2009-10-15
AMA Report on NT Hospitals
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Yesterday, in an astonishing display, you said in this House that the AMA’s hospital report card was totally inaccurate. The data actually used in the AMA report is data provided by the Northern Territory government to the federal government. Given you have had 24 hours to consider your comments, why did you arrogantly condemn the Australian Medical Association when they were using your own data to show the mess Territory Labor has made of Northern Territory hospitals?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, if the AMA uses the data we provide to the federal government, then I have serious concerns about the methodology they use. As I stated yesterday, in their report, the AMA stated we closed the Gove Hospital maternity ward. We did not. We suspended birthing in Gove for five weeks until Aspen Medical provided the appropriate specialist. Also, the AMA says, somehow, we had 750 beds in 2006-07. We did not. We had 635 beds. Not only did we not reduce them in 2007-08, we actually increased them to 674 beds.
The data used by the AMA is data from 2007-08. In 2007-08, as previously, all the money provided to the states and territories came from the federal government. In 2006-07 and 2007-08, the federal government in Canberra was the Howard Liberal government. That was the government that reduced the ratio from 50:50 - that means for every dollar the federal government put in, the governments in the states and territories put in $1 - to 60:40; 40% provided by the Commonwealth, 60% by the states and, in our case the Northern Territory, because of our special conditions, had to contribute 70% of the hospital funding budget while the federal government contribution dropped to 30% of the health budget.
Is it not surprising that every single state and territory has expressed the same concerns about this report. Yesterday, John Hill, the South Australian Health Minister, expressed the same concerns about the methodology. Today, the New South Wales minister expressed similar concerns about the report. The only one who has put out a media release is the Liberal Minister for Health in Western Australia.
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: He is a doctor, a very good friend of the previous AMA President, Ms Capolingua. Now, the only thing that actually the Western Australia government has done today and published on the front page of The West Australian, is to gag all doctors speaking to the public about the cost cut.
I have repeatedly said in this House, and in public, and been reported by the NT News, that the current level of waiting lists is unacceptable and we will make every effort to reduce it. In 2006-07, for category 3 patients, only 59% of these people would be seen within the recommended time. In 2007-08, that rose to 69% - a 10% increase, which is not reported in the AMA report. Category 2 patients rose from 58% to 59% - marginally, but we are starting to make headway.
Elective surgery patients seen within the recommended time rose from 68.6% to 69%, a marginal rise, but well above the Tasmanian and ACT with similar level health departments.
As I said yesterday, these problems we face because of the cost cutting by the Howard Liberal government are not going to be fixed in one day. And surprise, surprise, yesterday, the Prime Minister said it would not be fixed in one day. This is not a political issue. This is a critical issue for all governments in every state and jurisdiction. It does not matter if it is a Labor government or a Liberal government.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: I am very pleased he actually agrees, because it would be totally stupid not to agree, because that report highlights the cut from the Howard government for all states and territories and that is why the system is in such disrepair all around Australia.
Education Services and Facilities
in Remote Areas
in Remote Areas
Ms SCRYMGOUR to MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Education is a key focus of the Northern Territory government’s vision for remote areas. Would you please outline for the House what has been delivered to improve education services and facilities in remote areas?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Arafura, for her very important question. Since we came to office in 2001, we have had an unrelenting focus on improving remote Indigenous education. In fact, for the first time, it was this government that has actually introduced secondary education into our remote communities and remote schools. We are seeing slow and steady progress in the number of students graduating with an NTCE.
As well as improving access to education, we have been working very hard to improve infrastructure. Since 2001, this government has invested over $67.5m in capital works in our remote schools. It has delivered improvements. Just last week, we delivered a brand new middle and senior school at Alpara in the Utopia region. That was one of the best days I have had in the privileged position that I hold as a minister and the Chief Minister, to be out there to see a brand new middle and senior school, to talk to the students and the teachers. The kids have access to smart boards, computers, and a proper science lab. I spoke with some of the traditional owners and shire president, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, whom everyone would know, and I saw the people’s joy at having a proper, functioning, well-resourced middle school in such a remote part of the Territory. Students were telling me that they did not have to board in Alice Springs any more. It is an absolutely fantastic facility and we need more of that around the Territory.
For example, we built an Early Learning Centre at Minyerri; whole school upgrades at Ngukurr, Yuendumu and Ramingining; redevelopment of home economics and administration areas at Ntaria; covered basketball courts at Umbakumba; a brand new school being built at Yilpara Homeland - the member for Nhulunbuy has talked to me about that and is pretty excited; she was visiting that area the other day – there are new classrooms at Yirrkala school, and the list goes on.
Over the next three years, our government will continue this investment by a further $19.3m. This expenditure of nearly $90m is being complemented by the investments that the Australian government, the Rudd government, is making in closing the gap. Over the next two years, we will receive and roll out $87m-worth of capital improvements across all our schools in the bush. This is an enormous investment, unprecedented investment, by both levels of government, on education and infrastructure that has been neglected and run down for decades. The Australian government’s Building the Education Revolution, the stimulus package, is delivering improvements such as new classroom blocks, covered outdoor learning areas, and science and language centres in the bush. There are new libraries, multipurpose halls, refurbishment of existing facilities and buildings, and fixed shade structures amongst others.
I know the opposition does not like it, but history comes back. This is the stimulus package that they opposed. This is the stimulus package that the Country Liberal Party Senator Nigel Scullion voted against in the Senate, without a whimper from any of those members opposite.
As well as this funding, we have a focus on our 20 growth towns. A Working Future is about leveraging that education investment in infrastructure through those working future towns. Six towns have already been endorsed as the locations for the first holistic education and training master plans, backward mapping from the jobs that are available in communities, all the way back to early childhood, all through the way through primary school, middle school, senior school, VET programs running in those schools, supplemented by digital technology, to ensure that when kids leave those schools they are job ready, for jobs not only in those regions and in those communities, but here in Darwin if that is where people want to work, or overseas or interstate, why not?
The education and training master plans for the six town locations are …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Whilst I appreciate it is not yet a rule of the House, there is a rule proposed that ministerial answers should be truncated to three minutes. Maybe we should start practising it in principle.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, there is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr HENDERSON: It is typical of the opposition, Madam Speaker. They do not want to hear about good news …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: They do not want to hear about good news from the bush, and we certainly will be abiding by the new rules when they come in. I have almost concluded, Madam Speaker. I remind the opposition, this parliament is now being streamed over the Internet, so people can actually see the debates here. I am sure people in the following growth towns will be pleased to hear about the first holistic education and training plans for the six towns and communities of Maningrida; Gunbalanya and Jabiru; Umbakumba and Angurugu on Groote Eylandt; Ngukurr; Ntaria; and Lajamanu.
This is about an investment in infrastructure, an investment in people throughout the Northern Territory, with a real focused plan and drive by this government to get much better education outcomes in the bush.
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Distinguished Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of former member for Arnhem and former Labor Party minister, Mr John Ah Kit. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Mayor of Alice Springs, Mr Damien Ryan, who has been here a lot recently. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Territory Hospitals – Statements
by Minister
by Minister
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Is it not the case that the Rapid Admission Unit at Royal Darwin Hospital was operational during the 2007-08 financial year? Is it not also the case that your elective surgery blitz was also operational during the 2007-08 financial year? Is it not also the case that the AMA report includes an assessment of the 2007-08 financial year data, which shows a blowout in elective surgery and emergency department waiting times? Minister, you said, extraordinarily, yesterday, that the AMA’s report card was totally inaccurate. Minister, is not the only inaccurate statement on Territory hospitals yours?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I recall very well and probably the member for Fong Lim can confirm it, that the election in 2007 was about October or November.
Mr Bohlin: This is about you, not about someone else.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, you do not have the call.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Mr VATSKALIS: That was four months into the financial year. Yes, the Rapid Admission Unit had been established then, but there was a limited number of beds. The 24 beds have only been completed recently. The other thing is, it was following the election in 2007 that the Rudd federal government became very serious about health. The member for Fong Lim actually confirmed that. One of the biggest issues in the 2007 election was the issue of health. It was the issue of health, and many seats, including the seat of Solomon, were lost for the federal Liberal government because of the health issue. I am pretty sure the member for Fong Lim would have been very angry with his colleague, Tony Abbott, who was the minister for Health who refused to provide adequate funding for the oncology unit.
With the health issues, it was one issue …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms Lawrie: Because you could not deliver.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Treasurer!
Mr Tollner: You could not deliver, but you got 100% of the money.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before continuing, as I mentioned yesterday, I have received a number of communications from people attempting to listen to the broadcast. I was not actually going to read this out, but I have part of an e-mail which I received from a member of the public. I will read that out and perhaps that may affect your behaviour:
- I listened to a little of parliament sitting on Wednesday, had to turn it off, thoroughly disappointed in the inability of frank, goal-oriented discussion. All I heard was mocking and dissent.
Then the person goes on to describe they are a blue collar worker - I will not identify the person:
- ... as yet to experience such rude and non-productive behaviour amongst our members, let alone our leaders. The rules of parliament surely do not condone rude, discourteous and disruptive behaviour of the members.
So, having said that, honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51:
- 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.
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. With regard to the AMA report, I recognise that 42% of patients in Category 3 have been seen within the prescribed time at emergency departments. That is true. That is very disappointing, but you cannot look at it in isolation. We have the busiest emergency department in Australia. Every 10 minutes, there is one admission. Nowhere else in Australia does that rate of admission happen.
Let us have a look at other categories. Category 1: we have seen the people 100%. We are ahead of Queensland, Western Australia, and Tasmania, where only 98% of category 1 are seen within a prescribed time. Category 2: an improvement by 3%, ahead of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia who did not see people within the prescribed time. Category 3: despite the fact we are not as good as we should be, we have been better than Tasmania and Western Australia.
The reality is, the health system is as good as it is supported by the federal government. The previous federal government did not support it ...
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim. Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: In 2007, we signed an agreement with the federal government and, since 2008, we have seen a flood of money coming into the Territory for the health sector: $10m for the Palmerston Super Clinic; $19m for the cancer care centre, plus $8.9m for specialist medical equipment; $5.3m for the elective surgery blitz in 2008; and, $2.1m for infrastructure improvement and theatre upgrades ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: That is money that we did not have before. And not only that, now we have a full theatre for endoscopy.
The member for Greatorex obviously has a problem with the Health department. He continues to attack the people who do tremendous jobs. We have 627 more nurses …
Mr Conlan: When did I attack them?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … 175 more doctors, we have a $1bn health budget for the first time. Now, if our system does work, is he going to blame the people who work there? It is more than that. You cannot do that in isolation. Let me continue about how it was. In July 2009, we had 802 people on the waiting list for endoscopies. In October, that had fallen to 564, and 233 of those people already have an appointment to have their procedure. We have worked very hard since then. The statistics the AMA is using were from 2007-08, we are in October 2009.
Madam Speaker, another thing is, when we …
Ms Purick: The point is?
Mr VATSKALIS: That is recorded, member for Goyder; it is actually in black and white in a real report ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you, member for Drysdale, he does support that. That is why he put $100m into the Territory for the expansion of primary health services. The member for Katherine will be very pleased about this - $2.2m for a 24-bed sobering-up shelter in Katherine.
We had Howard cutting $1bn from the states and territories, and here we have Rudd putting in nearly $190m just for the Territory.
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Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Deputy Mayor of Palmerston, Natasha Griggs. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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A Working Future - Update
A Working Future - Update
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS POLICY
Earlier this year, the government announced its overarching policy, A Working Future, to drive social and economic development of our remote growth centres. Can you update the House on progress with this important work?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. I know she is very committed and passionate about her electorate of Nhulunbuy and the organisations there. The roll-out of A Working Future is now well under way across all Northern Territory government agencies, driven by a dedicated Service Delivery Coordination Unit in the Department of the Chief Minister, and the work of the independent Coordinator-General for Remote Services, Mr Bob Beadman. I meet with Mr Bob Beadman regularly, and I am looking forward to his first report to government later this year.
I take this opportunity also to inform the House that it is because of the vision of the member for Macdonnell that we have embarked on a very important strategy with A Working Future, and I continue to work with her in that capacity to ensure we can deliver what we aim to with regard to this policy.
We have built a strong team to take this forward, and I am especially pleased to see that our public servants, and also the non-government sector and local community people are embracing this work. They know the level of need and are enthused that there is a high level and coordinated plan to work to. We certainly understand the need to keep the management of this work very focused and on track, so a key early product is a reporting framework which the government, as a whole, can use to keep track of work and make sure community priorities and our policy objectives are being met in a coordinated and timely way.
We are developing a picture of current services and service gaps in each of our towns, with detailed analysis of the substantial infrastructure gaps inherited as a consequence of many decades of under-investment at a Territory and federal level.
One thing I have embarked on in my first weeks in this role is to get around as much as I can to as many organisations, individuals and families with regard to the A Working Future plan. I have had the opportunity to meet with all four of the land councils while in Alice Springs. I also made an effort to meet with many organisations there, including Lhere Artepe, also Barb Shaw and the families with the anti-intervention roll-back. What I have asked all these groups to recognise is that we need to find a way forward together, despite the differences many groups have, and despite the different ways groups see that they should go forward. My role, as the Minister for Indigenous Policy, is to try to bring these groups together. What we are trying to do now, with the federal government, is get on track to do that.
I met with Jenny Macklin last week. I am heartened by the conversations we have had, and I can clearly see there is a very strong commitment to seeing these growth towns across the Northern Territory. At the same time, I am acutely aware of the concerns of those groups, and organisations and communities that are not part of the 20 growth towns. I have asked my Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council to work with me and to keep an eye on monitoring the concerns of these other communities which are not a part of the 20 growth towns, because both the Northern Territory and federal governments are absolutely focused on making sure we can work with these communities in the 20 growth towns and, when we can see the improvements in these areas, it will have a natural flow-on effect to the outlying communities, outstations and homelands.
I have spoken with staff in the Children and Families area, and child protection is a very deep concern for me; growing our families is fundamental to the growth of our 20 growth towns. I am working with the staff of the Children and Families department who have clearly indicated to me they want to work on a long-term strategy for how we can service these 20 towns.
Elective Surgery Waiting Times
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
On ABC radio this morning, AMA NT President, Paul Bauert, said in relation to elective surgery at Royal Darwin Hospital:
- We are doing reasonably well in 2001 with a median waiting time of only around 27 days for elective surgery, but since then, there has been an incredibly steep rise.
I might just repeat that, Madam Speaker:
- We are doing reasonably well in 2001, with a median waiting time of around 27 days for elective surgery, but since then, there has been an incredibly steep rise.
A member interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Oh, it brings back painful memories doesn’t it, bungles?
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Greatorex.
Mr CONLAN: Yesterday, you finally acknowledged elective surgery waiting times had gotten worse, incredibly worse, under the Northern Territory Labor government.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … a 17% increase in population, with a significant number of very young people ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: The population of the Northern Territory is ageing rapidly. In 1993, when I first came to the Territory …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, they do not wish to hear the answer. They only wish to hear the sound of their own voices. I am happy to sit down if they want me to.
The age of the population in the Territory has increased since 1999 and 2000. I recall, when I first came to Darwin in 1993, the older population of Darwin was significantly small. Now it is about 6%, or 7% or 8%. As people age, they require more medical attention and more medical procedures. Of course, there would be an increase in elective surgery numbers. It is everywhere in Australia. Every single state has seen a significant increase, and the significant increase is not only because more people require operations, it is because there is not enough funding to fund the beds, to fund the doctors for these people to be seen in the prescribed period of time. If you cannot see them, they keep popping up in the waiting list where you can see them. So instead of coming here and saying, we are not doing well now …
Mr Tollner: The waiting list has doubled since …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … we recognise the reasons and we have said we are going to attack them. We have already made headway. I mentioned the endoscopies ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, I have mentioned endoscopies; the reduction in the number in hospital and how we address endoscopies. The dental waiting lists will be coming down because we put the money there. That did not just happen; we put the funding there. The new operating theatres, thanks to our government, are now fully operational. If you do not have theatres you cannot do elective surgery, and if you cannot do elective surgery, the numbers will keep piling up and piling up. We have the money, we have the support of the federal government, we have now provided new operating theatres for doctors and specialists, and we are going to address the waiting lists. They are high, unacceptably high, but we are going to address the issue.
TEAMhealth
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Over the last couple of months, I have received and listened to some disturbing reports from people associated with TEAMhealth about the running of TEAMhealth. I have also received a copy of an interim investigation report which highlighted serious allegations about bullying and bad management. This week, I received a copy of a newsletter from Friends of TEAMhealth, which quotes from the NT News dated 12 September, that you have asked the department to continue to actively assess the situation. Could you say if your department has investigated these matters, and what are you doing to resolve the problems which include poor client services and high staff turnovers?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. Obviously, this is a serious and very delicate issue, both for the former board member of TEAMhealth who has come forward and raised the concerns, and also for the current members of TEAMhealth and the staff. I have met with the former board member of TEAMhealth, and I have also met with the current board at TEAMhealth. I am taking the concerns they have raised very seriously.
By way of background, and for the public who are listening, TEAMhealth is a non-government organisation which receives funding from the Northern Territory government; it is a mental health program. TEAMhealth provides a range of mental health services, including supported accommodation, rehabilitation and recovery support in Darwin, urban and close remote communities, as well as respite and early intervention services.
I visited two of the services which are managed by TEAMhealth: the Papaya Subacute Residential Facility and Kurrajong Apartments. I am absolutely impressed with both facilities. I am very aware that it is important to be across these issues that have been raised. I was able to meet some of the clients at Papaya, who are very grateful for the excellent facilities that are available to them, and the service, care and support of the TEAMhealth staff.
Going back to the concerns and allegations that have been raised in relation to TEAMhealth, I reiterate that they are being taken very, very seriously.
For me, the key issue is the wellbeing of the clients of TEAMhealth, and the quality of delivery. I asked the Department of Health and Families to investigate these concerns and allegations, which they have done. The advice from the Department of Health and Families is that they have investigated the concerns and continue to be satisfied about the quality of service provision by TEAMhealth to its clients.
I have also asked the department to continue to monitor this situation, and to alert me if it becomes aware of any concerns in relation to the client services.
I was pleased to hear that TEAMhealth has agreed to participate in a quality assessment process with the department, which is based on the national standards for Mental Health Services.
In closing, I have been very clear with my department, and the public, that if anyone has concerns about this matter, they should feel free to also come directly to me with any concerns.
AMA Report on NT Hospitals
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
Yesterday, you slammed the AMA’s hospital report card because you claimed the statistics were outdated. You also slammed the report again today, I might add. Putting all that aside, minister, your own favoured Labor Prime Minister, the Honourable Kevin Rudd, has backed this report. He has backed the report from the AMA, the one that the minister here today disputes, and has fallen short of calling the members liars. Will you be able to table evidence to disprove the findings from this report by the AMA and demonstrate that Territory hospitals are not suffering terminal decline under the Northern Territory Labor government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I questioned the report, questioned the accuracy of some of the …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: I am happy to look at the Hansard, to see whether I slammed the report, or called them a bunch of liars. I did not say that. I am quite within my rights as a representative of the Northern Territory to question the AMA report, as I do with every other report ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: How can I possibly believe a report that says we closed the Gove maternity ward when we have not? How can I …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: I know you are not smart enough: suspended and closed are two different things.
One thing for sure is, when they get the number of the beds we have in the Territory wrong, and then come back and claim that the number has declined, when we have not, we increased it, of course I am going to question that report. Am I going to question the criticism about the waiting lists? No I am not. I have said, many times, it has been reported in the NT News, that we have a big waiting list, and the result of that is because we have a number of …
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Just to save the minister further embarrassment, he said that he did not dispute the report, when he clearly did. In fact, he did say it yesterday, it is written in Hansard that he said it was not the …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, there is no point of order. Resume your seat.
Mr Conlan: I think the minister is misleading the House, clearly.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw that last comment, please.
Mr Conlan: Which one, Madam Speaker?
Madam SPEAKER: You know that you are not allowed to make comments which can only be made under substantive motion.
Mr Conlan: I withdraw that, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Resume your seat. Minister, you have the call. Minister, could you please come to the point very quickly.
Mr VATSKALIS: The reality is, I do not dispute evidence in the report, and secondly, I was here yesterday, and I said it is not going to be fixed in one day, or even six months, and that is exactly what the Prime Minister said yesterday. You cannot fix the health system if you cut funding here, if you cut funding there, if you are using bandaid solutions - which is what the Howard government did.
Road Toll Statistics
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
Can you please update the House on this year’s road toll statistics?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his interest in the issue of road safety. The Henderson government has taken action to reduce the Territory’s unacceptable high road toll. Tragically, the official road toll this year stands at 26, compared to 64 at the same time last year. On an average, 53 people die on our roads each year. Drink-driving, not wearing seat belts, speeding – they are the major causal factors of our road toll, and this government is targeting those crimes through our road safety reforms - reforms that road safety experts say will take years to change driver culture. It is driving culture which has to be changed. It is this government’s work, and this government’s work in progress that will change that. We are told by the industry experts that it will take years.
Fatal crash data is recorded by the Northern Territory Police reports. I have statistics here that I would like to table in the interests of explaining the problem and the challenges to turn this around.
Up until 6 October this year, two people died from speeding-related crashes on our roads. Last year, it was 18, and the year before, 17. Up to 6 October this year, seven people have died because they were not wearing a seat belt, down from 21 last year and 20 the year before. Up to 6 October, 10 people have died from alcohol-related crashes, down from 21 in 2008, and 20 in 2007.
We are making progress, Madam Speaker, but I am sure you will agree, as the members of this House should agree, that the Territory road toll figures are too high. That is why the Henderson government is taking world’s best practice and implementing a raft of road safety reforms. Part of the world’s best practice approach is the need for this to be a bipartisan effort, and that means we need to all get on board.
I say to everyone in this House, and to everyone using our roads, we all have to do more – slow down, do not drink and drive, wear your seat belt, look out for one another. Every single person killed on Territory roads, every single person injured on Territory roads is someone’s mother, someone’s father, someone’s brother, someone’s sister, and we know this, and this cuts at the core of every Territory family.
That is why I would like to table the statistics today showing the problem and the extent of this tragedy. These statistics have been available to anyone interested and, in fact, these statistics were available at the Estimates hearing in June this year. These crash statistics were also available to the shadow, the member for Braitling, during last month’s briefing in my office with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, and Professor Mark Stevenson from The George Institute for International Health. Alas, the member for Braitling was not interested; he said that they were not worthwhile.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That is a complete lie. I was in Alice Springs having a briefing at the time. That is just a complete lie, a fabrication.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I have personally written to the member for Braitling, enclosing the crash data statistics and inviting the member to sit down and discuss the Henderson government’s road safety reforms, and to leave politics at the door. The opposition needs to get on board with this, and they need to tell all Territorians that they want to help save lives as well.
Just this week, Dr Flint from the Centre for Disease Control released new research that shows Territorians are more likely to end up in hospital after tragic accidents than people in the southern states. Using hospital admissions from 1998 to 2007, he found there were more than 4000 admissions following road traffic accidents in the Northern Territory for that period.
I call on the Leader of the Opposition to show leadership here. I am standing here every day looking at these stickers on these laptops. There are 11 opposition members, there are three laptops, and these stickers are portraying reckless and dangerous behaviour. The Leader of the Opposition is a learned man …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McCARTHY: … as a school principal, and as I was a school principal, I know that we will agree …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat, minister.
Honourable members, I have repeated Standing Order 51 many times. I will be putting members on warnings.
Member for Fong Lim and member for Greatorex, you may find it amusing, but I am sure the people who are listening to this are not finding it amusing. I am certainly not finding it amusing. Minister, you have the call, and if you can come to the point fairly soon.
Mr McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The point is about road fatalities in the Northern Territory, and road injuries on our road networks. The final point I would make is a plea, I feel passionate about this, and that is about leadership - get on board, drop the foolish, dangerous campaign and let us work together to save the lives of fellow Territorians.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order? The minister has finished his answer.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, the word ‘fool’ has been ruled out of order and …
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: … frankly, it is not necessarily foolish to support freedom of choice rather than a …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister read that response, which …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, is this a question?
Mr TOLLNER: … would you ask him to table the document.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, is this a question?
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, I am asking you to ask the minister to table the document that he read from.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe he has already tabled it. Minister, you have already tabled it, have you not? Is that correct?
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I have tabled very important statistics today, and I am surrounded by working …
Madam SPEAKER: You have already tabled it. Resume your seat. Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, I believe you misheard me. The response …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat, member for Fong Lim.
Honourable members, I am finding it very difficult with the interruptions and interjections and I am unable to hear the person who does have the call. When the minister was on his feet, I believe he tabled a document. Is that correct, minister?
Mr McCARTHY: That is correct, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Please resume your seat. The minister has tabled a document which he was speaking about. Member for Fong Lim, what is your point of order? Does it relate to the standing orders?
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Does it relate to the standing orders? Can you do it very quickly, member for Fong Lim?
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, let me explain. I think you misheard me. The minister read that answer from start to finish. I am asking you if you could ask him to table the document he was reading from.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. Minister, the document you were reading from, are you willing to table it, or is it personal notes?
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, the documents in front of me are works that we do every day in government. This is extensive information. This is the important information that I share with the people of the Northern Territory
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Was there a question from the opposition, or I will go to someone else?
Mr Conlan: No, no.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, you are very slow on your feet. I am certainly tempted to go to the other side.
The State of Northern Territory Hospitals
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for HEALTH
There are 12 people here in the Northern Territory who dispute the Public Hospital Report Card 2009 by the AMA; the rest of the Northern Territory believe that the AMA has enlightened Territorians about the state of their hospitals. Despite the minister’s assertions and arrogant dismissal of the AMA, the system is only getting worse …
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You consistently correct this side of the House on Standing Order 51.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat, please. The interjections are across the Chamber, and when I say ‘order’, I am actually referring to everyone, including you, member for Port Darwin.
The member for Greatorex is on his feet. I must say that the question sounds extremely repetitive. I hope that part of it is very different at the end. Member for Greatorex, make it very short.
Mr CONLAN: Despite the assertions by the minister, and arrogant dismissal of the Australian Medical Association’s report, the system is clearly only getting worse. Twelve members in the Northern Territory dispute that …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The opposition alluded to new rules coming in, where ministers have three minutes to answer, and the opposition has one minute to ask a question. I suggest what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. Member for Greatorex, can you just ask the question and get on with it, please.
Mr CONLAN: There is a relatively short preamble required, Madam Speaker, to set up this question within the one minute time frame.
He also said that the report is not worth the paper it is written on – I think that is certainly worth mentioning in this parliament. Notwithstanding the verbal abuse of the minister towards the AMA, what sort of Health Minister walks into this place and accuses the Australian Medical Association of being, short of liars, and will he provide evidence of the actual state of Territory hospital waiting lists?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, as I said before, I have every right to question every report published, and I exercise my right.
Unfortunately, the AMA report is not the gospel. I am not going to take it for granted; I am going to question it, and I have questioned it. I say to the member for Greatorex, spend some time looking at the Health department report for 2009, and you will find there is evidence to support my position that we are working to do something about the Health department. The Health department is not in decline. He had such confidence in the Health department that he had his own baby delivered in the public hospital in Alice Springs – and congratulations for that. I would not have my kid in a hospital if a system was in decline. I congratulate you for that, and well done.
The AMA report presents us a picture – the world according to the AMA. I have here copies of two reports, The State of Our Public Hospitals, June 2008 report by the federal government, and The State of Our Public Hospitals June report 2009 by the federal government. In this one, elective surgery clearly saw an improvement in Category 3 and Category 2 in elective surgery in the Northern Territory. As a matter of fact, we are doing better than Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory in Category 3. We are doing better …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, despite the smart-aleck comments by the member for Blain, I would like to say we are doing better than the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania - similar territories to ours - in Category 2, and we are very close or similar to South Australia and Tasmania in Category 1.
I am not going to say we are going to fix this tomorrow. I am telling you now, it is impossible. I am not going to tell you we are going to address the waiting list in six months – it is impossible. I am not going to tell you it is happening here, but we are trying and, at the end of the day, we are getting on top of the waiting lists. I have given explicit instructions to my department to present me with a strategy for the reduction of waiting lists. We have already done that – we are already working with endoscopy and colonoscopy patients. We have reduced it, and we are attacking it in order to reduce it even further. It is unacceptable for people to wait a long time on waiting lists.
The member for Greatorex loves making wild statements, unsupported statements. He is keen to support the AMA report – a report questioned by every minister but the Western Australian Liberal minister. The situation at our hospitals did not just happen overnight – did not happen in two years, it is a chronic situation. Unfortunately, the symptoms have been aggravated by the lack of funding and support by previous federal governments.
Native Food Plant Trials - Protection
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES and RESOURCES
I recently said your department needs to spend more effort looking at new opportunities in the Territory; one of those opportunities being to develop the commercial use of native food plants through plant selection. One those plants is the billygoat plum or, for the yuppies, the Kakadu plum. There is a billygoat plum trial on at Wildman River cashew farm which, I understand, is now in the hands of the National Bank. What is your department doing to ensure this valuable trial is not destroyed, but is retained and developed as a possible economic opportunity for Indigenous communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his very important question. That was a commercial arrangement by a person who wanted to developed the billygoat plum. He actually hired part of the cashew farm in order to develop it. Unfortunately, the venture was unsuccessful.
I have said many times, and I have said this to the industry - any industry - we are prepared to work with them in research, as long as we have a proposal from them and we have something to work with. However, we were not approached by that particular businessman.
However, if someone takes over a farm and wants to work with us, we will do exactly the same as we did with bananas, we will do exactly the same as we did with mangoes, we will do exactly the same as we did with bush tomatoes, as you have probably seen in Alice Springs. We actually run trials with bush tomatoes in Alice Springs in order to find out if it is a viable economic crop. I am quite happy to talk to anyone who is prepared to talk to us and put in a proposal for joint research.
Telecommunications Infrastructure
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS and TECHNOLOGY POLICY
How is the government delivering improved telecommunications infrastructure across the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. It is my pleasure to talk about something that I am passionate about, and that is getting IT infrastructure into the bush.
The Henderson Labor government is determined to deliver access to high speed broadband to Territorians in our regional areas and throughout our growth towns. Our $34m partnership with the Northern Land Council, Telstra and Rio Tinto is connecting 8000 people living in Arnhem Land to Australia’s fibre-optic backbone.
There are no fewer than five of the Territory’s 20 growth towns, Gunbalanya, Maningrida, Ramingining, Gapuwiyak and Yirrkala …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! In accordance with Standing Order 255, I would ask that the document the minister is reading from be tabled.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is it a document you are happy to table, or is it your notes?
Mr HAMPTON: No, Madam Speaker, I am surrounded by notes and …
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, I am speaking. The minister is actually not holding on to any document.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, he is clearly reading from a document. I have seen him turning the pages. Madam Speaker, it does not matter if it is his notes, I urge you to seek advice under Standing Order 255.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, the minister has indicated it is notes. Is that correct?
Mr HAMPTON: That is correct, Madam Speaker.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I will say again, it does not refer to notes in Standing Order 255. I urge you to seek some advice.
Madam SPEAKER: I will seek some advice to humour you, member for Port Darwin.
Minister, is it a document you are willing to table?
Mr HAMPTON: Madam Speaker, they are personal notes that I have written on.
Madam SPEAKER: Some of the matters then are of a confidential nature, is that what you are saying?
Mr HAMPTON: Personal notes.
Madam SPEAKER: Okay, so the answer is no.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He has not said that they are of a confidential nature and, if he is reading from them, how can they possibly be confidential?
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order. The member for Port Darwin is actually inferring more into the standing orders than what the standing order actually reads.
Mr Elferink: You are not dissenting from the Speaker’s ruling, are you?
Dr BURNS: Please, member for Port Darwin. Standing Order 255 refers to a document relating to public affairs quoted from by a minister. So it is a bit more comprehensive than what you are asserting. The minister has already said that he is surrounded by documents, some of them are of a personal nature, and it has been a long-standing practice in this House …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: … unless it is a specific document that someone is reading from and quoting from. This is just a stunt from the opposition. Question Time is too precious to be pulled up by silly points of order …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has already indicated he will not be tabling the document, member for Port Darwin.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, that is contrary to the ruling that you made.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not. It is not contrary to the ruling which I made, which is as I have said. Anyway, I do not even know which minister has the question at the moment. The minister for ICT has the call.
Mr HAMPTON: It is a real shame, because this is such an import project, Madam Speaker. The IT fibre-optic …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HAMPTON: It is very important, and many of those 8000 people who are connected through Arnhem Land are probably watching this telecast right now, disgusted in the behaviour of the member for Port Darwin.
Madam Speaker, five of the growth towns have been connected to the fibre optic throughout this 800 km roll out. I will go through those growth towns again: Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Ramingining, Gapuwiyak and Yirrkala. I hope many people in those remote growth towns are listening to this broadcast and watching it.
Two other growth towns, Milingimbi and Galiwinku, will be connected to the high-speed radio transmission links. Improving telecommunications is a crucial element of this government’s A Working Future policy, which the Indigenous affairs minister spoke about recently.
We aim to deliver better services across a range of areas, including health and education. I am very pleased to report to the House that the schools and health clinics in Gunbalanya, Maningrida, Ramingining …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, while it may be novel that the lights have gone out, we can still hear. I believe there is enough light for us to have the continuation of your answer if you have not finished, minister, but if you can come to the point pretty quickly. Order! Member for Fong Lim, please put that away. Leader of the Opposition! Minister, can you please answer the question fairly quickly.
Mr HAMPTON: Madam Speaker, I am happy to inform the House that there are 330 homes and businesses across Arnhem Land that are now connected to high speed broadband.
On Tuesday, the project was recognised at the Australian Institute of Project Management National Awards, winning the category of Construction/Engineering projects with a total budget of less than $100m. The project is also a finalist in the World Communication Awards to be held in London next month. That is a fantastic recognition of this project.
The Henderson Labor government will continue to work with the private sector, land councils and traditional owners, and the federal government to ensure all Territorians will have access to this vital piece of infrastructure.
Summary Offences Act - Increase in Penalties
Mr GILES to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
The government’s astronomical and cavalier increases in penalties under the Summary Offences Act has increased the fine for begging up to, wait for it, $6500 ...
A member: How much?
Mr GILES: A maximum of $6500.
A member: Outrageous.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is a question in relation to the Summary Offences Act, it should be asked of the Attorney-General. I ask, for clarification: to whom is the member for Braitling asking the question?
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. It is tradition to hear the whole question so you can determine what is in the question to adjudicate on that.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat. Member for Braitling, I hope that you are going to be asking something that relates to transport very quickly.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Transport. The government’s astronomical and cavalier increases in penalties under the Summary Offences Act has increased the fine for begging up to $6500. Amazingly, $6500 for begging, with the maximum ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, can you get to the point about transport? You need to be asking the Minister for Transport a question that relates to transport.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member has not even asked the question yet. Goodness me!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. Member for Braitling, I do not want you to start that again, but is there is something that is actually relating to the Minister for Transport?
Mr Tollner: If you would listen to the question …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you are on a warning!
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Transport.
Madam SPEAKER: You can jump the bit you have already done, and get on to the part about transport.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, I have read two lines of my question to this point.
A member: You are reading it?
Mr GILES: Yes.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, this government, has increased the fine for begging up to $6500 under the Summary Offences Act, yet the maximum penalty for a first time, high level drink driver is just $1300. Considering that 50% of fatalities on our road last year were attributed to drink driving, why is it that the penalty for begging of $6500 has been increased, yet you have done nothing to increase the penalties for drink driving?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the shadow for Transport for his question. I believe the debate about drink driving is very simple, and that is that drink driving is totally unacceptable, and drink drivers will be caught and punished.
The member for Braitling’s link to the fine penalties unit is an interesting one and, once again, I reiterate that I am prepared to accept and take on all advice, as I mentioned in my response about offering new statistics at a meeting with The George Institute, world’s best practice in terms of road safety, and you have learned nothing from your choice. If you have issues about drink driving …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Under relevance, this is about how this government can charge $6500 to a beggar and $1300 to a drink driver.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, as I was saying, if you are interested in offering to the Northern Territory, for all Territorians, my door is open and you are most welcome any time. I will also encourage the Attorney-General to attend that meeting so we can discuss all aspects of keeping Territorians safe. Thank you for the question.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016