2009-04-29
Redirection of Questions
in absence of Chief Minister
in absence of Chief Minister
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Busines): Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that the Deputy Chief Minister, apart from questions relating to the Police portfolio, will be taking all questions relating to the portfolios of the Chief Minister. I will be taking questions related to the Police portfolio.
Police Budget – Relationship to
Criminal Behaviour
Criminal Behaviour
Mr MILLS to DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER
Is it not the case that, from 2005–08, the Police budget increased by around 30%? Is it not also the case that crime rates skyrocketed over the same period? In fact, from June 2005 to December 2008, property crime in the Territory rose by 30%; and violent crime rose by 55%.
Will you now admit that your soft-on-crime approach is an absolute failure and that you have no answers to the rising rates of crime in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Whilst the acting minister for Police is my colleague, minister Burns, I am happy to take the question on behalf of the Chief Minister.
There is an important correlation between the Police budget and actually apprehending offenders and getting them into the court system, which the crime statistics reflects. That is an important correlation. When Labor came to government, we came out of a period where the CLP had had a police numbers freeze, …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … they had a freeze on the staff for police. So what we saw then was a situation where people were in despair. They were starting, and particularly with property crime, to not put the call through, because they knew that if they put the call through, they would be waiting and waiting for a response because police numbers were drastically reduced as a result of the freeze under the CLP.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: What the government has done is, we have put an extra 334 police into the Police system. What happens …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! For the acting Chief Minister’s benefit, the question was about the period between 2005 and 2008; that is when the increase in the budget happened and that is when the increase in the crime rates happened.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, there is no point of order; resume your seat.
Mr Tollner: I just want to be clear about this, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, there is no point of order. Resume your seat.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, as I said, with an extra 334 police out there on the beat, what we saw was an increase, particularly in the area of property crime. We saw an increased confidence by our community to report the crime; we saw a dramatic reduction by half in property crime across the Territory …
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, at the same time, we saw an increase in the number of assaults against the person occurring in the Territory. What we saw during that same period was police resources, for the first time, dedicated to domestic violence; we saw tougher policies being influenced by police in terms of domestic violence. We know domestic violence makes up for about 51% of the assault cases across the Territory, so we saw a renewed and dedicated effort and action by police in following-up domestic violence reports and other assault reports.
I do not have the detail before me, as I am not the acting Police minister, but what we do have is a remarkably high clean-up rate in the Territory compared to other jurisdictions around Australia. So what you see is, if you put the resources into the Police budget by increasing police numbers, the result you get is an increase in crime statistics, because you have increased activity by police, the reports are taken, the action is done …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … and the end result of that is that we have a lot more prisoners in our gaols. So, not only do we have more police responding …
Mr Mills: This is rubbish. No one believes this.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … to the reports, taking the action, making the arrests. We then see, through the department of Prosecutions, offenders appearing before the court and our gaols are at maximum capacity.
Swine Influenza - Update
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you please update the House on the situation regarding the outbreak of swine influenza?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is very important that members in this House are updated on what is happening with the swine influenza situation around the world which is changing every hour.
In Australia, there are 91 suspected cases, most of them, at the moment, in the southern states. We have 10 people being investigated in New South Wales; 31 in Queensland; 19 in Victoria; 14 in South Australia; eight in Western Australia; six in the Australian Capital Territory; two in Tasmania; and, one in the Northern Territory. The person who is suspected of having it in the Northern Territory has undergone testing and I expect the results to be provided to us later this afternoon. She is cooperating with us and is in isolation in her house, and the situation has improved significantly since yesterday ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the Health Minister to also tell this House if he is aware that there are no pharmacies in town which are stocking Tamiflu or Relenza at the moment and what the Health Minister proposes to do about it?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, that is not a point of order. Resume your seat.
Mr VATSKALIS: The latest information provided to me is that the person’s results are negative for Influenza A, so there is no longer a suspected case in the Northern Territory.
With regard to our preparedness, our Health personnel are in constant contact with Commonwealth Health personnel. I have been teleconferencing with the Commonwealth minister for Health. I had a teleconference last night and one at 8 o’clock this morning. We discussed different issues including the antiviral drugs available in Australia and the Northern Territory. I can advise that the Northern Territory has 460 courses of Tamiflu, not 100 as the member opposite stated yesterday on the radio. We have 460 Tamiflu and five courses of Zanamavir. Obviously, the member has not read the statement or listened to the radio, because both I and Dr Vicki Krause stated on television and in the media, publicly, that we have 460 courses of Tamiflu. These are not in the national stockpile; they are actually the Territory’s drugs. The Australian government has 8.1 million doses of Tamiflu. By agreement with the states and territories the national stockpile is kept under Commonwealth control and is allocated very quickly should the need arise in any state or territory.
I suggest that the opposition stop playing games in this serious situation; it is scaring Territorians. I assure Territorians we do not have a suspected case any more in the Territory; we are clear. We are fully prepared; we have the beds, the nurses, the doctors, and the capacity to deal with this situation.
The Australian government advises that they are going to have screening in some of the airports, especially those that have direct flights from the United States and the Americas. In our case, all pilots coming to Australia have now been advised to notify the authorities immediately if a passenger on an airplane exhibits any flu-like symptoms.
Madam Speaker, I assure Territorians, we are fully prepared. We are very much in control of the situation, and in constant communication with our Commonwealth counterparts, both on a political and scientific level. We have other medications in the Territory. I repeat: we have 460 courses of Tamiflu and five courses of Zanamavir, so we are fully prepared.
I call on the opposition to stop playing games in this serious situation. I offer a briefing to the Leader of the Opposition. I am very happy to brief him so he can brief his members on this very serious situation.
Police Budget – Relationship to
Criminal Behaviour
Criminal Behaviour
Mr MILLS to DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER
Is it not the case that the Police budget is just …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition heard very clearly at the beginning of this Question Time that I would be taking questions related to the Police portfolio. He should be directing those questions to me. He knows very well that the questions relating to Police are for me in relation to the Chief Minister’s portfolio …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order
Dr BURNS: … and all other areas of the Chief Minister’s portfolios go to the Deputy Chief Minister.
Mr Mills: Madam Speaker, it relates to the budget.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I will take some advice. I will allow the question to the Deputy Chief Minister and, if she wishes to have the Leader of Government Business answer the question, then that is fine.
Mr MILLS: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Is it not the case that the Police budget is just one of the budget areas that you have used to spend hundreds of millions of dollars of unexpected revenue for no tangible benefit for Territorians? As minister and Treasurer, it would appear that for every 1% increase in the police budget, you managed to increase property crime by 1% and violent crime by almost 2%. When is this mad waste of money going to end and the Henderson government introduce real deterrents for criminal behaviour?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will take a part of the question regarding the budget. Very clearly, responsibility for the Police budget falls under the Police minister. They do not understand the budget situation, but I am happy to explain to them on the record.
In my previous answer to their first question I took the opposition through the very clear correlation that if you put more resources in, if you put more police out on the beat, you are certainly going to get more arrests. That means you will get increases in your crime statistics. That means you will also get, as we have shown …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … you will also get significantly more prisoners in the prison system, which, indeed, we have. I know they like to peddle this myth that we are soft on crime - quite the opposite. This government has a track record of having introduced the toughest laws in the country to combat crime. And we have, thanks to our budget, increases in police. Importantly, we have an extra 339 police officers in the Territory. They have a whole range of strategies to tackle violent crime. They target specifically domestic violence, which I explained is about 51% of the assault figures. Until recently, where we started to see a slight upwards trend, we have halved the number of property crimes occurring in the Territory.
Education System – Major Changes
Ms WALKER to DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER as Acting MINISTER for EDUCATION and TRAINING
Today, the Chief Minister announced the introduction of a mandatory Earn or Learn system for students up to the age of 17 years. Can the minister explain why the government has made that decision and what the impact will be on Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her important question. The Chief Minister announced today that the Territory will introduce major changes to the education system. The government is extending compulsory education to the end of Year 10 and we will require all Territorians up to the age of 17 to be at school, or in training, or in a job.
Ms LAWRIE: In addition, from 2010, the compulsory school leaving age will be …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: In addition, from 2010, the compulsory school leaving age will be extended to the end of Year 10. Currently, students can leave school as soon as they turn 15. The timing of the mandatory Earn or Learn provisions will follow discussions with the education community and the Australian government. The government wants every young Territorian to go to school, or to get training, or to be in a job …
Mr Giles: Or what? Are you going to prosecute absenteeism? Prosecute truancy? You are soft on crime, you are soft on health.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … so that those young Territorians can make the most of their life.
Crime – Government Approach
Mr STYLES to DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER referred to Acting MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
During the last 11 days, my home has been broken into, trashed, ransacked and violated twice, most recently on Monday afternoon. Minister, you and your government talk a lot about how much money you spend on police and how tough you are on crime. However, every day I talk to people who have been affected by crime, either violent or property crime. I am, again, like tens of thousands of Territorians, a victim of your failed policies on crime. Will you now admit that your softly, softly approach to dealing with crime has failed?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, they are a little slow on the uptake today, so I will say for the third time, minister Burns is the acting Police minister, and I will appropriately refer the question on policing to Dr Burns.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Leader of Government Business.
Dr BURNS (Acting Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, I am very sorry about what has happened to the member for Sanderson’s house. I realise how deeply that would affect him.
One crime, one property crime, is one crime too many. What I do know, in response to the question asked by the member for Sanderson, as a government, right from day one in 2001, we have endeavoured to cut property crime, and we have, as the Deputy Chief Minister said, as an overall statistic, cut property crime, house break-ins, by about 50%.
As the Deputy Chief Minister alluded to, there has been an increase in some property crime, particularly over the last year, as people search out alcohol, particularly in commercial premises. There has been an increase in break-ins to commercial premises.
As a government, although the O’Sullivan Report, from memory, was in 2003, from 2001 we started building extra numbers into our police force, right from the mini-budget, if I recall correctly, and substantially since the O’Sullivan Report, to the point now that there are 340 extra police within the Northern Territory Police Force. That does not count the extra 50 to 60 that have been announced by the Chief Minister in the last week.
This is a government that has invested substantial funds into our police force. It is completely erroneous of the opposition to say that there has been an overall increase in property crime since 2001 because there has not. Some of the …
Mr Tollner: No, since 2005 to 2008. Clean your ears out.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Well, you choose your time frames. I am talking about the life of this government. In terms of the actual number of property offences, that is over 9300 because of that reduction since we came to power. I reiterate that I am concerned and I really sympathise with the member for Sanderson with what he has been through. However, the fact is that there have been 9300 fewer property offences since this government came to power. How did we do it? We started building our police force.
God knows what would have happened if the CLP had been kept in power in that time because they had no intention of building the police force. As the Deputy Chief Minister alluded to, they put on a police freeze in the early 1990s, and in 1997 as well, which O’Sullivan commented on and we will be debating later today.
Some of the things that we are doing is we are providing 60 more police to patrol suburbs and a dedicated youth crime unit; Police Beats, we are delivering 20 more police and 10 more police auxiliaries. The first Police Beat in Casuarina has already opened, and there will be one opening very soon in the Alice Springs mall, planned for July of this year - I know the member for Braitling has been very supportive of that.
We are building our police force. We are looking at different strategies. The strategy that the Deputy Chief Minister talked about regarding violent crime and a no-nonsense approach - I mean, all this stuff about soft on crime, our gaols are actually overflowing. That is why we have to construct a new gaol, because more people, unfortunately, are going to gaol. Why are they going to gaol? Well, there are more police for a start. There are tougher laws.
This is a government that has invested very heavily in our police force. I commend their work and the job that they do. The opposition tries to denigrate what the police do and I do not think that washes with the general public.
Northern Territory Economic Forecast
Ms WALKER to TREASURER
Can you please inform the House about the recently released economic forecast by Access Economics and how the Northern Territory compares to other jurisdictions?
Mr Elferink: And how wrong your projections were.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. As members are aware, Access Economics is a widely respected economic forecaster and commentator, and its growth forecasts generally align with our Treasury forecasts. I pick up on the inane interjection from the member for Port Darwin …
Mr Elferink: Well, you started at 7% at the beginning of the year. What is it now?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Access Economics, prior to the global financial crisis, predicted 2008-09 growth for the Territory at 7%. Our own forecasts were slightly below that at 6.6%; that was prior to the global financial crisis, in November, as the crisis had obviously occurred, but had not yet deepened to the extent that we see today. Access Economics came out with a 4.7% forecast for growth, and we were forecasting 4.5%. You can see that, generally, they are usually in the ballpark of our own Treasury forecasts.
As we know, the global financial crisis has certainly caused unprecedented devastation to the world’s economy and, as we have always said, the Northern Territory is not immune from that global recession. However, we are much better placed than elsewhere in Australia.
This is reflected in the latest Access Economics Report for the March quarter that has just been handed down, which has revised growth figures for the Territory to 4.1% for this financial year, and 1.3% in 2009-10. With recession striking most developed nations, including Australia, this is a very positive forecast …
Mr Elferink: And you failed to position yourself for it, in spite of Treasury warnings.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … and these Access figures do not even factor in the INPEX project and growth in employment that we know will flow from this project. As a comparison, our forecast was …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I have that report in front of me, and I will quote to the Chief Minister this:
We see …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, resume your seat. Resume your seat, member for Port Darwin!
Mr Elferink: Madam Speaker, it refers to the INPEX …
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat, member for Port Darwin! Member for Port Darwin, you are on a warning!
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, just so he does not get overexcited again, they do not factor the INPEX project into the growth figures. They do not do that; they say they do not do that, and nor does my Treasury. Neither would do that until there is a final investment decision. Okay? Just so the overexcited member for Port Darwin understands that.
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin!
Ms LAWRIE: As a comparison, our forecast growth rate in 2009-10 is second only to Western Australia. The larger states are either just recording growth or are forecast to contract in 2009-10. New South Wales is forecast to record negative growth at minus 2.1%, and Victoria at minus 0.4%. Access also forecasts for the NT in 2009-10 a modest decline of 2.6% in State Final Demand; an increase of 6.2% in exports; and an increase of 13% in private sector dwelling expenditure. The forecast unemployment rate is the third-lowest of all jurisdictions and remaining below the forecast national average.
However, despite Access stating the Territory’s long-term prospects remain magnificent, government cannot afford to be complacent. That is why our core focus in Budget 2009-10 is protecting Territory jobs by building our Territory.
Mr Elferink: What is the predicted unemployment rate?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, I remind you, you are on a warning!
Ms LAWRIE: Infrastructure investment will protect jobs now and set us up perfectly for the future when the global economy improves.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Whilst I appreciate your cautions about the fact that I am on a warning, I ask you also to remind the Treasurer that she is under a duty to be honest and open with this House which is far and away from what she is actually doing …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, there is no point of order. Resume your seat. Treasurer, you may continue.
Ms LAWRIE: I had finished, Madam Speaker. He was getting overexcited again.
Madam SPEAKER: With so many interruptions, it was hard to know what was going on.
Property Crime
Mr TOLLNER to DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER referred to Acting MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
I refer to the case of Mr Dennis Wilson, who has had to resort to sleeping in his Winnellie-based business each and every night in order to protect his property. Mr Wilson has been broken into 15 times over the last five years, causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage and loss of stock.
Despite describing your own electorate as a war zone …
Ms Lawrie: I did not. Never have.
Mr TOLLNER: … you keep saying that your government has spent more money on police than ever before, and that things are getting better. If that is the case, why then has Mr Wilson had to become, in effect, a policeman to defend his own property? Acting Chief Minister, is it not the case that Mr Wilson’s actions are symptomatic of your failure to address rising property and violent crime rates?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, they are slow learners in the opposition because, yet again, I remind them that the minister taking Police questions in Question Time today is minister Burns.
I have taken them through time and time again that extra police have certainly led to extra arrests. We have introduced tougher laws. We have targeted all areas in legislation where police have come to us and said: ‘We want tougher areas here, go hard there’. We have seen dramatic reductions in property crime with the additional police. We have seen some slight trending up lately. In briefing me as Justice minister, police have been advising that they have seen an increase in property crime targeting commercial areas.
What they have also advised me is that they have pulled together dedicated resources within the police to target those commercial break-ins occurring in both the Winnellie area and in Alice Springs. They have also made arrests as a result of those targeted actions.
Is there is anything minister Burns would like to add as the man carrying the responsibilities of Police in Question Time?
Dr BURNS (Acting Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, it is a very important question that the member for Fong Lim has asked. As the Deputy Chief Minister acknowledged, there has been an increase in break-ins in commercial properties. We have acknowledged that through our crime statistics. I ask the House to recall that before we came to power there were no regular, published, reliable crime statistics in the Northern Territory.
I well remember Peter Toyne, as Justice minister, saying that in order to have an informed debate on these issues that these crime statistics needed to be properly audited and published. That is what this government has done over the past eight years, for better or for worse. Let us have the debate about property crime and commercial break-ins.
As the Deputy Chief Minister has alluded to, the police are mounting operations in this particular area. I say to Mr Wilson that the police are also offering assistance to property owners to assist them in making better arrangements with their security. It is a poor fact of life that that has to occur, but that is what many property owners have availed themselves of: to get professional advice from police about how they might increase and improve their security to circumvent the people who are trying to break in.
The bottom line is that we are concerned about any crime. One commercial break-in is one too many. As the Deputy Chief Minister alluded to, police are mounting operations to catch the offenders.
Budget 2009-10 – Improving Health Service
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for HEALTH
How will Budget 2009-10 improve health services for Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. This crisis with the swine influenza shows how important it is to have a very effective, well-resourced, and well-trained health service.
About 20 minutes ago, I advised the House that the suspected case in the Territory had been cleared because the test was negative. Just a few minutes ago, I received advice from the department that a new case is now suspected in the Territory. A person presented themselves to a GP with flu-like symptoms, and that person had been travelling. The department is now investigating the person, doing tests, and that person has been put into isolation.
I said before, we need a well-resourced, effective, and well-trained health system in the Territory. We made a promise that we will provide the best possible health service to all Territorians. Since 2001, we have consistently dedicated more resources to health, to provide more health services, more frontline health workers, and more health infrastructure.
In Budget 2009-10, I am very proud to say that the Health and Families budget will exceed $1bn. As a matter of fact, it will be $1.05bn. This is the first billion dollar budget for Health in the Territory. That means we have really doubled the budget since 2001. Hospitals will be increased to a total of $421m …
A member interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: You do not have to accept that. You have already said that you do not want the money; you do not want hospitals or clinics in Palmerston. We are talking about providing services for all Territorians, and the member over there is murmuring, arguing, that he does not like it. Well, that is his problem.
Madam Speaker, $421m will be provided to hospitals. We will be providing $245m to the Royal Darwin Hospital; and $180m to Alice Springs Hospital. That is a 120% increase from 2001. We will be providing $27m for Katherine Hospital - 90% up since 2001; $90m for Gove District Hospital - 71% increase since 2001; and $12m for Tennant Creek Hospital - 94% increase since 2001.
It is not only the hospitals we take care of; there are other areas we have to provide funding for, especially in the dental clinic area. We will provide $1.5m for a dental blitz to bring down the waiting list. There is a significant demand for services in dental clinics around the Territory, and $1.5m will do much to address the dental waiting list. We will provide additional appointments for 4000 Territorians in the coming year, and not only that, there will be an ongoing $750 000 every year to address the issue with dental clinics.
We have committed to provide a good health service to all Territorians, and we have put the money in to ensure that the service is provided.
Crime – Government Approach
Mr GILES to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
I refer to the recent Coroner’s Report into the death of Mr Peter Jacobs in 2008. The Coroner reported that the deceased had been taken into protective custody by police on at least 215 occasions because he was too drunk to look after himself – 215 occasions. Minister, you were happy to put Mr Jacobs up night after night, but make no effort to force Mr Jacobs to seek treatment for his alcoholism. Is it not the case that your government’s soft on crime approach, Labor’s soft on crime approach, revolving door approach to police, health and justice is just an utter failure?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for his question. This government takes the scourge of alcohol, and also substance abuse, very seriously. This government has pursued, through our alcohol policy, a raft of measures to combat the scourge of alcohol in our community, particularly the effects it is having on Territorians.
Our specific alcohol policy is the responsibility of minister Vatskalis. What I will say is this: the Department of Justice, which includes the alcohol policy group, is working very closely with police and other agencies to look at the alcohol court system in the Territory, where the policy is at, because we introduced the alcohol courts quite specifically to provide for alternatives where the system previously did not provide those alternatives. Quite aside from the court, we have been increasing funding significantly into the Alcohol and Other Drugs programs. They have been getting increased resources to deal with treatment.
There is tension within the Alcohol Policy Framework in looking at these issues, as to how far do you go down a path of compulsory treatment orders, because there are different views and arguments in and around that. If you force compulsory treatment, treatment does not actually work, whereas the basis of therapeutic treatment, particularly in alcohol and substance abuse, is that the person has to be willing to participate in that treatment.
There are no easy solutions to that debate and discussion, but it is a debate and discussion that is genuinely occurring in the Territory right now amongst all of our experts in the field.
Importantly, what we need to do in this area is closely engage and listen to the non-government organisations which work in this field, for example, Banyan House, the Salvation Army …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! A man has died after being locked up 215 times for alcoholism. The question to the minister was: Is it not the case that your government’s soft on crime approach to police, health and justice is just an utter failure?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, there is no point of order. Resume your seat.
Ms LAWRIE: Clearly, the member for Braitling does not want to hear that, quite aside from the introduction of alcohol courts to deal with the recidivists we have coming through the system who are drunk - they are recidivist alcoholics, they are repeat offenders and they are coming through the system, so the government set up and funded and resourced the alcohol courts.
Clearly, what we need to do is ask: ‘How is that working? Does the alcohol policy need to evolve?’ That is the process that is occurring actively in government now but we cannot do it on our own. What we need to do, as I was explaining before they wanted to …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: … before they wanted to interrupt, what you need to do in the area of alcohol and substance abuse is engage the non-government organisations which are specialists in this sector, which provide the rehabilitation and treatment programs, and talk to them about their input and feedback into what works on the ground. We have always said that antisocial behaviour is unacceptable. We have always said that under …
Mr Elferink: You accept it as a matter of course.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin!
Ms LAWRIE: We have always said that antisocial behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. We recognise that we have alcohol and substance abuse as a scourge across our communities.
This is a government, for the first time, that has stood up and tried to tackle the core issues and the core causes. The core causes are generational. They go to people who have been ignored in decades past, who are actually engaged by this government to get to the core causes. This is a clear policy drive by this government where we are prepared to put in the resources. We have increased resources for alcohol and drug programs; we have resourced alcohol causes; we have resourced the police, and we will continue to work very closely with all those government organisations involved, as well as the non-government sector, to try to turn around the lives of Territorians who are severely impacted upon by their alcoholism and their substance abuse.
Land for Business and Industry
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for BUSINESS
The Land Development Corporation plays an important role in making industrial land available to business. Can you please advise the House what recent developments have occurred to ensure the continued supply of land for business and industry to expand?
Members interjecting.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the opposition continually rants about lack of respect in this parliament and lack of respect for parliamentary processes, yet they, in their arrogance, whenever anyone from this side gets up, make continual interjections and an undercurrent of noise. They completely disregard Standing Order 51.
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: If they are credible about their respect of this parliament they might just be more silent, because I have just about had enough of their …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat. Honourable members, there has been a considerable disruption today. 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.
We already have one member on a warning and I will be looking to putting other members on warnings shortly. Minister, you have the call.
Dr BURNS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was talking about the Land Development Corporation and the business park. It was my privilege a couple of weeks ago to inspect the business park to see the developments that have occurred there over the past three to four years, but moreover, within the last 12 months. There have been considerable developments.
It was also my privilege, about 10 days ago, to announce a $28m development there, principally with a hardstand area near the port. This area will be very important for the INPEX project especially for those who are supplying various components and other services to INPEX, to have a large hardstand area near the port where they can lay down and assemble important components. A tender has already gone out for that particular development.
From memory, there are around 20 blocks in the Darwin Business Park which will be surveyed and have services put on. Most of those blocks are about 1000m2. There has been quite a demand for blocks at the business park. The focus of the park is oil and gas support services; mining support services and maintenance; marine service and maintenance; transport and logistics; engineering; fabrication; and assembling of buildings and equipment.
I have a list which I would like to table of approximately $200m-worth of development that has occurred at the business park over the past few years: $55m at Vopak, the Arnhem Land Progress Association – a beautiful large warehouse - $20m; Toll has invested $18m in a distribution facility, and a further $3.5m to one of their extensions; Shaw’s Transport - $8.5m; $5m for a Foster’s distribution facility; Gaymark, a well known local development company investing somewhere between $5 and $8m; Top Class Fruits; and Smorgon Steel and other investments.
There is a lot happening out at the business park. It was my privilege, about two weeks ago, to attend a Business at Sunset function put on by the Chamber of Commerce at Fingers Specialised Metal Fabrication, and to see the way that that business has grown - I believe it had premises elsewhere. It has moved into quite a large shed where, not only do they have aluminium fabrication, but they are also fabricating stainless steel elements and a whole range of things. Business is very good for Fingers. Many other companies have moved into that area. I say to members from both sides: take a drive out there because what is happening there is very important. It is very indicative of confidence in the Northern Territory economy. Already, with the developments I have mentioned and the blocks that are being turned on, there is much interest from the business community. Not only that, 37 full-time jobs and 19 indirect jobs across the construction phase.
Madam Speaker, the business park is a great development, and with INPEX on the horizon and other developments, I believe it will develop even further.
Swimming Pool Funding for Rural Area
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE
In today’s NT News, the Chief Minister announced the opening of the long-awaited $17m wave pool at the waterfront. He also mentioned the $5.2m Leanyer Recreation Lake redevelopment; the $16m aquatic park in Alice Springs; and a water fun park for Palmerston.
Are you not surprised that rural residents, and there are about 17 000 to 20 000 of them, are just a little peeved, to put it politely, that you have offered a measly $1.5m to build a pool in the rural area? When will your government provide rural residents a similar amount of funding to what you have given the Darwin Waterfront, the northern suburbs, Palmerston, and Alice Springs, so that rural residents can swim in a croc-free aquatic centre? Or is it a bit like asking for a bicycle path to be built from Palmerston to Howard Springs for the last 10 years? Do not expect too much from government, because it is south of the Berrimah line.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I know he is a very good advocate for the people of the rural area, as is my colleague, minister Knight. As the member for Daly he has advocated very strongly. The former member for Goyder was the strongest advocate in the area of a pool for the rural area. The tenacity of the former member for Goyder, Ted Warren, was such that the government gave a $1.5m commitment to a contribution towards a swimming pool in the rural area. That commitment remains. We stand willing and ready to work with residents of the rural area, and particularly with the Litchfield Shire. In the picture of swimming pools right across Australia, and it is no different in the Northern Territory, swimming pools are the responsibility of local councils. We look forward to working with the Litchfield Shire Council to see the delivery of a swimming pool in the rural area.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: If Litchfield Shire want to enter a partnership with the Territory government to deliver a swimming pool which they would run and manage, that would be a very welcome situation, and it would be a welcome change from that shire.
As for Leanyer Recreation Park and the water park for Palmerston, we delivered on the election commitment of Leanyer Recreation Park quite significantly, and we will deliver on the election commitment for the Palmerston water park. They are all recreation parks; they are not swimming pools. Very clearly, there is no desire by the Northern Territory government to run and operate a swimming pool – we do not run and operate swimming pools.
I encourage Litchfield Shire to come to the table to negotiate a partnership with the Northern Territory government to deliver a swimming pool for the good people of the rural area of Darwin.
Secure Care Facilities for Young People
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I thought I was first on my feet.
Madam SPEAKER: I beg your pardon?
Mr STYLES: I thought I was first on my feet.
Madam SPEAKER: You are aware that the call is entirely up to the Chair, and it was the government’s turn. Resume you seat, and I will consider whether you get the call for the rest of Question Time. Member for Nhulunbuy.
Ms WALKER: Madam Speaker, as I was saying, my question is to the Minister for Children and Families.
Recently, the minister announced the establishment of secure care facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs. Could the minister please advise how this will help young people?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I was extremely pleased to announce that the Northern Territory government will be establishing secure care facilities for young people and adults with complex needs in Darwin and in Alice Springs. Our government has committed $13.9m in 2009-10 and 2010-11 to construct stand-alone secure care facilities, together with additional beds in Darwin and Alice Springs hospitals. In addition, once the facilities are open, we will continue to provide $11.4m annually to ensure people get the services they need in this area.
The Alice Springs commitment is on top of the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan. Under this plan, my department will provide an additional six beds. Importantly, Tier 1 will provide an additional six beds in Alice Springs Hospital and five beds in Royal Darwin Hospital.
A secure care facility provides a physical, 24-hour care environment that ensures the safety of both the person in care and the community. Services will be intensive and designed to support people whose behaviour has placed them or others at risk. There are two levels of service. Tier 1 is assessment and stabilisation. It will provide people at high to extreme risk of harm to themselves or others in the community with support. These individuals will receive intensive support and clinical assessment to assist them. Tier 2 secure care facilities will provide an additional 16 beds in Alice Springs and 16 beds in Darwin at locations still to be determined. The services will be available for young people and adults exhibiting high risk behaviours. Typically, these people engage in high-risk taking, aggressive, or disturbed behaviours that are likely to result in harm to themselves or others. Across the sites, there will be an additional 96 staff.
I am pleased to say that plans for renovation and construction of Tier 1 services at Alice Springs Hospital and Royal Darwin Hospital are already well under way. The department is also working to identify appropriate sites for the Tier 2 facilities, as well as undertaking design work.
Mobile Child Protection Teams –
Failure due to Heavy Caseloads
Failure due to Heavy Caseloads
Ms PURICK to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
In the recent Coronial inquiry into the death of Kumanara Forbes, a teenage girl at Mutitjulu, evidence showed that the case worker responsible for that child was managing over 180 cases, and had only seen this child once in two years. Will you now admit that your failure to fill positions in the Mobile Child Protection Teams, a centrepiece of your government’s response to the Little Children are Sacred report, is failing to protect children from harm? Are you aware that due to very heavy caseloads, many cases involving reported child abuse are simply opened and closed at desktop with no further action taken?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Goyder. The case of the Coronial inquiry at Mutitjulu was a deeply disturbing incident. We await the outcome from the Coroner. To the family of the young woman in question, and to the community of Mutitjulu, on behalf of the Northern Territory government, I express our sincere condolences, as we did at the time and continue to do so in this particular case. There is no doubt that this is a horrifying case. It is one that makes many members on this side of the House and, indeed, this parliament, recognise the importance of the care and protection of our children across the Northern Territory.
It was this government that provided financial support in an area that was completely starved of money due to the desire, or unwillingness, of the opposition to ensure that the care and protection of our children was a priority. Our government has tripled the budget over the years. There is now $83m to support the care and protection of our children.
Members interjecting.
Ms McCARTHY: Listen to the answer, because this is an important question that has been raised.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms McCARTHY: Settle down, please. This is an important question. It goes to the heart of what our government is about. We care for the children of the Northern Territory. We have put in the resources right across the Northern Territory, for the Aboriginal family workers right across the Territory, for the Mobile Care Protection teams that are out there. Our government has seen reports, which includes the Pat Anderson Report of the Little Children are Sacred, and we have acted in a very responsible and effective manner. We have committed financially, something that your government never did.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms McCARTHY: The children of the Northern Territory welcome what we have done, and will continue to do today, Madam Speaker.
Territory Thunder – Progress in QAFL
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Can the minister please update the House on the success of the Territory Thunder in their debut season in the QAFL, and how has the Henderson government’s support helped make this season possible?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. I know he is an avid Carlton supporter but I will not hold that against him.
The official launch of the Northern Territory Thunder, attended by the Chief Minister, was held on Saturday, 28 March 2009 at the Darwin Convention Centre. During that event, the initial 45 member squad, representing players from across the Northern Territory, was announced, with all available players being presented with their NT Thunder guernseys.
The first game of the Thunder, which I attended along with our Chief Minister, and I acknowledge the presence of the Opposition Leader and the member for Drysdale, was at TIO Stadium in Darwin. What an exciting game it was, to hear the crowd chanting ‘Thunder, Thunder, Thunder’, and singing the anthem at the end of the game was fantastic. Over 4000 people were present at the game, as I said, along with the Chief Minister and other members of the Legislative Assembly. I had the fortunate experience of being in the change rooms at the end of the game, joining in the celebrations. It was a fantastic event and an historic one for us in the Territory. The Thunder came out on top in that game against the reigning premiers, the Southport Sharks, by 12 points. I am sure the home town advantage and the crowd support really got them over the line.
Last week, the team travelled to Brisbane and played the Brisbane Lions Reserves team who proved a force to be reckoned with, with a big loss to us during that game. However, the Thunder were out to prove themselves last Saturday, and they had a fantastic win over Mt Gravatt. They thrashed the Vultures by 138 points to 80, a great turnaround from the week before against the Brisbane Lions. I acknowledge Darryl White, a fantastic Territorian who, unfortunately, played for the Vultures and not for us. I am sure, maybe in the coming years, he might come back home and play for the Thunder.
Madam Speaker, the Territory government is proud to support the Territory Thunder team with $1m over the next few years. That is a fantastic contribution and money well spent. I congratulate the Thunder General Manager, Stuart Totham, who is doing a fantastic job; Coach, Michael ‘Magic’ McLean; and all the support staff and board members, not only in Darwin, but they have seven staff members in Alice Springs and they are putting in a big support effort there, and also in Queensland. They will be playing a few games in Queensland, so the support over there is vitally important. I am sure all members join with me in wishing the boys the best of luck for the rest of the season.
Youth Camps
Mr STYLES to MINISTER for CHILDREN and FAMILIES
The Territory has far too many teenagers heading for a life of crime and trouble. With the opposition arguing vigorously for boot camps to put these kids back on the straight and narrow, the government has opted for the softer youth camp option. It has now emerged that government has even retreated from one of the youth camp options, that is the Brahminy Group, which only recently received $150 000 funding for a program for six wayward youth. The Territory Juvenile Court, which is overflowing with youth, could only fill two of those six places. It would appear that this is a waste of money, a wasted opportunity, and is a farce. Why were not these six places filled?
ANSWER
Mr Tollner: For $150 000 you could have had a second case worker at Mutitjulu.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms McCARTHY: I believe the question was from the member for Sanderson, not the member for Fong Lim, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: That is correct. It was from the member for Sanderson.
Ms McCARTHY: Just checking. First, this government is absolutely committed to wanting to work with the youth of the Northern Territory, member for Sanderson. I point out to you that perhaps you may need some facts to go with your questions, and I am more than happy to provide that in a briefing for you.
I have been to Brahminy just recently, and I am certainly impressed with the work of Allan Brahminy and the team. This government recognises that what we need to do with our youth is look at these camps, like Brahminy, Balunu and the camps in Central Australia. We know, with the support of my colleagues, that we are working with these camps to help 11- to 18-year-olds who are at risk, or are demonstrating antisocial behaviour.
Since March 2008, 96 young people have attended a youth camp. Twenty-nine at Tangentyere; 57 at Balunu, 57; and 10 at Brahminy. The three camps have different service provisions. These range from a short nine-day cultural exchange in terms of healing, because we recognise …
Mr Giles interjecting.
Ms McCARTHY: Do not laugh, member for Braitling, you should know this. One the things we have recognised in my department is the need for the therapeutic care for these children who come from incredibly dysfunctional backgrounds. We know that. We know that with these camps we must have different criteria to support the children who come through so they do not enter the criminal system.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Standing Order 51, honourable members.
Ms McCARTHY: Obviously, the other side do not care about our youth, Madam Speaker. It is a shame that they do not want to listen to how good these programs are and the support on this side of the House in wanting to work with our young people.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was: why were the six places not filled? If the minister would like to provide the House with a ministerial statement, then I am sure we would all love to hear it. But we would like …
Members interjecting.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: … to direct the minister back to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat, member for Katherine. Minister, if you can answer the question as closely as possible to the one that is asked, but bear in mind there have been so many interruptions, it is very hard for you to answer the question.
Ms McCARTHY: It is very difficult to hear with so many interruptions, Madam Speaker. I will complete the question as soon as I am able, if the colleagues on the other side will allow me.
As I was explaining, the Department of Health and Families has appointed a Youth Camps Coordinator across Northern Territory government agencies to monitor these camps and the support for young people. A Youth Camps Referral Panel is being established in the Top End to streamline government and non-government referrals of young people to the youth camp program.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Even though I am very close to the member for Arnhem, the subliminal song coming from the member for Port Darwin - I have not worked out what it is, but I have been listening to it for a while - is very distracting and possibly you can get him to desist. He has a very fine voice but it is Question Time not singing time.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, you do actually have to seek leave to sing in this Chamber. Leave is not granted at this stage, if you would not mind. Minister, you have the call.
Ms McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, through these camps, it is a way of streamlining to ensure the needs of the young people are appropriately cared for. I am more than willing to provide further information to the member for Sanderson at a later date.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! As much as we want to listen to the diatribe on how wonderfully her department is doing and how much they care for children
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim …
Mr TOLLNER: Hang on, let me finish this point of order, please. The question was: why were those six places not filled?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Exactly what standing order …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seats. Order! Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. I understand that the minister has already sat down and has completed her answer. Is that correct, minister?
Ms McCARTHY: Yes, that is correct.
Nation Building and Jobs Plan –
Housing Benefits
Housing Benefits
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HOUSING
The Territory has received more than $11m to improve housing under the Australian government’s Nation Building and Jobs Plan. How is the funding benefiting Territory jobs and Territory families?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. It is very prudent on a day like today, leading up to the Budget, to talk about the stimulus package and the economic crisis. The Treasurer alluded to an Access Economics’ report which painted a fairly bleak picture of the future, certainly for our economy and other economies around the world. Everyone would be aware of the Rudd stimulus package - $42bn being spent over five years - a package to stimulate the economy, to ride us through this economic crisis we are going to face, and a worldwide recession that has not been seen for a generation.
Of that $42bn, $6.4bn was allocated to social housing – much needed in that sector - and indicative figures of 20 000 new homes to be built and 2500 refurbishments to be done right across the nation. A per capita allocation for the Territory came in at around $64m. The idea of that money is not only to stimulate the economy, create jobs and keep people in work and support families, but also to support that sector. It was very sad, on the passage of that legislation, and in this House, that the Country Liberals, or the Liberals, supported their mates in Canberra in blocking this. It was quite disgusting.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: The first allocation was in March of $4.1m, which was for quick fixes and for upgrades. That work is happening on 136 properties across the Northern Territory. Work is well under way with those contracts. There are properties being upgraded across the Territory. $2.35m has been allocated to upgrade 47 vacant properties at the moment. That is occurring in Palmerston, Darwin, Casuarina, Katherine – right across the Territory. Forty-three properties in Darwin and Alice Springs will have solar hot water upgrades installed; and 46 new roofs will be installed in Darwin.
The second phase of the stimulus package for the social housing was $7.1m to be allocated for building new homes. We have budgeted for 20 new homes to be built as part of that Stage 1 package. Tenders are now out to build houses in Alice Springs and Darwin, and opportunities will exist for Territory businesses to build those new homes.
Investment in housing construction creates jobs, and that is the whole idea of the stimulus package for those roofers, cabinetmakers, welders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, concreters, all those contractors. They have families. They have shopping centres they go to, and so that money will get right into the Territory economy and protect jobs. It is only the Labor governments, both federally and Territory, which are focused on maintaining jobs and stimulating this economy in very bleak economic times.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I seek a point of clarification. During Question Time, the Minister for Business, in answering a question in relation to the Darwin Business Park, tabled a document. He spoke at length about $200m-worth of private investment into the Darwin Business Park. I asked for a copy of the document he tabled. The document that I have received has only $126.7m of investment on it. I am curious, minister, whether there is a second page that is missing or …
Mr Elferink: Or whether it is the way you do your sums.
Mr TOLLNER: I feel minister, that you …
Madam SPEAKER: This is not Question Time any more.
Mr TOLLNER: No, I am just seeking a point of clarification, Madam Speaker, as to whether I am missing a page.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the list is by no means exclusive. I encourage the member for Fong Lim to go to the business park and have a look around that area. These are the highlights. Any warehouse down there is going to cost you $0.75m. So multiply it by three – there, you have it.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, resume your seat. Order, order!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016