centralians specifically - and I welcome you here today – that we are tackling both those who commit crime and the causes of crime. We are starting to see a reduction right across the Territory in crimes being committed. Importantly, in tackling antisocial behaviour, the only thing the previous government said they would do is monster and stomp – not an action, not a constructive approach, just, ‘We will monster and stomp’ and nothing happened. The problem of antisocial behaviour grew over the 26 years of Country Liberal Party administration of the Territory.
We finally have a government that is tackling both causes of crime, those who are committing crimes, supporting the victims of crime, and also tackling antisocial behaviour. We are seeing progress and we are supporting our community. The question is a proper one from the opposition, but it does not reflect what was happening over 26 years of the CLP - that these problems were ignored and there was no real strategy to tackle them. I am proud to be leading a government that is finally being constructive and recognising what is a key issue for our community; and that is community safety.
SARS Virus – NT Preparedness
Mr McADAM to CHIEF MINISTER
Could the Chief Minister please inform the Assembly of what measures are being taken by the Northern Territory government as a result of the SARS virus?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. There is no doubt that the outbreak of SARS has caused widespread concern, not only in our community, but around the world. While there have not been any reported SARS cases in Australia, for which we are very grateful, it is crucial that we remain vigilant.
In the Territory, we are doing everything we can to protect our community. This protection has two aspects - we are doing everything we can to prevent SARS entering the community, and if, tragically, that did happen, then everything we can to be prepared.
The Territory Department of Health and Community Services is working through that very effective body, the Centre for Disease Control.. I pay tribute to Dr Vicki Krause, the Director. She is a most professional operator, is respected on national terms, and is tasked with guiding our response to SARS. The department, through the Centre for Disease Control, has put in place a number of strategies.
To outline some of the specifics – the centre has been liaising with individual schools to advise them on the management of students returning to or entering Australian schools, such as students from overseas who are coming back to board in Australia. Those procedures are in place, as they are in other parts of Australia. There are standardised signs at the entrances to hospitals and emergency departments right around the Territory, warning visitors who have been in SARS-affected areas in the last 10 days not to enter the hospital if they are unwell. This is very important. Elective patients who have travelled to SARS-affected areas or are known contacts are required to postpone their surgery.
There are national requirements in place to deal with SARS, and we are meeting those Commonwealth requirements. Those requirements include: all aircraft routinely report any illness on incoming flights; the distribution of Health Alert notices to all incoming and outgoing international travellers; in-flight announcements as you come in to Australia, to the Territory, relating to SARS on all of those incoming international flights; the distribution of health advice and infection control guidelines to international airport staff; and appropriately trained and equipped medical or nursing personnel are available to rapidly respond to any request from AQIS, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, for an assessment of an airline passenger who might be suffering from SARS.
Our health department has complied with all these Commonwealth recommendations, and have either Disease Control Centre staff, doctors or nurses at Darwin Airport to meet all planes coming in from Singapore or Brunei and, as of this week, from Denpasar in Bali. There have been reports that some airlines are not complying with these requirements. It is very concerning for our health department and for us as a government. Nurses will be auditing passengers who come off those airlines to make sure that the requirements are being met.
So far, nationally, over 200 people have been referred to health staff on duty at airports. None have met, yet, the definition for SARS. Let us hope that does not happen. In Darwin, there was one transit passenger who has been referred, but that passenger was not, as we discovered, suffering from SARS.
SARS has been made a notifiable disease under the Territory’s Notifiable Diseases Act and Public Health Act. That means that we have put in place further powers to detect and contain the disease if needed.
There was a meeting last week, initiated by Health, that brought together representatives from NT hospitals and community staff to review and affirm preparedness and the capacity to respond should SARS cases occur.
I am confident that we, as government, are doing all that needs to be done to ensure that SARS is being dealt with appropriately. We have not had any cases in the Territory. It is a tough time, there is no doubt about it. However, as the decision to cancel the Arafura Games has shown, government is prepared to make the tough decisions in the best interests of the people of the Territory.
Let us hope that the indications we have had today, from the World Health Organisation, that the level of SARS is receding in four countries continues, but we will remain vigilant.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Before I ask the member for Greatorex to ask his question, I acknowledge the presence in the gallery of the executive of the Central Land Council, the Chairman, Kumadjai Ross, and the Director, Kunmanara Breaden. On behalf of all members, I extend to you a warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Alice Springs - Community Safety
Dr LIM to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, you should be aware that Alice Springs mum, Rhonda Burns, was forced to stop her car and was then attacked by rock throwers earlier this month. You should also be aware that father of two, Brendan McGrath, is lucky to be alive today after having survived a deadly assault from a rock thrower. Mr McGrath had to have major surgery, including insertion of a steel plate in his head following this vicious attack. Your government ignored calls for a reward to be posted to catch his assailants. Why?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is very sad for Alice Springs that there have been incidents of rock throwing. It is unacceptable but, rather than post rewards, our police have been focussing, through Operation Hurricane, to effectively tackle the problem. I am confident that the police in Alice Springs will be able to effectively tackle this problem, which is unacceptable. It is all very well for the member for Greatorex to come in here posturing. He is full of the …
Dr Lim interjecting.
Mr Burke: It is not worth raising, is it?
A member: You don’t think this is serious?
Mr Burke: It is not worth raising this issue; it is only a minor problem.
Ms MARTIN: All issues of crime are of importance to this government. Tackling not only crime but the causes of crime is important to this government and, as I indicated in the answer to my previous question, that is what we are doing, in stark contrast to the previous government, which was just full of rhetoric. I was referring to the fact that the member for Greatorex comes to the question with rhetoric in his mind, rather than seeing the action that is being taken.
This government is taking action to deal with those problems. Rock throwing in our community is unacceptable. Whether it is happening in Alice Springs or Palmerston, it is unacceptable, and this government is putting in place the measures to make sure it will not happen again.
Air Services to Central Australia
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Last month, Virgin Blue announced that it would introduce services on the Alice Springs-Sydney route from early June. How strong are the forward bookings on the new route?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. The 20 March was a red letter day, when Virgin Blue announced - and I see the member for Araluen has her little model there; another side show.
Ms Carney: Did you get one?
Dr BURNS: I will be on the first flight in, member for Araluen. I hope you are going to be patronising Virgin Blue, too, because it is very important that the Alice Springs community get behind Virgin Blue. It is heartening to see the petition of 3500 people. The reports I am getting show that the Alice Springs community will get behind Virgin Blue. That is important to make it a success, because, all the way along, Virgin Blue said that they were interested in the business case, and in sustainability.
However, it is important to have a little history here about Virgin Blue and the Territory. It was this government, before the last election, which put up as part of our election manifesto that we would be encouraging Virgin Blue to come to the Territory. At that time, I believe it was the then Chief Minister, now Leader of the Opposition, who branded it as an election stunt. It is very important for us to encourage Virgin Blue here to start to develop air services and competition in the route, particularly after the collapse of Ansett.
I believe there has been a lot of negativity, particularly from the opposition, about Virgin Blue.
Ms Carney: Rubbish!
Dr BURNS: I will demonstrate it in a minute, member for Araluen, because in my discussions with both executives from Virgin Blue and Qantas, they were quite concerned about some of the negativity coming from some sections in Alice Springs. I thought it was so serious that I went along to Qantas and spoke to the staff there, because they felt under an incredible amount of pressure, and that they had been demonised in all of this.
However, getting back to Virgin Blue, the member for Drysdale said on the 27 February 2002, about Virgin Blue: ‘They have a shoddy fleet’. What sort of a welcome is that? What sort of support is that from the CLP for Virgin Blue? Then we had the member for Araluen, saying on 23 October 2001: ‘This government …’, meaning this side of the House, ‘… elects to support Sir Richard Branson over a local operator, which is a disgrace’. Here is the member for Araluen branding our support for Virgin Blue as a disgrace. Then we had the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Mr Peter Adamson, who used to sit on that side - well, he used to sit on that side but now he sits somewhere else. He ridiculed our support for Virgin Blue Airlines. He said: ‘It is a ridiculous proposition’. We have had a lot of negativity from that side of the House about Virgin Blue.
However, I have been pleased to say, since I have become Tourism Minister, that I work very hard to get Virgin Blue here. I know that the Alice Springs community, and the tourism community in Alice Springs, is right behind it, and they will get right behind it now that Virgin Blue is here.
In relation to forward bookings for Virgin Blue, I am informed that they are very, very strong. That is very important, because they are going to be bringing 1000 seats a week into Alice Springs. That will mean, when they start their daily service later on this year, that the level of capacity coming into Central Australia equals what it was before the collapse of Ansett and 11 September.
I am very pleased about Virgin Blue Airlines. The next step for us is to work together to try and open up more services - possibly Alice Springs to Darwin and down to Adelaide. I will certainly be engaging with the local tourism industry to do that because I believe it is very important.
Alice Springs - Community Safety
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, on the front page of the Centralian Advocate last Friday, it told of an assault on an Alice Springs mother, Melinda Dunbar. In the same newspaper, there were reports of an intruder who tried to sexually assault a nurse at knife point as she slept in her bed and, further, two tourists who caught a thief in their room in the early hours of the morning. Decent hard-working people are leaving town because of this type of violence and high levels of crime. Your promises so far have failed, and the people of Alice Springs who are here now want to know if you have any real plans to protect them and make them feel safer.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I say again that the incidents the member for Araluen is relating are most unfortunate. I would like to say to those victims from this government: we are very sad that that happened.
As I have said in answers to previous questions, crime is unacceptable but this government is committed to building a safer community. In the 21 months of our government, we are gratified that, if we compare what we have achieved with the last 12 months of the previous government, in key areas we have seen a significant change in the incidence of crime. We have seen a significant decrease in the incidence of crime.
I would like to go through those figures again. While I am not saying that crime is at an acceptable level, I am saying very clearly that we are seeing the incidence of crime in key areas come down in the Central Australian region. We are committed, with strategies targeting the causes of crime and supporting victims, that we will see those trend lines come down even further. If we compare this 12 months of the Labor government with the last 12 months of the Country Liberal Party, who had been in power for 26 years, then house break-ins fell by 30%, property offences fell by 10%, and offences against the person dropped by 9%.
This is a start on tackling the causes of crime and we will continue, as opposed to the kind of rhetoric we only saw from the previous government. There is a lot more work to do. There are effective strategies in place and we will see the results of those because of our commitment over time. I would think that we would have the support of the opposition in doing this. This should be a bipartisan effort that we want to see crime tackled right across the Territory. However, what we hear is nothing constructive from the opposition; nothing constructive when they were government, which allowed the problem to grow with only the rhetoric of mandatory sentencing over many years. Finally, we are a government that is tackling the problem. We have a long way to go, but we are tackling it and we are committed. I would like support from members of the opposition.
Arafura Games Cancellation – Assistance to Tourism Industry
Mr BONSON to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you please provide further details about the special package that is being developed by the government to assist the tourism industry following the cancellation of the Arafura Games?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a very important question and I thank the member for Millner for it. I am sure we all share the disappointment over the cancellation of the Arafura Games, but it was the right decision. It certainly was a responsible decision. I am gratified by the support, right across the Territory, that the government has had for that tough decision to cancel the Arafura Games. It does not only impact on the athletes who have been preparing for months, and the volunteers who put so much work in, but it comes as a blow to our tourism industry, particularly to the accommodation sector.
Government has been quick to respond and substantial resources have been shifted from the games to the development of a package to assist the tourism industry. Yesterday, Cabinet announced that we would be providing $600 000 for a range of initiatives to attract new tourists during May, as well as encouraging those who were registered to come to the games to proceed with their travel plans.
We have already announced the provision of a $200 voucher for all Arafura Games registrants who want to continue to visit Darwin during the period of May, and those who are also thinking about travelling, to encourage them to proceed with their trips.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: I certainly hope - is that the mumbling of the member for Araluen? Would you like to hear the answer, perhaps? Would you like to hear the answer?
Ms Carney: Yes, please.
Ms MARTIN: Good! A little support would be terrific.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, direct your remarks to me, thank you.
Ms MARTIN: I certainly hope that the participants from Central Australia will continue with their travel plans because we would love to see them in the Top End. Approximately 100 Territory athletes from outside Darwin were registered to participate in the games, and we certainly hope that they take advantage of these initiatives: a $200 voucher to help you with a meal out or to take a tour from Darwin would be a most attractive incentive for anyone thinking of continuing to come to Darwin.
Today, I can confirm that government is extending the incentives to all tourists who come to Darwin during May, with an offer of a $100 voucher as an incentive to travel. Negotiations are continuing with airlines and wholesalers to develop joint marketing campaigns for special flight and accommodation packages that will be available during May, and these will be backed up with low cost air fares and very good value accommodation packages.
We are also targeting those who can take short break holidays to offer an attractive package where they might be able to quickly have a week in Darwin. We have needed to move quickly, and the specific details of those packages, I am confident, will be announced by the end of the week.
It was a blow to the tourism industry, to athletes, and to all those who have been working for the Arafura Games, to have it cancelled. However, it was the right decision; it was a responsible decision. We have put in place some measures to alleviate that, and we are working with great concentration to make sure that that can happen. We have the right incentives in place. We will see those packages announced before the end of the week. In the meantime, we will start planning for a bigger and better Arafura Games in 2005.
Development Application - NT Portion 3951, Petrick Road, Alice Springs
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
Minister, my question is in regard to the development application for Northern Territory Portion 3951, Petrick Road, Alice Springs, which you gave a direction to the Development Consent Authority not to approve. In your reasons for not approving this subdivision, you stated:
- The subdivision of land less than two hectares within the RL2 zone to the extent proposed and in this area is considered a significant departure from the direction provided by the NT Planning Scheme.
In your reply to the shadow minister for planning on 18 February this year, you said:
- … my department advised me that there is a legal doubt as to whether the notice …
…needs to be tabled in parliament, because I have not directed the DCA to ban a specific development.
On the same day, when you did table the direction, you said:
- The action I took was not to a specific development application but to all possible applications which would be below two hectare lots in size.
Considering the reasons for your decisions were specific to this subdivision, and that the Litchfield Area Plan still allows the Development Consent Authority to waiver below the two hectares minimum, regardless of you saying your direction was …
Madam SPEAKER: Your question, member.
Mr WOOD: … for all possible applications, isn’t your statement inaccurate and misleading? Because the direction was not presented to parliament within three sitting days, isn’t your decision now invalid?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, that was rather lengthy and you know that.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. Yes, I directed the authority in Alice Springs not to approve a subdivision less than two hectares - not a specific subdivision, but any subdivision in the area, for the simple reason there was overwhelming support for my decision. Actually, members of the CLP lobbied me not to approve that subdivision. The member for Macdonnell, if I remember, was very vocal at the time. It was front page in the newspapers, urging the government not to succumb to pressure by developers or members of his own party and proceed with the subdivision.
The other thing was that this particular subdivision was an island subdivision. Almost all of the other blocks in the area were at least two hectares in area. The only previous subdivision was done by the same developer, approved by the then CLP minister, Max Ortmann. Once again, at the time the subdivision was approved, the developer did not take up the subdivision and he let it lapse. He came back again with a nearly five hectare piece of land to subdivide to four blocks - a significant variation from the two hectares that the town planning specifies in the particular area - 1.25 hectare average, when every other block was two hectares. As you would understand, the outcry from the local community was significant, people did not want to live in a high density area, they wanted a minimum two hectare subdivision, and I will stick to my decision.
As for the question about the legality or not, I ask you to have a look at section 85 of the Planning Act. The Planning Act was actually passed in this parliament by the CLP government, and it clearly states that I have to table a particular direction if I direct the authority on a specific subdivision. I also have here a copy which I actually sent to Mr John Pinney, the Chairman of the DCA at the time, on 4 December 2002, and I am prepared to table this document. It does not say: ‘Do not approve Mr Hornsby’s subdivision’. It said: ‘Do not allow any subdivision less than two hectares’. As for the Litchfield Shire, if people are against this kind of subdivision, and they make noise and they give me good arguments, I am prepared to do the samethere.
Alice Springs - Community Safety
Dr LIM to CHIEF MINISTER
I am sure the Chief Minister has heard the quote: ‘Statistics, damn statistics and damn lies’. The Chief Minister keeps quoting statistics, yet the litany of crimes in Alice Springs continues to rise. Alice Springs businessman, Peter Kittle who has lived in this town all his life, in this issue of the Centralian Advocate last week, , says that crime in Alice Springs in the last 18 months - which coincides with your term in office, Chief Minister - is higher than ever. Mr Kittle averages $6000 of damage to his property every month, and yet he has given up reporting his property damage to police. Your Justice minister has claimed that these reports are, and I quote: ‘Misconceptions’. Do you agree with him, that these reports are false?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the reports in the Centralian Advocate - a fine newspaper - last week were, very sadly, inaccurate. There is a retraction today. Journalists are only human. I can say this from many years as a journalist; that you are only human, and sometimes mistakes are made - and mistakes were made in the reporting of those figures.
Again, it is interesting that the member for Greatorex says: ‘You are just quoting figures for us’. Well, the figures are an indication of what is happening in our determination to deal with crime, not only in the Central Australian region but right across the Territory.
Dr Lim: People have given up.
Ms MARTIN: I say again - when you hear the member for Greatorex saying: ‘People have given up’, I believe people gave up on the Country Liberal Party because you did nothing. That is where the ‘given up’ has come.
Over the last 21 months in government, we have seen - and we can have the members of the opposition saying that figures do not indicate anything. Figures are an indication. How else do you judge whether your strategies are effective? We believe our strategies are working. We are working with the communities right across the Territory, in partnership, to tackle crime and the causes of crime, and to give support to those who, unfortunately, are the victims of crime.
Again, we can compare the figures of the last 12 months of the CLP with the last 12 months of the Labor government. The figures, right across the board, are showing that crime in areas against the person and against property are coming down. We will continue with our determination to have that happen even more effectively.
We are hearing the rhetoric from the CLP. These issues – it is very good to have parliament in Alice Springs because, for the first time, I have had a question about Alice Springs from the opposition. For the first time, I have had a question - the very first time. So, it is good to have brought the Leader of the Opposition and the other members here so that they actually recognise that Central Australia exists.
I welcome these questions today. I say to the people of Central Australia: we are committed to this region; we are committed to working with you to build this region, both economically and socially. We are listening. We are here, and we will make sure that, in partnership with you, we grow this superb region of the Territory and tackle the problems that are of concern, like the levels of crime and antisocial behaviour.
Alice Springs - Community Safety
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Minister, could you please inform the House of any recent initiatives undertaken by Northern Territory police to address street crime in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I …
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, just wait for a moment. Wait for the member for Drysdale to stop.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question because, if we go back through the Hansard record of our 21 months in office, I have probably had more questions about Central Australia from the member for Karama than I have had from members opposite. We have done a little research, picking up on the Chief Minister’s point.
Of the 316 questions we have received as a government in the Northern Territory since August 2001, only 22 have been in relation to Central Australia. If we look to the leadership aspirants on the other side and their representation for the people of Central Australia, the member for Greatorex, in 21 months, has only asked six questions in relation to Central Australia. The member for Araluen is probably running about 7:1 or 8:1; we only had six questions from her. The long shot - we did not think he would get back up in Macdonnell during the last election, but congratulations, Johan, you did get up. He leads the pack: 10 questions about Central Australia. So, it is great to be here in Central Australia, because at last the opposition are representing the people of Central Australia like they should have been doing for the last 20 months.
Madam Speaker, I digress. I will get back to the point of the question. The Northern Territory Police do a magnificent job under very difficult circumstances, and they get very little credit for the work that they do. In regard to the spate of rock throwing incidents we have had in Alice Springs over the last few weeks, I came down as soon as I could to meet with senior officers in Alice Springs regarding a very significant problem that we were having, wanting to be briefed first-hand on what the police were going to do to respond to what I consider, as Minister for Police – and I agree with the Chief Minister – is outrageous behaviour that is extremely dangerous. It is intolerable behaviour, wherever it occurs in the Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, this is not new. This is not behaviour that has just been occurring in the last 21 months. There have been outbreaks of rock throwing across the Northern Territory for many, many years. It is an offence that is hard to detect and to lay charges. But what the police did was comprehensively deploy an operation called Operation Hurricane. I can say to the House that in the three weeks that this operation has been in force, we have seen a vast reduction in the incidence of rock throwing. The police have done a magnificent job: over 30 people of interest are assisting police with their inquiries. We are informed that charges will be laid as a result of those investigations. Already, charges have been laid – not against a juvenile, but a 28-year-old man who has been apprehended and charged with being armed with an offensive weapon; namely rocks. He will have his day in court. Thirty other people have been identified. I am pleased to advise the House today that the police will be renewing and extending this operation, to be called Spitfire II, that will be announced very shortly.
The police are doing a magnificent job in Central Australia in trying to get on top of a whole range of very complex issues. It is very disappointing that the local representatives in Alice Springs have not sought a briefing from local police in relation to this behaviour. They are happy to be out there politically whipping it up, but they have not put any constructive suggestions on the table as to how to deal with this issue and what the police should be doing.
I applaud the community of Alice Springs which did get behind the police. There has been significant reporting to the police in respect of suspicious persons in relation to this. The people of Alice Springs have got behind the police. It is a pity that the opposition do not get behind the police and the work that they have to do. I congratulate police for their efforts.
We are in the middle of a significant recruitment campaign. We are going to have over 50 new police officers coming into the force over the next few months. A large number will be deployed in Central Australia. Let us get behind our Northern Territory Police Force. Let us get behind the good work that they do. Let us support them, and drive this antisocial behaviour out of the Territory.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Motion of Censure
Move Motion of Censure
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion of censure.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, do you accept the censure motion?
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, the government will accept this censure motion. It is the most important and serious motion that can be brought before the parliament, so we are prepared to accept it.
Madam SPEAKER: In that case, I advise the media to stop filming at this moment. Question Time is finished. For members in the gallery, we do not go on with Question Time now; we will go into a censure debate. Media coverage of Question Time has finished.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016