2014-03-19
Nhulunbuy – Jobs after 31 March
Ms WALKER to CHIEF MINISTER
Yesterday, after four months of uncertainty, you told the people of Nhulunbuy the best you could do to secure their future is $2m towards a Regional Economic Development Fund. There was no significant structural adjustment package, no report from your expert consultants to give people a hint about the future of East Arnhem and no alternative options for the thousands of workers losing their jobs. Instead, there is a wish list of projects with the Commonwealth without one cent forthcoming. Clearly, they are ignoring you.
To add insult to catastrophe, you are trying to spin recurrent funding as a financial commitment, yet you make no commitment to public service jobs. What is happening after the 31 March cut-off, just less than two weeks away? How long do you expect the people of Nhulunbuy to wait for clarity about the future of their jobs, homes and businesses? Will you give public servants a commitment for their jobs beyond 31 March?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Yesterday, Rio Tinto announced what can be framed as their structural adjustment package, or their commitment to the Nhulunbuy region, around the Rio Tinto bauxite mine site and in relation to curtailment of the refinery. Yesterday, they announced $500m over the next five years, including an additional $50m to go towards other economic opportunities into the future. As part of their announcement, they spoke about how they were seeking to extract and export more bauxite in the future. Our response has been we have continued to work with Rio Tinto and the Australian government to ensure we provide support to those remaining residents in Nhulunbuy.
We also decreed we will be spending $330m approximately this year in Nhulunbuy, and the region, toward a range of government services and we have accelerated capital works and other investment into the region. I outlined in the statement yesterday we have been working with the Australian government, encouraging them to provide a range of other financial assistance, including more roads into the region to support economic development and growth. We look forward to the Australian government coming online with some support.
Part of what we have also done is working to establish a Regional Economic Development Fund, which will oversee the management of some of the 250 vacant houses. Rio Tinto is contributing $2m to the fund. We are seeking to contribute $2m as well, to help it get up and running, and part of what we have asked the Australian government for is additional funding towards it.
The fund will facilitate other economic opportunities within the region. As you mentioned, our economic development panel has been drafting a regional economic plan, which should be released later this month and will define the way we move forward with other economic opportunities.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is a very direct question. What is happening, after the March 31 cut-off, to public service jobs in Nhulunbuy?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has the call and is getting to the question.
Mr GILES: At the end of March, the economic development plan should be released by the experts we have looking at it. We have also provided a commitment that Nhulunbuy will continue to be the regional service centre and we are trying to build this in a range of different areas, least of all through a regional education centre.
With our commitment to the town of Nhulunbuy being the regional service centre, public servants will remain there and continue to provide service delivery from the region. We will ensure services are provided at the standard we want them to be. We have provided a commitment to Year 12 students and this will continue.
Supportlink Trial – Alice Springs
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Could you outline the success of the SupportLink trial in Alice Springs and what plans the government has for expanding this successful referral service?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for the question. He is keen to understand how the SupportLink trial is working. He has read about the success of SupportLink in Central Australia and is looking forward to what the roll-out could be across the Territory.
SupportLink is a central electronic referral service for victims of domestic and family violence, drug and alcohol dependence and homelessness. It uses new technology and qualified professional staff to manage referrals, ensuring people get appropriate help for the individual situation.
Northern Territory Police have completed a six month trial of the system in Alice Springs and feedback on the trial has been extremely positive, helping more and more people. It has seen an increase in referrals by the Northern Territory Police; 175 officers made almost 2000 referrals. The referral service also reached people who had never connected with services before, which is why we are seeing such a change in assisting victims of domestic violence. Up to 70% of referrals were for victims who were previously unknown to support agencies.
The trial has been praised by support agencies in Alice Springs. The women’s shelter has been particularly supportive of the SupportLink trial. The trial has been so successful, it is going to be extended in Alice Springs and rolled out for the first time in all communities up to, and including, Katherine through to the end of March 2015.
This extension will cost in the vicinity of $250 000 and is more evidence of our commitment to reducing the harms and prevalence of domestic violence in our community. It is envisaged this program could eventually form a key plank of the government’s soon to be finalised domestic violence strategy, which the Attorney-General will be releasing in the near future.
I congratulate the Northern Territory Police and other agencies which have worked together so far on this initiative. It is changing the lives of people who are victims of domestic violence. We are continuing to drive down the cause and effects and the prevalence of domestic violence. It is a scourge in our society and I think the SupportLink trial can go a little way towards making a difference in people’s lives across the Northern Territory.
Bullying in the Workplace – Policy
Mr VOWLES to MINISTER FOR CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment has a whole-of-government policy on preventing and eliminating workplace bullying. This policy applies to all in the public service, including the hundreds of public servants in your agencies. The policy states bullying is not acceptable to anyone, anytime or anywhere.
Do you agree workplace bullying is not acceptable in your agencies and for complaints to be dealt with promptly, without victimising the person who makes the report? What do you have to say to the member for Namatjira and the public?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly agree with the policy which was alluded to with regards to workplace bullying. With regards to the second part of your question, I have said it before and I will say it again, I will not be making any comment relating to discussions which took place inside the party room.
Police Success in Tennant Creek
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Moving up the track a bit, could you please tell the Assembly about the success police have had in Tennant Creek in stamping out domestic violence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. I know he has concerns like many of us, least of all the member for Barkly, about issues with domestic or family violence in the Barkly and Tennant Creek area.
The Barkly, as we all know, has long been a hot spot for family violence. I am proud to say we are trying to tackle this head-on in Tennant Creek. It will take us a long time, least of all getting economic reforms into the region, which will have a long lasting and effective change in social norms. Since July 2013, approximately 70% of all violent crime in the region has involved a domestic relationship and 70% of those cases are linked to alcohol consumption.
In response, police launched Strike Force Datsun at the start of February. The goal of the operation is to reduce personal and domestic violence related crime by 10% and I am pleased to report it has been successful in doing so. In the month of February, offences against the person were down 11%, compared to the same time in 2013. Domestic violence related assaults have been reduced by more than 14%, compared to last year. Over the month, there were 34 arrests for this kind of offending. Strike Force Datsun will continue to target recidivist domestic violence offenders, engage with victims and patrol hot spots throughout the end of June.
I congratulate police in Barkly for the hard work on this important issue. When you link this up with what will occur with SupportLink and its roll-out through Tennant Creek, it will have a longer lasting effect on those victims of family violence.
I am also pleased to hear about the work occurring locally with people who are on the local alcohol accord reference group, and the work on the preparation of an alcohol management plan in the Tennant Creek area. The work local people are doing in trying to respond to the issues around alcohol in Tennant Creek and the Barkly will have a long lasting effect. The way we are managing the regime of alcohol consumption in the Territory is to allow local communities and local regions to have their say and drive their responses to issues which may be occurring in their local communities.
I am pleased to see, since the removal of the Banned Drinker Register and our response with Alcohol Protection Orders and alcohol mandatory treatment, we have seen a substantial reduction of wholesale alcohol supply across the Northern Territory. Nhulunbuy is down by 17%, Alice Springs down by 7%, and it is down in Darwin, Katherine and Tennant Creek. We have made major reforms, but there is still a lot more work to do. There is a big catch up we have to do.
Part of the response around Tennant Creek and the Barkly will be driving economic reform to ensure there are jobs, growth, opportunities and help for people to get off the demand cycle of alcohol. With some of the responses, especially through Strike Force Datsun, there are positive changes in the wind and we will continue to build on this into the future.
Bush Funding
Mr McCARTHY to CHIEF MINISTER
In August 2012, under Labor, there was more than $125m in capital works projects funded and ready to go into the bush. There was $66m in new health infrastructure, $15m in transport, $30m for youth/early childhood and $13.5m for trade and vocational training. By our analysis, more than half of these projects have stalled. More than $62.5m in infrastructure and jobs in the bush has not been delivered. How long do people in the bush have to wait for these projects? When will you start on delivering your own promises, let alone the promises you have broken here? Remember, you have been in government for 18 months. How much Commonwealth funding has been handed back because you have failed to deliver in the bush?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not have a copy of the list the member for Barkly has, and I do not have a copy of the analysis. I am aware of the analysis they had yesterday, in regard to Power and Water and people paying bills. I think, within about 15 minutes, we proved Labor’s disconnection analysis data to be completely wrong. I am not sure of the paperwork you have, but your question probably should have been directed towards the Minister for Infrastructure, who has an overall understanding of the infrastructure budget and spends, the cash amounts, revote actuaries and where those projects are going.
He will be able to answer questions about individual projects per date, but in light of us viewing an inherited $5.5bn debt legacy, plus the enormous deficits we have had to accept - particularly around the construction of the gaol - we are still delivering capital item projects across the Northern Territory, whether it be in remote areas, rural areas or urban centres. Overall expenditure, as at 3 March 2014, was $413m, including expenditure by the construction division of $127m on roads and $67m on housing infrastructure. This is 59% of the total cash available for the financial year. The target spend for 30 June 2014 across all regions is $675m, therefore $262m remains to be spent by 30 June 2014.
Over 93% of all Department of Infrastructure contracts have been awarded to Northern Territory local companies from 1 July 2013 to 28 February 2014.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 255. I ask the Chief Minister to table the document he is reading from.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, are they your private notes or do you wish to table the document?
Mr GILES: They are the private notes of one of my colleagues. This equates to $211 520 543 awarded to local companies in the Northern Territory. If there is a specific question about individual projects, ask the Minister for Infrastructure as he can go into more detail. Better still, provide a written question or seek a briefing on any of those particular projects and we will let you know what is going on.
Alice Springs – Crime Changes
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
I was in Alice Springs a few weeks ago - lovely town. Under the former Labor government, crime was out of control in Alice Springs. Can you please explain to the House how, for 11 years, the town suffered, but, thanks to this Country Liberals government, we are seeing real change in the region?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. As a member of the Top End community, he is very engaged with his southern counterparts and spends as much time as he possibly can in the Alice.
Ms Lawrie: The Chief Minister says there is no more crime in Alice; it is all sorted.
Mr CONLAN: Crime has not completely dried up in Central Australia, Leader of the Opposition, but we have made incredible inroads in reducing crime and antisocial behaviour in the 18 months we have been in government. It was 11 years before we could finally boot out the Labor government and bring in a Country Liberals government which is serious about tackling the real concerns of the community in Central Australia: crime; law and order issues; and antisocial behaviour. You left us with a huge mess to clean up, which we are still cleaning up.
Let us have a look at the 2013 and 2012 figures. I cannot make too fine a point on some of these figures, they are extraordinary. Comparing 2013 with 2012 in Alice Springs, we saw total property offences down by 31%, the lowest number in a calendar year since 2006. Property damage was down 34% and commercial break-ins down by 37%. I cannot tell you what these figures have done for the spirit of the community. People now feel they can live in their homes safely at night, without having someone jump the fence and break in to their back yard fridge or, worse still, into their home.
Car theft and related offences were down 40%; house break-ins were down 33% and sexual assaults were down 22%. These are the figures the Country Liberals have delivered to the Central Australian community in 18 months. I will run through it again …
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I am listening to the fine, disgraced member for Greatorex and I hope he will …
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that comment and sit down. There is no point of order.
Mr VOWLES: I withdraw.
Mr CONLAN: This gives me an opportunity to run through some of those figures once again, because the heart of the question was: what have we done in 18 months that Labor could not do in 11 years?
You left a community reeling in a desperate state of disrepair when it came to law and order issues. I am proud to say the Country Liberals government has made incredible inroads to addressing those, to the extent total property offences are down 31%; property damages down 34%; commercial break-ins down 37%; car theft and related offences down 40%; house break-ins down 33%; and sexual assaults down 22%.
The figures do not lie. They are the figures we delivered to the community of Central Australia, which you could not deliver after 11 years. The shadow minister for Central Australia lives in the Top End. When was the last time you visited Central Australia, shadow minister? It is a fascinating question.
We have delivered for the Central Australian community, and we will continue to do so.
FrogWatch Contract Termination
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PARKS and WILDLIFE
You were asked a question about the FrogWatch contract on 10 October 2013 by the member for Nightcliff, to which you replied:
- … this government did not cut the funding for FrogWatch. The contract was terminated by mutual agreement, effective 31 March 2013.
I quote from a letter from Parks and Wildlife, 31 January 2013, which refers to a meeting on 11 January with department staff and FrogWatch, which says:
- As explained to you at that meeting, the recent change in government in the Northern Territory has resulted in new funding priorities for the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory …
Accordingly, the Commission is unable to continue the contract.
Further on:
- The Territory hereby exercises its right pursuant to clause 2.25 of the Conditions of Contract, by service of this notice of intention to terminate upon FrogWatch.
It is obvious FrogWatch did not terminate the agreement, Parks and Wildlife did. Will you please correct the record and tell parliament your department terminated the FrogWatch contract and apologise to FrogWatch for the incorrect statement?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I remind the House this government did not cut the funding. The contract was terminated by mutual agreement, effective 31 March 2013.
I can advise the House the $200 000 paid to FrogWatch was never funded by Labor through any budgets …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I seek leave to table the letter.
Leave granted.
Mrs PRICE: Madam Speaker, Parks and Wildlife was directed to fund FrogWatch from within its existing budget. This meant money was taken away from supporting parks and rangers to keep our parks clean, tidy and operational to pay for FrogWatch. This money has now been given back to operational areas within Parks and Wildlife ...
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 255. I would like the minister to table the document she is clearly reading from, please.
Mrs PRICE: Madam Speaker, these are my private notes.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Keep going.
Mrs PRICE: This means more money for our 87 parks and reserves, to look after nearly three million visitors every year and to take care of the over four million hectares of land we manage.
Roseanne Fulton
Ms MANISON to MINISTER for HEALTH
More than 104 000 people have now signed a petition calling on your government to bring mentally impaired central Australian woman, Rosanne Fulton, home from indefinite incarceration in a WA prison where she is being held despite not being convicted of a crime. Rosanne has now been in prison for 18 months – not in care, in prison. This is wrong.
The Labor government built the 16-bed secure care complex in Alice Springs to cater for people like Rosanne. We believe eight beds in this facility are now being used under your alcohol mandatory treatment policy, but how many mental health and disability clients are being cared for there? Why is Rosanne Fulton not one of them? Have you cut disability funding to this service?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Wanguri for her question. If she was taking any notice of what was happening in the Chamber last night she would know that I gave a very detailed explanation as to where we are up to in trying to get Rosanne Fulton back to where she belongs, and that is in Central Australia. She has been incarcerated in a corrections facility in Kalgoorlie for approximately 18 months. She committed several crimes. When before the court she was unable to plead because of her intellectual impairment and, as a result, the Mentally Impaired Accused Review Board of WA that looks after people in Rosanne’s situation – where they are unable to plead – felt it was best she be incarcerated for her own safety and that of the community.
We have been in communication with Kalgoorlie – the corrections facility and the Mentally Impaired Accused Review Board in WA. We want to get Rosanne Fulton back, but it is complicated because she does not face any charges in the Northern Territory or is not under any order which would allow us to mandate her into our care at this point in time.
There is a lot of bureaucracy, red tape and legislation we have to work through, but I have instructed the Department of Health and my team to get onto it and not procrastinate or allow this to drag out any more than it should. When we have a risk assessment done and a treatment plan in place for her in the Northern Territory, we will be able to contact the Western Australian authorities ...
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question. How many mental health and disability clients are being cared for in the secure care facility?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, it is not a point of order. The minister was answering the question, and she has the time to answer what has been asked. Continue minister.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Once we have that treatment plan in place, have done a risk assessment and undertaken the necessary communications with the Western Australian authorities, we can work out how we can transfer her from Western Australia to Central Australia. We cannot just bring her back; she has very challenging behaviours and we want her to have the best care.
In relation to the secure care facility in Alice Springs, there are two permanent male residents living in the secure care facility – there are two transitioning into the unit at the moment. These people have incredibly high needs. They are all men. We do not think that Roseanne Fulton would be suitably accommodated in the facility because of her behaviours. We do not want her to be at risk.
Alice Springs – New Supreme Court
Mr HIGGINS to CHIEF MINISTER
Can you update the House on the government’s plans for a new Supreme Court in Alice Springs as part of the town’s new justice precinct?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly and the Attorney-General - minister for Corrections - for his involvement in this exciting initiative in Central Australia. We are all excited, not just about the new Supreme Court, but what it means for the local economy. We will soon be leasing two new Supreme Court rooms in the town’s developing justice precinct, something initialised by the member for Araluen.
We recognise the Alice Springs community requires additional court rooms, not to meet growing demand, but to meet demand which has been there for a long period of time and outdated facilities. We now have the opportunity to balance this need by stimulating private sector developers to supply these facilities in the town. The existing Supreme Court building will be repurposed for exclusive use by the Magistrates Court. The Supreme Court will then be moved elsewhere, doubling in size from one court to two with state-of-the-art facilities. Instead of the government building a new Supreme Court, we want to facilitate private sector development and get the private economy moving, rather than just government economy. We have decided to rent the space for the new courts from a developer via a long-term lease.
It is anticipated the promise of a long-term foundation tenant will encourage a private developer to proceed with the significant new building project in the Alice Springs justice precinct. The government anticipates the court could share a larger private building with other tenants, facilitating the provision of additional development in Central Australia. We have been in talks with the legal fraternity about their needs at this new facility and we think there might be opportunity to partner up with those guys. I am pleased to inform the Assembly the project will go out to tender next week, providing new stimulus to the local economy.
It is more evidence of our commitment to all areas of the Northern Territory, in this example Central Australia, in sharp contrast to the former Labor government’s fly-in fly-out approach to Central Australia, where the only economic stimulus was responding to crime and law and order. We are seeing stimulation right through the private sector from many different areas. We look forward to rebuilding our tourism sector, ensuring we work with the business sector and ensure it is not run only by government, but working in many different areas. This comes on the back of one of the new developments the government was working with last week: the start of an $8.6m housing development on Larapinta Drive, which will see the construction of 25 new units. This is a further sign the private sector economy is starting to take over from where the government economy was left languishing, driving everything in the past.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – Imprisoning Pregnant Women
Ms MANISON to MINISTER for HEALTH
We all agree foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a serious issue in the Territory. We do not agree locking up pregnant mums is the way to deal with a significant health issue. How does locking up a pregnant woman help deal with her alcohol issues? What happens to any other children she may have? Do you agree with your colleague the Attorney-General, who says he is looking at restraining Territory women who drink while pregnant? Why is your approach to FASD all about locking them up?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Wanguri for her question. The Attorney-General raised this issue last week, the idea of having a mechanism in place to prevent pregnant women drinking excessively, potentially harming the unborn child and the child ending up with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is 100% preventable, but, having said that, it is not particularly easy to address. The Attorney-General was putting it out there as a possibility, an approach to addressing what will be a huge issue in the future. Already, we have people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in our system and it is on the public record Roseanne Fulton is one such woman who is afflicted with this very disabling condition.
It is very serious. I have not settled on any particular position when it comes to what the Attorney-General put forward to the community last week. We have not had that discussion and we have not had that debate within Cabinet. I share concerns about locking up women who are pregnant. It does not sit very well with me, but I have concerns about an unborn child being poisoned and inflicted with foetal alcohol syndrome for the rest of its life. It is a dilemma, and it is a debate I look forward to having. My team within Health will be teasing it out so we have some clarity, some information and some research done on whether this happens elsewhere. I do not know.
Do other jurisdictions try to mandate some sort of order whereby women cannot drink during their pregnancy, like we have with alcohol mandatory treatment? I do not know. We need to do this basic research and we need, as a government, to form our own position, but I look forward to hearing what the opposition thinks needs to be done in this growing and critical area of need in our community.
Prison – Transfers
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Can you please inform the House about plans for the transition from Darwin Correctional Centre at Berrimah to the new Darwin Correctional Precinct at Holtze when the planned handover takes place in July?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, whether we like it or not, we have inherited the ‘prison Mahal’ from the former government and we are destined to move into it. There is no doubt the new prison – the edifice which has been built in the Howard Springs area – is a substantial building and we will be moving into it on time. We pick up the keys on 1 July, and when those keys are handed over we will commence the process of moving into it. In May, we will go through the classification process with prisoners being moved into the new prison and establishing the methodologies by which those prisoners will be taken from the old to the new prison.
Members would be mindful, while we have many prisoners on lower security classifications, we have prisoners who are on very high classifications. We will make sure those transfers are done in as secure a way as possible. We will receive assistance from other departments, including the Northern Territory Police Force, to enable us to get through the transitional process. We will try to keep the transitional process as brief as we can, but anticipate it will take eight or nine days to go through the process in its entirety. There is a cost impost on government to run two prisons simultaneously. For this reason we will seek to make the transfer of the prisons happen as quickly as we can.
A risk assessment will be completed to ensure community safety is maintained through the process. I look forward to moving into the new prison, because the old prison has had its day. While I remain critical of the new prison’s design, it is what it is and we will make the most of it. I commit, as does government, to the people of the Northern Territory we will bring about a prison regime focused on attending to prisoners needs, being mindful 99% of them will be returned back to the community and they might live next door to us. We want to turn out the best people we can.
In answer to a question put to the Chief Minister earlier - and for some reason it did not come to me as the Minister for Public Employment - I have been discussing matters in Nhulunbuy for some time with the Commissioner for Public Employment. He has advised public servants in the Nhulunbuy area the review date for their employment will be extended from 31 March to 30 June to give agencies further time to assess their ongoing requirements.
Crown Lease in Tennant Creek
Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT
Is it true you have granted a Crown lease for Lot 989 Standley Street, Tennant Creek to Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd, for the purpose of a mini-market, supermarket, automatic carwash, three manual carwash bays and caretaker’s residence for a total rental of $1500 per annum - approximately $30 per week?
Is it true Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd directorship represents four members of the Country Liberal Party, including Jason Michael Newman, President of the CLP Barkly Branch, and Steven Mark Edgington, senior public servant, Director of Housing and Chief Minister’s representative in the Tennant Creek office? Why are these CLP mates receiving a Crown lease, rather than purchasing this prime block of land at auction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. First, I will need to get back with the details because I do not believe one word of truth will come from the other side. Second, it is good to see people have the confidence in the Tennant Creek economy and want to invest there in the first place. In the years we had the member for Barkly as the minister for Lands and Planning, there was little evidence he did much for Tennant Creek or the Barkly region. When I took over as the minister for Lands and Planning, the hard work of the department looked like it had been gathering dust. There had been a lot of work in planning for the future of Tennant Creek …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is clear he will not answer the question. He may as well sit down.
__________________________
Suspension of Member
Member for Barkly
Member for Barkly
Madam SPEAKER: That was unparliamentary and uncalled for. Leave the Chamber for one hour, member for Barkly, pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
__________________________
Mr CHANDLER: I thought I had three minutes to answer the question, which is part of standing orders and, I think, it was on both sides of the House. I answered the question in the first instance; I will get the details of this leasing arrangement. I do not, for one moment, take what comes across from the other side of the Chamber as honest or truthful. We have evidence of it in recent days, in the last 12 to 18 months when they continually came here with information and evidence, and made up stories given to them by third parties which demonstrated the information was clearly incorrect.
It is thrilling we have people who have the confidence in Tennant Creek. You would not think the member for Barkly, who supposedly has Tennant Creek at his heart, would be denouncing people who have confidence in the economy, who want to live in and grow Tennant Creek into the place it could become. It will come on the back of good quality developments and providing services for the people of Tennant Creek. Do you know how this will happen? It is through good people with good business sense.
The confidence people have in wanting to invest in Tennant Creek should be applauded, especially by the member for Barkly. We look at this man who leads with his chin, the man who is leading the Stella Maris debate at the moment …
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: The Opposition Leader can sit there leading with her chin when it comes to developments and leasing arrangements. There is more to come in this space.
Child Sex Offenders – Protection of Children
Mr HIGGINS to ATTORNEY-GENERAL and MINISTER for JUSTICE
Last week, known child sex offender, Brett Peter Cowan, was sentenced in a Queensland court for the murder of Daniel Morcombe. What laws does the Northern Territory have in place to protect the community from child sex offenders?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, my distress on behalf of the Morcombe family is profound. I do not doubt, for one second, every member in this House would wish the best for the Morcombe family in the future in light of the pain and agony they have suffered for the loss of their son, Daniel.
Having made those observations in opposition, when I was the shadow Attorney-General, I was mindful of these things and attempted to introduce legislation to this House, if memory serves me correctly, relating to this type of offending. If I did not, I was talking about it in the public domain. The response from the then Labor government was, ‘No, we do not need that type of legislation; the Criminal Code Act will suffice’.
The problem is when a person like Mr Cowan is placed into a gaol cell for crimes against children - the most obscene and filthy crimes you could imagine - they are still, sadly, given a parole date and given a sentence which comes to an end. This means, at some point, they are released back into the community.
When I became Attorney-General, I said to my Cabinet colleagues, ‘There must be more we can do about these vile human beings, who are indescribable in their lowness’. I suggested it to my Cabinet colleagues, and was wholeheartedly endorsed, by passing the Serious Sex Offenders Act in the Northern Territory. We have subsequently identified one person in the process, who is now subject to restraint beyond the expiration of their sentence.
The laws of double jeopardy require once a person is sentenced for a crime they cannot be sentenced again. This is not to say, when a person like Mr Cowan presents a serious threat to the community, an application cannot be made to a court to have them restrained beyond the term of their sentence when they represent a real threat to the community.
I am proud, as the Northern Territory government is proud to have passed such legislation. It is possible, even probable, if Mr Cowan was still in custody in the Northern Territory, we would find such an order from a court and restrain him from going back into the public.
That is cold comfort for the Morcombe family, but done anyhow. It is something the CLP government has been proud to do. The Labor government, when in power, had an opportunity and did nothing about it.
Ms Lawrie: We referred it to the Northern Territory Law Reform Committee.
Mr Elferink: How did that help?
Ms Lawrie: The court referred it.
Education – Review of Education Act
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for EDUCATION
You have announced a major review of the Education Act. This could mean radical changes to schools, including the role of school councils, and the possibility of independent public schools. Most schools have just held their AGM and elected their new council for the year. If you are saying you have released a paper for consultation, would you or the department not go to each school to explain to the school councils, parents and teachers what the proposed reforms mean so they can give an informed response? If you say the Education Act has lasted for 35 years, why are you allowing only six weeks for consultation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I agree with everything the member for Nelson said except for one thing: it is not a six-week consultation period. There is a step-through process we want to get right, we want to consult with as many people as possible. You are right; people on school councils know their school better than anyone.
The principals and teaching cohort within those schools should provide feedback to the Department of Education. We want to head down the road of a global funding model for funding our schools, giving them the autonomy to run their schools. We can only do this by changing the act.
The act, originally introduced in 1979, is not up to today’s standards. We need a contemporary act which will see us go through the next few decades. To get it right, we need to consult, but there are a number of consultation steps in this.
I envisage the entire process will take between 12 and 18 months until it is in this Chamber - until it gets to the Cabinet process, where Cabinet signs off on the legislation and it comes into the Chamber. There will be discussions with councils, unions and teachers and this will roll-out over the next few months.
Once we get the initial feedback another lot of consultation will occur, because we will be listening to feedback from the community. The nine points we have focused on, which we have in the discussion paper at the moment – the question is, ‘Are they the right nine principles?’ We want to be open with this process.
If we truly want a contemporary piece of legislation which will see us through for the next 20 or 30 years, it needs to be drafted in such a way to allow change. We will get feedback. Councils are important, as are teachers and principals. The Education department is vitally important in this space, so too is looking at legislation around the country to see what other jurisdictions have. We have an opportunity to get this right, but we will not get it right unless we are prepared to listen to people. This process will ensure everyone is listened to and their feedback is given equal weight before we come up with the final legislation. There are many steps of consultation to go through but, I assure you, we will not be doing it without proper consultation.
Bush Promises – Jobs for Locals in Communities
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HOUSING
Your government promised bush voters you support jobs for local people. The government in Canberra, and many members of your own government, agree unemployment and welfare is a root cause of entrenched Indigenous disadvantage in the Northern Territory. Why are you implementing policies leading to job losses in the bush, like the 19 hard working locals employed in housing maintenance in the West Arnhem Regional Council? Why are you not listening to your colleagues, especially those on your back bench who represent bush electorates, and supporting local employment in the bush, instead of favouring untested and expensive fly-in fly-out contracts for maintenance and housing tenancies work in communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I reject the premise of the question because it is entirely false. If anything, this will go to empowering Aboriginal people and providing more employment opportunities on the ground. I understand, the question is about the shire, the shire contracts and those other contractors who have received these new housing maintenance coordination services.
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Listen and I will explain to you. The contracts awarded will deliver three separate services in each region: housing maintenance coordination services; tenancy management services; and panel contract for trade qualified services. A total of 66 local and community-based organisations have been successful as part of the tender process. Are you disputing me? You are.
Ms Walker: I am. Why are they retendering the Yirrkala contract?
Mr CONLAN: We will provide the member for Nhulunbuy with a full briefing. I know she has already asked for one, but I think we will provide her with another one.
Ms Walker: I had the briefing, you goose.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, withdraw that comment.
Ms Walker: I withdraw.
Mr CONLAN: So you do not believe the brief the department provided, is that what you are saying?
Ms Walker: It was a very honest briefing; you were not there.
Mr CONLAN: It does not matter. You do not believe the information the department provided to you?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please direct your comments through the Chair.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing order 113: relevance. Very clearly, the question was in relation to the fly-in fly-out contracts, local in terms of the Northern Territory. People in remote communities have lost their jobs under your watch and you are ignoring it.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr CONLAN: I think the point here is the shadow minister for Housing has bothered to ask a question. In her entire time here, as shadow minister for Housing, this is the first question she has asked and I am trying to explain it to her, yet she refuses to listen to the information provided.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing order 113: relevance. We want an answer to this important question, there are jobs lost in the bush.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is answering the question; he has time, three minutes.
Mr CONLAN: I embarked on answering the question to the shadow minister, but we will go back. A total of 66 local and community-based organisations have been successful as part of the tender process. Our new model aims to improve service delivery to tenants, improve response time, contain costs and provide opportunities for employment of local Indigenous business enterprises. It is pretty simple. Regional tenderers were separated into community clusters to provide smaller local organisations an opportunity to apply.
The model facilitates local training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities with funding to 30 June 2018. Tell me, what is wrong with empowering more Aboriginal people to engage in meaningful work options in their community?
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: There is nothing wrong with it and it is leading with the chin from the shadow minister for Housing, who has asked her very first question in this House as shadow. I provided her with a briefing from the department and I have now attempted to answer a question, which she refuses to listen to.
If this is her attitude towards the important issue of Indigenous employment, so be it. This government is doing everything it can to empower Aboriginal people and ensure they have meaningful work options in their community.
Nurse Training – Pathways
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you inform the Assembly about the Country Liberals government’s plan to enhance pathways for nurses in the Territory to advance their training and expertise, and outline how this will benefit the broader community?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question.
When we came to government, we uncovered many strange and curious things. One of these things was that in the Northern Territory, unlike all other jurisdictions across Australia, we have less than a handful of nurse practitioner positions, which is appalling. In other states, they commenced rolling out from the early 2000s, from about the year 2000 onwards. In most states and the ACT there are dozens, if not hundreds, of highly qualified specialist nurse practitioners.
As with many things, when we came to government we were behind the eight ball. This government has taken on the idea of expanding nurse practitioner positions across the Northern Territory, giving nurses a very strong and powerful career path.
But, also, in answering the question from the member, this will have profound benefits for communities across the Northern Territory. At the moment, as we know, there is a problem recruiting general practitioners and there is a problem with recruitment and retention of nurses throughout the Territory. Allowing nurses to expand their education, knowledge and skills and take on broader roles will mean that we keep these people longer, because we are paying them more and we are giving them more responsibility. It is a very exciting movement within health services.
We are committed to doing this, and I recently launched our strategic plan for nurse practitioners. They will work in all areas of health. At the moment, we have just three nurse practitioner positions in the Northern Territory, but we hope over the coming years, through to 2016, we will have 25 of these positions. This will multiply the current number by almost ten.
We hope they will work in primary healthcare, alcohol and other drugs services, remote clinics – particularly in remote clinics – child health, diabetes, chronic disease and other outreach services.
We are talking about nurses who are committed to the Northern Territory, committed to providing a very high level of service, and these nurses will have limited prescribing rights and undertake some of the responsibilities GPs currently have. Of course, it is ideal to have general practitioners throughout the Territory, but because of the constraints we have here that is not always possible.
Our commitment to nurse practitioners across the Northern Territory is good news.
Barkly Region Drug and
Alcohol Group Status
Alcohol Group Status
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER referred to MINISTER for ALCOHOL REHABILITATION
The Tennant Creek sobering-up shelter has operated for 25 years, with a new purpose-built facility funded by the federal Labor and Northern Territory governments opening in 2012. Your government has terminated the Barkly Region Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Group, or BRADAAG, contract to operate the Tennant Creek sobering-up shelter, effectively evicting the community organisation after 25 years of service.
Why have you evicted BRADAAG without any support for alternative premises and why are you compulsorily acquiring the new Tennant Creek sobering-up shelter? Is it for a mandatory alcohol rehabilitation centre? If so, why have you ignored proper planning processes of community consultation, Development Consent Authority hearings and appropriate building certification, in addition to providing no relocation plan for BRADAAG?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the member for Fannie Bay for being allowed to ask a question today; he must be in the Leader of the Opposition’s good books.
I ask the Minister for Alcohol Rehabilitation – the Minister for Health - to answer this question. She knows more detail about the subject matter.
Mrs LAMBLEY (Alcohol Rebhabilitation): Madam Speaker, the sobering-up shelter in Tennant Creek in the Barkly performs a critical role. We are not stripping them of funding, and I know nothing about what the member of the opposition is talking about.
What we are doing in the Barkly is undertaking plans to roll-out alcohol mandatory treatment. We cannot do that quickly enough but, of course, it does take time. It requires the coordination of non-government services to come on board and join us in providing this very successful service in the Barkly area.
We have a really good relationship with BRADAAG, so I am mystified as to what the member is referring to. We have worked very closely with Stewart Naylor ever since we have come to government. He is the CE of BRADAAG. We have been supported by him and have worked very well together. I hope that continues. I do not see why it would not.
The sobering-up shelter has to continue doing what it is for the time being. Of course, we will be reviewing all alcohol and drug services over time. We believe, with the advent of alcohol mandatory treatment in Tennant Creek, it may change the configuration or the demand for those types of services. With a population of 3000 people, if you have 12 of your chronic alcohol-affected people in alcohol mandatory treatment then the demand for the sobering-up shelter may not be as high as it currently is.
The Tennant Creek sobering-up shelter only opens, I think, three or four nights a week. It has a limited function, but it opens on the days that are deemed the most important and have the most demand.
I hope the opposition is not trying to destroy what is a great relationship between the Northern Territory government and BRADAAG, the Barkly community organisation that looks after people who have alcohol and other drug problems. The opposition should be very encouraged by what happens in the Barkly over the coming 12 months.
Sexual Assault Victims – Benefits under Reforms
Mr HIGGINS to ATTORNEY-GENERAL and MINISTER for JUSTICE
As part of the Pillars of Justice framework, you are focusing on victims of crime and reforming the justice system to better meet their needs. Can you inform the House about the reform you are currently working on which aims to benefit victims of sexual assault?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as members of this House are aware, I have engaged in a number of law reform projects since becoming the Attorney-General. This is one I started working on shortly after becoming the Attorney-General, after reading a Tasmanian Law Reform Commission report in relation to joint trials.
As the common law currently operates, there is a presumption against joint trials where you have multiple victims of one or more offenders. But, where you have multiple victims of a single offender, the current presumption is in favour of separate trials for each particular matter. This often means a victim in one matter becomes a witness in the next matter, so the trauma of having to go through the process of giving evidence may occur on a number of occasions.
I believe, as did the recommendations of the Tasmanian Law Reform Commission indicate, it is time to revisit the way we do these things. Consequently, we are looking at introducing legislation which will reverse the presumption against joint trials into a presumption in favour of joint trials. Whilst this will stray into the area of coincidence and tendency evidence, a person who stands accused by a number of people of committing repeated sexual offences should, under normal circumstances - and so long as they are still extended a fair trial - be heard by a single jury in a single trial for all matters. I do not believe it is unreasonable. It would be up to any presiding judge to give comprehensive instructions to a jury in dealing with each matter separately. It will be a rebuttable presumption and, therefore, if any injustice is extended, or fairness of trial is qualified, the defence may argue to have the matters heard separately.
Nevertheless, as a community, with one eye firmly fixed on the victim and the other on a fair trial, the joining of matters to be heard in a single trial is appropriate. I am certain members of the community of the Northern Territory would also agree it is a particularly good reform in the law of the Northern Territory. I expect many people would welcome a fair system which understands there are victims involved.
Roads in the Bush – Election Commitment to
Improve
Improve
Mr VATSKALIS to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
You won government by promising bush voters improvements to bush roads. Instead, all we have seen are roads and bridge openings for work funded by the previous Labor government. The Chief Minister boasted about funding for the upgrade of six bush roads, including roads to Santa Teresa and Wadeye. This is the same funding announced by Labor on 3 August, before the election of the CLP government. When will you start listening to bush members of your government who know what needs to be done and where, and deliver your own roads funding?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for his question. We would like no more than to throw cheques around for not only regional roads, but also suburban roads. Sadly, we are saddled with a $5.5bn debt, inherited from those opposite. However, a regional roads productivity package has been agreed to, a $106m funding package for regional roads jointly funded by the Australian government providing $90m and the Territory government providing $16m.
We have projects happening. I was in Canberra last week, talking to the Deputy Prime Minister about a roads package under consideration, which will see regional roads - these are economic development roads and the upgrading of beef roads. This is so we can generate economic development, which did not appear to be on the opposition’s agenda when in government.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. When will you deliver your roads funding? If you have been discussing it with the federal government, please table a list of roads and the amounts you are seeking?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mr STYLES: That was a strange interjection and point of order. We are in negotiation with the Australian government, but, sadly, the Australian people have been saddled with in excess of $300bn debt.
I pick up on the point of order by the Leader of the Opposition. The only thing the opposition built was debt. See the pyramids of debt. When you look at what the Leader of the Opposition did when she was Treasurer of the Northern Territory - check this out, another pyramid. If they had won government again, we would have another antenna on another pyramid. Instead of building roads, they built debt and the people of the Northern Territory are saddled with it.
They interject and call out across the Chamber about all types of things. Federally, every man, woman and child in the Territory, and in this Chamber, is in debt in excess of $15 000. If you extrapolate what will happen in the Territory as a result of their management of the road system and everything else, the debt is $26 000 per man, woman and child.
Kids, if you think you are in trouble in the Territory, you owe about $40 000 before you start. Those young people in the gallery owe $40 000 before they start, courtesy of the Australian Labor Party and its policies.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER TO QUESTION
Crown Lease in Tennant Creek
Crown Lease in Tennant Creek
Mr CHANDLER (Lands, Planning and the Environment): Madam Speaker, I have some further information in regard to a question asked by the member for Barkly, the former Minister for Lands and Planning.
Lots 989, 990 and 994 Standley Street were auctioned by the Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment on 14 September 2013. Why? We are trying to stimulate growth in Tennant Creek. All lots are zoned general industry. No lots were sold at the auction, however, negotiations were held with the highest bidders - whoever they might have been - following the auction, which is the usual procedure. All three lots were sold during the negotiation period following the auction. Conditions of the auction require all purchasers to comply with the conditions of a Crown lease to ensure the timely development of all lands sold by auction processes.
To put this to bed, everything has been done by the book and by the department trying to stimulate the economy in Tennant Creek.
ANSWER TO QUESTION
Asbestos Removal on Elcho Island
Asbestos Removal on Elcho Island
Mr STYLES (Infrastructure): Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for Nelson asked a question in relation to asbestos removal on Elcho Island. I now have more information. On 19 December 2013 Michael Halkitis wrote to David McHugh, CEO of the Department of Infrastructure, making accusations against A & K Kathopoulis Builders. The allegations stated workers were forced to demolish asbestos from two houses without the workers having qualifications and the stages of certifying inspections had not been completed properly.
I can inform the member for Nelson, and the House, NT WorkSafe investigated the allegations and confirmed a licensed asbestos removalist had completed the job in November 2013. The removalist was accredited with NT WorkSafe to remove the type of asbestos identified. Further, NT WorkSafe met with the complainant and confirmed the correct process had been followed by the removalist.
NT WorkSafe did not attend the site, however, a statutory declaration was received from the accredited asbestos removalist confirming he and his employees had removed all asbestos material.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016