2007-02-20
Royal Darwin Hospital Nurses - Overtime
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
The ANF has said that over 20% of nurses are forced to work overtime so that shifts can be covered at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Do you deny that 20% of nurses are persistently and constantly being expected to work overtime? If so, will you please table information to support your answer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. As I acknowledged in an interview this morning, nurses and doctors are working overtime, particularly given the very busy state of Royal Darwin Hospital. I do acknowledge that nurses are working overtime. However, my advice from the department is, in terms of any nurses working 50 hours and over, the figure is actually about 3%.
Whilst I acknowledge, during these very busy times, that nurses are working overtime, and I thank them for all their efforts, and I thank the doctors for all their efforts, particularly given the very busy nature of Royal Darwin Hospital over the last week, I have placed on the record the advice that I have from the department.
Crystal Methamphetamine (Ice)
Mr KIELY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Can you inform the House of additional measures the Martin Labor government is taking to tackle the issue of crystal methamphetamine, otherwise known as ice?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, ice is an Australia-wide problem. It is growing in other states, and we do not want to see it grow within the Northern Territory. There was an Australian National Council on Drugs report and survey that estimated about half a million Australians used methylamphetamines in the last year. It is important to point out that methylamphetamines are a sub-category of amphetamines and ice is part of that sub-category, along with other drugs.
In relation to the Northern Territory, the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which was published in 2004, estimated that approximately 3.9% of Territorians over the age of 14 who were sampled by the survey had used either amphetamines or methylamphetamines in the past 12 months. It is also important to point out that the Northern Territory police are doing a magnificent job investigating and bringing those to book who are involved in amphetamines. They have advised that, since 2004, they have busted 38 clandestine labs and there have been 300 seizures of amphetamine drugs.
On the specific issue of crystal methamphetamine, which is a very pure form of amphetamine, it is about 80% pure compared with about 20% of other amphetamine products, it is a very dangerous drug. Apart from the euphoric effects, it may also result in chest pains, paranoid delusions, aggression, depression and bizarre behaviour. It is highly addictive and extremely dangerous.
I attended a national summit on this in Sydney towards the end of 2006, which all jurisdictions attended, to try to address the growing issue of ice within our communities. This particular ministerial council focused on issues related to enforcement, education, treatment and prevention. We all agreed that the most successful way to address ice was a collaborative approach. There is much going on at the national level in terms of clandestine laboratories and stopping precursors from reaching those laboratories, and also intelligence-led policing to bust those syndicates which are manufacturing and distributing these drugs.
The issue of ice pipes was also raised, by the Commonwealth in particular. I am advised that most of these ice pipes are imported from overseas. The Commonwealth secretary, Christopher Pyne, suggested that states and territories ban ice pipes. It was put back to him that, since most of these ice pipes are imported, that the Commonwealth should ban the importation of ice pipes. I have written to Christopher Pyne on this issue, urging him to have a national ban on the importation of ice pipes. I have also pointed out that the Northern Territory will be moving along the line of complementary legislation in terms of that national ban so it will be complementing existing bans elsewhere.
In relation to our penalties and sanctions regime for illicit drugs, particularly ice, it is amongst the toughest in Australia. I will not go into detail here, but they are amongst the toughest in Australia. Nonetheless, I have written to the Attorney-General suggesting that we have a review on those penalties and the Attorney-General has agreed.
At a national level, methylamphetamine (ice) is listed as a Schedule 2 drug, and that is a consensual position of states and territories in the Commonwealth. There is a certain level of sanctions and penalties that apply to those Schedule 2 drugs. I will be writing to my state and territory counterparts, as well as the Commonwealth government, to look at putting methylamphetamine or ice into the Schedule 1, along with heroin, cocaine and lysergic acid, because I believe it is every bit as dangerous as those drugs.
Madam Speaker, we are a government that is tough on drugs. We have brought in a whole range of laws, criminal forfeiture, drug houses, special drug courts, anti-gang laws, all aimed at being tough on drugs and reducing the drug scourge within the Northern Territory. We will be continuing that work, and I undertake to continue to report that work to the House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Royal Darwin Hospital Nurses - Overtime
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
On radio today, a nurse said that she was working on average 16 to 32 hours of overtime each fortnight. The ANF said some nurses are working up to 90 hours per week. In your previous answer, and today on radio, you suggest that nurses are making this up. On ABC radio this morning, you said: ‘… these claims have come forward before and really they haven’t been substantiated to me’.
Minister, are these claims by nurses incorrect and, if so, have you had any idea, since you had six hours to get this information to dispute these claims? Will you now table the information to support your claim?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I repeat the answer that I gave before. The information I have from the department is that approximately 3% of nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital worked more than 50 hours in the last pay period. The other advice I have is that there was no nurse that worked 90 hours within that pay period. I will repeat, I do acknowledge that nurses are working overtime, and I thank them for their efforts. However, I will repeat what I said on radio. We are in an enterprise bargaining situation with nurses, and whilst I do not dispute that some nurses are working long hours, I believe we need to see some of these claims in the context of our enterprise bargaining agreement. I remind the member for Greatorex, he walked all over the process with teachers in 2005. He made quite a lot of mischief there and he appears to be doing the same in terms of the nursing EBA. I implore him to act in a responsible fashion in relation to these matters.
Northern Territory Economy - Outlook
Mr BONSON to TREASURER
The Territory economy is strong and growing and delivering the best lifestyle in Australia for Territorians.
Mrs BRAHAM: A point of order; Madam Speaker! I believe that swearing is not allowed in this House. The member for Millner used the ‘L’ word.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat. Member for Millner, please continue.
Mr BONSON: Can the Treasurer advise how the independent commentators are assessing the Northern Territory’s strong economic outlook?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. It is true, the economy is strong, and it is delivering and securing the greatest lifestyle in Australia, that of the Northern Territory.
Last week, Access Economics provided very positive commentary in and around our economic outlook for the next few years. They have now been joined by the Housing Industry Association in their most recent state outlook for the December quarter, released yesterday: State Outlook - Northern Territory December Quarter 2006. I table that for the benefit of members. They will find it an interesting read, because it acknowledges - and I quote from the report directly:
- … The Northern Territory economy received the gong for the stand out performer of 2006.
That is as good as it gets, Madam Speaker. They say that the Territory economy is set to have another ‘ripper year this year’ and are forecasting that, over future years, the growth will remain at an impressive 4.5%. The Housing Industry Association report looks closely at the make-up of the housing industry at the moment. It shows that the housing industry is moving from explosive levels of growth that we have been seeing to a more moderate and, importantly in the longer term, a more sustainable level of growth across the industry.
We acknowledge that small changes can have a significant effective on an economy as small as ours, so we are particularly pleased with the Housing Industry Association’s outlook that shows solid, ongoing housing and unit development will continue into the future. I have said on numerous occasions that our economy is driven by a couple of key industry sectors, and construction is right up there with them.
I am pleased with that analysis from both Access Economics and the Housing Industry Association, but it does not mean we will become complacent as a government. We will continue our vigilance. We will continue to apply those four key principles that helped us pick this economy up out of the doldrums that the CLP left it in, in mid-2001 – left it on its knees. We have transformed it to the star performer of Australian economies - says the Housing Industry Association.
Those strategies are - and I will reiterate them although I have made them clear before. We will continue with high levels of cash into our infrastructure program; we will continue to support those key economic drivers; we will continue with our strategic taxation reduction; and we will maintain the strong fiscal discipline that we have over our past.
I was a bit amused today to see, from the Leader of the Opposition, a media release saying the Territory had come to a standstill. What was the basis of that claim? The basis of that claim was how much legislation was passing through this House. This is an informative insight into the mind of the Leader of the Opposition. It harks back to her previous life as a lawyer; that is, if we are not sitting here passing 10 laws an hour and every regulation under the sun, then the government is doing nothing and the place is at a standstill because we are not regulating.
Tell that to the people out there who are enjoying 6.2% economic growth, 2% unemployment, 5% employment growth, and 1.7% population growth. If that is standing still, Madam Speaker, I will take plenty of it.
Royal Darwin Hospital Nurses - Overtime
Dr LIIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
This morning on the ABC radio, a nurse who did not want to be identified for fear of losing her job said: ‘The other day I did a shift that started at 1 in the afternoon and finished at 7.30 in the morning’. She went on to claim that she does 16 to 32 hours overtime each fortnight. Minister, you keep telling me that you have received advice from the department. How many nurses are in this position, and why will you not table the information you have to support your answer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am more than happy to table the advice that I have. I have told the member for Greatorex that I am happy to table it. It is ironic, though, that the member for Greatorex goes back to overtime and pressures on Royal Darwin Hospital. I believe it is important that I place on the record what this government has done for Royal Darwin Hospital since we have come to power. We have spent an extra $200m in relation to Royal Darwin Hospital ...
Dr Lim: Where are the patient outcomes?
Dr BURNS: Let me finish, member for Greatorex. That is a 75% increase. This is very significant. We have also established an extra 58 beds within Royal Darwin Hospital. We are also implementing the Rapid Admission Unit. There are nine units in there at present, with an extra 15 to come. This is to address issues of flow through the emergency service. We built a new Accident and Emergency facility there and have invested $6.1m recurrent into that. The Rapid Admission Unit that I just mentioned - $7.8m recurrent, a 24-hour facility when it is completed. When it has its full complement in the 2007-08 year there will be 80 staff in there working around the clock.
This is a government that is committed to health and building health in the Territory, unlike the CLP, which stripped out 200 nurses. I am happy to table my advice on the issue of nurse overtime. What I would also like to table is this graph from the 1998-99 Territory Health Services Annual Report, which shows how the CLP stripped out 200 nurses over the period nominated. You can see it quite clearly in this histogram.
My message to the member for Greatorex is this: if the CLP were in power, given the pressures on Royal Darwin Hospital, they had $200m less to cope with it and had a lot fewer nurses and 58 fewer beds. It is a bit rich for the member for Greatorex to point the finger at the government. We are a government that is investing. We have done a lot and there is more to do.
Northern Territory Economy - Outlook
Mr KNIGHT to CHIEF MINISTER
During the 2005 election campaign, the most fundamental commitment that you made was to work to strengthen and broaden the Territory’s economic base. Can you tell this House what the government is doing to build the Territory’s economic future, broaden the economic base and underpin our great Territory lifestyle?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. Despite the groans from the other side of the House, broadening our economy and providing jobs for Territorians is a fundamental task of government. To hear the opposition moan when a question is asked about what we are doing, you could expect the opposition might ask some of these questions, but no. And they groan when we actually want to look at some of the details of how this government is growing the economy. So I thank the member for his question. It is an important question that goes to the future of Territorians. It was a most fundamental …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!
Ms MARTIN: Despite the rudeness of the Leader of the Opposition, it is the most fundamental promise made in 2005 as it was in 2001. Today, as the Treasurer has indicated, there is support from the HIA for our economy. We are one of the leading economies in the country. We have 6.2% growth; we have 5% employment growth; and 1.7% growth in population. That is what you call an economic trifecta. But - there are always buts here - we are a small economy and one that can receive significant blows from small changes in a national and international context. That is why our focus has been on broadening our economic base and strengthening our opportunities. It is about securing our future, it is about our jobs and it is about supporting our lifestyle. It is about supporting the Territory lifestyle. This government has no shame about saying to Territorians that we are determined to support this Territory lifestyle.
A major factor underpinning our economic growth is the provision of essential services. Last week, we announced the building of a new power station at Weddell - $86m - it is the largest investment in our electricity infrastructure in more than two decades. That is part of a package of power infrastructure projects. We will see new substations at Archer and Frances Bay. I would have thought the Leader of the Opposition might have been interested - significant power generation improvements in Alice Springs.
Ms Carney: Hear, hear!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: ‘Hear, hear,’ says the Opposition Leader. Alongside the provision of essential services, in which the Opposition Leader is not interested, we are ensuring that other key elements of our economy are strengthening and broadening. As of the end of December, 3188 Territorians are in training, an increase of 48% over the 2001 figure. That increase is a direct result of our commitment to a Jobs Plan that provides training incentives to employers and employees.
With 2% unemployment currently in the Territory, we have the opportunity to extend jobs right across the Territory. That is why we are exploring every avenue of skills training through increased education, VET and other programs, into our remote communities, regional townships and, of course, Darwin and Palmerston.
Another area of broadening the economy is in tourism. In tourism, we are out-performing the rest of Australia. Hear, hear, I say. International numbers grew by 5.7% in the Territory.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Just listen to the numbers, Opposition Leader. International numbers grew by 5.7% against the rest of Australia, which was 4.5%. We are doing better than the rest of Australia, and the international backpacker numbers have increased by 12.3%.
We have grown the cruise ship market from around 16 ships in 2001 to 46 ships this season, and that is a strong and important push for our shoulder season, not forgetting the convention centre in Darwin, which will be ready next year.
On gas, another broadening of our economy, two weeks ago, I went to Japan to push the Territory again as a major gas hub. We have an LNG plant across the harbour, the Blacktip field in the Bonaparte Gulf is being developed, and we are continuing to see exciting finds in the Timor Sea. We are in the box seat when it comes to being a greater gas hub for this region. I have also raised natural gas as part of the alternative to greenhouse-emitting industries in other states. Gas is a critical part of our future, and we are working on developing it full tilt. More jobs, that is what it is about.
They are some examples of how we are building our economy, and that is a good story in anyone’s book. This is not a government or a Territory that is standing still.
Local Government Reform – Rating System
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Your government is amalgamating Litchfield, Coomalie, Cox Peninsula and Belyuen Councils, plus a large area of unincorporated land from Dundee Beach to Douglas Daly Farms to Marrakai. Can you guarantee that there will be no substantial rate increases for those people living in existing municipalities because of the new responsibilities being put on them by this new ‘super council’ and the amount of infrastructure that will have to be put in to bring it up to a reasonable standard? Will your government give a substantial establishment package to cover these changes so that ratepayers will not be burdened by large rate increases?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As he indicated, the government is moving towards a new shire-type model. During the course of that process, we have ample opportunity in the context of the communities being engaged, the respective shire councils, and other interests within the region. One of the points I have made clear from the very beginning is that this should not be seen as an economic impost upon people within the new shire councils.
Clearly, the shire councils themselves will make decisions about the rating base. No new shire council is going to go out there and try to strangle the local economy, the householders or industry with unrealistic rating imposts.
You mentioned infrastructure costs. No, I do not have figures on the total bid for infrastructure across that shire, bearing in mind that they are the types of issues that will be addressed over time. No one can click their fingers and say: ‘We will fix all the infrastructure within a shire council within a defined time frame’. At the very least, this model will allow us to progress more efficiently and, in a more strategic way, address infrastructure needs.
The other question you asked …
Mr Wood: Will there be an establishment package?
Mr McADAM: The establishment package is something the department has considered, as I have. As you would be aware, this is all part of the budgetary process. Obviously, we are working on those issues right now.
Nurses – Numbers at Alice Springs Hospital
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
Is it the case that the Alice Springs Hospital is 25 full-time equivalent nurses short for the month of February? If it is not, how many vacant positions are there? Will you table the information to support your answer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, when I was last advised in relation to Alice Springs Hospital, the information I have is that Alice Springs Hospital was actually over allocation in terms of its FTE for its nursing staff.
Arafura Games 2007
Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
The Arafura Games provides us an opportunity to showcase our great lifestyle to our national and international neighbours. Can the minister inform the House about how the games are being assessed by others?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. It is only 81 days until the Arafura Games; eight days in May that will bring 2500 athletes here from 30 countries in 23 sports. In particular, Macau will be sending 180 athletes, Brunei and Singapore more than 200, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea more than 300. And, of course, the local community is getting behind the Arafura Games. My understanding is that the Filipino community is prepared to billet all the athletes from the Philippines. We are also offering a position for three months for an official from the Vietnam Olympic Committee to work in Darwin for the Arafura Games.
In addition to that, we have now incorporated the Oceania Paralympic Championships, the Oceania Junior Weightlifting Championships and the Commonwealth Junior Championships. Also, the Wheelchair Basketball competition will be an Olympic qualifying event for the Beijing Paralympics for Asia and Oceania, with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Kuwait and Iran playing for the three positions that are available for Beijing.
The fantastic news that we received a couple of days ago is that the 2007 Arafura Games have now received Sports for All patronage from the International Olympic Committee. The committee has recognised the Arafura Games as Sports for All, as games that actually provide an opportunity for emerging athletes. I would like to tell you what the Australian Olympic Committee Secretary-General, Craig Phillips said in a press release :
- When we considered the IOC’s criteria for Sports for All patronage, we did not think that we could go past the Arafura Games. It offers good quality international competition in 23 sports to 3000 athletes across a wide age range from some 30 nations. It has become an important event for the Asia Pacific region in particular.
We inherited the Arafura Games as a sports festival and we have now developed it to a world-class sporting event.
Members: Hear, hear!
Royal Darwin Hospital Nurses - Overtime
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
I refer to the paper you tabled in a previous answer to my question. What you did not tell the House is that the data that you provide in this paper relates to pay period 13 of 2005-06 to pay period 16 of 2006-07. We are well into the second half of 2006-07, minister, and you are tabling figures that have no relation to what is happening currently in the crisis that surrounds the Royal Darwin Hospital. That is the sort of confabulation and misleading information that you provide. Can you provide me with current information showing that nursing staff are working extremely long hours’ overtime, putting themselves at risk and putting patients at the Royal Darwin Hospital at risk?
Mr Henderson: That is outrageous. Disgraceful.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Henderson: You are just scaremongering.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I reiterate what was given to the member for Greatorex in the paper that I tabled. Within pay period 16 for 2006-07, the percentage of nurses working more than 50 hours per week was 3.3%. That is the current information.
I will, however, clarify my answer to the last question, and I was mistaken and my apologies, member for Greatorex. The advice that I do have is that, in relation to Alice Springs Hospital, there are currently 27 vacant nurse positions in Alice Springs Hospital.
Dr Lim: Thank you.
Dr BURNS: Yes, well, I …
Dr Lim: You just found out?
Dr BURNS: Yes, I am setting the record straight here. The nursing workforce at this time is higher than it was this time last year. With the information I have here, in a comparison from 2001 to June 2006, there has been a 23% increase in the number of doctors ...
Ms Carney: You do not even know how many nurses are in Alice Springs and you are the Health minister!
Dr BURNS: Listen, for member for Araluen …
Ms Carney: Why did you not know that?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Dr BURNS: … a 23% increase in the FTE for doctors at Alice Springs Hospital and a 28% increase in nurses. Once again, we have a government that is investing in both doctors and nursing staff.
I have acknowledged, regarding both Royal Darwin Hospital and Alice Springs Hospital, that there are difficulties in recruitment. It is a very competitive recruiting environment that we have for nurses, both nationally and internationally. As a government, we are recruiting nurses. I tabled a document before that showed how the CLP had stripped 200 nursing positions out of the system.
I was asked by the media last week about ins and outs and nursing FTEs. I am more than happy, regarding nurse separations and commencements for 2006, to also table this document. I told the media last week that I would. It clearly shows a nett increase in our nursing numbers over that period between January 2006 and December 2006. In addition, this graph shows a seasonal variation in nurse numbers. You can see a clear upward trend under this government in nursing numbers.
We are investing in our nurses and doctors, both in Alice Springs Hospital and Royal Darwin Hospital. I will table these documents, and I am more than happy to speak to them also, member for Greatorex, as I have been regarding the last document I tabled.
You wanted to focus on that, but you did not want to focus on the other one, an annual report that shows a 200 reduction in nursing numbers, courtesy of the CLP.
NT Fleet - Fuel Efficient Vehicles
Mr WARREN to MINISTER for CORPORATE and INFORMATION SERVICES
In the October sittings last year, you reported to the House about fuel efficient vehicles in the NT Fleet. Can you please update the House on this important environmental initiative?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question. By way of background information, the House should be aware that NT Fleet has trialled the hybrid vehicles and encouraged their use by subsidies to agencies which, in effect, brings the hire rate in line with the base V6 Holden sedan. There have been previous and ongoing evaluations of the use of LP gas and turbo-diesel vehicles.
One of the big movements of late has been the transferring effect from six-cylinder vehicles to four-cylinder vehicles. In April 2006, hybrid and four-cylinder vehicles represented about 40% of the total fleet. I am pleased to advise that that figure has gone up to 45% and that, by the end of December of this year, we hope to have that figure up to 50%, which is a good outcome. I am advised that we are on target to reach that outcome.
Mr Stirling: I have to get rid of my Corvette.
Mr McADAM: You will have to get rid of your Corvette, Treasurer.
The other thing occurring which is also going to bring some real efficiencies in fuel and also the environment is that Executive Officer Level 1 and Executive Teachers will transition from six-cylinder to four-cylinder vehicles over the next two years. That is a very responsible and mature response to some of the issues and problems that we face in the environment regarding fuel. It is a good outcome. Thank you, member for Goyder, for your question. I look forward to reporting to the House at a later stage about this initiative.
Stuart By-Election – ALP Expenditure
Mrs BRAHAM to CHIEF MINISTER
In line with Labor’s promise of transparent and accountable procedures in government, will you please table the detailed expenditure by the Labor party for the Stuart by-election? I do not mean the total figure, but for broadcasting, publishing, production, mailing and research? Would you provide those figures to this House so we can actually see what you spent on the Stuart by-election?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member for Braitling. Maybe, being an Independent, she does not quite understand that that was party expenditure …
Mrs Braham: I know, but Independents have to declare it.
Ms MARTIN: That party expenditure, according to our electoral laws, goes to the Electoral Commission. So those, quite properly, go there. That is in the carriage of our party, the Labor Party, and that will all be done transparently and accountably. It is not appropriate that I discuss those figures, however, they will be accounted for. I cannot give any more details on that. Can I say, just reminding us of the Stuart by-election, that we are delighted to have our new member here and delighted with the outcome and the strong support he got in that by-election, so well done.
Recreational Fishing Sector
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
Fishing is more popular in the Territory than anywhere else in the nation, and it makes a significant contribution to the great Territory lifestyle that we all enjoy. It is not just locals. It lures more than 100 000 fishing tourists to the Territory each year - most come to my electorate, of course. Can you outline the initiatives currently under way to ensure that our great fishing experience will continue into the future?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. Fishing is a great culture in the Territory, and the member for Braitling will have to excuse me because I am going to use that ‘L’ word again, because it is the lure of the Territory.
Recreation participation rates here are the highest in the country in the fishing side of things. One in five Northern Territory households owns a boat. As the member for Daly said, we have over 100 000 visitors throughout the course of the year who enjoy the fishing aspects of it. Looking after those 100 000 tourists are the 167 licensed tour and charter operators. One of their great joys is to take these tourists out to some of the good fishing spots we have in and around the harbour and on our coastline. One of the fish they do try to target is the black jewfish.
The expansion of the artificial reefs that I mentioned last week is going to be a priority for me, to attract some of those schooling fish, and it is going to create an environment where those schooling fish will be able to breed in the future. The jewfish are a schooling fish. They congregate in certain locations and are very easy to catch. Because of this, their numbers could come into jeopardy if they continue to be fished at any great length. We are seeking to discover a little more about that. The Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines has commenced a researched project to discover more about the jewfish and its environment. I thank the researchers who have undertaken that research. Our department has had some help from the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Charles Darwin University, the Tasmanian Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. The fishing tour operators have become heavily involved in helping us, as have the commercial fishermen and recreational anglers.
The department has a couple of wonderful people doing some great work and I acknowledge the Senior Research Scientist, Michael Phelan, who has done some fantastic work. He is a very clever young man who has done some wonders with our Fisheries department and he has some able support from a young research scientist, Rachel Meldrum, who has won a couple of notable prizes over her time. She is going to be a great asset to our department in the future as well.
As part of this research project, a large number of jewfish were caught and electronically intelligent tagged. They were released alive …
Members interjecting.
Mr NATT: That would help, I suppose! Fifty underwater listening devices were deployed on the floor of the sea bed. Over 18 months, the 80 fish that were tagged between Channel Point and Chambers Bay, various research was undertaken to find out what their individual movements were and this was downloaded for analysis.
Local fishermen and tour operators were very interested in some of the results, which have shown the jewfish remain resident on fishing grounds all year round, and some return after an absence of about nine months. The other is that the fishing grounds peak at about 6 am and 6 pm every day, and more fish were present during the high tide period. At Channel Point, more jewfish were detected during neap tides, so there is a little information for fishermen. The interesting part about it is that there was no jewfish movement between Channel Point and Chambers Bay.
Like our barramundi fishery, it is important that we maintain the best management practices that we can to ensure that we continue to have good fishing in the Territory into the future.
Members: Hear, hear!
Royal Darwin Hospital – Emergency Unit
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
Is it the case that part of the emergency waiting room of Royal Darwin Hospital has been partitioned off with sheets and office pinboards for use by hospital patients? This is a situation one would expect to find in a third world country. Prior to using the waiting room as a patient treatment area, were all other additional beds in the hospital open for use as per ministerial directive? What other urgent ministerial directive will you issue to resolve this problem, or will you, at the very least, ensure that previous ministerial directives are followed?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I notice in some of his comments in the media over the last week or so he has been talking about this ministerial directive. My advice is that there is no such ministerial directive. There is an Operational Plan of Royal Darwin Hospital devised by the clinicians and the administration to cope with the sorts of pressures we have seen within the last week. There is no ministerial directive.
There is no doubt that Royal Darwin Hospital is probably the busiest in the nation. The State of Our Public Hospitals June 2006 report says that public hospital admissions per 1000 weighted population - first in the nation; public patient admissions in all hospitals weighted – first; public hospital beds – first in the nation. In other words, this government has invested in hospital beds. As I said before, we have provided 58 extra hospital beds and, per capita, we have the highest number of hospital beds. We have also invested in nurses. The Report on Government Services that I had in parliament last week clearly shows that this government has invested in nursing numbers and doctor numbers. This is an Australian government publication, Madam Speaker: emergency department patient presentations per 1000 weighted population – first.
We do have a very busy public hospital system, particularly Royal Darwin Hospital. I commend the nurses and doctors who work there. It has been very difficult over the last week. People have been working overtime. I rang Dr Len Notaras this morning and thanked him and asked him to express my thanks to all the nurses, doctors and allied health professionals within that hospital. I am extremely grateful.
As I said before, this government has invested heavily in our hospitals, particularly Royal Darwin Hospital. We will continue to do so. We have done a lot, but we realise there is a lot more to do.
BassintheGrass 2007
Ms SACILOTTO to CHIEF MINISTER
BassintheGrass has become an institution in Darwin with some of the best bands in Australia attracted to play each year. Can you tell us who will be playing at this year’s event?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would truly be delighted, and I thank the member for Port Darwin for the question. Two of Australia’s biggest acts are booked for BassintheGrass 2007, and one of them has delighted the member for Wanguri, which is Jet. The other is Eskimo Joe. My small reference group that I have checked with Jet and Eskimo Joe in the under 20s have used two words: ‘fantastic’ and ‘wow’.
Mr Henderson: And the over 20s!
Ms MARTIN: And the over 20s, but in that target age group, it is ‘fantastic’ and ‘wow’ to Jet and Eskimo Joe. We have attracted some great acts in the past. We have had people like Pete Murray, The Living End, You Am I, Regurgitator and others. However, I believe, to get Eskimo Joe and Jet, we really have done well this year, and you really do not get much bigger than those two rock bands in Australia. Just a little about those two bands - and I am sure I am telling this to people who know all about Jet and Eskimo Joe - but Jet is a Melbourne band. Their debut album, Get Born, sold 3 million copies, and that is not bad. Their second album, Shine On, was released last year and, again, was a great success. Eskimo Joe’s first album, Girl, went gold and it is followed up by albums, A Song is a City, and their latest one, Black Fingernails, Red Wine. They really are one of Australia’s great bands.
Madam Speaker, there are some other bands lined up and confirmed: TZU, Lowrider and Behind Crimson Eyes, and more bands will be confirmed in the next few weeks.
For our local bands, nominations for them will be opening soon, so it is an important component of BassintheGrass for local bands and those big national acts. For the second year running, we will have those dual stages, they worked fantastically last year and I am sure that they will work just as well this year.
BassintheGrass is on 26 May this year - put that in your diary, member for Wanguri. Again, I thank Savings & Loans Credit Union, which is the naming sponsor, and thank them for their support.
For Central Australia, BassintheDust, is later in the year. The bands are being organised now, but I can confirm that Anzac Oval will be the venue and it will be another great …
Mrs Braham: Will the bands turn up? And as long as no-one gets sick, everything should go well.
Ms MARTIN: You are right, member for Braitling, the bands will turn up. Two great successes, BassintheGrass and BassintheDust and certainly young Territorians, whatever age those young Territorians are, will love those two events! Go, Jet, go ,Eskimo Joe!
Royal Darwin Hospital – Staff Workload
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
The Royal Darwin Hospital is in crisis. The AMA and the ANF both fear that the pressure will result in something going wrong in regard to patient outcomes. Will you take responsibility for any adverse outcome to patients at the Royal Darwin Hospital as a result of staff who are overworked and stressing themselves so much that they may potentially make a clinical error of judgment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I take my responsibilities as a minister very seriously. That is why I am focused on addressing the issues, and there are issues at Royal Darwin Hospital. Not like the shadow minister, the member for Greatorex, who should know better than to come in here with all this alarmist rhetoric and scaremongering. It does him a disservice. It does the standard of care at Royal Darwin Hospital a disservice. It does people like Dr Len Notaras a disservice. I have been assured by the medical director, Dr Len Notaras, that patient safety has not been compromised and will not be compromised at Royal Darwin Hospital. The member for Greatorex should be ashamed of himself for coming in here and suggesting that it is.
Roads Funding – Federal Government
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Last week, it was revealed that the Howard government has a $19bn election year war chest to spend on road funding. What is the Northern Territory government doing to ensure that we get our fair share?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question on roads. I know she is vitally interested in our roads of significance in Central Australia, roads that the federal government still shirks its responsibility in terms of funding. We hear the both pleasing and frustrating news that they have $19bn ready to spend on roads. Why is it pleasing? Because we are going to try to get our fair share. It is frustrating because they expect us all to sit and wait until they want to electioneer with, basically, taxpayers’ funding. It is also frustrating that they have walked away from their responsibility to deliver a 50/50 deal on the Tiger Brennan extension. It is a significant road with the link to our port, so it is significant in terms of trade, it is critically important to the rural residents as well as the Palmerston residents as their main avenue into Darwin.
Mr Mills: You know it is not true.
Ms LAWRIE: I pick up on the member for Blain’s interjection where he says it is not true. I will show you the letter, in writing, from Jim Lloyd, where he says: ‘No, we won’t. We will not pay the extra money that it is going to cost to construct the road’ …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I invite you to talk to your federal mates in Canberra who you take their bidding from, and just put the word there that it is a 50/50 deal we are after - a 50/50 deal. It is quite simple.
While the motorists from Palmerston and the rural area are stuck in traffic, I am sure that we will continue to say that this is a road of significance for our commuters into Darwin, and also that all-important trade route for freight coming in through our port.
I will be heading to Canberra for a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, our federal Transport minister, Mark Vaile, next week. I will be putting the Territory’s case to him. I will be taking significant plans for road funding to Canberra. The Territory is looking for its fair share of the $19bn that the federal government is sitting on. This is in the context of a 22% reduction in federal funding on roads maintenance in the Territory. The CLP members can hang their heads in shame. They are apologists for Canberra. Canberra is cutting back its road funding, while our cattlemen are trying to get their cattle to the port.
Buffalo Creek Boat Ramp – Wild Dogs
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
The caretaker at the Buffalo Creek boat ramp and car park informed your department about a pack of up to nine dogs roaming around the park and surrounding area. Recently, a pair of German naturalists studying in the area was frightened by these dogs. The caretaker believes this pack of dogs could attack people using the park, especially young children. What is the government doing to rid the park of these dogs, considering that the Parks and Wildlife Service is the only entity with the power to lay baits?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. Since this has come to my attention, I have asked the rangers and the department to have a look at this issue; whether those wild dogs are dingos breeding within the park or if they are dogs that have been abandoned. You have answered in part where you said it is a pack of nine dogs. The department is investigating this issue at the moment.
My information from the department at lunchtime today is that some of the dogs have gone from the reserve. That has been reported to Darwin City Council. Once they are off the reserve they become the responsibility of that council. We are working with Darwin City Council and the rangers at the Casuarina Coastal Reserve and around the Buffalo Creek ramp area to check for those dogs.
Mr Wood: In Defence land too.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Sorry?
Mr Wood: Defence land, too.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Yes, we are working with those rangers and with Darwin City Council to try to address that. I will update the member for Nelson when I get more information from those rangers if the dogs come back. My understanding is that they have gone off the reserve, but I will keep you updated.
Whilst we are on Buffalo Creek, Madam Speaker, things are much more improved since the Medlicotts have now settled in and are caretaking there. I thank them; they have done a fantastic job. The Buffalo Creek ramp has been problematic in the past, and issues have settled down, so I thank them. They alerted the department immediately when that became an issue.
Water Safety Awareness
Mr BURKE to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
As a parent of young children, I am very aware that water safety is an important issue, as it is for many constituents in my electorate in Palmerston. Can you inform the Assembly about the water safety awareness program and how it benefits Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question, because he accompanied me to the Nightcliff Swimming Pool some months back. I thank you for that, and I know just how passionate you are about this particular matter.
It is one of these initiatives that the Northern Territory Martin Labor government can be very proud of because, over a long period of time up until 2001, the Northern Territory had the worst record of drownings of young children. It is something which we have been able to address over the last period, particularly since 2001.
Since 2003, over 4000 children have accessed the Water Safety Awareness program. That is indicative of the importance placed on this program by parents. It is a free program. It involves lessons outside the pool and there is also capacity for lessons for young children in the pool. As I say, we should be very proud of this program.
You do not sustain these outcomes without many dedicated people. I thank the people in my Department of Local Government who do such a great job, and acknowledge Amanda Shipway, who has actually left; she did a wonderful job promoting water safety. Thanks also to the Royal Lifesaving Society which runs the program; they have many dedicated swimming teachers involved in it. Imparja Television, Channel 7, and the Northern Territory News all play an important role in spreading the water safety awareness message.
Thank you very much, member for Brennan. I hope we remain very vigilant. We cannot be complacent. We have to be out there every day promoting water safety in the interests of our young children.
Health – Election Promises
Dr LIM to MINISTER for HEALTH
The minister for Transport spoke about Commonwealth government electioneering, so I put this question to the minister. You have been sitting on a promise to establish 24 more beds at the Royal Darwin Hospital since the day after the last election. Literally, those beds will not appear until just before the next election and, presumably, at the same time as the Oncology Unit, just before the next election. Isn’t it about time you stopped playing politics with Territorians and just kept to your promises when you make them?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. He is correct in what he said, that it is an election promise of this Labor government to put an extra 24 beds in Royal Darwin Hospital. Contrary to what he was asserting, we have already put six in there in the first year since the election, so there are 18 to go. They will spaced and they will be implemented. With the Rapid Admission Unit, I have said before, nine are already there and there are another 15 to come in the 2007-08 year.
We are investing in health; we are investing in health professionals. We know that we face large problems in our health system, probably even larger than elsewhere in Australia, but we are investing.
In relation to Radiation Oncology Unit, I placed it on the record last week that the Commonwealth is going out to tender in relation to that particular service. The building will be constructed; the funds are there. What I said in parliament last week is that probably one of the most difficult parts about setting up a radiation oncology unit is actually putting the equipment within the facility. When I was in Brisbane, I visited Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. They have a very large radiation oncology unit, which I was shown over by the very senior medical officers in charge. They told me that it takes somewhere between 10 and 12 months to install the machinery and to calibrate it. It is very finely tuned machinery. It is very technical, and requires a lot of work to install. Essentially, they said that it is easy to build the facility; the time taken is the installation of equipment.
We are working with the Commonwealth in a cooperative way on this. We are also honouring our election commitments. That is all I have to say on these issues.
Anmatjere Economic
Development Committee
Development Committee
Mr HAMPTON to MINISTER for REGIONAL and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
My electorate is the largest in the Territory. As you drive through it on the Stuart Highway you are greeted by signs saying ‘Welcome, you are entering Anmatjere Country’. This area is known as the ‘growing centre’ of Australia. Can the minister please update the House on how we are building partnerships and growing the economy by establishing the Anmatjere Economic Development Committee?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I know he is very interested in economic development in his region, not only because of the many things happening with pastoral, mining and tourism activities, but he has been working very closely with his community. I look forward to working with him, because I will be visiting his electorate in the next few days. I will be spending quite a bit of time in the electorate of Stuart talking with people there about economic development.
Our government has engaged our regions through the establishment of economic development committees. We currently have committees in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Tiwi Islands, the VRD District, the Gulf and East Arnhem. They are not committees that are nominated and then sit there doing nothing. They are developing economic activity plans. They identify opportunities and my department works very closely with them in order to make these plans a reality.
It is with great pleasure that I advise the House that I have appointed local community leaders, industry and government representatives to the Anmatjere Economic Development Committee. Local community members of the committee are Ms Betty Carter, community leader; Ms Carmel Chalmersli, business leader; Mrs Janet Chisholm, respected community and business operator, Mr Allen Cooney, General Manager of Centrefarm; Mr Greg Dick, business operator, Aileron Road House; Mr Neil Feazey, Chief Executive of Anmatjere Council; Ms Susan Greggery, CEO of Yuelamu Community Council; Mr Andrew O’Bree, Manager of Territory Grapes; and Mr Tony Scrutton, Chairman of Anmatjere Council.
The representatives of the Northern Territory and Australian governments are: Mr John Baskerville, who is well known; Ms Brenda Elferink, who works for my department in Alice Springs; and Mr Ross McDougall from the Australian government. The Chamber of Commerce representative is Mr Damien Ryan, owner and operator of the Alice Springs Camera Shop.
I am delighted and very excited to appoint these people to the committee. I know they have very big plans for the committee. There are many things happening in this area. We have the Ti Tree grape farm, we have opportunities with Pine Hill to be opened and developed. We have significant regional opportunities, and let us not forget the significant mining opportunities we have with Arafura Resources and other prospective mining operations.
We do not pay lip service to the regions. We are working with the regions to develop them because the government has to take a leading role to develop the regions, and we intend to do so. As I said before, the committee has identified opportunities and draft plans. We do not just take these plans and put them on the shelf to collect dust; we make them a reality, we translate these plans into action.
I am looking forward to working very closely with the committee, not only in Anmatjere Country but in other places. I will be visiting and meeting with every economic development committee in the Northern Territory. It is my target to have jobs, jobs, jobs outside Darwin as well as in Darwin.
Mr HENDERSON (Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016