Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

2006-02-23

Redirection of Questions – Minister for Employment, Education and Training

Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I advise honourable members that due to the absence of the member for Nhulunbuy and Deputy Chief Minister, all questions relating to Treasury, Employment, Education and Training, and Racing, Gaming and Licensing are to be directed to the Chief Minister.
McArthur River Mine – Environmental Impact Assessment

Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER

Your Treasurer was in this House only 24 hours ago telling Territorians how important it is to support the mining industry and how important that industry is to the Northern Territory. Over lunch, your minister for the Environment rejected the expansion of the McArthur River Mine. Three hundred and forty jobs will be lost to Territorians, and 400 companies will miss out on support contracts, which translates into about 1400 indirect jobs. Will you overrule your junior minister and direct your Mines minister to proceed with authorising the go ahead for this project?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, there are a couple of points that are inaccuracies in what the Leader of the Opposition says. There is a statutory process about what happens with an environmental impact statement and how that then relates to whether a mine receives authority to expand or not. We have seen a part of that process today. An environmental impact statement is done. The Environment minister then makes a recommendation, one way or the other, about such an expansion as proposed at McArthur River, to the Mines minister.

Very clearly, the recommendation today announced by the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage has said that the expansion has not been endorsed on environmental grounds. That recommendation will proceed in a proper statutory way - I say, a proper statutory way - to the Mines minister who will consider that. That is the situation we are dealing with today.

This government is very proud - and I hope all Territorians are – of our support of the mining industry. We have the highest level of exploration happening in the Territory for a decade, and we are very proud of that. However, I put on the record that we will follow the proper statutory processes when dealing with an issue like this. We will take the environmental considerations, through the work of the Environmental Protection Agency, very seriously.

Madam Speaker, we will find, in anything we do, a balance between protecting the environment and creating jobs through mining.
Australian Tourism Awards

Ms SACILOTTO to MINISTER for TOURISM

You are attending tomorrow night’s national tourism awards on the Gold Coast. Could you please inform the House of the significance of the awards to the Territory tourism industry?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I am delighted to answer that question from the member for Port Darwin, as the Australian Tourism Awards recognise the best in tourism in Australia. They recognise the best practice, and they certainly recognise the best products. We have 23 of our Brolga Award winners entered in the Australian Tourism Awards. I know a number of them are going to the awards on the Gold Coast.

I am very hopeful for this year. We have had some great winners in the past - Anangu Tours, Odyssey Tours, Max Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris and, last year when we held the Australian Tourism Awards in Alice Springs - they did a great job - there was a Highly Recommended for the Finke Desert Race which was deserved. The table of Finke Desert Race supporters went berserk, as people who were there would remember.

This year, we have a range of entrants, 23 all up. In the Ecotourism section, we have Mick Jerram and his Gecko Canoeing, which is a great venture in Katherine. In the Heritage and Cultural Tourism section there is Lord’s Kakadu and Arnhemland Safaris. Our Tourism Retailing entrant is diCROCO which makes those great crocodile products. Great Southern Rail, The Ghan, is in the Major Tour and Transport Operators sector. In New Tourism Development, we have the Darwin Airport Resort and the great innovation and expansion happening very shortly at the Airport Resort. In areas like Deluxe Accommodation is the tried and true product of the Novotel Atrium in Darwin. Those and others are entrants this year.

It is very important to be part of these awards. In winning, you get national recognition, a lot of media coverage, and you also get to use the ATA logo. For all our entrants, I am proud I will be there tomorrow night. I will be cheering them on and I wish them all, each of the 23, the best of luck, and may the Territory win.

Members: Hear, hear!
McArthur River Mine – Environmental Impact Assessment

Mrs MILLER to CHIEF MINISTER

The McArthur River Mine is in the Borroloola area. The expansion of the McArthur River Mine would have saved many jobs for that area, and also for people in Darwin who depend on that mine for work. The expansion of the mine would have guaranteed over 300 jobs for the next 25 years. Now the mine will close. Those growth opportunities have been missed, and the signal to invest in the Northern Territory is clear: the Territory is no longer a safe place to invest and explore. How can any investor trust your government?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I refer the member for Katherine to the previous answer I gave to the Opposition Leader. The announcement today is that the EIS process and its recommendations to the Environment minister is that the mine expansion is not approved under that EIS process. For the member for Katherine to say the mine has closed does not recognise the statutory process that we are following.

We are strong supporters of the McArthur River Mine, but we are also strong supporters of our environment. When we are looking at a mine expansion, there are certain thresholds that need to be reached in the environment. This proposal from McArthur River Mine has not reached those environmental standards and that recommendation has been put through to the Mines minister.

We will work, over time, to see what will happen. The Mines minister has to make a decision. The McArthur River Mine is a great ore body, and we would certainly like to see, in time, the expansion of that mine, but it has to reach those environmental thresholds, and I challenge any person in this House to say we should not be doing that. It is the task of our Environment minister and the scientists who work with the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure we get that balance right. In this case, the proposal put for the expansion by McArthur River Mine has not reached those environmental thresholds. That is the recommendation that has gone to the Mines minister.
McArthur River Mine – Environmental Impact Assessment

Ms McCARTHY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE

Could we hear directly from you on your decision on the Environmental Impact Assessment for the McArthur River Mine proposal?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question, as I know she has an interest in this. Today, I accepted the recommendation of the EPA that the proposal for the McArthur River Mine expansion, as currently outlined, does not proceed. The assessment report prepared by the EPA addressed all information supplied by the proponent, Xstrata, expert comments from government departments, and the public comment received during the whole assessment process. It is, I believe, a very robust and rigorous assessment.

The assessment concludes that there are significant uncertainties over the long-term environmental impact associated with diverting the McArthur River and managing an open mine pit in a river flood plain.

For example, an independent expert engaged to review the river alignment concluded that there were key flaws in the modelling presented in the EIS with the result that the conclusions drawn from the modelling are likely to be compromised. The independent assessor further predicted that the realignment of the river would result in progressive degradation of the McArthur River upstream, significant risk that the diversion channel would be destroyed in quite common flood events, silting of McArthur River downstream of the diversion, and the real possibility that revegetation of the diversion would never occur given predicted erosion of the channel.

As a result of this and other unresolved environmental issues, the EPA has not been able to conclude that the project as currently put forward by Xstrata could be managed in a way as to avoid unacceptable environmental impacts. In short, the expansion of the McArthur River Mine in the manner currently proposed has been assessed as failing to meet the test of sustainability.

I have very carefully examined the assessment. The assessment establishes a compelling argument for caution, one that, as a responsible minister for the Environment, I simply cannot ignore. The information gaps in relation to the significant environment risk are too big to be managed away.

Accordingly, I have accepted the conclusions made by the EPA, and we have advised Xstrata that their EIS did not convince us that the uncertainties associated with mine expansion could be managed and, furthermore, that I am a long way from being convinced as yet.

I have advised the Minister for Mines and Energy of my assessment. I will also be advising the federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage of my assessment, and that is based on the evidence presented to me in the EIS. I cannot conclude that the matters of national environmental significance have been addressed properly. The federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage will consider my assessment in deciding whether to grant federal approval in relation to impacts on matters of national environmental significance.

In reaching this conclusion, I have given priority to the long-term interests of the environment, and the community, despite what has been said across there. I have listened carefully to all the views expressed by the community and Xstrata. I have visited the region on a number of occasions, and I examined the best available scientific advice. As I have said previously, emotion bore no part in my making this recommendation.

Madam Speaker, I draw no particular satisfaction from the conclusion I have reached, other than that it is, I believe, the right conclusion, made in the interests of sustainably developing the Territory. No one should …

Mr Mills: At least we have the Labor Party back.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Ms SCRYMGOUR: No one, and I have made this very clear over many weeks, and I make it clear in this House, has bragging rights here. I am a strong supporter of developing our mineral resources but not at the cost of our environment or community over the long term. In reaching my conclusions, I am also acutely aware of the divided views in the community, whether they be Xstrata workers, contractors, businesses and local residents, indigenous and non-indigenous. I understand some will see this as a win and others a loss. But I say to all of those who have strong views on this matter, I have weighed all the relevant matters up carefully and we do the Territory no service if we do not learn from mistakes of the past.

The standards are there and they need to be met. I will not shirk this issue, as difficult as it may be. The Martin Labor government stands very firmly for development of our natural resources, but it must be environmentally responsible. Quite clearly, this is a concept the opposition is incapable of learning. Before even seeing the assessment report, the member for Katherine says the process has been unacceptable, yes, everything is okay.

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Ms SCRYMGOUR: It just shows how irresponsible that position is, Madam Speaker. It is the member for Katherine’s ignorance of the process that is clearly unacceptable.

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Ms Carney: You rude thing. That is terribly rude. You do not have to be rude.

Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members!

Ms SCRYMGOUR: You wrote the book on the word rude.

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members!

Mr Mills: We are being provoked, Madam Speaker.

Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Blain!

Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Speaker, this government’s environmental assessment process has been accredited by the Commonwealth as meeting best practice - something the CLP never achieved.
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Visitors

Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Mrs Sandy Mangan, the sister of the Deputy Chief Minister, and her husband, Mr Russ Mangan, on holidays from Ballarat. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.

Members: Hear, hear!
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McArthur River Mine – Environmental Impact Assessment

Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE

The decision about McArthur River Mine demonstrates that you are not interested in your party’s slogan – Building a Better Territory. Your signals to the mining industry, even this morning in the parliament, have been ‘Come to the Territory’, and all of the spin of your government in the last couple of days has been targeted at buttering up the mining industry with press releases and ministerial statements about mining. This morning, the Northern Territory News was proclaiming your spin …

Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is Question Time, and an opportunity for members to ask questions, not to make statements. I urge you to get the honourable member to the point and to ask her question?

Mrs MILLER: Only about six more words, Madam Speaker.

Madam SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, just ask the question.

Mrs MILLER: This morning, the Northern Territory News was proclaiming your spin, and Mr Lance Martin of Geminex was saying what a great thing this all was. Did you tell Lance Martin about the McArthur River Mine decision before he put his reputation on the line about your policies, or did you betray him?

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, let me just remind the member for Katherine that, under this government, development worth billions of dollars has successfully met environmental standards, and they are delivering jobs to Territorians. We only have to look at projects such as ConocoPhillips, the LNG plant, the waterfront development, the Alcan expansion, the biodiesel plant, and Bootu Creek manganese mine. In the words of Access Economics, and I know they hate listening to this, the Territory economy is turbocharged.

The member for Katherine is the shadow spokesperson who is supposed to be in touch with this. If she bothered talking to the industry, the industry is changing. They are changing.

Mrs Miller: Yes, I have been talking. They are definitely not happy.

Mrs SCRYMGOUR: Many companies are making serious efforts to improve their environmental performance, and they should be congratulated for this. It is open to Xstrata to go back to the drawing board and submit a new notice of intent.
Alice Springs – Economic Benefits to Residents

Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT

How is the Martin government’s strong budget management, delivering three surpluses in a row, providing benefits for Alice Springs residents?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, it is important that this government, through our financial management in delivering three surplus budgets and putting record amounts of cash into record infrastructure programs, has been able to deliver significant benefits and projects to the people of Alice Springs.

The upgrade of Taffy Pick causeway rossing was carried out in response to residents’ concern about safety at the intersection and the need for improved traffic management. This upgrade, which is worth more than $300 000, included installing bollards along South Terrace, a raised centre median island to control turning, painted medians in South Terrace, and reconstruction of left turns into and out of Stephens Road to confine large vehicles to the left side of the road.

During the election campaign, it was my pleasure to doorknock that area and hear the views of residents and look at that particular intersection first-hand and start the process of remediating some of the concerns of that particular intersection.

Pedestrian safety on Larapinta Drive near the Blain Street intersection has also been an issue raised with me by the local community.

Ms Carney: And the local member. You did it! You followed through on a promise. Thank you, Chris.

Dr BURNS: The local member, whom I have asked to meet a few times in Alice Springs, has not turned up. When you go to her office it is always closed, so it is a bit hard.

Ms Carney: I see you coming from the other side of the road.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Dr BURNS: Following the installation of high visibility pedestrian warning signs on Larapinta Drive, the government awarded a contract worth $185 000 to install a signalised pedestrian crossing at the site. Work was completed this month and the government has received very positive feedback from local residents and parents of children who attend nearby schools.

I would like to read this lovely note sent to me by a resident of Alice Springs. It is about the Larapinta crossing. It says:

Dear Mr Burns,
    I refer to the above project and wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to you and all concerned upon completion (inaudible).of same.
    Not only will the crossing benefit and ensure our children’s safety, but will now assist pedestrians ...

Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am very concerned about my colleague on the other side of the parliament. He must be distressed about the length of his answer.

Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Dr BURNS: This is community feedback, and if the opposition does not like it, too bad.

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Dr BURNS:
    … but will now assist pedestrians who previously had trouble in patronising the shopping centre at Diaorama.

    Thanking you for your notification, also in appreciation’.

I would like to table that letter. I should add that that upgrade was carried out by an Alice Springs company, JSD International Consultants Pty Ltd, so good luck to them.

We are also committed to the Alice in 10 strategy, and that is all about improving public amenities and public safety in Alice Springs. As part of this project, a network of pedestrian pathways along the Todd River, from Heavitree Gap to the Telegraph Station, the Todd and Charles Rivers project, is ongoing. We have committed $400 000 to improve the riverbank parkland on Leichhardt Terrace next to the central business district, and a further $100 000 for rechannelling part of the Todd River.

Construction of a pathway on Stephens Road at a cost of $137 000 is due for completion in early April. We have also committed to improving the visitor experience to Alice Springs through our $170 000 contribution to the upgrade of Alice Springs Railway Station, and our $400 000 committed to the construction of the Discovery Walkway and perimeter fence.

These projects are the dividend of good budget management, and a great capital works project with record cash against it. It is improving the amenity of Alice Springs, and I am sure they appreciate it, just like this good lady here, unlike the member for Greatorex who, time and time again, just seems tohe rubbish to Alice Springs …

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Dr BURNS: Get behind the town, member for Greatorex, and the place will be happier.
Oncology Patients - Interstate Travel Problems

Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HEALTH

I hope the Coolalinga landscape plan will turn up tomorrow.

Yesterday, on the ABC, a number of callers complained bitterly and were very emotional about problems associated with travelling interstate for oncology and radiotherapy treatment. Do you accept that there are problems with travel for those people? What is the government doing to fix those problems?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, it is an absolute pleasure to get a question from someone. I get very bored in here sometimes.

Yes, we very much recognise the special needs of patients travelling interstate to receive specialised treatment that we cannot provide in the Northern Territory. We spend a considerable amount of money each year helping those patients get to a centre of expertise which matches their health needs.

We have recently paid specific attention to the needs of cancer patients having to go interstate in the absence of a radiotherapy facility in the Territory to the extent of $0.5m being put into a number of measures. One is to have a liaison function to support the patients as they travel and stay at the place of treatment, and to provide them with a support network of people in the place of treatment. We have also used that money to employ a haematologist, removing the need for some of the trips that those patients may have had to make interstate. We will continue to build those support arrangements.

We all know and recognise that having patients go interstate for treatment is not the optimal way of providing treatment. However, we are one of the smallest health systems in Australia. There are things that you can do and that are being done here. In fact, we have an excellent health system for the scale of operation that we are operating. However, there will always be highly-specialised areas of medicine that we will need to go to capital cities to access.

I am certainly aware that many patients do have good experiences with the treatment they receive interstate and the support that we give them.
McArthur River Mine – Environmental Impact Assessment

Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE

You have based your defence for closing down the McArthur River Mine and effectively killing 2000 jobs on the following statement from the EPA. You will not allow the expansion of the McArthur River Mine because of: ‘The acceptability of diverting a major tropical river in a policy environment increasingly oriented towards river protection’. The Territory’s policy is based on development and expansion. Why do you keep talking about national interests and benchmarks when Territory jobs are at stake?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, again, ignorance from the member for Katherine. Our policy of Living Rivers has nothing to do with the decision that has been taken in relation to the expansion of the McArthur River Mine. The member for Katherine must have both ears blocked, or just fails to understand and is completely ignorant of due process and what has occurred here.

The science, the environment - they were the decisions. There has been a series of meetings with Xstrata to work through these issues. My responsibility, as Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage, is to assess the EIS, the supplementary, and a supplementary to the supplementary, which was extended by 70 days to try to work with Xstrata to address quite major issues in their EIS. This has taken some time. They were aware that there were some major issues, and those issues were unresolved. Therefore, we could not conclude that this proposed project, as outlined, could proceed.

Self-Funded Retirees Policy

Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for SENIOR TERRITORIANS

Over these sittings, we have heard of the trend of people leaving Alice Springs for safety and lifestyle reasons, our senior Territorians among them. Last year, you promised you would conduct a survey and put out a draft strategy by February this year to look at the policy, including housing in particular, for self-funded retirees. Where is this survey, and where is your strategy?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. We often talk about people who contribute to our society, and have, over many years, and many are senior Territorians.

We did talk about that survey; that is still being developed. It is still February. We are not out of February yet, I still have a couple of days. I have asked the department to hurry that up. We wanted to put out that survey with the Active Ageing Strategy, which is the other document I spoke to you about, which will look at issues such as safety of seniors. That is a big issue that has been raised, not just in Alice Springs, but through many of our regions. COTA, together with the Office of Senior Territorians, is looking at a number of focus groups to go through the draft document.

I have been promised that the document and the survey will be finalised. Member for Braitling, I also gave you an undertaking that when we have finished that, I will let you know and we will forward that.
Northern Territory Economy

Mr BONSON to MINISTER for BUSINESS and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Access Economics called the Territory economy ‘turbocharged’. The Housing Industry Association described our economy as ‘very strong, very healthy’. Can you provide the House with any further evidence backing up this very optimistic analysis?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. This is a government that supports investment in every sector of our economy. However, we know that the core of our economy is the construction industry. It employs many subcontractors and people across the Northern Territory, and we have seen a significant growth over the last few years.

Figures released yesterday show that, in calendar year 2005, total construction expanded across the Territory by 20.5%, a very significant expansion in that industry, to a total value of $1.8bn. In the same year, residential construction work was up 20.1%, with a total value of $288.4m. Non-residential building work increased by 34.5% to $224.7m. This is business investing in the commercial sector, showing the confidence of the business industry and their investment in the Northern Territory.

It is on the back of these figures that Access Economics says that our economy is turbocharged at the moment.

However, as I have said before, we can talk about percentages, we can talk about billions of dollars, but what is most important out of this is jobs for Territorians, and jobs for Territorians across the Northern Territory. It is not only people in the construction industry, it is people moving into those new commercial premises.

Ms Carney: Oh really, unlike McArthur River Mine.

Mrs Miller: No jobs at McArthur.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HENDERSON: The opposition does not like good news, Madam Speaker. They just want to rattle on with bad news.

Ms Carney: How can you talk about jobs when one of your ministerial colleagues does not want them?

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, they really are like empty vessels with loose marbles rattling around in there whenever they hear good news.

It is not only the construction industry, it is the retail industry as well. We can see those figures going through the roof also.

A picture paints a thousand words. This is the confidence of the investment community at the moment in the Northern Territory and the steady increase that we can see. This is residential construction work, total residential, new residential, alterations. This number here, 2001, that is when the opposition was last in government, and you can see, we basically bottomed out. There was hardly anything happening. We see consistent growth under a Labor government.

If we go to total construction work, those figures are even more startling. Total construction activity, in 2001 when we came to the government, not only had we bottomed out, we were actually going backwards. We were going backwards …

Ms Carney: Must have been a strong economy .

Madam SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition!

Mr HENDERSON: … about $0.2bn per year worth of total construction activity, and you can see a huge leap. That is based on the investment this government was making in the capital works industry and consistent growth since then. The picture paints a thousand words. Access Economics is saying the economy is going great guns. We can see huge investments in our economy at the moment, and this government will continue to back the economy, investment and jobs in the Northern Territory. However, those jobs have to be sustainable. The environment needs to be protected and this is a government that has a strong track record.

Members: Hear, hear!
Mining Industry – Confidence in Investing in the Territory

Mrs MILLER to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE

The Minerals Council of the Northern Territory has been extremely critical of the science that has been applied by the EPA claiming that it is flawed. What other mining projects are now at risk as a result of these flawed policies of your government? How can mining companies have any confidence to invest in the Territory?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, the Minerals Council, the member for Katherine - everyone has the answer. My assessment report has only been delivered today. That report outlines quite a number of serious issues. They will be addressed. That report has been presented to the Minister for Mines and Energy. We need to keep reminding the member for Katherine about due process and where we are in the process chain.

It has been my, and the EPA’s, job to assess the environmental impact on the proposal as outlined by Xstrata. That assessment report has now been delivered. I have made my recommendation. That has now been forwarded to the Minister for Mines and Energy. It will also be forwarded to the federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage.

There are two areas that are of significance, if the member for Katherine had been listening, but she has very selective hearing in all of this, that come under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act which the federal minister will consider.

The member for Katherine needs to also understand that, as I said, it is the first time that our process has been accredited by the Commonwealth. It did not happened under the CLP;l it has now happened with our process. The Commonwealth has every confidence in our assessment process. I have every confidence in the work and the assessment conducted by the EPA. It has been a rigorous and robust assessment process.
World War II History - A Wartime Journey

Ms SACILOTTO to CHIEF MINISTER

Sunday was the 64th anniversary of the first Japanese bombing raid on Darwin. To coincide with the anniversary, you launched a book titled A Wartime Journey. Could you please inform the House about this latest publication on the Territory’s World War II history?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for a very pertinent question. On Sunday, I was delighted to launch a new publication called A Wartime Journey. It is a comprehensive guide, and a most delightful guide, to World War II sites - which is why it was so good to launch it on Sunday - along the Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Darwin. It is a high quality, full colour book, and accompanyied by two audio CDs, which I ng it, have not quite finished listening to.the two audios yet, but two CDs. It has been co-authored by aviation historian, Bob Alford, and Howard Pearce. The CDs are produced by Mike Sweet, and inspiration behind it from the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage, and the Arts portfolio, Steve Sutton from Heritage and Michael Wells. They put in an enormous effort. It is a joint effort between the minister’s department and Tourism.

The book contains so much information. It has maps and photographs, the CDs will have music of the times, personal reminiscences, audio recordings that have been found in the archives of the bombing of Darwin, and several evocative accounts of the actual day of the bombings. It really does provide a unique insight into what is, each year, a more recognised part of the Territory’s history.

When I launched the book on Sunday, there were many people who asked, ‘How can I buy one?’ They are not actually on sale right now, but people are putting their name down on a register. They will go on sale in bookstores with those two audio CDs in a couple of weeks’ time.
While we are talking about World War II, it is great to hear the news this morning that Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman and Baz Luhrmann are getting together, on a movie in the Territory that has been spoken about a little but getting much closer to happening, a movie that Baz Luhrmann says will end with the bombing of Darwin. That is another aspect of the Territory’s history getting a focus by one of Australia’s great film makers.

They have been working with the Northern Territory Film Office over about six or seven months looking at locations. They found the work of the Northern Territory Film Office most valuable in assisting them to work out what locations were appropriate and working within a Territory context. I thank our film office and Penny McDonald for all that work.

We do not know whether this movie is actually a goer yet, I hope it is. I have enormous respect for Baz Luhrmann, and to have the combined Oscar-winning talents of Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman can only be a great thing for the Territory.

Members: Hear, hear!
McArthur River Mine – Aboriginal Employment

Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER

McArthur River Mine is a major employer of Aboriginal people in the Borroloola area.

Mr Henderson interjecting.

Ms CARNEY: It also trains – I am sorry if the Leader of Government Business does not like training for Aboriginal people - they also train Aboriginal Territorians. What do you say to these Aboriginal Territorians who may find themselves on the scrap heap, especially when you have gained so much political mileage at their expense?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, again, I say to the opposition, and in this context, the Opposition Leader, that we are following an appropriate statutory process which deals with environmental impact statements and how they then relate to the authority to expand or commence a mine in the Territory.

What we have seen today is a rigorous and robust scientific process carried out over many months. The Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage says today that the recommendation she is making to the Minister for Mines and Energy is that this particular process of expansion of the McArthur River Mine that has been put forward by Xstrata does not reach appropriate scientific thresholds. This is the current proposal that does not. That will go - I am not going to pre-empt the Mines minister’s decision - quite properly, to the Minister for Mines and Energy, who, with the department, will properly assess where …

Ms Carney: Your minister had the discretion. Do not lie.

Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!

Ms Carney: Sorry, Madam Speaker.

Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the Opposition Leader asked a question and, quite properly, I am answering it in a serious manner. If the Opposition Leader does not want to hear it, then why ask the question?

Ms Carney: When you say something of substance, it would be a change.

Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!

Police Infrastructure - Funding

Mr NATT to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES

The government has committed an extra $75m to building the Northern Territory Police Force. Can the minister tell the House what efforts are being made to improve police infrastructure?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for his question. This is a government that takes very seriously our primary responsibility for community safety and law and order across the Northern Territory. We have made a significant investment in our police force over the last few years, and that has been built on the back of the financial capacity to do that. The three budget surpluses in a row that have given us $95m-worth of surpluses over the last three years has enabled us to invest in our police force, health, education and infrastructure across the Territory.

Looking at police infrastructure, work is close to completion on the construction of the new police post at Numbulwar. The member for Arnhem and I are looking forward to going there and opening that police post in around May this year. That is going to enable two Aboriginal Community Police Officers to be stationed for the first time at Numbulwar, along with a vehicle to provide a better service to those residents who, previously, had been supported by police at Groote Eylandt.

At Mutitjulu, Sitzler Bros has just been awarded a contract to the value of $2.15m for the construction of the police post and two new houses. This is a joint investment by the Commonwealth and the Territory.

Members interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, if the opposition ...

Ms Carney: $200 000 is all you are providing.

Madam SPEAKER: Order, opposition members!

Mr HENDERSON: The Leader of the Opposition does not like to hear about our investment in our police force because it was an investment that was totally neglected for at least 10 years of the previous government.

Work has commenced on the site and two three-bedroom houses are also being constructed at Mutitjulu to accommodate the two Aboriginal Community Police Officers who will be stationed in the community. The member for Macdonnell and I will be travelling to Mutitjulu to inspect the site. I am really looking forward to that.

Once the Marrara fire station is built, work will begin on a new police station at Casuarina. The current facility is over 30 years old. The Chief Minister and I inspected it many months ago and it is pretty run down. Once the new fire station has been constructed, the police will move into the old fire station at Casuarina and work will start on the new police station.

In Port Keats, work is expected to start in July on a two-bedroom duplex in Wadeye to assist with the accommodation of police officers at Wadeye. As well as investing in 200 new police across the Northern Territory and new equipment for those police officers, we are also investing in infrastructure. We can do that because we have the capacity due to the diligent financial management of this government.
Cost of Rebuilding Government Infrastructure after Cyclone Damage

Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER

During the TIO debate, it was stated that the government does not insure its own buildings. If we had a cyclone similar to Cyclone Tracy, would your government have an estimate of what the repair bill would be on its own buildings? Does the government have any money tucked away in reserves to pay for that damage? If not, where would you find the money to pay for such damage?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, that is right; the government, and governments around the country, do not insure their assets. That is pretty common practice.

If an event like Cyclone Tracy did occur, we would have to pay to rebuild all our public assets. That is a fact of life. We keep a pretty good asset register and have a fairly good idea of what rebuilding costs would be. If there was another event like Cyclone Tracy, we would receive considerable federal assistance, but we would also have to look at borrowing to be able to rebuild. It is common practice among governments that you self-insure; you do not insure as the private sector does.
Nursing Numbers – Steps to Alleviate Shortage

Mr BURKE to MINISTER for HEALTH

The government committed to increasing nursing numbers by 75 in the first term, and an additional 75 in the second term of government. With the current national and international nursing shortage, can you tell the House what is being done to attract nurses to the Territory?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. It is a very important issue for us. We have added over 100 extra nursing positions into our hospital system in the first term of our government. Recently, we provided a 5.34% pay rise under the terms of the current EBA to keep our nurses up to No 2 nationally in the rates at which we pay our nurses compared to other states and the ACT. That all helps to get nurses here.

We have now had quite a number of targeted campaigns to recruit nurses into the positions we have created. In a United Kingdom recruitment campaign in October, 15 nurses have accepted positions: three at RDH, nine at Alice Springs Hospital, and three at Tennant Creek Hospital, commencing between February and August. Further positive results of attracting overseas-trained nurses include sponsoring 12-month placements and facilitating permanent visa and residency applications. Fourteen Zimbabwean-registered nurses commenced at Royal Darwin Hospital in late 2005. They will be joined by another six shortly.

We have a partnership arrangement with the University of South Australia, part of which the Alice Springs Hospital hosts 13 overseas-trained nurses for clinical placement in February, and we expect to offer positions to those that are found suitable to remain permanently with us. We had 20 new graduates commencing at Royal Darwin Hospital in January, with intakes of 15 commencing in March and May. Alice Springs Hospital had nine new graduates commence in January, with another large intake expected in March.

I am pleased to say that, like many assertions the member for Greatorex makes about affairs in our health system, he is wrong on this one as well. This is regarding the enrolments to the Charles Darwin University Bachelor of Nursing degree course. He was asserting that we were well down on numbers. Well, applications at the moment are 311 for 300 places. That is good news, particularly when you link it to the Graduate School for Health Practice that we launched only a couple of days ago. So, both undergraduate and postgraduate work is proceeding apace at Charles Darwin University and being developed day by day.

Another innovation: a trial of 12 assistants in nursing positions in Alice Springs Hospital has had very positive feedback from the nursing staff there.

We are working across the board on this to maintain the effort of recruiting people into our nursing positions and maintaining nursing numbers in our health delivery.
Middle Years Policy - Implementation

Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING

The teaching profession is bracing for massive change to sweep across Territory schools from next year. To prepare, in the words of the Education minister, for the ‘full implementation of middle school across the board’, which will have professional development, curriculum and infrastructure implications, I ask you to report what level of curriculum development has already taken place, and what professional development is already in place?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I cannot give absolute detail on that question. I will refer it to the minister to provide an answer to the member.

We are heading out next month to have further consultations about the middle years proposal. As government, we are convinced that it is the way forward. As to the issue of the implementation of middle years, we will talk further with the community. The agency is already doing a fair amount of preparatory work in terms of what it might mean for infrastructure and professional development requirements, because there will be a new approach. The whole purpose of middle years is to have a new approach to teaching of Years 7, 8 and 9. That has been very successful in other parts of the country, and other parts of the world, and we will be building on their experience into what will emerge in the Territory.

A lot of work is happening. We are committed to a middle years policy. Over this year, with further consultation with community, with a lot of work within the agency of Employment, Education and Training, I believe we will be in a great position to start middle years in 2007.
Antisocial Behaviour – Effect on Tourism

Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT

There have been a number of comments about the effect antisocial behaviour has on our tourism industry. In relation to that, how well did we cope with the recent arrival of two international ships in Darwin at the same time?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. There have been some concerns over a period of time in regards to the humbugging that does occur in Darwin, particularly in The Mall. Those concerns are espoused by tourists themselves, and also by retailers and other businesses in the immediate vicinity.

I am happy to advise, member for Daly, that there is a positive outcome in regards to some of the concerns that you raised. The Chamber of Commerce has been very active. You will be aware that they represent in excess of 1300 businesses across the Northern Territory. They have been working very closely with the Community Harmony Strategy to address some of these antisocial behaviour issues. That gave rise to a well-attended meeting to develop a strategy to address the Aurora visit on 21 February, which was of immense benefit to the Territory economy. Good experiences were reported from the tourists, and I have been advised that many of them will come back - that is a very positive outcome.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce, Ms Menzies, issued a media release in which she advised that the, ‘Chamber of Commerce NT is delighted with the positive feedback they received from all concerned following the recent cruise ship visit to Darwin’. She went on to, ‘… pay tribute to the Larrakia Nation in providing a helping hand with what we believe will have positive outcomes for all concerned’. Ms Menzies also congratulated the Northern Territory police for their involvement and assistance in this area.

Darwin City Marketing said in a letter:
    It is not every day that Darwin has to cope with an influx of 2500 cruise ship passengers, but yesterday, we, the City of Darwin,
    achieved this with a welcome only Territorians could manage.

    From the Cruise Ship Facilitation Committee, which transfers passengers to tours and city buses, to the helpful traders
    throughout the city, the passengers had such a positive experience that many were vowing to return.

They paid tribute to the Northern Territory Police Force, Community Harmony, the Larrakia Nation and the Kenbi Dancers. It went on to say:
    Traders report that the two days were ‘magic’ in terms of no antisocial behaviour. Given that many people visit the Territory
    to learn about Aboriginal culture, it was great to have such a positive interaction between Aboriginal people and our visitors.

This is a very positive exercise. However, it is not something that is going to stop, it is going to continue. The Community Harmony Strategy and the NT Chamber of Commerce will be meeting again soon, I believe on 2 March, and they will continue to devise strategies and policies which are going to enhance tourism and the economy in Darwin and across the Northern Territory.

I particularly thank Tammy White and Yvette Carolin from the Community Harmony Strategy who have been working very hard; Graham Poon, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce; and Michelle Menzies, Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

In conclusion, this is a very mature response to dealing with these issues in the Territory and I congratulate all involved.
Middle Years Policy - Implementation

Mr MILLS to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Teachers and parents representing Casuarina Senior College and Darwin High School, to name just two schools, strongly oppose your plans to restructure secondary education. It appears that, in spite of sustained opposition, you are determined to proceed, when last Wednesday in this place, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training said: ‘… implement the system across the board’, you have already reaffirmed, from 2007. This is important detail. Chief Minister, even though are in an acting capacity, you should know this detail.

Can you confirm that, in 2007, Darwin High School will accept enrolments from Years 10, 11 and 12 only, while Nightcliff High School will become the middle school and, further, will Casuarina Senior College be accepting Year 10 students in 2007?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I refer to my previous answer. We are committed to a middle schools policy. We had that debate last week in the House. What we are doing from the beginning of March is looking at how we implement that. We are talking to the community. There are different ways of implementing that policy in terms of what might be structural change. We are not pre-empting it with the community. We will talk to our communities right throughout the Territory where any possible change will have to be made.

Take a community like Tennant Creek, there is no structural change there; Nhulunbuy is another example. We will have effective consultation, right across the Territory about the way we are going to implement the middle schools policy.

The member for Blain is very welcome to attend those consultations. We will let him know when they will be on. We are speaking with the Territory community about a very important aspect of the future of what are critical years for our children’s education, Years 7, 8 and 9.
Palmerston Football Club – Funding for New Oval

Mr NATT to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION

As the NTFL finals draw near, can you outline what assistance government has given the Palmerston Magpies Football Club to establish their new ground at Palmerston?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for his question. It is quite appropriate that he asks the question. He is an exceptional former player, and a former football administrator. He has generously offered his assistance as an assistant coach to the Magpies Under 18s next season. Football followers would know the Under 18s have struggled a bit this season, so it will be good for the club to get that professional assistance.

Government has delivered on a $2m commitment to the Palmerston Magpies. As with all commitments, the government worked with the stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome for all parties. In this case, we included the Palmerston Magpies and the Charles Darwin University, which had an under-utilised oval that they were willing to make available for the Maggies. The government then provided a $2m capital grant to the university, who worked with the Magpies to design and commence works associated with the oval redevelopment.

The scope of works undertaken included the reconstruction of the oval closest to University Avenue to Australian Football League standards for use as the Magpies home ground; the construction of a building to contain players’ toilets and changing rooms, public toilets, a kiosk and tiered seating; installation of a fence around this oval and its immediate surrounds; construction of an access road from the campus entrance to the car park close to the ovals; and maintenance work on the second oval that is shared with Durack Primary School which the Magpies will use as a practice oval.

I am advised that the project is nearing completion with only a few minor works to be undertaken including the installation of a scoreboard. The oval will be ready for competition at the start of the 2006-07 football season and the AFLNT is planning to schedule games there early in the season.

Having such a great facility in the heart of Palmerston will help the club to grow and provide the kids of Palmerston with a great opportunity to take up football. I guess the only bad news for the Palmerston Magpies is that they will have to compete with players for sports like basketball and netball as soon as the wonderful new recreation centre is completed in Palmerston.

There are some great things happening for sport in Palmerston. These are wonderful new facilities and they are so important for an area like Palmerston with such a young population. The Martin government is proud of its commitment to Palmerston and its commitment to deliver on our election promises, done because we are good financial managers.

Members: Hear, hear!

Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016