2004-10-14
Nuclear Waste Storage – Kakadu National Park
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for the ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
After weeks of silence during the federal election, the Chief Minister has finally admitted that she was well aware that radioactive waste was being stored in a shipping container near Gunlom Falls in Kakadu National Park. Is it not true that radioactive waste also remains at Nabarlek? Whose responsibility is it for the clean-up and rehabilitation of this site? Why have you failed to tell Territorians about this mine when previously questioned by the opposition and the media?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in response to the member’s question, surely she must understand that, under an agreement in 1996 as part of the return of Stage III Kakadu to the Jawoyn traditional owners, the Commonwealth was obligated to clean up the mining site in Stage III by 2011. That includes proper storage and disposal of radioactive materials, including tailings and machinery, as well as instances of acid leaching, erosion and weed infestation.
Business Conditions in the Territory
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for BUSINESS and INDUSTRY
Can the minister identify a key driver of the upturn in Territory business conditions, and what impact this is having on individual businesses in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. It is an important question which goes to the heart of the fact that the economy has turned in the Northern Territory. Another key indicator of that is the Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development’s Annual Report that was tabled in the House last night. It shows, very clearly, that there is an increase in new high-skill/high-wage jobs being created in the Northern Territory. Principally, one can look at the LNG plant at Wickham Point, and the offshore activity connected to that as well.
In 2003-04, $1.8bn was earned in salaries and wages across the Northern Territory. That is an increase of 11% on the previous year - an 11% increase in wages and salaries going into the homes of Territorians. That is disposable income that, as we saw yesterday, is boosting retail figures, motor vehicle spending and housing finance, as a result of the high-wage/high-skill jobs that are being created here. That is 11% more money circulating through the economy, creating business opportunities and jobs for Territorians. As I said, it means more in retail. I quoted some business people yesterday. I quote another business identity in the Northern Territory, Peter La Pira - who every person in this House would know – who sums up what is happening really well:
- Over the last six months, between the LNG plant and the works there, and the tourist season, there is no doubt it has had an enormously positive impact in Palmerston and, to a lesser extent, Karama. The building industry is in positive mode generally. Now we are getting into a buoyant economy and that is reflected in retail optimism and sales.
Business operator after business operator has identified that the tide has turned. We still have a lot of work to do. However, it is up to each and every one of us in this parliament to talk up the economy to create the climate of opportunity and investment; to see investment coming back to the Northern Territory which is going to generate business opportunities and jobs for the people of the Territory. This is another indicator that the economy has turned.
Nuclear Waste Storage – Kakadu National Park
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for the ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Is it true that scientists from an expert panel monitoring the management of the region have warned that the clean-up of Nabarlek mine still is ‘far from ideal’ and that, on a recent inspection, they reported: ‘The site was littered with mining rubbish and covered with weeds’?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thought I had answered that question the first time. In responding to the member for Port Darwin, the issue about the mine should be more appropriately addressed to the minister who has carriage of that portfolio.
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, as the member for Arafura mentioned before, Nabarlek was a uranium mine directly under the control of the Commonwealth, and it was the Commonwealth government which promised they would clean up, rectify and rehabilitate the site. They have until 2011 to do it. It is only 2004. Obviously, previous administrations did not challenge the Commonwealth to complete the rehabilitation and, quite rightly, because there is a time period to complete it. My department will liaise with the relevant minister and ask him to do it sooner, rather than wait another seven years before they complete the rehabilitation.
Consumer Protection for Home Buyers
Mrs AAGAARD to MINISTER for LANDS and PLANNING
What is the government doing to ensure Territory home buyers have appropriate consumer protection?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. Today, as most people will be aware, I had the honour of announcing the government’s initiatives in this area. These reforms have occurred after extensive consultation, particularly with industry.
A Construction Industry Reference Group has been working very hard over the last year, from 2003 into 2004, and I commend each and every one of the members of that group. They have supported government and the process of change within the Northern Territory. It has been a long time coming. Within that group are representatives of the Building Practitioners Board, building surveyors, Civil Contractors Federation, the Housing Industry Association, Territory Construction Association, the CFMEU, and a representative of regional industry. This group has pledged to continue the work, because there is more work to do. The group does have a range of views, but they have worked very well together.
The focus of the government has been consumer protection, and a centrepiece of that is a Register of Residential Builders and Home Warranty Insurance. I table a copy of the fact sheet that has been distributed today, if members are interested in more information about the initiatives, particularly in terms of builders’ registration and home warranty insurance.
I believe this has been a very significant step in meeting this government’s election commitments and keeping the Territory moving ahead. It stands in stark contrast to the previous government …
Mr Dunham: Oh, it is our fault. Should have picked that.
Dr BURNS: Well, for 27 years, member for Drysdale, where was it? The TCA in particular, and other organisations, have said publicly in these forums that they approached the previous government on many occasions to introduce this warranty insurance, and there has been some ...
Mr Dunham: Why don’t we bring an act of parliament to parliament.
Dr BURNS: Let us not forget the consumers in all of this, particularly young families saving up to buy and build a new home. Here is one, the Hibble family in 2000: ‘Family appeals to Burke over collapse’. That was the collapse of Bayview Homes. This particular young family - and the lady is known to me, I worked with her at one stage – lost $30 000. What was the then government’s response? This is from the NT News:
- A spokesman for Lands, Planning and Environment Minister, Tim Baldwin, said today he was putting together a discussion paper on builders’ indemnity insurance.
This government has done more than prepare a discussion paper. Here is the legislation in the House. We are working with industry and we are moving the Territory ahead.
Nuclear Waste Storage – Kakadu National Park
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
Madam Speaker, quite frankly, I do not care which minister answers this; either environment or mining. Australian decommissioning data relating to the Nabarlek uranium mine states:
- In September 2003, the Northern Territory government released $9.6m to Pioneer International, which mined the East Arnhem Land ore body in 1979. This release of funds was done without consulting the Commonwealth Office of the Supervising Scientist, and despite the concerns of the Office of the Supervising Scientist and other experts over the rehabilitation process on the site.
The Commonwealth report states that these concerns were raised with your government as far back as December 2003. Have you misled this House by continually claiming no knowledge or responsibility for the rehabilitation and proper storage of radioactive waste in Kakadu?
Mr Burke: Best if the real minister stands up. Best if the one who has misled us stands up.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Brennan well knows he cannot accuse my colleague of misleading the House unless he does so by way of substantive motion.
Mr Burke: I will accuse the government.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan, withdraw that remark.
Mr BURKE: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, first of all, by agreement, uranium mining in the Territory is regulated on a day-to-day basis by the Northern Territory government. However, the Commonwealth maintains reserve powers.
With regard to Nabarlek, the mining was completed in 1979, and the ore that was on site was processed until 1988. The site was then mothballed in case more uranium ore was found in the area and the processing plant could be reactivated. In 1991, the operator provided $10m surety to guarantee that the site would be rehabilitated. By 1994, it was decided that the operation could not resume, so the plant was decommissioned and all earthworks associated with rehabilitation, including backfill of the mine pit, were completed by 1995.
Since that time, activities on the site have included environmental monitoring, revegetation activities with controlled environmental management, and fire and feral animal control. The rehabilitation liability is much less than existed in 1991, because all these works that have been undertaken have now been completed.
In 2002, the Mining Management Act became the operative regulatory legislation of the Territory. Under that act, the operator must submit an annual mining management plan, and security may be set by the minister, based on the mining management plan. The $10m security was inappropriate, as it provided for rehabilitation work that had already been completed. In September 2003, the security was revised to be $400 000, because the department deemed that to be the appropriate amount to complete the rehabilitation work.
Of course, the review of the project and agreement as to the form of a new Mine Management Act authorisation was made by members of the Mine Site Technical Committee in 2003. This committee consists of representatives of the operator, the Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development, the Office of the …
Mr Burke: I thought you said you had no input into any of this stuff - no responsibility, no input. You were spending the Commonwealth’s money.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, the opposition asked a question, but they do not want to listen to the answer. I will provide a detailed answer on what the member for Port Darwin has asked. If I am allowed to continue, I will.
The Mine Site Technical Committee consists of representatives of DBIRD, the Office of the Supervising Scientist and the Northern Land Council. The Office of the Supervising Scientist is the nominated representative of the Commonwealth minister. The bond was revised. However, the Office of the Supervising Scientist wrote to the Territory minister expressing concern that the Office of the Supervising Scientist was not involved in the setting of the security. That was not a matter of disregard that they were not consulted by the Commonwealth, but represents a different opinion on a procedural matter.
Mr Burke interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan, order!
Mr VATSKALIS: That issue was discussed by the Mine Site Technical Committee. I also wrote to the Commonwealth minister, and it was agreed that a different level of cooperation and negotiation would take place from now on. Together, we have set a procedural plan on how to consult with the different parties in the Mine Site Technical Committee. It was not done intentionally. The revision of the bond was because most of the rehabilitation work had taken place, and it was inappropriate to hold $10m bond for something that would cost less than $0.5m.
Mr Dunham: Why would you be holding a bond that had nothing to do with you? It was not your responsibility.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, order!
Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Bill
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Today, the Martin government announced a construction industry reform package. Can you explain what the Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Bill will do for the industry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. One of the worst things you see around construction projects is for young home buyers to lose their money, as my colleague pointed out in a previous question. Probably one of the other terrible things you see is when subbies do a lot of work on a project and then find that they are not being paid because of the insolvency of the prime contractor or some other defect in the contractual arrangements.
Up to the present time, we have been bound by the Workmen’s Liens Act on such matters; an act that was originally written in about the 1890s in South Australia. We are really using something out of the dark ages. The legislation we are putting through parliament now is to create a certainty of payment and of rights for subcontractors working on these construction projects. It is long overdue.
It is devastating for a small business, such as a subbie, to find that they are hung up, not getting paid for long periods of time. Their business can often be put completely out of existence. The other thing that happens, of course, is that putting a lien on the property that is the subject of the construction also often holds that property bound up for many years when there is a court action in progress.
This legislation will create very clear rights for the subbies. It bans ‘pay until paid’-type clauses in contracts that would allow prime contractors to withhold payments to these subcontractors. It also provides a very simple, straightforward process of adjudication if there is a dispute over the payments under a contract. This is long overdue.
Madam Speaker, we are here supporting our subbies and cleaning up the construction industry so that we have a really good industry that can grow in the Territory with our economy.
Darwin City Waterfront Project - Cost of Consultancies
Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you say how much money has been spent on consultants to date on the waterfront project? What is the Territory’s financial commitment to this project to the end of this financial year, and is the cost of consultancies part of this financial commitment?
Madam Speaker, I am sorry, I missed the last bit of the question.
Mr WOOD: Is the cost of consultancies part of this financial commitment; that is, the financial commitment to the end of this financial year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the allocation for this year is just over $8m to the waterfront. The other parts of the question – sorry, your questions are multi-layered and, sometimes, it is difficult to remember each bit.
Mr WOOD: Madam Speaker, it was: how much has been spent on consultants to date on the waterfront project?
Ms MARTIN: I will have to get back to you with that specific figure. And part three was?
Mr WOOD: Was the cost of consultancies part of the financial commitment to the end of this financial year on the waterfront?
Ms MARTIN: Yes, it is. Just over $8m is allocated for the waterfront this year. Other costs, of course, are part of the final negotiations with our preferred tenderer, and that will be done over the next six months.
I appreciate questions about the waterfront. I have not seen such an enthusiastic response from our community to any project as I have seen for the waterfront project. Sometimes I think we should just be building an enormous wave pool there, because that is what most people are so excited about.
Today’s NT News, with that really visionary picture of what is going to be happening down there, and a terrific headline: ‘An image to rival the Opera House’, is terrific - it really is. This is going to reshape and complement what Darwin is all about. Any time you have questions about the waterfront, roll them on.
Mr Dunham: You are building another Gold Coast down there.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, that is twice.
Nuclear Waste Storage – Kakadu National Park
Ms CARTER to MINISTER for the ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
For the past six weeks and more, you and your government have shown Territorians that you are prepared to run a baseless scare campaign on nuclear waste disposal. You have refused to provide Territorians with honest answers regarding radioactive mining waste in Kakadu ...
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, member for Port Darwin, rephrase that. You cannot accuse the minister of providing dishonest answers.
Ms CARTER: All right. You have refused to provide Territorians with accurate answers regarding radioactive mining waste disposal in Kakadu, and have clearly abrogated your responsibilities of mine rehabilitation with millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money. How can Territorians trust anything this government says regarding radioactive waste and the environment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, if I were the members opposite I would hang my head in shame, because to turn around and say ...
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Your track record in itself regarding Nabarlek and other places - everyone is well aware of Kakadu National Park and how the opposition stood back. These are not issues that have appeared overnight. As a local member, because both of these areas are in my electorate, I take those issues quite seriously, and have made representation to various ministers who have carriage of this portfolio.
In relation to the member for Port Darwin, who has said that we as a government misled, or went through during the election with misleading information …
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … that was not right. You are totally misleading! You have been misleading Territorians over the last couple of days …
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … with the scurrilous accusations that you have run with over the radio and through the media …
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … you have misled Territorians, and you have had answers to the various questions ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, I cannot hear you due to the number of interjections. Let the minister finish.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: The nuclear waste bill that we brought into this House was about the transportation and storage of other people’s waste into the Territory. As a government, we have in place processes that look after our own waste. We do not need to become a dumping ground for other people’s waste from outside the Territory.
Long Service Leave – Portability for Construction Workers
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
Could you please advise the House whether portable long service leave for construction workers will be part of the whole raft of construction industry reforms that have been announced by government today?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. At a personal level, it is a deeply satisfying day for me with the announcement by my colleague of a whole package of reforms for the construction industry.
I made a commitment on behalf of the Labor opposition in the mid-1990s, and called on the government repeatedly to introduce portable long service leave for construction industry workers in the Northern Territory. I am delighted that we will be bringing this legislation into the House in November.
It will be funded by a levy on project development. Long service leave coverage for construction industry workers in the Northern Territory will be consistent with those arrangements applying interstate. The government will seek to be party to reciprocal arrangements and an agreement between all the other states and the ACT. All of the jurisdictions other than the Northern Territory have long had these provisions in place. Benefits will be consistent with current building and construction industry and Northern Territory long service leave standards. The portable long service leave scheme will be administered and managed through a contract with an established scheme administrator with local staff involvement.
Employers will provide a register of workers employed in the building and construction industry, and the scheme will maintain that register. The scheme will be statute-based. It will be subject to tripartite governance arrangements of industry, employee ...
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This question is definitely announcing new policy of government. While that is good, the processes of Question Time do not afford us to debate or interrogate this …
Mr Henderson: You do not want to hear it.
Mr DUNHAM: No, we want to hear it, but I understood, under standing orders, General Rules, questions 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. I would have thought that it was out of bounds on that ground.
Mr HENDERSON: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. This was an election commitment that this government made. It has been in front of the people of the Northern Territory for at least three-and-a-half years that I know of. It is not new policy, it is the fulfilment of an election commitment.
Madam SPEAKER: I will say, member for Drysdale, it is not unprecedented that we have had new policies announced by government over the years. Minister, continue.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Madam Speaker. For something I have been talking about in this Chamber since 1994 or 1995, it is a bit hard to say it is a new policy. It has taken a long time to get there, I will grant you that, but it ain’t a new policy.
In about 1994 or 1995 - go and check Hansard - I asked questions of you blokes when you were in government on when you were going to do this, based on the amount of representation that I was receiving from industry and union groups.
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: I do not know about them, obviously they were either deaf to it or people realised it was a waste of time going to the then government to talk about bringing this forward.
To complete my remarks, the scheme will be statute-based. It will be subject to tripartite governance arrangements of industry, employee and independent representatives appointed by the Minister for Employment, Education and Training.
It will be an important tool in the ongoing efforts to both attract and keep skilled workers in the Territory, particularly with the major projects commencing. It has been anecdotally put to me by large contractors that it has been difficult in the past, because this is a condition of service - particularly when things are going well interstate - that workers did not want to lose. If they were gainfully employed in the construction industry down south, why would they want to come to the Northern Territory, perhaps for a year or two, and have no accumulation of long service leave against their service in the Northern Territory?
It brings us up with the rest of Australia. We will have those reciprocal arrangements in place some time early in the next year. As I said, it is a deeply satisfying thing for me at a very personal level.
Long Service Leave – Impact of Portability
Dr LIM to TREASURER
Your government’s Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Act requires you to report to this Assembly an analysis of the degree to which updated financial projections are likely to be affected by changes in circumstances on which economic and other assumptions are based. I quote that from Budget Paper No 2 of this year.
As employment minister, you are planning that all employers will be required to pay significant additional costs this financial year with the introduction of portability of long service leave arrangements. What is this increase expected to cost employers, and what is its likely impact on the Northern Territory economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is instructive that, having no sooner delivered good news on behalf of construction industry employees in the Northern Territory - and, indeed, good news for the construction industry overall - within 30 seconds of sitting down, we now understand what the Country Liberal Party’s position is in relation to portable long service leave. We now understand why they failed to act on this question in all the years they were in government, because they never supported it then and they do not support it now.
In relation to the costs to the industry, we have had much discussion with about 40 representatives in the Construction Industry Reference Group, chaired by Gerard Butler, attended often by the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning and, most times by me as well. We have worked through the whole package of reforms aimed at the construction industry. I am pleased to say that, as recently as 5.30 or 6.30 last night, those 40 people were in the room. There was support from around the room on this whole range of initiatives.
Dr Lim: What is the cost?
Mr STIRLING: If the member opposite was listening, in my answer I said that the scheme would be funded by way of a levy placed on projects, similar to the style of operation that applies in Queensland. Actuarial advice was sought by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment and, tragically and unfortunately, the actuary who was involved in that work passed away quite suddenly. There is still a body of work to be done regarding actuarial costs and estimates to come forward, and public servants will be travelling …
Mr Dunham: It seemed to be pretty important, since you have been fighting it since 1995.
Mr STIRLING: They asked the question, they do not want to know the answer.
Mr Dunham: We want to know the costs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, last warning! You are continually interrupting the speaker.
Mr STIRLING: Madam Speaker, public servants will be travelling to Queensland in the next week to more closely look at the style of the scheme in Queensland. Whilst it operates at a level such that a project levy goes on any development over $80 000, it also provides funding for a range of other matters such as we do not envisage. For example, it funds all of the industry training for employees in the construction industry, so it covers the costs of all those trainees and apprentices.
We are looking at a scheme, and a levy, based such as to cover the cost of emerging long service leave entitlements. There will not be any other pick-up inside this scheme. We would expect our levy to be smaller than that in Queensland. I would envisage also that it would be placed at a higher level of project than $80 000, given that the Queensland scheme is robust in the money it holds, but also broader in the number of things that they try to do with that scheme.
Whilst I cannot give a definitive answer regarding costs now, because the person passed away before that body of work was completed. Other actuaries have to be brought into the picture. We will be more fully informed in the couple of weeks ahead, after the visit to Queensland and a closer scrutiny and analysis of everything about the Queensland scheme.
CLP Policy Proposals to Enhance Business Confidence
Mr McADAM to MINISTER for BUSINESS and INDUSTRY
Can the minister advise if any costed policy proposals have been sent from anyone in the CLP opposition that will further enhance business confidence in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Barkly, for his important question. We have around 12 months to go before an election has to be called in the Northern Territory. It is interesting that, in the three years in government, this side of the House has not received one costed policy proposal from the opposition - three years and zero in costed policies.
Occasionally, we get a press release. We get policy on the run, like the Opposition Leader yesterday on smoking: ‘Oh, I have not thought about that yet but, let me see, no, we will maintain the status quo’. That is the level of policy development that is going on in the CLP. Or was it like the radio interview around budget time, when we announced our payroll tax cuts in the Northern Territory, and the Leader of the Opposition said: ‘Well, we are going to abolish payroll tax. We are going to abolish stamp duties in the Northern Territory. You are rolling in the GST money, we are going to abolish all of these taxes’. However, the policies from the CLP have not been funded.
I sometimes wonder how 10 members opposite …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, would you get to the answer to the question.
Mr HENDERSON: There are 10 members opposite, three years in opposition, and not one single policy. I reckon that $50 note the member for Greatorex has in his back pocket is still nice and crisp, although it is getting old.
I have had some interesting internal opposition documents sent to me, which show where the opposition is at this particular point in time. Only last week, I had some internal Country Liberal Party documents sent to me – leaked - that show where this once proud Northern Territory party is in policy development. We have five pages here, but no policies, just draft slogans - new logos, slogans, clichs …
Mr Dunham: Come in spinner! It is a trap! We left it as a trap, you goose!
Mr HENDERSON: … expressions of hope that one day they will return to their rightful inheritance. Some of their policies …
Mr Dunham: We knew if we left it in the pub you would find it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale! I heard that, withdraw it!
Mr DUNHAM: I withdraw, Madam Speaker. I withdraw the fact that he is a goose.
Mr HENDERSON: These are leaked documents, and I table them. Let us look at these slogans. One is called ‘Slogans’. ‘The Power Behind Progress’ - I believe that is a bit lame. Another one: ‘Fighting for an independent future’. Well, you guys can leave off that because you became the Canberra Liberals after the last federal election.
Here we have a raft of new logos and slogans. Let us look at the logos here. Country Liberal Party - maybe we should call it the Canberra’s Liberal Party. What they do show is that the opposition is bitterly divided, leaking internal documents to me as Leader of Government Business - an act of treachery against the Opposition Leader. Which one of the nine people around you has leaked these to my office? I am not sure, but it is an act of treachery.
Can I make a suggestion? If the CLP wants to return to their rightful inheritance - as the member for Drysdale believes it is - to being in government, spend more time on policies and less time on slogans and logos.
Chinatown Development – Lease of Government Office Space
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for CORPORATE and INFORMATION SERVICES
The Chief Minister referred to today’s Business Review, and I note …
Ms Martin: Good reading it was, too!
Mr BURKE: Yes, it actually is good reading. I get sick of seeing your photo in there because I do not know what you are actually doing to promote the Northern Territory – and wasting taxpayers’ money - but the rest of it was good reading, actually.
Seriously, minister, the fate of the $90m Chinatown project is being speculated about in this review. I notice also, in tenders on-line from your department that, for tenders closing on 17th of this month, there is 4500 m2 of government office space to be leased in the Darwin central business district. Is that office space relevant to this Chinatown development?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, yes, we have gone out to tender for 4500 m2 of office space …
Mr Dunham: Same space?
Madam SPEAKER: Just wait until the minister answers.
Mr HENDERSON: … to accommodate the Department of Justice. The government is still committed to the Chinatown project …
Mr Burke: So we have 9000 m2 out there now? George Cridland will love that.
Mr HENDERSON: Under the policy of this government for the allocation of office space, we have quite a number of office accommodation contracts coming up over the next few years. When Chinatown is built, we will be able to take up the commitment that we went to tender for.
However, at this particular point in time, the project has been delayed. I am sorry to see it delayed because I personally believe it will be a great project for Darwin. However, it is a commercial project. It is not a government project, it is a private sector project. We have made a commitment to take up office space in that project, and that commitment still stands. In the meantime, we have a requirement to accommodate the Department of Justice in one location, and that is what we have gone to tender for.
Mr BURKE: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your supplementary?
Mr BURKE: I ask the minister simply to confirm whether this is additional to the 4500 m2, so that there is 9000 m2 of office space going out to tender – 4000 m2 committed, and 4500 m2 still to be committed.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, this is a timing issue. The 4500 m2 that was required to accommodate the Department of Justice is required now; that is why we have gone out to tender. The commitment we made to take up office space in that Chinatown development still stands. However, the project has been delayed. It is not new office space, it is the same space.
However, we have a number of contracts expiring for office space over the year, and decisions will be made, within the appropriate guidelines, at the time that the Chinatown project is completed. Until such time as it is completed, we are getting on with the job and putting out the 4500 m2 for the Department of Justice.
Hospice Progress
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for HEALTH
Could the minister please inform the House of progress towards fulfilling the government’s commitment to provide Territorians with a hospice?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I found myself driving a bobcat at lunch time at the hospital. I was assured the ABC cameraman was not running for his life; he was just training for the footy season.
We have started. The site has been cleared, levelled and work has begun. $4.25m has been committed to the actual construction project. Work is in progress by Jackman Gooden Architects, in conjunction with Build Up Design, to complete the documentation. The clinical user groups have been meeting on a weekly basis to have input into the design, development and documentation, which is now complete.
The pre-qualified tender was issued on 4 June 2004 and closed on 30 June 2004. The tender was awarded to PTM Homes, a local company, which is now ensconced in a house adjacent to the site. I met all their workers today - it was great to see them there starting work. That was awarded on 15 September 2004. It is anticipated the construction of the 12-bed facility will be completed in late April 2005. We have allocated $1.8m recurrent to take up the staffing costs, and a $900 000 training program to prepare mainly nurses with palliative care skills to staff that facility.
We are delivering. We will have that facility operational within this term of government. People are very happy out there. The Palliative Care Association president is very much in support of what we are doing so we have delivered on yet another of our promises.
Grey Water Usage
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HEALTH
There has been much talk about the better use of water in Australia, and I believe this week is Water Week. Whilst some of us live in the Top End, where we seem to have an abundance of water, others live in parts of Australia or the Territory where it is much dryer. To reduce water consumption, has the government given any consideration to allowing grey water - that is, water from laundries and showers - to be used legally? Currently, I believe the law is ambivalent about the use of such water.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. We are interested in the issue. We have not made a decision about it. We have been approached by the Arid Zone Research Institute group in Alice Springs on that very issue. It is very appropriate to include that as an environmental health issue in the general issues of planning and design that government is working on at the moment. I cannot say that there has been a decision made. What I can say is that we are taking that issue seriously, and we will certainly get back to the House if we have made a decision on it.
Madam SPEAKER: Perhaps the Minister for Essential Services could respond. I know he did visit the tank trial in Alice Springs.
Dr BURNS (Essential Services): Madam Speaker, I have looked at water efficiency in Alice Springs, and I endorse what the Minister for Health said. There are health issues, particularly the use of that water that might contain faecal coliforms. However, it is very important to balance against that the precious nature of water in the arid zone.
I was very interested to look at the water tank and to take an active interest in the water efficiency study. I have commissioned Power and Water and the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment to expedite that process, as you have requested, Madam Speaker.
Antisocial Behaviour – Control of
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Madam Speaker, before I ask my question, I wonder if the Leader of Government Business could table those documents he had before, as I would not mind having a look at them.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: You claim your returning them to country program is working in reducing antisocial behaviour in the major urban centres. Given that yesterday’s police data reveals that, under your administration, an extra 7000 drunks a year are being apprehend by police, how can you claim that antisocial behaviour is under control?
I seek leave to table this, Madam Speaker.
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Yes, I stand by my ministerial report this morning. We acknowledge that there have been successes in the Community Harmony Project. How that stacks up and how the shadow minister reads the police annual report is neither here nor there with me, in terms of what we have embarked upon …
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: You can laugh, because we know there was no effort at all by the previous CLP government to do anything at all about antisocial behaviour problems. In fact, I thought it was deliberate that they did not want to do anything about it. It suited their political purposes not being addressing antisocial behaviour across the Northern Territory because, the longer it remained, the better it suited their political position.
We have tackled the situation. We said from the outset that it was not going to be fixed overnight. It is not going to be fixed overnight. We are getting runs on the board. We are doing positive things. We are working with some 40 …
Mr Elferink: Runs on the board does not mean more people in custody.
Mr AH KIT: You asked the question, you should shut up and listen to the answer.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, minister!
Mr AH KIT: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Watch your language.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, they asked a question. There are people across the Territory who are really interested about the success story associated with the Community Harmony Project. People out there are very interested in knowing that we are getting on with the job of dealing with the problem. If you are going to ask a question, you should not be rabblerousing while I am trying to give the answer.
The answer is that it has been successful to date. I said from the outset that it was not going to be fixed overnight. It is not going to be fixed overnight. There is a lot of effort, time, resources, agencies, public servants, and people with goodwill who are starting to turn things around.
We are not seeing the results that the CLP would like to see because we know what their position was: do nothing, let the matter exacerbate and manifest, and we would still have a lot of problems throughout Territory townships and cities. We are alleviating the problem. We will continue to work harder to alleviate the problem. Regardless of what members opposite feel or believe, to date, the Community Harmony Project has been a success story.
Tennant Creek Region - Economy
Mr McADAM to TREASURER
You will be aware of significant improvements in the Top End economy. Can you provide details on the strength and performance of the Tennant Creek economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question - Tennant Creek’s single greatest fighter. Tennant Creek is in the midst of a mining resurgence. Bootu Creek manganese project, Giants Reef and the Peko rehabilitation project are all major and significant boosters for economic growth in the region. There have been around 200 new jobs created in the last 12 months directly involved in mining, with indirect spin-offs as a result of catering contracts, accommodation and construction needs.
Bootu manganese will export between 500 000 to 600 000 tonnes of manganese product for at least 10 years. It could be extended, with additional discoveries, for up to 25 years, which will provide a solid base for the economy. In excess of $30m will be spent on infrastructure works in relation to the mine at Bootu. It is expected to provide 75 jobs. It is envisaged there will be an 82-bed accommodation village on the mine lease and a catering team. Appreciable royalties and rentals will be paid to traditional owners which, of course, will be expended locally. Smaller local companies have also been able to secure contracts.
Giants Reef has been operational for the past 12 months. It has upped production of operations around Tennant Creek from 60 000 ounces per year to an estimated 100 000 ounces per year. Quarterly production has gone from around 11 000 ounces to around 17 000 ounces. They employ 55 people in their office in Tennant Creek.
Barminco, operating Chariot Mine, employ around 40 workers, all making a contribution to the town. There are six drilling rigs in Tennant Creek at the moment, and that is unprecedented. The Tennant Creek pub has been a big winner in catering contracts. It has employed five people as a result of a $1.8m contract over three years. $30 000 a year will be spent by Giants Reef on uniforms and other clothing apparel, and it has gone to a local Tennant Creek company, Tennant Creek Emporium - more jobs for the town. There has been more work done at the Peko rehabilitation project – another six jobs.
The government is spending a significant infrastructure budget directly into the region that will result in more jobs: almost $5m on stage one roadworks to Borroloola; $750 000 in infrastructure at Tennant Creek Hospital; $1.3m for a renal dialysis unit; approximately $1m for paving, widening and rehabilitation of roads around Tennant Creek; and $280 000 for the Battery Hill project.
Interestingly, visitor numbers to the cultural centre have leapt through the roof, with a 300% increase compared to last year.
These are very positive indicators for Tennant Creek and the Barkly, and the people who live in the region. It does have a great employment future. It does have solid development opportunities now and, going forward in the short to medium term. It also has a great local member, who fights like hell for the Barkly. I am pleased to be able to put that good news on the record.
Charles Darwin University – Continuation of Apprenticeship Courses
Dr LIM to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
While your government engages in the systematic abuse of the taxpayers’ purse to fund Labor’s …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, you cannot accuse the government of a systematic abuse of taxpayers.
Dr LIM: Well, while the government is using taxpayers’ money to fund Labor’s re-election campaign, real issues are being ignored. Fifteen bakery and pastry cooking apprentices …
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I still do not understand the inference being made here that we are using taxpayers’ funds to re-elect this government. He needs to put up or withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, reword your question. Just say what you want to say.
Dr LIM: Let me ask the question, Madam Speaker.
Fifteen bakery and pastry cooking apprentices at the Palmerston Campus of the Charles Darwin University have been told that their instructor had to leave Darwin urgently, and that their course will not continue for the remainder of the year. Some of these apprentices have only six months of their course left to complete. They now find that they have to defer their course for another year. One has lost a job that he had lined up in France. How will you reassure these 15 apprentices that they can continue their course uninterrupted?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to give an absolutely unequivocal assurance that this will continue. The students in question are currently doing their block at Palmerston. That block will finish on Friday, 15 October. No trainer has left - let us get this straight. The trainer is currently teaching the block. No swot break, exam breaks or holiday breaks are scheduled by the university between these blocks. The apprentices will be returning to work, as normal, on completion of the current block, and then returning for the next block, which is deferred for one month. The next block has been moved back a month, from 25 October to 5 November, and is now taking place on 22 November, due to the fact that the trainer has to take a brief period off for important, but unforeseen, personal business.
No one’s training is, has been, or will be at stake on this issue. Apprentices are to be advised during this block about the changes that will occur, and a letter has been sent to all employers in relation to the deferred block.
Regarding any issue here - and there is not one - the fact is that CDU and DEET have responded properly, immediately and appropriately to an unforeseen circumstance where the instructor, for reasons unforeseen, has to have this time out. Therefore, we have seen a slippage of one month - a very limited impact in the effect on apprentices and employees. There has been no impact at all on final completion date of apprentices.
Therefore, when he talks about the apprentice having lost the opportunity for employment in France, I do not think he is being told the full story from the particular individual. That is the advice I have. I trust that advice implicitly. DEET and CDU have done everything they possibly can here. The unforeseen is that block training has slipped one month. How that could possibly have affected the employment prospects, when I do not believe the apprentice was going to be completing in November anyway, is beyond me.
If the member has other information of a personal nature - and I do not go into individual cases on the floor of this parliament, for good reasons – or more pertinent, or something that I am not aware of, I would ask him to bring it to me, because I certainly do not want to see anyone disadvantaged. However, my advice is that no one is being disadvantaged.
Dragons Abreast Calendar – Support for
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Why did you lend your support to the 2005 calendar that has recently been launched by the dynamic Dragons Abreast?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a good question, because what we have is a unique Territory product, and one that is raising funds for something that we need greater awareness of, better prevention for and, of course, cure for; that is, breast cancer. What we have is a terrific Territory product. I was proud to join 13 other Territory women in being in the calendar. It is a great effort - a terrific effort.
The whole issue of breast cancer in the Territory is a very pertinent one to us. Of all the cancers suffered by women in the Territory, breast cancer is the most common. For Territory women, if you are going to get cancer, you are most likely to get breast cancer. On average, over the last 10 years, there have been 50 new cases a year. If you look at the national figures, one in 11 Australian women will get breast cancer. It is a very serious issue.
I pay tribute to a young woman whose idea this was - Lisa Ridgley from Mix 104.9 FM. Lisa and I were having a conversation one Friday morning, talking about calendars with the beautiful bodies in them. She was saying it would be good to have a calendar with women in it who were not the model bodies and were a whole variety of ages. Anyway, the conversation was left there. Lisa picked it up and decided to do something about it.
There is a big difference between a good idea and actually making it happen, and Lisa Ridgley, through her efforts, made it happen. She quickly got in touch with Michelle Hanton from Dragons Abreast. Michelle is another woman who does not let a good idea die. She got behind this, along with Jo Reiter from Boyanton Advertising. The three of them pulled in other talent and persuaded 14 Territory women to be part of this. What we have is a great product that has a sense of fun about it and, from what early indications are, it will sell very well.
The January girl is Nerys Evans, and it is a typical Nerys kind of picture; it is fantastic. At the launch, Nerys said what the bottom line really is with this is all about raising money for breast cancer. It is supporting Dragons Abreast, a Territory initiative which, with what Michelle has done with it, has won her the Telstra Business Women’s Award for the Territory and put her into the national competition. Nerys said:
- I hope this calendar makes squillions. It is going to be sold intra-Territory, interstate, and intercontinental. I bet it is the best Christmas present for anyone in this part, or any part, of the world.
I congratulate the Territory women. I was proud to be part of it. The Mayor of Palmerston is part of it - looks great.
Mr Burke: She looks beautiful, too.
Ms MARTIN: The Mayor of Alice Springs is part of it, and lots of other women. I believe we all came up pretty well. I pay particular thanks to photographer, Simon Furlong and, importantly, to make-up artist Aaron Crocker.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016