2014-10-21
Tiwi Land Council – Payment of $1m by Government
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
On 22 August last year your chief executive, Gary Barnes, signed an agreement with John Hicks to transfer $1m from the Land Development Corporation to the Tiwi Land Council through its subsidiary, Tiwi Resources Pty Ltd, in return for a 99-year lease of land on the Tiwi Islands. Under the terms of the agreement, released under FOI, it was agreed:
- … that the Tiwi Land Council will make a repayment in full in the event that the leases are not executed and registered within six months of the date of the payment.
It is now 14 months since that agreement was signed, and there are no leases. Who authorised the agreement to pay $1m to the Tiwi Land Council, and has the $1m been repaid?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, after a recess of parliament, the Leader of the Opposition’s first question is straight to the gutter. It goes to the gutter because the Leader of the Opposition does not support development in remote areas of the Northern Territory, and does not support Aboriginal people, in fact.
We are talking about developing parts of the Northern Territory. The Leader of the Opposition, along with the shadow minister, the member for Johnston – he continuously stands up in public and carps and whines about why we are supporting people and economic development in the bush.
They seem to think it is okay to give a multinational petrol company free land to drive down the price of petrol, but heaven forbid helping Tiwi Islanders by providing them a Japanese partner and getting their forestry initiatives up and running, along with equipment, to start development.
Shame on the Country Liberals for helping Aboriginal people and the Tiwi Islands! We will not stop helping people in the bush. We will help them economically, remove them from welfare dependency and help them drive and grow forward.
I note the scurrilous article in The Australian the other day by Amos Aikman, the most intrepid reporter the Northern Territory has at The Australian. He made some allegations which were completely untrue; he said there was no Cabinet endorsement to support the Tiwi Islands. He also inferred that the CEO of the LDC, Mr John Coleman, may have acted illegally. Shame on him! He was given advice before that story was published which said there was Cabinet endorsement, it was completely legal and fully supported by this government, because we fully support Tiwi Islanders. That information was provided to Amos, and yet still the article in The Australian referred to insinuations and accusations against a very good man working for the Northern Territory government, Mr John Coleman. I say sorry to Mr Coleman for …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Has the $1m been repaid? If not, why not? Where is it?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: I apologise to Mr Coleman for having his name dragged through the mud in this scurrilous way. He is in there enforcing policy and decisions by government designed to help people on the Tiwi Islands, to help them get out of economic disadvantage. We will offer the same type of initiatives across the Territory to help people get out of the welfare cycle they are in and into an economic prism.
Mr John Coleman provided a letter of response to the editor of The Australian, Mr Mitchell, yesterday. I table a copy of that letter now so members can see it; it is in Mr Coleman’s defence of the actions he took in trying to support Tiwi Islanders. He had the full support of Cabinet and government, and we will defend any public servant put under the microscope in such a scurrilous way when they have done nothing incorrect and everything to support the development of the Territory.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Tiwi Land Council – Payment of $1m by Government
Tiwi Land Council – Payment of $1m by Government
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
The Land Development Corporation handed over $1m of taxpayers’ funds to the Tiwi Land Council through its subsidiary, Tiwi Resources Pty Ltd. In the agreement it stipulated the leases were to be signed and registered within six months or the amount was to be repaid in full. This happened under your instruction, under your watch. Where is the $1m, some 14 months later, with no leases signed or registered? Where is taxpayers’ $1m? Has it been repaid in full?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, The Leader of the Opposition likes to have a bob each way. She does not support leases and fights against them all the time, against development on the Tiwi Islands, and now she is asking when the leases will be signed. What do you agree with? What is the Labor policy? Do you support the leases or do you not? Do you still not support Aboriginal people or do you support Aboriginal people? Do you support economic development or not? Do you want people in welfare prisms or do you want them out of that position?
We will continue to support people from an economic point of view. In regard to the leases, yes, we set a six-month time frame, but consultations are continuing. We are working very constructively with the land council, and when those leases are signed by the land council it will be a good outcome. It is not about pursuing the $1m; it is about saying we support development. We will support it up hill and down dale of the 1.3 million square kilometres of the Northern Territory. You want to run this racial argument that we cannot support Aboriginal people in the bush; we will support all Territorians now and into the future.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I acknowledge and welcome in the gallery the member for Nightcliff’s father, Mr Andrew Fyles. Welcome to Parliament House today.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Casuarina By-Election – Swing to CLP
Mr BARRETT to CHIEF MINISTER
First, congratulations to the new member for Casuarina. It is lovely to see a new member in the House this morning. There was, however, a swing towards the Giles government in the recent Casuarina by-election, and I am wondering what message this sent about public support for the government’s plans and Delia Lawrie’s leadership?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I know the member for Blain watched on intently before his election to the seat of Blain. Thank you very much for also complimenting the new member for Casuarina; I wish you the best in your position, Lauren. I hope it goes well.
In regard to the election, there is no doubt that when we came in on 25 August 2012 we had a problem. We had huge levels of government debt, a non-performing economic sector, a huge focus on social services and the Territory was going backwards, completely unprepared for the future. We knew INPEX was coming. Was enough land being released for Territorians? Were enough houses being constructed? Look at the tourism industry. Were enough hotel rooms being built or prepared for the construction and economic booms that were coming? No, we did not.
We had to deal with all these issues. We had to deal with a lot of debt issues, and when you make tough decisions you will be unpopular, which we were at that point in time. There was a by-election in Wanguri, and we saw a 13% swing against the government. Might I say, incumbent governments that run by-elections during their term in an opposition seat can expect an 11% swing against them. We had a 13% swing against us in Wanguri.
Member for Blain, you asked the question, and in the seat of Blain, where you were successful in taking that seat from the former Chief Minister Terry Mills, there was a 5% swing against the government. What we saw on Saturday 18 October this year in the seat of Casuarina was unheard of. Never in the Territory’s history has there been a swing to an incumbent government, except now under the watch of the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Karama.
What does that say? That says two things; there are two messages. The message for government is that our message and our platform of developing northern Australia, paying back debt, driving down crime and growing jobs is starting to get out there. It is starting to penetrate. Not only from an electoral point of view are we holding our vote, but we are converting Labor voters from an electoral study point of view. Our message is getting out there. It also showed a 17-point swing against Labor in the primary vote. That is a vote of no confidence in the Opposition Leader.
The question now is to the member for Casuarina. It is a real question and test for the member for Casuarina. What does she do? It is decision time. Does she jump in the corner with the member for Karama? Does she sit alongside the member for Barkly, the bloke who handed over the Stella Maris to the dodgy unions, or does she saddle up with the member for Fannie Bay, who is now being accompanied by the member for Wanguri.
That is a tough decision you have to make, but, clearly, a 17-point swing is not where you want to be marking your vote, member for Casuarina.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Mr Vowles: Sit down.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, you are on a warning. I heard that.
Tiwi Land Council – Payment of $1m by Government
Mr VOWLES to CHIEF MINISTER
Labor supports Indigenous economic development, but even Tiwi Islanders are worried. Last year we received a petition from Tiwi Islands traditional owners concerning the 99-year lease plan on the Tiwi Islands. The petition states in part:
- We refer to The Australian newspaper article on the 31 August 2013, ‘NT Proposes Lease Deal to Help Develop Tiwi Islands’ … We cannot express our shock and surprise at this news. As Traditional Owners of the areas proposed for development we have not been consulted.
I seek leave to table the petition.
Leave granted.
Mr VOWLES: Why did you not consult properly with landowners on the Tiwi Islands before Gary Barnes signed the agreement with John Hicks? No leases have been signed. Where is the $1m, and did your government also provide a $2.8m bank guarantee?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, does the member for Johnston support the lease or not? That is the question.
During the last answer I said we were consulting on the leases, and you are calling for consultation. Do you want consultation or not? Do you want the lease? Do you want economic development?
Let us not forget that when you were in government you actively campaigned against the forestry project. You even flew to Singapore to campaign against the port being built on the Tiwi Islands. That is clear evidence of what you want to see in terms of development on the Tiwi Islands and across the Territory.
Have a policy; do you support the lease or not? You are calling for consultation. We are doing it, and now you are asking about consultation.
Ms Walker: Tell us about the $1m, Adam; $1m of taxpayers’ funds. You are dodgy.
Mr GILES: What is the point of your question? We will continue to provide support to the Tiwi Islands on a range of measures.
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance; no leases have been signed in six months. You have been repeatedly asked where the $1m is.
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: I point out to the mumbling member from Nhulunbuy, who continues to interject …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is being offensive.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. I point out to the member for Nhulunbuy, who speaks under her breath in a manner no one can understand, that she keeps calling for intervention.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 62; it is offensive.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Chief Minister, if you can get to the point.
Mr GILES: You keep calling for intervention and support in Gove. The government has provided millions of dollars of support, public service in-kind support, $2m supporting the economic fund, money for boat ramps, tourist ventures and a range of things. It is all right to support your seat, but it is not all right to support Aboriginal people, Tiwi people, on the Tiwi Islands. Why is it good for you, but not good for the Tiwi Islands? Is it because they are Aboriginal people? Is that the problem? Is that what it is about?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113; you repeatedly refuse to answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down, Opposition Leader, it is not a point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: This is a fundamental question. No one likes debating race, but every time we support Aboriginal people, or Tiwi people, there seems to be opposition to government. So much support has been provided to Gove, and we will continue to do that.
Ms Walker: Oh, rubbish! People are leaving in droves.
Mr GILES: We want to support Gove, we will support Henbury School …
Ms Walker: There is not one new business.
Mr GILES: … and we will support fuel companies in driving down prices, but as soon as we support an Aboriginal community it is a problem. There is a problem. What is the philosophical opposition to supporting Tiwi Islanders? We will do this right across the Territory. Shame on you!
Ms Walker interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, cease interjecting!
Mr GILES: Member for Johnston, I have heard your public comments …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Did you provide a $2.8m bank guarantee …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, it is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: Member for Johnston, shame on you for your public comments. You are driving a racial divide between Tiwi people, Aboriginal people and other Territorians. We are all one community, and what you do is a disgrace.
Infrastructure - Future Funding Needs and Opportunities
Mr BARRETT to CHIEF MINISTER
The government has started a conversation with Territorians about our future infrastructure needs. Can you outline what infrastructure opportunities might exist if a decision is made to sell TIO or lease parts of the port to private investors?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in March this year Cabinet took advice on the future of TIO, its economic structure and how its operations are managed. Cabinet decided to look at what we could do to support TIO into the future. It is the same sort of discussion we have been having in relation to the port. We all know we want to expand the port, particularly the quay line and the hardstand area, improve our container rate, which is operating quite well at the moment with the two mobile cranes, given the big red crane is no longer functional ...
Ms Fyles: A red crane?
Mr GILES: A containerised crane for people like yourself, member for Nightcliff, who might not understand it fully.
We have looked at TIO particularly, so I will focus on that. TIO started in about 1979. It was a single insurer at that point in time; we are in an environment now where it is the sole government-owned insurance company in any jurisdiction in Australia. In the Territory it operates against 11 other insurance companies. All 12 companies provide cyclone insurance and 11 companies provide flood insurance. Flood insurance is much simpler since the federal government intervened after the Queensland floods several years ago. There is a lot more consistency in flood terminology for those taking out and claiming insurance.
What it means for TIO – it is government backed – is that we will pay anything above claims made to a certain amount, but it is competing against national and international companies that have the ability to spread risk across Australia and around the world. TIO can only spread that risk in the Territory, which will put significant price pressures on TIO. We are looking at what we need to do in that regard.
People will remember – I think it was during the last sittings – I said we were not looking at selling it. However, between then and now there has been a lot of interest in regard to the 15% asset recycling initiative by the federal government. We have a lot of support from the TIO board and executive for how we have to take TIO forward to save it; if we do not act it will not be saved into the future. I have said all along we have to look at how we protect the TIO brand, make sure the brand stays, protect jobs and also how we ensure flood and cyclone insurance are there for the future.
The other day we announced a website calling for Territorians to come forward with ideas on where any realisation of value in TIO could be put for community and economic infrastructure, so we can build the Territory into the future.
There is no doubt the future of the Northern Territory relies heavily on where we can put infrastructure, and we are asking the community for comments. Some of the stuff we have already spoken about to date is how we can, for example, support Rapid Creek in flood and sewer rectification works to stop insurance claims into the future.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Tiwi Land Council –
Payment of $1m by Government
Payment of $1m by Government
Mr VOWLES to CHIEF MINISTER
Documents released under FOI expose serious reservations by senior public servants about the $1m payment to the Tiwi Land Council. I seek leave to table the documents.
Leave granted.
Two days before the agreement was signed, Mr John Coleman, CEO of the Land Development Corporation, cautioned Gary Barnes, saying:
- I feel this is all a bit underdone so far.
In an e-mail to Alastair Shields one day before the agreement was signed the Under Treasurer said:
- I probably also need a couple of dot points around what needs to happen for all this to occur, so that Adam doesn’t think we will be signing leases next week.
In a further e-mail from the Under Treasurer to senior public servants on 10 October, she said:
- See the outcome of John’s meeting with Westpac below. It is very different to what we were told by the Tiwi guys right back at the beginning.
Given the serious reservations, why did you authorise the $1m payment? Why was an agreement signed on this dodgy deal, and do you have any idea where the $1m is?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I just want some clarity. Did you call it a dodgy deal with the Tiwis?
A member: It is, isn’t it?
Ms Lawrie: One million dollars, no leases.
Mr GILES: No worries. I rest my case with the last two answers. I still find it highly offensive. Yes, we gave $1m to the Tiwi Islands as a loan, and yes, we are seeking to sign leases there. Yes, we are consulting, and yes, it is taking longer than six months, but we will take our time because we are not forcing economic development on people. We want to see change in communities.
Yes, we have a good relationship with the Tiwis, yes, we want that relationship to go everywhere and yes, we support black people. No, Labor does not.
We will continue to support people. I have provided a substantial answer to this question; you have documents, I will give you more. We will continue to support the Tiwis. How many documents would you like? We will support people all over the Territory, and we are in deep negotiations with other communities in the Territory to drive similar reform. We support economic development; we do not support welfare, like Labor. We want change, you do not, but that is where our philosophical positions lie.
You still do not have a policy in this area, only complaints. Stop carping and whining and come out with some policies.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. He has not answered the question about where the money is.
Madam SPEAKER: No, the Chief Minister has concluded his question.
Fuel Price Competition
Mr BARRETT to CHIEF MINISTER
We recently held a fuel price summit, and some measures were taken by the Northern Territory government to promote price competition in the Northern Territory. Would you please give us an update on how that is going?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. The member for Blain, as parliamentary secretary for Business, has been working tirelessly in this area to address issues around the cost of living. One of those issues is fuel prices. Cost of living pressures have existed in the Territory for many a long year, and little was done about them until 25 August 2012.
This year our budget came out, and I commend the minister for Lands and Planning for putting out the biggest land release strategy we have ever seen in the Northern Territory, 6500 blocks of land, $130m – $50m for industrial land release.
These are interventions putting downward pressure on prices in the Northern Territory, one being petrol. I congratulate Dr Harry on raising these issues as the Country Liberals candidate in the seat of Casuarina. He put a lot of pressure on the petrol companies, supported intently by institutions such as the NT News, Channel 9, ABC, Mix and so forth. I commend those institutions for getting on the bandwagon, because, collectively, we have put pressure on fuel companies to drive prices down.
Yes, we held a fuel price summit because one of the technical issues about fuel is understanding why the price is the way it is.
Ms Walker: It was a bit of a non-event, that one.
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr GILES: I know the opposition does not understand this and did not take action when they were in government. I know in 2005 they had the Parry report done, and I know when the Leader of the Opposition was the Treasurer she did not do anything about fuel, but we are now. Now the Casuarina by-election is over, we will continue to address fuel prices, most notably with the fuel price disclosure bill the Attorney-General will be talking about later today.
The fuel price summit sought to find information, but did not get the information I wanted it to achieve. I wanted to find out the exact price of transportation of fuel in the Northern Territory. We generally know the price from Singapore, the price of shipping, the Vopak price and the TGP. We mostly understand the retail mark-ups, but we do not know the depot charges, the charges from the terminal to the depot and from the depot to the retail outlets. They are some of the areas we need to find out about, but information was not forthcoming. It was good to get some information out, but more needs to be forthcoming. We are still being gouged.
Having said that, we support free market enterprise, but government sometimes has to intervene to be able to encourage the reduction in prices, so I thank all those who participated in the summit. I thank the member for Blain for the hard work he has been doing.
There is more work to be done in this area, but I note that companies such as United are starting to become price leaders. I note their prices were 20c lower at Acacia the other day; I think prices are now about $1.63.9 for E10 and $1.66 or $1.67 for unleaded, so there is movement. We will continue to work in this area to drive down the cost of living, where Labor did not.
Howard Springs Wastewater Treatment Systems – Approval for
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT
Under FOI, I received documents relating to an application to amend a planning instrument over land on Smyth Road, Howard Springs. On 14 May the Chief Medical Officer wrote that the Department of Health did not support the application for 20 individual wastewater treatment systems on this land, saying, ‘It would create an unacceptable risk to the health of people in the area; should such hazards eventuate there may well be a consequent risk of complaint or litigation.’
You wrote to a developer representative on 24 June this year highlighting the same concerns.
Many people rely on drinking water pumped from the aquifers, so could you tell them whether you have approved the subdivision which allows 20 wastewater treatment systems on this land, against the chief health officer’s advice, or have you approved a better alternative system, such as a single treatment plant, which the department supports?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for the question. An interesting process has unfolded. We are a government with a tremendous job ahead of us in speeding up land release and getting on top of what I have said for a long time – the previous government failed miserably to release enough land, which caused prices to skyrocket. This block of land in the rural area will continue to be a challenge, because you are the leader of opposition in regard to development, and development that appears …
Mr Wood: You tell lies.
Mr CHANDLER: I will pick up on the interjection. He is now calling me a liar.
He told me he was concerned about the rural area, but then used his electorate allowance to take out ads in the regional weekly talking about height limits. How do height limits in the CBD affect people in the rural area? However, back to the question; in regard to this development it has been a very careful process because, as a government, we are trying to promote development. At the same time it must be undertaken correctly.
This same developer received approval from the previous government to do something very similar there in regard to on-site septic systems. It needed to be done correctly. Have I sought advice from the department of Environmental Health? Absolutely. Have I sought advice from a number of departments to make sure we get this right? In reality there are systems capable of providing this kind of service to smaller blocks in the rural area. These areas must be discussed carefully, because a number of developers would like to do the same thing.
These developments can be approved if systems are installed correctly and maintained. Our checks and balances and regulatory framework structures must ensure systems like this are well-maintained into the future. There has been a very long-winded process.
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister was asked if he approved 20 wastewater system sites, but he has rambled about me being anti-development and all that sort of rubbish. Could I get an answer to the question, please?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call. Get to the point.
Mr CHANDLER: We are continuing to look at ways to approve developments across the Northern Territory because we have to …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is five seconds to go; I asked if he approved it.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you could get to the point. You have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: I think it is on the public record that the development has been approved, so I do not have to.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Land Release – CLP Plans
Mr BARRETT to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT
The former Labor government dropped the ball on land release, which is costing Territorians every day through high housing costs. Can you update the House on the Country Liberals mission to release more land and reverse Labor’s destruction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, absolutely – this is getting to the root cause. The Chief Minister rightly pointed out earlier that when we took over government the place was in debt; debt can be repaid, but you cannot go back in time and release land quicker. That is what caused the cost of land in the Northern Territory to go through the roof. It was not through a lack of planning, just a lack of action in getting on with it. It was probably the biggest mistake of the former government.
You set up an economy through things like attracting INPEX to Darwin. Well done, kudos to you for that, but you did not plan for what the community reaction would be. You did not action the plan, that is the difference. You might have thought about it. You planted plenty of information brochures out there – all the pamphlets on Weddell and other things. There was much said, but not a lot done.
I am proud to say that later today at Zuccoli, we will be announcing land for another 1700 homes …
Mr McCarthy: Enquiry by Design process, minister, also delivered Kilgariff.
Mr CHANDLER: That was another thing you talked about. I pick up on the interjection. A lot …
Ms Fyles: Zuccoli was a Labor project!
Mr CHANDLER: I will also pick up on that interjection because they continue to interject. We will tell you the truth. If you believed the mob over there, the former Labor government developed Palmerston. Zuccoli was part of the original plan for Palmerston, but they speak as if they were the ones who came up with the idea of Palmerston. So wrong! It was envisioned under the former CLP government of the day.
We are getting on and releasing land more quickly, working with developers to bring down the cost of housing and land in Northern Territory.
I want to touch on one other thing before I finish. Recently, the Leader of the Opposition issued a media release attacking the process, suggesting we were not looking at local companies. The successful company in this development is Costa Property Group, working with a 40-year-old Territory veteran in civil engineering, Ostojic; they have partnered. If the Leader of the Opposition was honest she would know this company has been operating for 40 years. That media release did not go down well in the development community. We are proud to support not only local developers, but also their interstate cousins.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Foundation 51 – Inquiry and Removal of Terry Mills from Position
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
You have been negligent in revealing the truth of what happened to the $1m of taxpayers’ money paid to Tiwi Resources. You have also repeatedly denied the links between your CLP slush fund, Foundation 51 – despite Graeme Lewis running a draft media release past you in May – and Terry Mills, when Chief Minister, having a directorial role. Why have you failed to stand down Terry Mills from his $750 000 taxpayer-funded gig in Jakarta?
Will you today name a date for the inquiry into political donations into Foundation 51? Will you confirm in Question Time that you will implement the terms of reference as passed by a motion of this parliament during the last sittings?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not accept the premise of the question. There is no inquiry into Foundation 51 which has been approved by this parliament. There was a motion for an inquiry, presented by the member for Nelson that passed through parliament. We are holding discussions about that motion. We have had a couple of meetings and conversations, and we have another one on Thursday this week where we will be talking to the person who we propose to head up that inquiry. After that, we will take more information back to parliament from there …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you today name a date for the inquiry? Will you confirm that you will implement the terms of reference as passed by motion of this parliament?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. It is not a point of order; Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: As I just said, in case you missed it, I am talking with the member for Nelson, the proponent of the motion that was passed, about identifying somebody to undertake the inquiry. We will be talking about how that will be rolled out in the time frame, etcetera.
In relation to the question about Foundation 51, it is not an inquiry into Foundation 51. It was set up as a broad inquiry. I would like to see Harold Nelson Holdings looked at; we would like to know where union dollars are going in the Northern Territory. We need a good ruler put over the transfer by the member for Barkly of the Stella Maris site to union mates who throw money back into Labor. Why not look at that in an inquiry? Why not think about that? If you want to talk about Cabinet processes and LDC actions from Cabinet decisions ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why have you failed to stand down Terry Mills?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: Let us talk about Cabinet decisions and how when you were in government you circumvented the Cabinet process to run a slippery, slimy dodgy deal to have Stella Maris handed over to the Lands and Planning minister – the member for Barkly at the time – so he could do his dirty, dodgy slimy deal for the Labor Party, the unions and Harold Nelson Holdings.
Perhaps we should look at connections between members on that side of the Chamber and Harold Nelson Holdings and where the slippery money went from Harold Nelson Holdings into the Labor Party.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 49; the member should address the Speaker, please.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Hence the purpose of my comments on Saturday, when I said democracy suffered when Dr Harry was not elected. The member for Johnston continues to make fantastic contributions to parliament which showcase why parliamentary debate in the Northern Territory must be lifted.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You have not yet answered why you will not stand Terry Mills down from his taxpayer-funded gig.
Madam SPEAKER: I have ruled it out of order before. Chief Minister, you have the floor.
Mr GILES: Unlike Labor in government, we will not politicise the public service. Let us remind people that the role of the Chief Minister is to employ the CEO. The CEO’s job is to employ the staff. That is quite simple. My responsibility is the engagement and employment of CEOs. That is where it stops; beyond that it is a job for the department. It is called the separation of powers. I encourage you to take control of that and understand it. Let us reflect on the 17-point swing against you as Opposition Leader. Change your tactics; it is not working.
Stella Maris – Expressions of Interest
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT
During the last sittings the government corrected a wrong committed by the former Labor government by putting the Stella Maris site out for expressions of interest, allowing the community to benefit from this public asset. This is the same multimillion dollar asset Labor exclusively gifted to its union mates, rent free, for 10 years. Can you update the House on how the expression of interest process is tracking?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member for Daly, someone who wants and advocates for open and accountable government.
Let us recap on what happened on that fateful day in August 2012, the day democracy in the Northern Territory took a big blow. On 3 August 2012 the member for Barkly walked the lease from his office to Unions NT and then back to the department. It was quite the day’s work. I wish he was as enthusiastic about this deal I and Territorians want in relation to releasing land in the Northern Territory.
Look at what we discovered; it landed on my desk in a file. I read the file, and the deeper I dug the smellier it became. In fact, I thought I had come across a sewer. This deal was smelly, and it did not add up.
What did we do? Did we sign off on it? No, we did not. We investigated because that was the right thing to do. This was the wrong thing to do, and we wanted to do the right thing.
An inquiry was approved by the Chief Minister, conducted, and what was uncovered? The findings were very clear. The then Treasurer and Deputy Chief Minister acted with bias towards the union, and the member for Barkly signed a deal that was not accountable, responsible or in the public interest. To be absolutely clear, the then Treasurer – who was once the Minister for Lands and Planning, and Environment – Delia Lawrie, acted with bias towards the union, and the member for Barkly, signed a deal that was not accountable …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will he answer his own Dorothy Dixer?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order, Opposition Leader. Sit down!
Mr CHANDLER: The then minister, the member for Barkly, signed a deal that was not accountable, responsible or in the public interest, and we were left with no choice. On 21 August, Stella Maris went back to the people through a proper process that should have happened under the former Labor government.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Foundation 51 – Inquiry
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINSTER
You know and work with Mr Graeme Lewis. He was your Chair of the Land Development Corporation when they paid $1m to Tiwi Resources Pty Ltd. In e-mails between Foundation 51 director, Graeme Lewis, Terry Mills and five members of the CLP executive that were revealed by the ABC last week, there is a prima facie suggestion a criminal breach of the Electoral Act has occurred in the non-disclosure of donations to the CLP by the slush fund Foundation 51. In the e-mails that were exposed, Mr Lewis said:
- Once again, the contributors were clearly aware, and did generally stipulate, that the funds raised would be devoted to NT elections in 2012 or thereafter.
He went on to say:
- … I will be mortified if this information becomes widely known. It must be closely held for obvious reasons.
Have you referred this matter to either the Commissioner of Police or the Director of Public Prosecutions for a full investigation, and if not, why?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not have a copy of the e-mails, so I have not referred it to anybody. You would think if I had a copy I might look at it, but I have not seen it. I do not look for these scurrilous things Labor tries to purport in a range of areas.
I will go through the same answers I gave during the last sittings. The AEC and the Northern Territory Electoral Commission are reviewing the operations and otherwise of Foundation 51. If you have a copy of an e-mail I have not seen, send it to the AEC or the Northern Territory Electoral Commission. I have no idea what that e-mail says, and I have not seen, read, or touched the e-mail. It has not been sent to me. If you have a copy of an e-mail, send it to the people conducting an inquiry.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113; it beggars belief the Chief Minister is unaware of issues that have been running in the media for weeks. Have you referred this matter to the Commissioner of Police, and now that you are aware of it through Question Time today, will you refer this matter to the commissioner?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. Please be seated.
Mr GILES: I do not have a copy of the e-mail, but clearly you do. If you think there has been a breach of the law, why have you not referred it? If you have it, why have you not referred it if you think it is a problem?
These are the same sorts of questions that came up last time. I go back to what happened on the weekend; for the fourth time in a row you have run election campaigns on negativity, and you are going backwards each time.
It is not my job to give you direction about how you should run yourselves, but I encourage you to talk about policy. Come up with something to debate. Do not start to play the man again, rather than the proper game of how this all works. You just want to drag people’s names into the gutter.
You very gracefully allowed your leadership contender, the member for Fannie Bay, to ask a question. He is the spokesperson for police on your side. Why do you not ask a question about police, or better still, congratulate the police for their hard work across the Northern Territory? I will tell you about some hard work done by Territory police under the policies of the Country Liberals government.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. By all means have your side ask you a Dorothy Dixer about crime statistics.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your question?
Ms LAWRIE: The question went to the e-mails from Graeme Lewis. They have been read onto the Hansard by the member for Fannie Bay, and you are refusing to answer why you will not refer it to the police commissioner or the DPP.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, it is not a point of order, sit down. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: The e-mails were not read into Hansard by the member for Fannie Bay.
Let us talk about assaults in the Northern Territory. Labor will not like hearing about this, but this is policy and is complimenting Northern Territory police. There has been a 14% reduction in assaults in the Northern Territory, alcohol-related assaults are down by 19% ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The Chief Minister, the Police minister, clearly does not want to answer the question. He needs to provide an answer about why he will not refer this very serious matter about Foundation 51 to the commissioner or the DPP. That is his responsibility.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, the Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question. Chief Minister, if you could get to the point.
Mr GILES: It has not been referred because you people have it and have not referred it.
Ms Walker: Three minutes to avoid the question.
Mr GILES: Alcohol-related assaults are down by …
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Nhulunbuy just reflected on your decision, and I ask that you take appropriate action.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, I did not hear what you allege the member for Nhulunbuy said. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Alcohol-related assaults are down by 19% in the Northern Territory. Property offences …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question did not ask about crime statistics.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down, it is not a point of order. Chief Minister, if you could get to the point.
Ms Lawrie: Will you answer that question?
Mr GILES: The question has been answered. I do not have a copy of the e-mail, and if you have it …
Mr Gunner: Sit down, let Question Time continue.
Ms Lawrie: He will not answer it, sit down.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause.
Opposition Leader and member for Fannie Bay, you are both on a warning for inappropriate language.
Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: If you both have the e-mail and think a crime has been committed, you should refer it. You have a responsibility; I do not have the e-mail. It is simple.
Police Facilities – Upgrade to Improve Community Safety
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Can you outline the scale of the work currently under way to upgrade the Territory’s police facilities and improve community safety?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. I have not had a chance to talk to him during this Question Time, but I know he will be disgusted by the approach of the opposition in relation to people on the Tiwi Islands and the good work we are doing there.
We continue to roll out improved police facilities across the Northern Territory, and Milikapiti is one place we will deliver more refurbishment works. There is $1.5m going towards the police station at Milikapiti. Also in your electorate, member for Arafura, $600 000 is being spent on the Gunbalanya/Oenpelli police station. That is part of a $37m package we have for upgrading police facilities in the Northern Territory. That includes $9m for the redevelopment of the Alice Springs police station, or the soon to be new police station in the Greatorex building. Police in Alice Springs have outgrown the current police station, particularly with us providing an extra 20 officers and solving many of the criminal issues in Central Australia.
We are also spending $8.1m and $7.6m on police stations at Arlparra and Yuendumu. They are some of the things we are doing on top of the $9m going to the Peter McCauley Centre It is a package of reforms going towards law and order and justice in the Northern Territory, because we take law and order and justice seriously. That is why crime figures in the Northern Territory are so good. That is why assaults are down by 14% Territory-wide. I reflect on the criticism of the wannabe leader, the member for Fannie Bay, who talked about our commitment to a 10% crime reduction.
There has been a 14% reduction in assaults and 19% in alcohol-related assaults. In Darwin commercial break-ins are down by 33%. I know the member for Barkly has been interjecting quite a lot today, so let me give him some updates about how well this government has been doing with the assistance of good policy, a good public service – people we stand up for – and good police who have been implementing that public policy.
Property offences in Tennant Creek are down by 42%, commercial break-ins are down by 28%, motor vehicle theft and related offences are down by 45%, theft other than a motor vehicle and related offences are down by 31%. Wait for this one, this is in the Barkly – I congratulate Superintendent Danny Bacon for his leadership in Tennant Creek, as well as all the officers there – where house break-ins are down by 72% in Tennant Creek. That is what good policy, good governance and good leadership in the Northern Territory is all about ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Asbestos Exposure – Milingimbi
Ms LEE to MINISTER for COMMUNITY SERVICES
On my recent trip through my electorate, I met with very concerned members of the Milingimbi community in regard to asbestos removal and disposal in the area. For example, when the new clinic was built the remains of the old clinic were placed at the public dump. This is unacceptable for the workers and community members who have now been exposed to this asbestos. According to your media release, Aboriginal people are now to be trained to remove asbestos from their communities. Could you please advise what is being done about the safe removal of asbestos in Aboriginal communities such as Milingimbi, and what is the progress of training Aboriginal people in the removal of asbestos?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. Yes, there have been asbestos cleanups in various communities. I was in Maningrida and visited the organisation doing the job training for these young local people in the community on how to fix houses that have asbestos in them. It was great to see the number of very keen Aboriginal people wanting to be part of this cleanup. It was great to see the enthusiasm on the day ...
Ms LEE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I am talking about Milingimbi.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you could get to the point, please.
Mrs PRICE: There is asbestos clearing in the communities. There will be training in Milingimbi as well because it is important we provide training to make sure people are safe and know how to combat asbestos in communities.
Maningrida is the only community I have had contact with that has had this training. There are local people there keen to learn and be trained so they can be in a safe environment. There was a fellow, I am proud to say, who came across from Ramingining; he had worked in asbestos cleaning there. That is one of the communities in your electorate. This young bloke who came across from Ramingining was so eager to help and work alongside local people in Maningrida to show them how to work in a safe environment.
There is training happening. It is the way to do it to make sure people are in a safe environment ...
Ms ANDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. My colleague asked a question about Milingimbi, and what is happening regarding the safe removal …
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has the call, and she is addressing the question.
Mrs PRICE: As I have made clear, I will find the information about Milingimbi. There is training in progress. The fellow from Ramingining, an Aboriginal bloke who has already been involved, has put his hand up and is working with the consultant fixing up these houses which have asbestos in them, and with providers in training new workers to make sure there is a safe environment for them to work in.
Ebola Preparedness – Update
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you please update the Assembly on the Northern Territory’s preparedness in light of the Ebola epidemic overseas?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for her question. Like everyone, we are extremely concerned about this Ebola epidemic in West African countries. The Northern Territory is definitely prepared for such an epidemic in the unlikely scenario it happens in this area. I met with my Health minister colleagues at the COAG Health Council a few weeks ago, and we all committed to working collaboratively to prepare for such an epidemic if it occurs.
Royal Darwin Hospital is prepared to deal with any possible cases of Ebola in the Northern Territory. We are extremely well placed as a tertiary hospital, but also as the home of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre
Royal Darwin Hospital has recently undertaken refresher courses in using personal protective equipment in the case of a patient presenting at Royal Darwin Hospital with Ebola. The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre is working closely with the Northern Territory Department of Health to ensure all our protocols and systems are efficient and ready to respond in the event of an outbreak.
The federal minister, Peter Dutton, said last week the rapid deployment of medical staff from Darwin was part of the government’s strategy to deal with any regional outbreak of Ebola. The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre and its AUSMAT staff, based at the hospital, are prepared and on alert to respond in an instant.
We have a representative from the Northern Territory working in West Africa as we speak. Dr Ian Norton, the former Deputy Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, is now employed by the World Health Organisation and is working in Africa. There may be other citizens of the Northern Territory involved in the response in West Africa, but Dr Norton is probably our most famous person on the ground; we are very proud of him. We are proud of the fact we are the home of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre and are well prepared and equipped to respond to any Ebola epidemic should it occur within Australia or the Asian region.
Public Assets - Sale of
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
You have refused to answer questions on the $1m and $2.8m bank guarantee to the Tiwi Islands today, despite repeatedly being asked, ‘Where is that money?’ You also deny knowledge of the dodgy links between your slush fund Foundation 51 and the CLP, you are refusing to refer criminal behaviour to the police commissioner or the DPP, and now you expect Territorians to trust you with the sale of public assets you have been planning, you now admit, since March this year. Your PR spin and website do not allow Territorians to have their say on whether or not they want to see public assets sold. You have no mandate to sell the assets. Will you take it to a referendum for Territorians before you sell a single public asset, or to the next general election?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am sure everyone’s head on this side of the Chamber is starting to hurt after coming back from the recess to listen to questions like that. It is a long bow you have tried to draw today: the Tiwi Islands bow. Let us deconstruct some of the questions in your insinuations. The LDC has now completed a draft agreement to lease and is now in discussions with the Tiwi Land Council on signing that document. Very soon I will be launching …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr GILES: Hang on a second, if you want an answer. Very soon the member for Arafura and I will be launching our Tiwi Islands investment prospectus in partnership with the Tiwi Land Council. It is about investment opportunities with partners of the Tiwi people. That is what we have been working on, and nothing is hidden. We have been working very hard on that. Yes, we have provided $1m, we have supported them.
You called for us to give a $5m block of land to an international fuel company. We have given $1m, by loan, to the land council to help development. That is a good thing. Tomorrow, we will debate removing the advisory committee for the LDC. You referred to Graeme Lewis having been on that committee; should legislation be supported, the committee will be gone tomorrow.
You spoke about an e-mail I have never seen, but you have, and you allege criminality, yet neither you nor the opposition police spokesman have referred it on. You have to be serious. You then talked about an inquiry, and I have said I am working with the member for Nelson on the terms of reference for that inquiry and who will undertake it. The next meeting about this is on Thursday. This long bow you are trying to use to join all the dots together is incorrect.
I go back to the point of the very first answer, where I said you do not support Indigenous development in the Northern Territory.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Whilst I will put up with that ridiculous, offensive remark, will the Chief Minister take the sale of public assets to a referendum and get the permission of Territorians?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question. Get to the point, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: What is good for the goose is not good for the gander when it comes to Labor. You can support people in Darwin, but not anywhere else. We support people everywhere in the Northern Territory, and we will stand up for that. We are open to transparency and scrutiny; we provided that assistance and we want that money back, but we will stand up for the Tiwi people.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance – 35 seconds. Will you take a referendum for the sale of public assets to Territorians?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister is answering the question, Opposition Leader. Please be seated.
Mr GILES: There is open dialogue with Territorians. They are talking about the issues with TIO, how we support them into the future and if we were to realise our capital opportunities within TIO or the port, how we could reinvest that in community and economic infrastructure.
This is an opportunity for the Opposition Leader and Labor to have good policy and show leadership on how to build the Territory, to vote on how we move forward, not how we move backwards. Your leadership is in question on this issue.
Alice Springs Masters Games - Success of
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for SPORT, RECREATION and RACING
Alice Springs has just staged the 15th Masters Games. Can you please explain to the House how the friendly games were a huge success thanks to the several new initiatives of the Country Liberals Giles government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member of Daly for his question. It is great to talk about yet another great achievement under the watch of the Giles Country Liberals government.
This was the 15th Alice Springs Masters Games, a huge significant boost to local hotels, restaurants, cafes and tour operators. This government understands the impact the games have on the economy. The impact it has on the economy in Alice Springs is somewhere between $9m and $20m; we have not pored over it forensically yet but that is the anecdotal evidence thus far – about a $20m injection into the Alice Springs economy, which is fantastic. That is why we worked so hard to reinvigorate the games for 2014.
It was great to see the games hub return to the centre of town. It drew more people right into the heart and centre of the CBD. This year there was a number of new initiatives government introduced which were a big hit. Thousands of people gathered under what were the sails in the centre of the mall to watch the big screen. We had daily highlights, with a daily wrap broadcast of all events.
More than 45 000 people were reached by the official Masters Games Facebook page. Some 4000 people read the daily games newspaper, The Friendly Times. It was fantastic.
The opening and closing ceremonies were a smashing success. We had Neil Diamond and the Beatles – or at least it was the Neil Diamond show, and the Beatnix were there – as well as Chocolate Starfish, among others – a huge couple of nights of entertainment. On the field, the games were a huge success. The competition is just as important; we had 110 records broken this year, 90 of those in the pool, with some of our Masters Games competitors doing tremendous stuff.
Seventeen of the 32 sports also increased participant numbers this year. It is a great story. The final participant numbers for the games for 2014 were a little over 3800, which puts us a smidge over the games of 2012. When you look at the market of the games, the space is so cluttered around Australia these days; it is a testament to Alice Springs that it is a drawcard, not only as a visitor and holiday destination, but as a host for the Masters Games.
One of the great stories coming out of the games was the camaraderie and friendship. Two Tasmanian visitors, in town for the basketball, marked the event by getting married.
Mr Wood interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: I will say that again, member for Nelson, as you might be interested in this because it is a wonderful story. Two Tasmanian visitors, in town for the basketball, chose to get married in Alice Springs during the games, with one of the ambassadors acting as a celebrant. It was a fantastic event, with camaraderie and friendship, and we look forward to seeing you again for the 2016 games.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016