2007-08-23
Health – Federal ALP Policy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Today, the federal Labor leader announced his intention that, should he be elected at the forthcoming federal election, he would put in motion for a Commonwealth takeover of state and territory health systems. Do you agree that you have made such mess of running the public hospital system in the Territory that the only solution is a federal Labor government taking over exclusive responsibility for health?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome Kevin Rudd’s announcement today. It is about time we had leadership on health at a national level. Interestingly, the Opposition Leader has been very selective in what she has quoted from the federal Labor leader today, very selective. What we really wanted to hear was, Kevin Rudd, as federal Opposition Leader, has committed $2bn into the health system in Australia.
Yes, the health system is under funded by a scrooge-like federal government which has a massive budget surplus and will not spend a decent share of that on the health system across Australia. For example, the hospitals are a 50:50 deal. Do you know how much we put in? 61%. How much do the feds put in? 31% of our hospital funding. Is that equity? That is not equity; that is ripping off the Territory’s health system and ripping off our hospital system. That is replicated right across the country.
I welcome Kevin Rudd’s announcement. The actual announcement is $2bn straight away into the health systems across Australia - and I say about time. This is something that our federal Coalition does not seem to appreciate: sitting down in partnership with the states and territories and working out a new health arrangement. Good to hear those words again, cooperation between the states and federal government. This Territory will cooperate. We see in Kevin Rudd a real recognition of the stress the health system is under right across Australia, and we will work with Kevin Rudd. It is a great announcement; it is a great sign of leadership in a strategic area. We are right behind a change of government because it will mean significant benefits for Territorians.
Royal Darwin Hospital – New Ward
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
Hospital staff and other Territorians welcomed the announcement today that the government will be opening a new ward at Royal Darwin Hospital. What will the new ward mean for Royal Darwin Hospital and for Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, a great question from the member for Brennan. I am very pleased to be able to make this announcement. I was at Royal Darwin Hospital over the lunch break to look at Ward 3B, and how we are putting the beds back. Do you know, Madam Speaker, who took the beds away? The previous government. The previous government took the beds away. We are putting them back. It is wonderful news for Royal Darwin Hospital, and for all Territorians because, as Kevin Rudd recognises, Territorians deserve the best possible health care.
We have increased health spending since 2001 by 73%, and we have employed an additional 318 extra nurses.
Mrs Miller: I would actually build one at Palmerston.
Mr Wood: Palmerston needs a medical centre.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Just to give a perspective on the money that we do spend in our health system – the Australian government does the State of Our Public Hospitals report and it shows that the Territory’s recurrent expenditure on public hospitals is more than twice the national average on a per capita basis. That works out that we spend $1407 per person on public hospitals, and the national average is $665; that is each year.
We are putting the money where it needs to go, and Kevin Rudd’s announcement today will make it even better for Territorians. The State of Our Public Hospitals report also shows the Territory ranked first, with 3.6 public hospital beds per 1000 people, compared with the national average of 2.6 per 1000 people. We recognise the importance of our hospital system and it is well funded and we can keep our heads high compared with the rest of Australia.
I was pleased to announce even more beds today in the form of that new ward at Royal Darwin Hospital, and it will see the office space converted into a new ward at 3B. The work will start on refurbishing this week. In fact, we were there with the noises of hammers, and the Health minister wields a very mean chisel and I hope we see it on television tonight.
In the budget this year, we committed $5.3m to fund an extra 12 fully-staffed beds for both RDH and Alice Springs. Twelve beds for Royal Darwin will be in the 3B Ward, together with a further 12 beds that we are allocating from other parts of the hospital. Importantly, this will do a lot to alleviate pressure at Royal Darwin for that patient flow. We also added an extra six fully-funded beds at RDH last year. This means we have now added an additional 18 new beds as part of the commitment for this term of 24 fully-staffed new beds in Royal Darwin Hospital.
Madam Speaker, we keep promises, we keep commitments and it will make a difference at RDH. It is a great hospital and one that serves this Territory very well.
HomeNorth Scheme
Mr MILLS to TREASURER
Yesterday, in Question Time, you said that changes to the HomeNorth Scheme you announced in your last budget took the new upper limit to $310 000 yet, according to the most recent figures, of 132 house sales settled in July across Darwin and Palmerston, only nine of these would have qualified for the HomeNorth Scheme as a result of your changes. Your changes to HomeNorth could at best have helped nine out of 132 purchasers. How exactly will your changes to HomeNorth assist the 750 annual first home buyers buy a home, set down roots and raise a family in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I will accept, on face value - I probably should not; I probably should check that figure of nine - but it is no secret that there has been an acceleration of house pricing in the market over the last 18 months or two years. That is why, where it used to be a monetary amount and it was soon outstripped in the time of rising prices, we amended the HomeNorth Scheme to push it to a percentage of the prevailing market in which it operated so it could be a different figure across the Territory, recognising the different home property values from Tennant Creek to Darwin, to Palmerston, to Alice Springs and so on.
The fact is, there were still properties available at that level. The latest figures from REINT and others that monitor house pricing and unit movements across Australia are reporting moderation in house prices as of the last two quarters. We do not know that we are going to see the six percentage point drop in value that has been reported in some quarters. However, we would expect a sum coming off the top that we have had over the last 18 months or two years. The fact is, the 85% shifts accordingly as the market goes up. It is not a fixed sum value as it was before where, clearly, you could finish up in the situation where the ceiling was below anything reasonable on offer in the market at any one time.
The fact is, there were still properties available at that time. It is specifically geared for low-income earners. It has specifically been amended to pick up families because we found a preponderance of single individuals who were using it. Nothing wrong with that, it is still establishing home ownership. However, the idea of HomeNorth was to establish young families on low incomes into the housing market. It is still achieving that, no matter what the member for Blain says. As I said, the market is moderating day by day.
Medical Staff - Recruitment
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for HEALTH
We heard the Chief Minister outline plans for the new ward being opened at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Can you please update the House on the success of our efforts to gain more doctors and nurses for the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. As the Chief Minister alluded to in her previous question, we were out there today to launch the refurbishment of Ward 3B, a new 24-bed medical ward. It was a great pleasure to do that.
Whilst we were there, we took the opportunity to go downstairs and have a look at the Rapid Admission Planning Unit, which is in its final stages of being fitted out. It is quite a large space. There are 24 beds as part of this Rapid Admission Planning Unit. It will take a lot of the load off the Emergency Department and it cuts the time people who are being admitted to hospital have to spend in ED. These strategies are all about reducing bed block, some further support for the hospital, and also further support for the Emergency Department that we know is under a lot of stress and strain because we have the largest number of presentations in Australia to our hospital. It is a big issue.
As part of that Rapid Admission Planning Unit, or RAPU, as I call it, there will be 80 extra staff employed. Approximately half of them are nurses, with more doctors, pharmacists and physiotherapists. That will provide greater service within the hospital.
Already, as a government, we have increased our workforce in the health area. In fact, there have been 115 extra doctor positions put within our health system, representing a 42% increase since 2001. Similarly, there are 318 extra nursing positions, representing a 24% increase in nursing positions, since we came to government in 2001.
Contrast this to the record of the CLP. I have a graph here extracted from the Territory Health Services Annual Report 1998-99, page 11. You can see very clearly - I will table this document - that over 200 nurses were stripped out …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, cease interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Two hundred nurses were stripped out of the system between 1996-97 and 1998-99. I will table this document, particularly for the benefit of the member for Greatorex, who is new to this Chamber and new to the shadow portfolio of Health, so he can see for himself the appalling record of the previous CLP government, and acknowledge the record of this government in putting more nursing and doctor positions within the system.
I could also talk about the positions we put into community health across the Territory, and also the extra positions that will be put in as a result of Closing the Gap. However, Madam Speaker I have said enough today. This government is proud of its record in health. We are investing in our health system right across the board, including Royal Darwin Hospital.
Land Release Policy
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
According to the May 2007 Territory Economic Review, the expected population by July 2008 is close to 212 000 people. According to your own growth figures, current ABS population data, and the average family size, from June 2005 to July 2008, the required number of land parcels is nearly 4000. Is it not the case that your land release policy will result in a shortfall of just under 1000 blocks of land?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. The number of house land lots turned off and required to market each year is between 250 and 300 lots. The land releases currently available across the Territory, particularly in Darwin and Palmerston, are meeting demand. We have had Larapinta go out to auction twice in Alice Springs, which would easily yield the lot required in Alice Springs and that has been passed in at auction. The market in Alice Springs is saying that it does not need that extra capacity there. We are still hopeful, of course, that we will get a buyer for Albrecht Drive, as it is now referred to, in Alice Springs.
In terms of the lots available, the current tracking regarding what new lots turned off per year we are required to have, we are absolutely on target. The important thing regarding land release is understanding, as I said yesterday, the balance between flooding the market or having a careful, strategic release of land. For example, the lots that are currently available, still to be turned off, we have between 200 to 300 lots available to be turned off in Palmerston currently in suburbs such as Rosebery. In addition, we have lots coming on to the market in Lyons, which causes a roll-on effect through the market. People currently in housing upgrades and purchasing up are providing houses in the market for the new home buyers coming in. You do have a flow-on effect through the market through, if you like, the more premium lots of subdivisions like Lyons.
The other thing that you seem to have cloth ears about, shadow minister, is that the Bellamack land release is this year. The government has been on the record as saying that. We have engaged with industry around the timing of the release, the nature of the release; they are well informed. If you want a briefing on Bellamack and exactly how many lots and the nature of the release, I am happy to give it you to. We are on the record consistently as saying that we will release between 600 to 700 lots, depending on the mix of medium density and the size of the lots released. That will meet the next projected requirement over the next few years. We have lots available now that meet the annual lot turnover of the market. In addition, we have strategically placed our Bellamack release to be perfectly timed for the subsequent years of lots required.
Palmerston - Future Growth
Mr BURKE to CHIEF MINISTER
I must be ahead of the opposition’s game today. Early this month, you, the member for Drysdale and I invited the people of Palmerston to have their say on the future growth of the city. I ask you to update our colleagues in the House on the response so far.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to talk about our plan for Palmerston. As the member for Brennan said, both he and the member for Drysdale launched the Palmerston plan and the consultation with that just a few weeks ago now. Both he and the member for Drysdale are vital parts of the development of this Palmerston plan, and have been instrumental, and having a great time in doing it, in conducting important surveys for the city. I called for public input – in fact, we all called for public input – into the future direction of Palmerston, because this is a government that listens and acts on people’s priorities.
Since coming to office, we have invested heavily in Palmerston - almost $13m on the Palmerston High School; $10m on the Palmerston Recreation Centre, which is a fantastic building; tens of millions proposed for the Tiger Brennan Drive extension; and the Palmerston Magpies have a home, $2m, and we look to a good performance from the Palmerston Magpies in the upcoming season. That is just to name a few. There is more to do and we want the residents of Palmerston to be part of shaping that direction and those priorities.
Our Palmerston members have conducted …
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Obviously the member for Blain is not interested.
Mr Mills: We are interested in having some response to petitions that have …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, you get this constant drivel from across the Chamber. It just does not stop.
Ms Carney: No, just questions.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Our Palmerston members have conducted surveys, they are door knocking, holding public meetings, actively in the field seeking out opinions, views and priorities. One initiative has been the hosting of opinion forums at the local high school, seeking the important opinions of Palmerston youth.
It really is resonating. Palmerston residents want to talk about the future of Palmerston, and that is also reflected in the media response to what we are doing. ABC radio conducted two talkback shows on the initiative. The Palmerston Sun has devoted significant column space to it. The Northern Territory News has written an editorial and held a vox pop on the call. The message is being spread loud and clear. We are receiving lots of feedback. The clear priorities to date are, not surprisingly, health, and roads, especially internal Palmerston Council roads. We will work with Palmerston Council on that. Other issues are recreational facilities and educational facilities.
The work will continue for the next few months. We will be collating the outcome as a means of helping formulate our direction for Palmerston. I thank the members for Brennan and Drysdale for their enthusiasm in this. We look forward to a very vibrant future, as we have seen up to now, but an even more vibrant future in the City of Palmerston.
Local Government Reform - Top End Shire
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Two of your colleagues, the members for Goyder and Daly, are promoting the idea of a rate freeze in the new super shire of Litchfield, with the member for Goyder even promoting two rate freezes, which would conveniently cover the next Territory election. Do you support your colleagues’ idea of a rate freeze being imposed by your government? Do you accept the fact that a rate freeze would only hide from the public the real rates required to run a new council? Do you not think rural residents are intelligent enough to see that freezing rates until after the next election would just be a clever way for government shifting any blame for a rate increase away from the government and on to the newly-elected councils?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I am very conscious and aware of the correspondence put to me by the member for Goyder in respect of a proposal to freeze rates. I want to make it clear: it is very important that we be strategic in how we go forward in developing a financial model and business plan which is going to bring sustainability, not only to the Top End shire, which you are referring to, but to the new shire reforms right across the Northern Territory.
Over the next very short period, the transitional committee will be in a position to provide me with some very detailed advice, a professional analysis, about where we might go with rating the Top End shire.
However, it is very important to understand that, whatever we do, we have to ensure that we are not unnecessarily penalising existing ratepayers. I have made very clear, in this House, over a very long period of time, that this government will be very fair and equitable in the context of how we arrive at a rating regime, not only for the Top End, but right across the Northern Territory.
I welcome the advice from the member for Goyder, as I do from the member for Daly. They are out there, just like you are, I guess, engaging in discussion and consultation. If you want to put a position to me about what you think it may be, or what the solution might be going forward, please do so. I am more than happy to entertain and consider all suggestions and ideas.
I am not trying to walk away in the context of what might happen in the future because, clearly, there needs to be a change in local government right across the Northern Territory. Now, you actually agree with that; minister Ruddock agrees with that; minister Lloyd agrees with that; and the newly-elected member for Greatorex agrees with that. You all agree that we need to put in place a new form of governance which is going to provide sustainability and certainty into the future. That is what this government is charged with.
We are something like nine months out of 20 on this consultation process. The bottom line is, I will take into consideration all positions put to me by the member for Goyder or the member for Daly, or from any other member on that side. I am very happy to take on their suggestions. The bottom line is, whatever we do, I want to ensure all existing ratepayers that it will be fair, it will be equitable.
Mr Wood: Will they get an increase in rates?
Mr McADAM: We are not trying to penalise existing ratepayers or industry across the Northern Territory. You said to me, will they get a rate increase?
Mr Wood: With the change?
Mr McADAM: What I am saying to you is, I am about to receive some very detailed financial models. I believe you will be very surprised.
Mr Wood: I live in hope.
Land Release Policy
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
I am not the only one unconvinced that your land release policy is going to meet demand. You would be aware that, in this release by the Chamber of Commerce yesterday on the Territory government’s land release policy, the Chief Executive of the Chamber said: ‘To say that the Chamber supports the current policy is both inaccurate and misleading’. Will you now correct the record regarding your inaccurate and misleading comments?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I was somewhat slightly amused when I saw the media release from Chris Young from the Chamber of Commerce, because it was titled, ‘Housing Minister Needs to Check Facts’. Well, I am not the Housing minister. So I gave Chris a call this morning and had chat to him. I reiterated exactly what I said, and I have faxed him a copy of the transcript, because it really was his misunderstanding and his interpretation of what I said. I said, ‘Chris, you have to look at it in the context of what I said, including the paragraph before and the actual paragraph where I refer to the Chamber of Commerce’. I will quote what I said yesterday:
- We have regular meetings with all of the key industry groups involved in development - the Real Estate Institute, the Chamber of Commerce and Territory Construction, and they all say, careful, planned land release hit the spot.
Chris does not argue that that is actually what they were saying. The do not want to see the CLP’s path of flooding the market, devaluing the market, devaluing the family asset, on the back of nine John Howard interest rate rises that have already put families under mortgage stress?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Industry is very clear. They have called for land release. We have engaged in around both industrial land release and residential land release. In terms of residential land release, we already have the high end of the market being catered for with developments such as Lyons, the Stuart Park Tank Farm redevelopment, you know, exciting high end of the market developments.
However, in relation to the low to middle end of the market, as I said, industry was surprised when we showed them the real figures of the lots yet to be turned off in Palmerston; the lots that are in subdivisions now, that have been land banked by some sectors of the industry - and we call it for what it is, land banking. There are lots there yet to be turned off. They are also very supportive of the Bellamack subdivision. We have taken them through the numbers and timing of the Bellamack subdivision. No argument about the need for Bellamack, and there is certainly an understanding between government and industry as to the plans for the Bellamack release and the importance of getting the timing of land release right so you do not flood the market.
I remind the CLP that most of the available, unused land around Darwin is Commonwealth; it is locked up by the Commonwealth.
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: I am happy to take you through the map, member for Blain. I am happy to inform you and show you the map. What people want in the market is a choice. They want the choice of a home, they want the middle, and they want the low to middle. If we can get some of that Commonwealth land released, we can meet the middle market.
Nuclear Industry
Mr HAMPTON to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
What is the Northern Territory government’s view on a potential referendum banning a nuclear industry in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for his very good question. The Northern Territory government is very supportive of the Commonwealth government conducting a referendum into any nuclear facilities that they plan to construct in the Territory. We take heart from the words of the Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile, and the Treasurer, Peter Costello, who have said they are supportive of such plebiscites. This morning, Peter Costello said:
- I don’t think anything like this should be done without full consultation of the local community, and I think the local community would have every right to be consulted in a plebiscite.
Something like this needs to be done at Muckaty Station in the Barkly …
Mr Wood: How can you compare the same thing? What a lie!
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Nelson accused my colleague of lying.
Mr Wood: No I did not. I said the statement was a lie.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, I ask you to withdraw.
Mr WOOD: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Nelson. Minister, please continue.
Ms LAWRIE: The member for Nelson is a bit sensitive on this subject, Madam Speaker ...
Mr Wood: No, I do not believe untruths should be spoken.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: We all know the member for Nelson went to Lucas Heights ...
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Under Standing Order 51, the member for Nelson has, during these sittings, been continually interjecting and interrupting all members. I, for one, want to hear the minister’s answer, not listen …
Ms Carney: Why do you not just ask her, she is right next to you?
Dr BURNS: … not listen to the member for Nelson with his inane comments.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Warren: He has been doing it for the last three days, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Goyder! Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51, and ask that members cease interjecting as much as they have been. Obviously, some level of robust debate is desirable, but such that we cannot hear the debate is not a very good idea. Minister, please continue.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I was saying, the member for Nelson is somewhat sensitive on this subject because we all know he went to Lucas Heights …
Mr Wood: And Muckaty Station.
Ms LAWRIE: … to discover that a nuclear waste dump is suitable for the whole of the Northern Territory, but not in his electorate of Nelson.
Mr Wood: Low level waste …
Ms LAWRIE: He went to Lucas Heights to discover that.
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! They are trying to align me with the question, which was about a nuclear power station. Lucas Heights and its waste are not part of a nuclear power station cycle. They are deliberately trying to put a point of view which is inaccurate and unsuitable ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, resume your seat. Order! There is no point of order. However, member for Nelson, if you feel you have been misrepresented you can approach me to make a personal explanation at a later hour. Minister, please continue.
Ms LAWRIE: I will try to be brief, but the interjections are lengthy. I will be writing to the Commonwealth government to ask that they include the question of a planned nuclear waste dump at Muckaty, or anywhere else in the Territory for that matter, in their plebiscite.
The Leader of the Opposition claims to be opposed to the dump. She said in parliament in August 2005:
- I should make it very clear again that the CLP is opposed to the dump. We were, I think, first out of the blocks when the news was announced. We made our position clear then. It remains crystal clear.
I call on the opposition to also write to the federal government to ensure that the issue and question of a nuclear waste dump is included in any plebiscite. We look forward to Territorians having their say.
Land Supply – Greater Darwin Area
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
According to the Urban Development Institute of Australia 2006 report on the state of the land, all reported capital cities have seen significant reductions in land supply and corresponding significant rises in the cost of land. Here we have Brisbane - supply down, costs up; Melbourne - supply down, costs up - see the gap?; we have Adelaide - supply down, costs up; huge gap ...
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Please pause, member for Blain.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, Question Time is an opportunity for members of this House to ask questions of ministers in regard to responsibilities they have under their portfolio arrangements. The member for Blain is taking up time in this House asking questions about Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, which are beyond the control of my colleague, the Minister for Planning and Lands. I suggest that this question is out of order.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause. I will seek advice from the Clerk.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Blain, I would ask you to make the question somewhat more relevant to the Northern Territory minister. If you can reword the question or get to the point fairly quickly that would be helpful.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: I only have two more capital cities to go …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: And now we have Perth - supply down, price up. And then we have Sydney – and you will see the gap is extraordinary, supply down …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr WARREN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Blain is truly making a mockery of this parliament and making a mockery of your ruling before. He has continued to deliver the statement that he was making before, not a question …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, resume your seat. Member for Goyder, I can look after myself, thank you. Member for Blain, please continue, but can you please make the question somewhat shorter and get to the point.
Mr MILLS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. And now to Darwin. Minister, what has happened to the supply and cost of land in the greater Darwin area?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the minister, I am going to remind you of Standing Order 51 …
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: … which includes that noise as well:
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Honourable members, I have been having trouble hearing both the answers and some of the questions as well. I ask that we have the rest of Question Time with a reasonable level of decorum. I will be putting people on warnings after this.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question was in relation to greater Darwin, so I will talk about Darwin again, I will talk about Palmerston again. I will also, in regard to the greater Darwin footprint, talk about the rural area.
In Darwin, the land release market has seen the subdivision of Lyons proceed in the last couple of years. He is quoting figures from 2006, so Lyons is very relevant to the 2006 figures. I note that he did not table the graph of Darwin. I am happy for him to table it in subsequent questions if he needs to. In Lyons, we have a 700 lot subdivision; 350 of those lots are for public. The first option of a ballot of private lots went out and all are fully taken up. The second ballot of private lots went out; of the 20 recently, only about six were taken up. So it is starting to indicate to the marketplace, if you like, that there is a slowing of a take-up of those premium lots in the Darwin subdivision.
As I stated in the previous answer, and probably the one before as well, in Palmerston, which is where we are catering for the lower to middle lot requirement, there are something like 150 to 200 lots currently available yet to be turned off. In the suburb of Rosebery, if you drive past Darla, you can see the lots being built on it. So, unless you are driving and looking at your speedometer all the time and not looking around, like you said in debate yesterday, you can actually see the growth occurring in Palmerston. Again, in Palmerston, Bellamack will deliver something between 600 to 700 new lots into the lower to middle end of the market within the next two years, which keeps pace with the number of lots that need to be turned off.
Further, the Development Consent Authority yesterday had a hearing about the Palmerston East plan, which deals with the next subdivisions to be turned off, works across what we call the Mitchell Creek Reserve, which will open up further subdivisions. Not only has the government facilitated subdivisions within Darwin and facilitated and seen lots being turned off in Palmerston, and planned and is about to deliver a subdivision at Bellamack - which will cover the next two to three years requirement there, depending on the growth of the economy because we have a booming economy here, it is demand driven and we have a very strong economy - but we have already put out into the public domain discussion about the Palmerston East plan, which deals with new subdivisions across Mitchell Creek Reserve.
Tiwi Islands - Sporting Prowess
Mr BONSON to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Today’s Northern Territory News demonstrates that Tiwi magic is still alive and well. Can the minister please tell the House about the fantastic achievements of some of our young up and coming Tiwi talent?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. It is an important question because, in the past few years, when I was training young kids for soccer, I lost count of how many times I heard coaches, spectators and parents screaming at the kids: ‘Don’t play like a girl’, and I bet you today they will stop saying that after reading page 3 of today’s newspaper about fantastic Natasha Puatjimi, who has won the Best and Fairest award as a player for the Yarra Valley Junior Football League. Not only did she come first with 27 votes, she won over 170 boys, and the runner-up had polled only 15 votes. That is a fantastic performance, Madam Speaker.
I think parents will now be yelling: ‘Play like a girl; play like Natasha!’ Of course, Natasha learnt her skills from her aunt, the member for Arafura.
Ms Scrymgour: I don’t think so!
Mr VATSKALIS: Natasha is not the only young indigenous person from the Territory who is doing well. I believe there are another three young people, especially from Tiwi, who have moved down south. Natasha left the island and moved to Melbourne to further her studies and career. Young Junior Boy Rioli, the son of Cyril and Kathy Rioli, is studying Year 12 at Scotch College in Victoria, another product of the Northern Territory Institute of Sport’s Thunder Program. He made it to the All Australian Under 18 National Championships. I understand that this year he is almost a certainty to be a top 10 AFL draft pick and I wish him all the best.
Two of his Tiwi cousins, Stuart and Shannon Rioli, are also in Melbourne studying at Scotch College. Shannon is only 16 and studying Year 10. This year, Shannon was the youngest Territory representative in the Territory Thunder side. He also played in the Northern Territory Under 16 team at the Nationals in Brisbane earlier this year. In his first year away, Shannon has made the first 18 on the field team every week for the Scotch College AFL team. It is a real inspiration. These young indigenous kids from the islands, who have moved away from their family and friends to further their career, are an example for us all, not only indigenous Territorians.
It is not only AFL, Madam Speaker. We have young Tarlina Tipungwuti who is currently ranked as a top four NT junior tennis player. She is also on a scholarship from the Institute of Sport. Some of her achievements include: winning the 2007 Geelong Junior Grass Court event; made the final of the Mildura Easter Open Under 14s; won the Women’s B Grade of the Mildura Easter Open; won the Girls 16 and Under Darwin Closed event; won the Darwin Tennis Club Open in the 14 and Under Girls; won the Consolation event in the SKYCITY Territory Open in the Girls Under 18 division; and was a semi-finalist in the Rod Laver Queensland Junior Championships in July.
As I said, Madam Speaker, that is inspirational for all of us. I am looking forward to some of these kids either playing in the A league in AFL, or, especially with Tarlina, to see her at Wimbledon.
Alice Springs - Youth After-Hours Centre
Mrs BRAHAM to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
At the end of the Alice Springs Crime Summit, the Chief Minister made a series of commitments and promises. One of them was to help fund an after hours centre for juveniles in Alice Springs. There was also some funding agreed for The Gap Youth Centre. I am particularly interested in the after hours centre, which at the moment is being held at the back of the youth centre. Could you advise where we are at, who you are negotiating with, who will run it, what funding is going to be available, and when are we going to see this new centre established?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. That service for the youth drop-in centre was evaluated by FACS this year. The service has been restructured in line with the evaluation to focus on an outreach model, and that is trying to get youth workers out on the street and working, particularly around Alice Springs, where we have some real hot spots. The service is now under the auspices of Congress and is working cooperatively with the Tangentyere-run Youth Night Patrol which runs the transport service.
Our government is working on a range of proposals, looking at Alice Springs and that wider region, but particularly looking at how we extend youth services in and around Alice Springs, including the commitment made by the Chief Minister for a drop-in centre which is needed in Alice Springs. We recognise that and will certainly move forward with that. It has been restructured, it is being run under Congress, so if you want to get in touch with Congress, which …
Mrs Braham: Yes, I know that, but I am looking ahead to what premises are going to be made available.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: That is part of what we are looking at for the future, but certainly, a drop-in centre is being looked at.
Wave Hill Walk-Off - Anniversary
Mr HAMPTON to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Wave Hill Walk-off. Can the minister outline the government’s support for this important occasion?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for his important question. He is a great representative of the Gurindji people. The Wave Hill Walk-off is a very important date in the history of the Territory and, indeed, our nation. As part of the walk-off, the Gurindji people camped at many places along the route between Wave Hill Station Homestead and Wattie Creek, which is the current location of the Daguragu Community. This route is now known as the Gurindji/Wave Hill Walk-off route.
Last year, the Chief Minister announced that the Northern Territory government would heritage list the walk-off route and, with the Gurindji people, would also nominate it for National Heritage listing.
It is good news, indeed, with the anniversary of Freedom Day tomorrow, to announce that we have just found out that our nomination has been successful. This is great news because it opens up access to Commonwealth funding to promote and conserve this important route. The Wave Hill Walk-off route becomes the fourth site in the Territory to be included in the National Heritage List, together with Hermannsburg, Uluru and Kakadu.
Congratulations to the Gurindji people and to all those from within the Territory government who worked so hard to achieve this great outcome. I thank the member for Stuart, Karl Hampton, for advocating for this National Heritage listing on behalf of the people he represents.
Land Release - First Home Buyer Market
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
Minister, you seem to miss the point that what we are referring to here are the middle and lower home purchasers. Is it not the case that, according to the most recently released monthly data settled sales figures for July this year, there were no land sales in Darwin for less than $200 000, there were only two sales in Palmerston for less than $140 000, and none under $130 000. How exactly is your ‘planned land release’ assisting would be home buyers, in particular those first home buyers, into the market? How are they being helped? That is the point.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I have been very clear that the Darwin land release market is catering to the premium land lots; there is no doubt about that. The land we would like to get hold of for the lower to middle end of the market in Darwin is Commonwealth land. It is locked up by the Commonwealth at the moment. If Senator Scullion wants to free up some of that land, good, so be it, and the Territory government has been raising that with the Commonwealth.
In Palmerston, the lower to middle market, there are quite a number of lots yet to be turned off, particularly in Rosebery. We know that, we have talked to the industry about that, we have done title searches to see who has those lots, we have been engaging industry on this critical issue. The one thing we do not want to see is, with the Bellamack subdivision coming into the marketplace, a panic turning-off of the lots that are ready to be turned off now. We are saying to industry, start turning those blocks off, because it will be a good turn off leading into the Bellamack subdivision release.
Member for Blain, I know you want to flood the market with land releases. I know you want to devalue the family asset now, but to do that would be a double whammy on families who are suffering under nine interest rate rises in a row under John Howard’s broken promise to keep interest rates down.
Members interjecting.
Ms Carney: So you are not helping people at the lower end, are you?
Ms LAWRIE: You are such a fool, Leader of the Opposition.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask that the minister withdraw ‘fool’.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I ask you to withdraw. Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51. There was a considerable amount of interjection there - too many for me to name so many members. We are getting near the end of Question Time, if we could all just bear with it.
Ms LAWRIE: I will withdraw calling the Leader of the Opposition ‘fool’.
One of the increases within a gamut of things that affect house prices is the cost of GST. Talk to the TCA about the impact of GST on how builders deliver the end product for the price.
Mr Wood: What about the land?
Ms LAWRIE: Land release is a component of it. There is no doubt about that. Interest rates are a significant component and the GST impact on the construction costs is a component of that. I have been happy to engage on the issue of land release, because I am the minister for Lands. However, there is another range of factors in this picture that deal with both demand and supply. Interestingly, the leadership shown in this area - which is a problem right across Australia; the member for Blain showed us the charts on the other capital cities - has come from Kevin Rudd ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I have seen the housing affordability summit in Canberra. One of the cost imposts on releasing subdivisions is the infrastructure costs. For example, to release Bellamack, the Territory government will spend $7m in infrastructure. Kevin Rudd has announced a $0.5bn infrastructure fund to help cover the cost of land release to bring those prices down. That is leadership.
Hermannsburg Region - Tourism Initiatives
Ms ANDERSON to MINISTER for TOURISM
Tourism plays an important part in the sustainability of indigenous communities. Can you inform the House on any initiatives for the Hermannsburg region located in my electorate?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. In the past few weeks, I was delighted to join with the member for Macdonnell visiting Hermannsburg to officially launch the Hermannsburg/Western Aranda Tourism Development Plan. It was a fantastic occasion, and great to be there with community members.
It is a plan about building the future for Hermannsburg and the region; a plan to drive jobs and economic opportunities. This is a plan that has been worked on now for approximately 18 months, with a lot of hard work from officials from Tourism NT, members of the Hermannsburg, and the broader Western Aranda community; people sitting down and actually thinking through what they want to achieve, how they want to achieve it, and what the real competitive advantage is for the region. We know that the great landscapes, the beauty of the region, and the history of Hermannsburg all come together in a very attractive package for our tourists.
It was interesting to hear my colleague, the Lands minister, mention that the Wave Hill walk-off in Kalkarindji had been placed on the Register of the National Estate. Obviously, the historic community of Hermannsburg is also on that estate. The tourists I spoke to when I was there on that particular day absolutely loved the community.
I was particularly impressed to learn that the plan is also being translated into the local Western Aranda language. That is an enormous amount of hard work translating that plan into local language, so that the community actually owns the plan; they can all own it and all share in the aspirations in the plan.
The key goals of the plan include: positioning Hermannsburg as the major service and tourism coordination centre for the region; developing a sustainable local tourism industry; and maximising the economic benefits from tourism for all communities in the region. Some of the exciting initiatives and opportunities identified include: establishing a visitor information service and business centre kiosk at Hermannsburg; and developing new ventures, such as bush dinners, walking tours, and four-wheel drive tracks linked to the Red Centre Way. All of these initiatives include training provided through my other departmental responsibilities in training and employment, and working with the private sector which is looking to run tours for the region. The real aspiration is for sustainable jobs and economic growth for the region.
I thank the community of Hermannsburg, in particular, the President of the community, Gus Williams; also CEO of the Ntaria Council; the local member, the member for Macdonnell, who really encouraged and got out there and worked with people in the region; and officers in Tourism NT who have done a fantastic job. It is a wonderful part of the Northern Territory and one that is going to see an exciting future and many jobs created by the tourism industry.
Land Release - First Home Buyer Market
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
Here is a graph showing the number of first-time homebuyers entering the market from the Territory Economic Review, August 2007, source the Bureau of Statistics. It shows that, from 2005 until 2007, first homebuyers in the Territory have fled the market with a negative 90% point change in numbers. That is a drop of 90% in two years. Show us exactly how your ‘planned land release’ that ‘hits the spot’ has assisted first homebuyers into this market? A 90% drop.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, you have to take the member for Blain’s assertions with some caution because, in the previous question, he was indicating a very low number of land sales in the lower end of the market price range. The latest Real Estate Institute for June quarter figures show that there were 97 land sales in Palmerston, ranging from $120 000 to $250 000. I refer you to your own media release on first home owner numbers where, in your last paragraph, you say: ‘There is no shortage of land in the Territory and no need for first home buyers to be paying artificially high housing prices’.
Are you saying that the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory's members are in collusion? Are you saying the construction industry is in collusion? Are you saying the developers are in collusion? Because how do you describe artificially …
Mr Mills: Madam Speaker, is this a question to me because I am happy to answer it?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, please resume your seat. Minister, please continue.
Ms LAWRIE: How else would he describe the word ‘artificially’, Madam Speaker?
Mr Mills: You have not answered the 90% drop.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mango Industry – Harvest Outlook
Mr KNIGHT to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
You would be well aware, having travelled to Mataranka and Pine Creek in the last week for Community Cabinet, that the mangoes are flowering all the way up the track to Darwin. Sadly, my 60 mango trees on my rural block are not flowering. What are the current expectations for this season’s harvest of mangoes and the outlooks for local growers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. The mango season is nearly upon us, and I think mango madness might have come a little bit early in this Chamber.
Mangoes are the largest sector of our fruit industry, and the industry is now valued at over $100m. As the member for Daly said, I have been down the track over the last couple of weeks, visiting Katherine and Mataranka, and met with some of the growers. The trees are in full flower at the moment, a little bit later this season due to the extreme wet conditions experienced after our Wet Season which elongated the season, and also the cold, dry spell we have had just lately has made those climatic conditions shortened and concentrated the season a little more.
It is predicted to be a long period and low volume early season in Darwin, with significant volume starting around mid-October. The peak of the season in Darwin will be around the last week of October. That is about two weeks later than what it was last year. In the Katherine region, the first week of November will be the peak season, and that will continue for a couple of weeks. That is very similar to the harvest last year.
The current forecast suggests that the overlap in harvest dates between Darwin, Katherine and Western Australia will have some varying on the season. This short and overlapping season will place pressure on labour, transport, storage, interstate ripening facilities and, ultimately, the marketplace. However, my Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines is collaborating with the Northern Territory Horticulture Association to host pre-season forums for growers for the upcoming season.
Growers, packers and transport operators can now plan for the upcoming season due to an innovative and sophisticated crop forecasting system that has been developed in the Territory. It will assist in overcoming some of the problems that have been occurring in the last couple of years. The system is an online format where growers input and update, on a regular basis, various statistics on their crops. These statistics are collated to form a graphic simulation of the harvest period and assists growers to establish suitable harvest times. The crop forecasting system has been so successful it has now been adopted in other capital cities.
This is just another example of the innovative ideas of Northern Territory growers. I wish the growers every success for the coming season, high productivity and, hopefully, high prices for their mangoes.
Members: Hear, hear!
Closing the Gap – New Positions
Mrs BRAHAM to CHIEF MINISTER
In Closing the Gap, you announced a five-year plan in which you list 223 new positions. Could you tell me how many of those positions are earmarked for indigenous people?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as part of Closing the Gap there are around 223 specifically new positions. To deliver the services that we need, in addition to the ones we have now, we need positions like 40 additional police, 10 school counsellors, 10 community corrections officers, right across the board. What we would like to see is as many of those positions, because they are delivering specific to Aboriginal people, go to Aboriginal people.
For example, in police, we have a course in November for 20 Aboriginal Community Police Officers, ACPOs, to transition them to constables. It is that type of program we have in place to ensure that Aboriginal Territorians across the Territory are getting the skills they need for those jobs. For example, we would like to see the Family Violence Support Workers being taken up by Aboriginal Territorians.
While I cannot give the member for Braitling a specific breakdown on what we can do, because we will have to look at people who have skills for those jobs, they are important tasks. We will continue to work with Aboriginal Territorians on achieving those skill levels where appropriate - the example of police is a good one - and in all other areas announced in Closing the Gap.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016