Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

2015-02-17

Children and Families – Allegations against Chief Executive

Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES

Did the Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families, Jodeen Carney, physically assault a staff member in front of that staff member’s children? When did you first hear of this serious allegation and what action did you take?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question and I remind him of the prayer we said when we came into the House about showing wisdom and judgment.

As the Minister for Children and Families, and for Public Employment, over the last few years I have had cause to refer a number of matters to the Commissioner for Public Employment. Those matters have all been considered or dealt with by the Commissioner, and I have not received notification of any official complaint or substantiation arising from those matters.

I have made it abundantly clear to the media and to Territorians that I will not refer to any matter which comes to my attention in relation to a public servant and discuss it in this House. Public servants’ performance, or otherwise, is not a matter for public debate when there is no official complaint or substantiation of any form forthcoming. I will not enter into it as a matter of principle.

I place on the record my gratitude to Ms Carney for her service to the people, especially the children, of the Northern Territory. When she took over in that role a lot of work was needed and has been done. I am satisfied she has done a Trojan’s work improving the department and I am happy to work with her.

It is obvious the members opposite are hiding behind assertions which have been floating around for some time. I put to the press pack yesterday that if there was any evidence, why has nobody in the press pack published it? It is because there is no evidence.

As a government we allow evidence to guide us and demonstrate whether an individual has acted appropriately or not. We on this side of the House will not climb into the gutter, as the members opposite are trying to do.

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Children and Families – Allegations against Chief Executive

Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES

Was this serious allegation regarding the Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families referred to the Commissioner for Public Employment, and what action was taken?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I could not have made myself clearer. I have already answered the question.
Darwin Port Lease

Mr BARRETT to CHIEF MINISTER

You have announced that a parliamentary select committee will be looking into the proposed lease of Darwin port. Can you outline what the committee will be tasked with looking at?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I wish a Happy New Year to everyone in the Assembly and to those observing parliament.

Many people would be aware from my announcement last week that today in parliament I will move for a NT parliamentary select committee to be established to look at Darwin port future operations and investment frameworks. No doubt in the next couple of years – at the end of the INPEX construction period – there will be a change in the dynamics of the Northern Territory economy. We must look at how jobs are created for the future.

There are many reports showing the Northern Territory will move towards an export market. We must ensure ours is the right port for the right time, with the capacity to service the needs of the export industry.

Several bills have been brought into parliament to date. There is also the need for consequential amendments about minor changes to other parts of legislation, which we will seek to action during this sittings period. We have discussed the port and its structure for a long time. We are aware there is 750 m of quay line; we know about the amount of hardstand and investment for reefer points, such as for AACo and the export of boxed beef out of its new abattoir at Livingstone.

We also know the port, at 65% capacity, is full. We are currently sitting on approximately 41% to 43% utilisation, but in two years’ time that is expected to go to 65%. We must expand the port.

A couple of years ago, federal Labor knocked us back on a great deal of money, which we applied for to assist us and the former Labor government to expand the port. We need investment in the port, and it costs hundreds of millions of dollars.

Since early last year we have been talking about how to expand the capacity. The only way to do that is to bring in private sector finance. We were lumbered with a $5.5bn Labor debt legacy, and a $1.1bn deficit when we came to government, but we are doing a good job trying to correct the finances of the Northern Territory. To expand the port and get hundreds of millions of dollars into it, we need to bring in a private operator. We have proposed a 99-year lease and there is a range of options to consider.

I am prepared to put it in blood; the port will not be for sale. Government will run a regulatory regime so we can provide good oversight of the port. We have already put out expressions of interest, of which 30 came in, and have narrowed that down to 29; we removed one. I have asked the member for Blain if he will oversee a parliamentary inquiry to look at port infrastructure. We also asked the members for Drysdale, Fannie Bay and Nelson if they will be involved in that inquiry. It will look at port ownership and operation models around the country and the world. It will also look into financing models and make recommendations about the best operational structure for our port to go forward.

I look forward to hearing from the member for Blain regarding that report so we can provide guidance to pass legislation, as well as the future operation of our port, to support the post-INPEX export industry and create jobs for our kids.
Children and Families – Allegations against Chief Executive

Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER

When Jodeen Carney resigned as Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families, you said her position was no longer tenable. Ms Carney is a close friend of yours; days after you knifed Terry Mills you hired Ms Carney in your office of the Chief Minister, and in September 2013 you announced Ms Carney as the new Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families. Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table that media release.

Leave granted.

Why did you not terminate the employment of Ms Carney, but instead cover up her alleged assault in November last year?

Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, can you withdraw those comments please, and the allegation?

Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I asked the Chief Minister why he did not stand down the Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families after these serious allegations.

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, the question was misleading. I never said her position had become untenable; she said it. The first part of your question is incorrect.

I find the second component of the question highly offensive. There is no level to which the Labor opposition will not stoop to defame somebody. The day we first entered this Chamber, the member for Daly was recommended as Deputy Speaker. I remember that day – we had a chat about it this morning. The very first day in parliament, the Leader of the Opposition made a slur against his name which was unproven. She never spoke about it outside the Chamber – outside cowards’ castle.

You have now started a slur on the head of the Department of the Chief Minister, Gary Barnes, who you appointed as the Chief Executive of the Department of Education when you were in government – someone you had faith in, who we continued to head up the Department of the Chief Minister. You have slurred his name and now you come into parliament, member for Barkly, and slur the name of a former member of parliament who represented the constituents of Araluen. You promoted her and said how good she was when you appointed her as Chair of the Review of the Northern Territory Youth Justice System. You actively supported her. You come in here, like a coward, make allegations …

Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!

Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, withdraw that reference.

Mr GILES: I withdraw. Come in here and make allegations…

Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I was going to use Standing Order 62, however, I refer to Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the Chief Minister answer the question?

Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has time; he is answering the question.

Mr GILES: You come in here, like a coward, and make these allegations …

Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!

Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Chief Minister.

Mr GILES: I withdraw. You come in here and make these allegations, but you are not prepared to say it outside the walls of this Chamber. You would not front Jodeen and say that. She is highly respected in the community, the non-government organisation sector and the DCF child protection sector.

There is no allegation on the record. She rang me, resigned, and said – as I have said publicly – she believes her employment has become untenable because of stories being spread by Labor.

This is the environment in which we are operating in the Northern Territory. The lies, innuendo, rumours and skulduggery …

Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!

Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. He is not referencing people.

Mr GILES: … being created led to the head of a department, without a written allegation of anything, to believe her position had become untenable. People are saying to me that she was the best head of DCF in decades.

She has pulled out of her employment, so the children now miss out. You stand in here, like a coward, and make those allegations. I challenge you to stand outside parliament …

Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!

Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Chief Minister.

Mr GILES: I withdraw. I challenge you to go outside and make the allegation.
Ministerial Lineup

Mr KURRUPUWU to CHIEF MINISTER

You have just announced a new ministerial lineup. Can you outline the new direction this team has agreed to?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member for Arafura. I have publicly said the machinations of the last two weeks have been embarrassing. As Chief Minister I feel ashamed for the people of the Northern Territory, because we should be talking about issues that are important to Territorians.

We should not be making slurs against people who have fought hard for the protection of children and for the constituents in Araluen. We should be saying things like, ‘I brought back the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio’ and, ‘The Tiwi ferry is running’.

We should talk about the Tiwi ferry, how we support the fishing adventures on the Tiwi Islands, how we get tourism into Maningrida and how we can get people into jobs there. People want to hear what we are doing to reduce the cost-of-living pressures. They want to hear about how when we came to government – with the $5.5bn debt forecast and the $1.1bn deficit – we worked hard to repay that and rectify things.

The Labor opposition wants to talk about instability and turmoil.

Mr McCarthy: The Territory is talking about it, and we are the voice of the Territory.

Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Barkly!

Mr GILES: I am not happy with what has happened in the last two weeks. It is not good for Territorians or for democracy, but it is a lesson to the 25 people in this room to start talking about Territorians, not making allegations and slurs. It is about standing up for what Territorians voted us in for and reducing cost of living pressures. You talk about instability. Give me two years of ‘instability’ – paying off Labor debt, driving down crime and driving up the best economy in the country – over 13 years of Labor ‘stability’, where the cost of petrol and the cost of housing went out the window. Debts were at record levels …

Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The clock has stopped.

Madam SPEAKER: No, it has not. It has another minute.

Mr GILES: I have used this chart before regarding a Labor progress report from 2001 to 2005. It shows the four-year period with Labor – 12 portfolio changes, eight new ministries, 28 ministerial changes and eight ministries cut. It is very easy to forget history, but the lesson from the last two weeks is: start looking after Territorians.

Sports vouchers, back-to-school vouchers, reducing the price of petrol and increasing housing supply to bring prices down, that is the success of what you call an unstable two years in government. Look what 11 years of bad Labor government delivered us: massive debt and deficit, poor economic management, the highest crime in the Northern Territory’s history – all under Labor. That is your stability. I challenge the opposition to talk about Territorians, not about themselves and not about us.
Chief Minister – Remaining in Position

Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER

You tore up your new standards of government when the member for Fong Lim resigned from Cabinet over a homophobic slur scandal. A fortnight ago, nine of your colleagues did not support you, agreeing to topple you as Chief Minister in a late-night coup. Out of arrogance you refused to resign, threatening to force an early election in a meltdown press conference held prior to your parliamentary wing meeting. You disparaged your new deputy, saying the member for Katherine lacked capacity, capability, tenacity and professionalism, and then you sacked the member for Araluen from Cabinet. She said about you:
    He lacks honesty, he lacks respect and he lacks integrity.

Chief Minister, in your own rant, tell us what threats you made to remain Chief Minister.

Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That question is highly out of order. It breaches nearly every element of Standing Order 112.

Madam SPEAKER: I accept your point, Leader of Government Business. Member for Barkly, can you reword that question, please, without the references towards the end.

Mr McCARTHY: What strategy did you use with your parliamentary colleagues to hang on desperately to the job of Chief Minister?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I reject the premise of the question. I go back to my last answer. There is a clear message …

Mr McCarthy interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Member for Barkly, I remind you not to call across the Chamber, or to point.

Mr GILES: It is a clear message for everybody to start looking after Territorians.
Territory Day Celebrations

Mr BARRETT to CHIEF MINISTER

Has the government made a decision about future Territory Day celebrations?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. He is a very proud Territorian, and it is fantastic to have him as part of the Country Liberal Party. Well done, member for Blain; it was great to welcome you into this Chamber in 2014.
In March last year the government launched a research project to develop a three-year strategy for the future of the staging and direction of Territory Day.

In the government’s view, Territory Day should be a celebration that belongs to the people and recognises our history, heroes, achievements, lifestyle and future endeavours.

We wanted to talk to people about what it meant to them. The key messages were that people believe Territory Day is important, and should be celebrated and enshrined in our future. Territorians are very proud of the Territory and being Territorian. They see the uniqueness of the Australian culture and landscape.

Most accept that fireworks are part and parcel of Territory Day celebrations. There were mixed views on whether a public holiday is essential to celebrating Territory Day. The government has listened to the feedback Territorians gave in answer to the question. When asked, the community responded with a 50:50 view, slightly in favour of a public holiday.

It is clear at this point in time there is a strong enough desire from the community to create a public holiday to celebrate Territory Day. The government has therefore looked at that information, recognised it is only 50:50, and decided we will not proceed with making Territory Day a public holiday.

Part of the challenge was identifying which public holiday to remove in order to create a new one. The general feeling from the evidence was that people supported a public holiday, but could not identify which public holiday to remove.

Building on the It’s Our Day campaign we started last year, Territory Day 2015 will be a time where we expand our family-friendly public fireworks displays. We also want to create a sense of local celebration and Territory-wide unity through some new events to be held in regional areas.

Each project will be led by a newly-recruited Festivals NT director, who has been tasked with developing signature events for Territory Day, building and celebrating pride on the day, as part of being Territorian.

The new director starts work later this month and when she comes on board she will showcase her broad level of experience, having relocated from Indonesia where she was working with the Australian Embassy, producing the recent OzFest festival.

I look forward to working with her on a bigger and brighter Territory Day in 2015. Rest assured, as a government we will be putting all of our efforts into making sure Territory Day is a bigger and better day in Darwin and regional areas than ever before.
Government Instability – Effects

Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER

Since the CLP took office in 2012 there have been 14 reshuffles of Cabinet, 10 on your watch. Your infighting, disunity and dysfunction have made the Territory a laughing stock. Public servants are sick of the revolving Cabinet door; it has paralysed government. After the latest failed CLP coup, the ABC reported that you acknowledged the imminent changes to government minister portfolios could rock business confidence.

Greg Bicknell, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, has expressed the business community’s exasperation with your CLP circus, saying, ‘Any instability is bad news, particularly for bureaucrats who are often the ones that business deal with directly. Ministerial reshuffling is unsettling. There is a fair degree of scepticism around as to how this will play out in the longer term.’

Will you take responsibility for this chaos – this circus? Will you give Territorians a chance of good government and go to an election?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I take responsibility for everything in my role as Chief Minister. I acknowledge the comments by Greg Bicknell and I support what he said. He is right; he hit it on the head. We should be talking about Territorians.

Not once in this Chamber have you spoken about a policy issue, a legislative issue or an issue of public concern. You are talking about us and yourselves, and how you can form government. You are not talking about what is happening outside these walls. That is what we should be talking about.

If you want to talk about confidence and the public service, you should talk about how the public service will feel knowing that at any point in time the Leader of the Opposition – or the Deputy Leader of the Opposition – will slur their name and erode their confidence as an individual in the public eye.

You should talk about how senior people in the public service are worried that the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Barkly will name them in parliament and erode public confidence. I say to Gary Barnes, whom you have recently defamed again – he is a good man and has done a fantastic job in leading DCM. He is doing a great job with some of our major projects in government for the Territory’s future and creating jobs for our kids. That is an important element which we should be debating instead of publicly slagging people off. It is not the way a public official should speak.

I look at what the fly-in fly-out hatchet man from Canberra, Senator Sam Dastyari, had to say about liars and cowards. What a disgraceful commentary from a representative of the Labor Party in the Senate. That is shameful and does not warrant a response to the pathetic mudslinging slur of people. You wonder why Australians – not just Territorians – lose confidence in politicians, governments and democracy; it is because of this mess.

To the 25 members of the Chamber, as we have discussed on our side, this is about Territorians, so start talking about Territorians.
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Visitors

Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of students from Year 4 to Year 6 from Belyuen School, accompanied by Tim Webb. On behalf of honourable members, welcome to Parliament House and I hope you enjoy your time here.

Members: Hear, hear!
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Project Sea Dragon

Mr KURRUPUWU to CHIEF MINISTER

Can you update the Assembly on the recent exciting news about the new agriculture project in the Northern Territory?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for this question. The 14 members on this side of parliament should receive a pat on the back for the changes they have made to the Pastoral Land Act, which allow us to use pastoral properties for non-pastoral uses.

Yesterday we saw an announcement from the stock exchange on a project we, as government, have been working on for a long time with the company Seafarms. It will now proceed with a $1.45bn prawn aquaculture project in the Territory’s west. Known as Project Sea Dragon, it will be the largest of its kind in Australia and will create 1600 jobs once it is fully operational on Legune Station, which is 110 km east of Kununurra on the Northern Territory side of the boarder. It will transform Australia’s aquaculture industry. When you put it into context of that enormous investment of $1.45bn – that is as a result of us changing the Pastoral Land Act, issuing water licences, allowing operation of business outside Darwin – it sends a big signal to the rest of the country that we are open for business.

You did not see these types of operations occur when Labor was in government; you see them when the Country Liberals are in government.

In two years’ time we will change to a more export-based economy. We will need a port which can meet the demands and needs of a changing export industry in the Northern Territory. We will need more hardstand areas to house big containers, more reefer points – power points for refrigerated containers – and that costs a lot of money. We will need money for generators, hardstand areas, the infrastructure, insurance and those types of things. We need to build a port that can handle the $1.45bn prawn farm investment by Seafarms for Project Sea Dragon. These things all come together; they are not in isolation. We have worked very hard on Project Sea Dragon with Seafarms to make this happen. We have been changing legislation in the interests of ensuring there are jobs for our kids post-INPEX.

This is not like what happened before INPEX started, when Labor was in government. Labor did not prepare the tourism industry and did not have the hotel accommodation, the housing or the units to accommodate the people. We now have a situation …

Ms Fyles interjecting.

Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nightcliff, you are on a warning.

Mr GILES: … where the tourism industry is suffering because of over-occupancy in the Top End, especially in the CBD, because of INPEX and under-preparation. Our work on the port, and with Seafarms, is about preparation for our future. It is about looking after Territorians, particularly looking after jobs for our kids who are currently going through school.
Foundation 51

Mr WOOD to CHIEF MINISTER

My understanding is Foundation 51 was set up primarily for commercial research reports and information gathering for the CLP. You told the parliament many times Foundation 51 was a private company and you had nothing to do with it. On 8 May last year, you said:
    There was no legal connection between Foundation 51 and the CLP …

Foundation 51 has now been shown to be an associated entity – as shown on the NT Electoral Commission webpage – and shows that 16 donors have given $285 142 to the CLP. Does this not show there is and has been a legal connection between Foundation 51 and the CLP? Could you be accused of misleading parliament, and will you now reinstate the inquiry into Foundation 51 and political donations, as you promised?

Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Whilst he places it in a hypothetical context, it is a question before the House. He can make the allegation and bring forward a substantive motion, or he cannot refer to it at all.

Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, your question is out of order under Standing Order 112. Given it is hypothetical you may wish to rephrase the question.

Mr WOOD: I rephrased it before I wrote it so it would not be out of order. I simply asked the Chief Minister, ‘Could you be accused of misleading the parliament?’

Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 112 – this invites a hypothetical and is a hypothetical question.

Madam SPEAKER: Can you please reword it, member for Nelson.

Mr WOOD: Chief Minister, in light of what you said before, did you tell the parliament the truth over this matter?

ANSWER

‘Could you be accused?’ – absolutely. These guys will accuse anyone on this side of the Chamber of anything. Look what they have done with their allegation about Jodeen Carney. There is no level they will not stoop to.

There is no alleged knowledge of the two being connected. If the Electoral Commission has made that determination, that is up to the commission. It is an independent body, and if you want to talk about Foundation 51, talk to the Electoral Commission.

I have made this point a thousand times, but I will do it again. The Palmer United Party – if there still is one – or the Labor Party and Harold Nelson Holdings, which is the Labor Party slush fund …

Ms Lawrie: We do not have a slush fund.

Mr GILES: These bodies – and the Country Liberal Party – have no connection to the operations and mechanics of government when we sit in this Chamber.

We are nominated as candidates and we run for parliament. When we come into government we operate as parliamentarians, not on behalf of the party. If you have any questions about Foundation 51, the CLP, the Labor Party, Harold Nelson Holdings, EMILY’s List or anything else, you must ask those independent bodies about how they operate. Government does not have the regulatory environment to oversee how Foundation 51 operates. If you want to ask about related entities, talk to Foundation 51 or the NT Electoral Commission. It is up to you to have a conversation with them.
Sporting Partnerships

Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION

This year is the second year of the historic Parramatta Eels partnership between the Northern Territory government and the famous Parramatta Eels, or the Territory Eels as they are known when they play in their home away from home. The successful pre-season trial game in Alice Springs, and prelude to the upcoming game in August – the second premiership game taking on Manly this year – was a great achievement for the Territory. Can the minister reconfirm the rock-solid commitment the Northern Territory government has towards not only the Territory Eels, but those other great sporting partnerships?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I congratulate him on his appointment as the Deputy Speaker; he will enjoy that role. I also thank him for the work he did as the Sports minister, because I pick up all the benefits of this, so for that I am appreciative.

I had the pleasure of going to Alice Springs last week not only to meet the Territory Eels when they arrived, but to look at the sporting facilities in Alice Springs. I was very impressed.

The NRL deal with the Territory government is worth $4m over four years; it started in 2014 and goes until 2017. Part of that deal is for the Territory Eels to play a pre-season match in Alice Springs – which they did – and they will follow that up with a proper full season premier match later in the year.

As we know, last year’s result was a resounding success for Parramatta. They trounced the West Tigers 60 to 14. On radio, I alluded to the fact a closer game would have been much better. This year’s result was a reverse of that and West Tigers won 20 to 4. It was good to see that result turn around. West Tigers took home the Royal Flying Doctors Service Challenge trophy, which the Chief Minister and I had the pleasure of presenting.

The government is not only invested in the $4m, but also in other deals, such as the $3.3m we spent on Anzac Oval to bring it up to scratch. With regard to support, the NT fan base in the Territory is very strong. Last season almost 1200 people signed up to become official Eels members – the most members of any jurisdiction outside of New South Wales. I need to check with my office to see if I have signed up. I congratulate the Chief Minister for wearing his West Tigers tie today. It is good to see he supports rugby league and not just one team.

Another benefit of this deal is the Eels go through a junior league schools clinic, visit schools and hospitals, and also coach. We should be very appreciative they engage the local community. They also had two community events – barbeques held at Anzac Oval while they trained – which were very popular with locals. I attended one of those, so I was happy. We cannot forget the Eels training academy, which helps identify our most promising rugby league players.

Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Chief Minister – Reaction to Alleged Coup

Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER

You have plunged your government into crisis and made grave allegations against your colleagues and police. On a leaked recording of the CLP Alice Springs branch meeting, you said:
    … members of parliament and a particular sitting member of the police force were spreading rumours that I as the Chief Minister and as Police Minister were sleeping with the same lady that got arrested …

You went on to state:
    … I have good evidence that this has involved as orchestrated political coup to get rid of me …

Chief Minister, have you provided this evidence to any of the three investigations currently under way, and will you table this evidence in parliament today? Will you advise whether that evidence was gathered legally and how you came to obtain it?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for the question. I have said publically that I was given information which pertains to a similar process as the allegations being raised in parliament today. I have said that I overreached by not giving that information to the judiciary – instead I spoke about being given information. I have also said we are preparing the terms of reference for a judicial inquiry, which is currently sitting with the …

Ms Fyles: You should not be preparing the terms of reference.

Mr GILES: Do you want to hear the answer to the question? It is currently sitting with the Solicitor for the Northern Territory, ensuring the terms of reference are correct. We are trying to identify who will undertake the judicial inquiry. When that person is identified, it will be shared with the opposition Whip, the member for Fannie Bay, and the member for Nelson for their information. I will then have a chat with the head of the judicial inquiry about information I have received.
Workplace Safety – Seafood Industry

Mr BARRETT to MINISTER for BUSINESS

Within your portfolio you look after workplace safety for Territorians. What are you doing to look after employees and employers in the seafood industry, whose hours and work conditions vary day-to-day and site-to-site?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. What he said is true; I look after that. The first thing you have to do as Minister for Business is make sure these people have a job. That is what this government is about – looking after individuals to ensure they have a job so they can enjoy the great Territory lifestyle we create for them.

The Territory seafood industry supports 650 businesses and harvests approximately $80m worth of delicious seafood every year. Some of us get to enjoy it and a lot is exported, but $80m worth of produce comes into the Territory economy, which is a fantastic effort. It is harvested, exported, processed, traded, caught, sold across the retail sector and classified to be some of the finest seafood in the world. That gets a premium price for our local producers and sees a lot of money coming to Territory families and businesses, supporting individuals who work in the industry.

Some workplaces in this industry are challenging, including trawlers which are at sea for long periods of time, working outdoors in the Wet Season, with national industry standards and a number of laws to abide by.

The Northern Territory Seafood Council and NT WorkSafe have collaborated to create a practical safety guide for the professional seafood industry. This book gives examples of useful advice for Territory workplaces in the industry. Gone are the days of posters in lunch rooms and e-mails which are overlooked, especially in an industry where workers are hands-on in every day of their activities. In reality, employees are outside, working on boats, under water, on docks and in store rooms. It is not practical to expect workers to check their e-mails for workplace and safety updates when they are working under water all day, when it can be communicated effectively with this new guide.

The Department of Business has worked very closely with the Northern Territory Seafood Council to put all of this together. Improving communications between employees and employers is a good thing in any industry, and they can all benefit in all areas of the business community by looking at these books.

I reiterate what the Chief Minister has said, which I fully support: our government is 100% committed to making life simpler and safer for Territorians. This work health and safety handbook looks at code of practice, industry standards, Australian standards, compliance laws, issue resolution, emergency planning, record keeping, statistics and a host of other useful seafood industry issues.

I congratulate those in the private industry who worked with NT WorkSafe, as well as the public servants who put this together.
Judicial Inquiry into Leadership Coup – Alleged Conflict of Interest

Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER

You have announced a judicial inquiry which will need to consider your allegations that CLP politicians and senior police colluded to damage your reputation. I have also written to you recently, as the Labor opposition’s shadow minister for Police, about this matter. I have yet to receive an acknowledgement or reply. I seek leave to table that letter.

Leave granted.

Ms WALKER: You have undermined public confidence in the Territory’s criminal justice system with these outrageous allegations. Will you remove yourself from any role in drawing up the inquiry’s terms of reference because you have a clear conflict of interest, and will you rule out your return to the Police portfolio?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I do not accept the premise of the question. I outlined in the answer to the last question the process for the judicial inquiry. I will flip it back onto your side of the Chamber. The rumours, innuendo, allegations, mudslinging and slurs on everyone’s name – including yourselves – is part of the erosion of confidence in what is happening.

It has been atrocious and completely unprofessional. The information the Leader of the Opposition has been spreading throughout our community is appalling.

A lot of information has come forward. It will all be handed onto those on the judicial inquiry and they can look after it. It is an arm’s length approach in which …

Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you rule yourself out of an involvement in the terms of reference for the inquiry, and will you rule out returning to the Police portfolio?

Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. The Chief Minister has two minutes left to answer the question.

Mr GILES: It was very clear in my last answer. The Solicitor for the Northern Territory, someone highly respected in the Northern Territory, is looking …

Ms Lawrie: Is it SFNT or the Solicitor-General?

Mr GILES: Can you be quiet, Leader of the Opposition?

Madam SPEAKER: Order!

Mr GILES: The Solicitor for the Northern Territory is looking at the terms of reference and trying to identify someone to do the inquiry. The member for Brennan is the Police minister and, following all the inquiries, the Police portfolio will come back to me as the Chief Minister. I made that clear. The member for Brennan, as Police minister, will undertake oversight of the inquiry. The Solicitor for the Northern Territory, Michael Grant, whom we on this side of the Chamber respect, will oversee the terms of reference and the appointment of the judicial head. We will wait to see the outcome of the inquiry.
Senior Territorians – Ministerial Advisory Council

Mrs FINOCCHIARO to MINISTER for SENIOR TERRITORIANS

I spend a lot of time with Palmerston seniors, helping them in our community and advocating on their behalf. Can you please update the House on the progress of the new ministerial advisory council, and explain how this new body will ensure the concerns of senior Territorians, especially those in Palmerston, are heard by the government?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, what a pleasure it is to give good news. On this side of the House we are all about good news and getting on with governing for the people of the Northern Territory, as opposed to those opposite, who play all sorts of games.

Mr Wood: You have a funny idea of what good news is.

Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson!

Mr STYLES: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Nelson, because this is good news. If you do not think doing things for seniors is good news, I do not know what you are thinking. I am talking about what we are doing for the seniors of the Northern Territory – the people who built the Territory that we enjoy, which we are looking after for future generations. Hopefully when we are all seniors they will say we did a good job instead of rolling around in the gutter like the opposition.

We have a Minister’s Advisory Council for Senior Territorians. I chaired the first meeting in September last year, and what a great meeting it was; the response was terrific. We have 15 members on the council, eight of whom are community members, representatives from National Seniors Australia, Council on the Ageing, the Department of Health, the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth Department of Social Services. They are all good people representing diverse groups, including the seniors of Palmerston. This diverse group of people come from across the Territory, and what a pleasure it was to listen to them talk about their experiences in the Territory and around the world.

This council is a valuable resource for the government. You might have seen locals, Maggie and Mike, in the weekend’s NT News participating in Pilates. These classes are held by COTA to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for senior Territorians. Activities like this are extremely important; senior community grants have just opened for businesses and organisations to hold these events during Seniors Month in August this year. We hope to make Seniors Month 2015 bigger and better than ever.

Last year there were 48 successful grant applications, which put money towards organising events like Scottish dancing, art workshops and a variety of short courses. You will find communities across the Territory getting involved. The east and west Arnhem area, Central Australia, Barkly, Katherine, Tiwi Islands and Palmerston all held events in 2014. I encourage people to apply for these grants.

I look forward to working with the Minister’s Advisory Council for Senior Territorians, and will ensure that seniors’ issues are at the forefront of our minds. They looked after us; we need to look after them.
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Visitors

Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I welcome students in the gallery from Sattler Christian College at Bees Creek – exceptionally bright and talented students, with equally bright and talented teachers. Welcome to Parliament House, and I hope you enjoy your time here.

Members: Hear, hear!
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Namatjira Electorate – Abolition

Ms LEE to CHIEF MINISTER

A secret tape recording of the Alice Springs branch meeting on Wednesday 4 February, which was obtained by the media, exposes you bragging to your CLP mates that you will abolish the division of Namatjira in the upcoming electoral boundary review. You know that is not your decision to make. You owe an apology to the people of Namatjira, the independent Redistribution Committee members, the NT Electoral Commission, the Surveyor-General and the Auditor-General for arrogantly telling your mates you could influence their deliberations. Will you let the people of Namatjira know why you are doing it, why you want it divided as you seek revenge against the member for Namatjira?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, welcome back to the member for Arnhem. She did two hours’ work in the last three days of sittings last year. She had Question Time on the Tuesday, Question Time on the Wednesday – did not turn up any other time throughout the day – and took the day off on Thursday. Welcome; it is about time you had a break, member for Arnhem.

Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 62: offensive words.

Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.

Mr GILES: I think the most offensive thing is the member for Barkly being in this Chamber, and his allegations earlier today.

Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, withdraw that.

Mr GILES: I withdraw. Congratulations – three days of parliament late last year and you did two hours’ worth of work. Well done, member for Arnhem.

Listen to the recording carefully – I have not heard it, but I can tell you what I said. Because of Labor’s poor investment in Central Australia over many years, the lack of economic growth has seen a lack of population growth. The number of constituents in Alice Springs currently, based on the numbers – the Electoral Commission will tell you – is currently sitting between the three seats, on a quota of about 2.6%. They need a quota of 3% to have three seats. I commented that if the population stays that low, we will have a problem with the redistribution, which we all know is done by the Electoral Commission.

Different people make submissions. The Labor Party, the Palmer United Party – if it is still around – the Country Liberals will all make a submission. Our party room might make a submission, but it goes into a redistribution process; that is how it works. With regard to the numbers, there is a reduction in the quota in Alice Springs within the town council boundaries, where traditionally there have always been three seats. That reduction is by 0.4% of a quota. This means the seats will probably have to move outside the boundaries and take up part of Namatjira.

My comments were that it will be a challenge to hold Namatjira, because it does not have a quota. You followed the bouncing ball. Spend a bit more time in parliament doing your job and you might understand how these things work, member for Arnhem. I appreciate your valuable contribution to the Chamber in the 45 minutes you have been here today.
Primary Industry in the Northern Territory

Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES

What is the Country Liberals government doing to protect primary industry in the Northern Territory?

ANSWER

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. Much of the work being done on biosecurity in the Northern Territory also supports business – the types of businesses which could flourish in all electorates. To all the students in the gallery this morning, the work being done by this government to support business growth and biosecurity in the Northern Territory will provide you with jobs in the future. However, let me get to the nub of the question.

It is a great pleasure to update the House on the work being done to protect the primary industries in the Northern Territory. We are committed to doing everything in our power to eradicate any incursions that threaten our industries. I have been heard saying many times that this government takes biosecurity seriously – so seriously I announced an investment yesterday of $600 000 to continue to protect the Territory’s primary industry sector and ensure its sustainability into the future.

The money has been poured into Berrimah Farm, our research excellence hub. I was pleased to officially open the refurbished Biosecurity Response Centre and the upgraded Berrimah Veterinary Laboratories yesterday. The biosecurity response centre is currently home to the Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus response team. The work of this team is vital as we wage war on this highly destructive virus, so too is the work being undertaken at the Berrimah Veterinary Laboratories. This facility is the only one of its kind in Australia and has the principal role in surveillance and diagnostic testing of diseases.

This important work has been bolstered by the investment of the CLP government, as opposed to what Labor did in its time, which was continue to reduce the size of those important departments of Mines and Energy, and Primary Industry; they did not support those sectors. We are ensuring our first line of defence is strong, keeping our primary industries safe from the entry and establishment of further disease.

I was privileged to open the new tissue culture laboratory yesterday – a state-of-the-art laboratory at Berrimah which will provide perfect growing conditions for plants to be used in industries across the Territory. At the moment they are working on the cut flower industry; they are perfecting growing a variety of ginger which will bolster the cut flower industry. These are the types of industries which may start up in the member for Arafura’s electorate.

Important work is being done in Berrimah and I congratulate all the staff there, but this government is the only one supporting the primary industry sector by putting rubber on the road – an investment in our biosecurity.
Confidence in Government

Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER

At least 19 members of this Chamber have expressed no confidence in you. Territorians are expressing no confidence in you and are over your arrogance and dysfunction. You have mocked nurses, sacked teachers, attacked the integrity of our police force and been in a protracted dispute with our firefighters and paramedics. You have torn up your election contract with Territorians, breaking election commitments and increasing the cost of living. You have led a self-serving government that lies and covers up serious incidents.

Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, withdraw that comment.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Proposed Motion of Censure

Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this House from censuring the Chief Minister for:

breaking the election commitments contract with Territorians

increasing the cost of living, lying about Foundation 51 and trying to cover up the CLP’s slush fund

failing to grow a three-hub economy, instead tying up crucial water resources in the hands of your CLP mates

failing to properly plan for residential growth and tearing up existing land use plans

cutting crucial services across health, education and police

failing regional and remote service delivery

descending into a political farce, with 10 Cabinet reshuffles on your watch

attacking the integrity of police with outrageous allegations of an attempted coup.

Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, we will not accept this censure motion today.

Ms Lawrie: Cowards.

Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Opposition Leader.

Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw.

Mr ELFERINK: As has been made clear, even by the Leader of the Opposition, Territorians want us as a government to get on with governing on behalf of Territorians, which is precisely what the government intends to do.

We will not allow the Leader of the Opposition, for the second time today, to return to the gutter in pursuit of her political ambitions.

Madam SPEAKER: The motion is to suspend standing orders.

Ms Lawrie: Madam Speaker, I want to speak to the motion to suspend standing orders.

Mr Elferink: Madam Speaker, I put the motion.

Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, are you moving that the question be put?

Mr ELFERINK: Yes.

Motion agreed to.

The Assembly divided:

Ayes 13 Noes 9
      Mr Barrett Ms Fyles
      Mr Chandler Mr Gunner
      Mr Conlan Ms Lawrie
      Mr Elferink Mr McCarthy
      Mrs Finocchiaro Ms Manison
      Mr Giles Ms Moss
      Mr Higgins Mr Vowles
      Mr Kurrupuwu Ms Walker
      Mrs Lambley Ms Lee
      Mrs Price
      Mr Styles
      Mr Tollner
      Mr Westra van Holthe

Motion agreed to.

Madam SPEAKER: The motion now is to suspend standing orders.

Motion negatived.

The Assembly divided:

Ayes 9 Noes 13
      Ms Fyles Mr Barrett
      Mr Gunner Mr Chandler
      Ms Lawrie Mr Conlan
      Mr McCarthy Mr Elferink
      Ms Manison Mrs Finocchiaro
      Ms Moss Mr Giles
      Mr Vowles Mr Higgins
      Ms Walker Mr Kurrupuwu
Ms Lee Mrs Lambley
      Mrs Price
      Mr Styles
      Mr Tollner
                Mr Westra van Holthe

Motion negatived.

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