2016-06-27
CLP Government – Chief Minister’s Term
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
You have led the worst, most scandal-plagued government in Territory history. Four CLP MLAs have ditched your party for independence. You have had 16 reshuffles and eight Deputy Chief Ministers. In today’s media a poll has you rated as the worst Chief Minister in Territory history. Will you now concede that your decision to stab Terry Mills in the back to become Chief Minister has been an unmitigated disaster for the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what a great ride it has been. We have seen petrol prices come down to the lowest level in Australia, and house prices have come down. They were at the highest level in Australia and are now about third-highest. We have a diversified economic plan for the Territory’s future that does not just have one shot in the locker, like what Labor left us.
When we came to government on 25 August 2012, cost of living was at an all-time high in the Northern Territory. We had a one-shot-in-the-locker economy with INPEX, and nothing other than Commonwealth money being spent. We now have a diversified economy which looks at a range of areas for job growth in the Territory. It is a plan for the NT’s future which focuses on energy, mining, tourism, Defence and international education.
Only one side of this Chamber has a plan for the Territory’s future. But this is an opportunity for us to look at what is being offered from the other side of the Chamber.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110; it was a very direct question. Chief Minister, will you now concede your decision to stab Terry Mills in the back to become Chief Minister was unmitigated?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: I think it is very important that there is a bit of self-reflection by the Labor Party. What is Labor’s plan for economic growth? We know Labor is opposed to the gas, mining and horticulture industries. Labor is opposed to every major development in the Territory.
I challenge Labor to name one development that it supports. Let us look at Bayview part three, a big economic generator in the Northern Territory, creating more housing and jobs. It is next to the other stages of Bayview. It comes off Tiger Brennan Drive. When Labor did the planning for Bayview’s next stage, the intersection was put into Tiger Brennan Drive. That is how much foresight has gone into this.
It is really important that Labor self-reflects on what its plan is going forward. It does not have an economic plan or a plan for job creation, as opposed to this side of the Chamber, which already has successes.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110; with 30 seconds to go, will you answer the question? The Northern Territory News today says you are the worst Chief Minister in the Territory’s history.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down; that is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: There is only one party, one team, which has a plan for the Northern Territory. We have a plan to build and protect the Territory’s lifestyle. We have a plan to build our economy and jobs. As they say, ‘Giles for jobs; Giles for lifestyle.’
Election
MR KURRUPUWU to CHIEF MINISTER
Territorians face a choice in August, a choice with profound implications for the future of the Territory. Can the Chief Minister outline to Territorians how the government intends to meet the challenges facing our Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question and his time on the Tiwi Islands on Friday for the unveiling of the statue of Matthias Ulungura, the first Australian ever to capture a prisoner of war. In February 1942 a Japanese pilot who was dropping bombs on Darwin crashed on the Tiwis. Matthias, an unarmed man, captured the pilot and he became the first prisoner of war.
It was a great opportunity to dedicate part of Australia’s history to the Tiwi Islanders, but that is just part of what we do. We engage with Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, from a tourism perspective, respecting the social and cultural diversification, and giving back. We engage from an economic point of view, with business development and employment growth. One need only look at the procurement principles this government put in place to see how many more Aboriginal Territorians are now in jobs in the private sector as a result of that, and how many are in the public service in the Northern Territory as a result of our employment principles within the public service.
When we come to the election on 27 August 2016, there will be a clear choice – a fork in the road. The choice will be whether people want to head in the direction the Country Liberal government is going now, with economic diversification and plans for economic growth, jobs, protecting the Territory lifestyle and protecting environmental and sports infrastructure in the Northern Territory, or go down the old way of Labor. Do you want to go down the path where unions control the Northern Territory and where Labor was giving government assets to union mates for free? Do Territorians really want to go down the path of high debt and deficit, no economic approach and having no job growth in the private sector?
I give this point as an example. Soon 8000 will no longer be working at INPEX because the project is finished. We have a plan to work in a highly-regulated onshore gas industry. We will create 8000 jobs for these INPEX workers. Labor has said, ‘Sack the 8000 workers; do not give them a job.’ What about those families? What about the husbands, wives and kids of those families? We will give economic security to those families who work in INPEX to continue to work in the gas industry in the Northern Territory because we have a plan for the Northern Territory’s future. Territorians will make the choice.
Population
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
Last Thursday the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed that the Territory now has the lowest population growth in the nation, at 0.3%. It also confirmed that we lost 8348 more people interstate than we gained from 2013 to 2015. Territorians cannot trust you to grow our population, attract more people here and keep those we already have. Is this not why Territorians cannot afford four more years of your dysfunctional government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this comes from an Opposition Leader who does not have a plan to grow the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory population did increase in the last 12 months; that is a fact. Some other statistics for the NT include having the highest growth rate in the nation, 10.5% over the last 12 months; the lowest unemployment rate in the nation; and the highest labour force participation rate in the nation. Things are going well from an economic point of view.
The fork in the road comes on 27 August, when Territorians have the opportunity to choose. Do we want continued job growth? Do we want economic diversification? Do we want to follow the Country Liberals’ plan to invest in jobs and lifestyle, or do they want to go back to Labor?
Mr Gunner: Chaos and dysfunction.
Mr GILES: I will address the interjection about chaos? Has it been the prettiest? Absolutely not. Has it been results-driven? Absolutely. Have we delivered in every portfolio? Absolutely.
In eleven-and-a-half years they could not build a Palmerston hospital. They could not reduce petrol prices. They could not solve the housing problem. It is being solved right now. They could not solve Indigenous employment or housing issues. They are being solved now.
In eleven-and-a-half years they killed the live cattle trade. We re-established it. At every corner you turn to we have fixed your mess, diversified, and are going ahead.
Have we worked hard to diversify the plan even more? Absolutely. If you want to talk about population, let us look at the people who continue to talk the Northern Territory down. The people on the other side of the Chamber, Labor, continue to talk the Territory down every day. It is about time you stood up for the Northern Territory and started talking the place up. It is the best place in all of Australia to live. Whether it is the lifestyle or your job, whatever it may be.
I go back to that point. On 27 August this year Territorians will have a choice. The choice will be between economic diversification, jobs, lifestyle and Labor union mates, and the Labor dismay and dysfunction that we suffered for eleven-and-a-half years in the Northern Territory.
Economic Prospects
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to CHIEF MINISTER
Our economy is facing the headwinds of a slowdown in our national economy, and now additional global uncertainly as the UK exits the European Union. Can the Chief Minister reassure Territorians that the government has the plans and the vision to guide the Territory through these uncertain times?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a chance for me to talk about our plan. Our economy is heading in the right direction, but there are headwinds coming toward us. The 8000 who will be sacked at the end of the construction phase from INPEX – I ask the opposition members what their plan is for those 8000 jobs? There is not one thing in their policy philosophy that will get jobs for those 8000 people.
We need to make sure we have plans, whether that is in the gas, mining, horticulture industries or otherwise. We have worked very hard on making sure we have a plan.
Ms Fyles interjecting.
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr GILES: I can hear the member for Karama interjecting, just like the member for Nightcliff; they love to scream across the Chamber. If they were polite, they would let an answer be given. But this is the member for Karama, the ex-Deputy Chief Minister for Labor, who had to leave because she was disgraced after giving a government asset to her union mates.
This is the highest-ranking person who ever served under the former Labor government, who oversaw the highest increase in fuel, house and rent prices.
I go back to my point; on 27 August 2016 there is a choice for Territorians. Do you support a strong economy, strong investment in lifestyle, lower crime rates and lower petrol and rent prices? That is the choice Territorians have. If Territorians want to go back to thuggery and unions controlling everything – Labor taking government assets and giving them to union mates – they can do that.
Have we had our foot down hard in the last four years? Absolutely. Fixing Power and Water messes …
Ms Manison interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Wanguri!
Ms Fyles: Matt is here; how was your lunch?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, withdraw that comment.
Ms FYLES: I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is the last Question Time before the NT election, but I ask you to show some decorum and courtesy when questions are being asked and answered.
Mr GILES: From 2008 to 2012 Labor put electricity prices up by 31%. Since we have been in government they have gone up by 25%. Your un-costed solar policy will see electricity prices go up a minimum 400% under Labor. It is completely true; it is independently assessed by international firm, Aurecon. Laugh it off as much as you want; you made an announcement and did not cost it. We have costed it; you will put the prices up 400%.
Budget 2016-17 – Infrastructure
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
If re-elected you plan to cut infrastructure by $500m next year. This was confirmed in estimates. This will result in 2000 fewer jobs for Territorians, and it comes at the very time that INPEX construction is winding up and the already weak economy is losing jobs across the Northern Territory. Territorians cannot trust you to invest in infrastructure and jobs. Is this not why, Chief Minister, Territorians cannot afford four more years of your scandal-plagued government?
ANSWER
Leader of the Opposition, I know you do not know how to read budgets and do not understand employment. This is a man who has never had a job in his life and wants to become the Chief Minister and Treasurer, and run an economy. He cannot even read budget books.
Mr Gunner: Are you disagreeing with your Treasurer? Your Treasurer lied in estimates!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fannie Bay, please withdraw that comment.
Mr GUNNER: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Mr GILES: If he cannot control his comments in the Chamber, how on earth can he control a government? He cannot even get a job in the private sector, outside of working for a union. He wants to run the Territory and has never had a job. Let me tell you how the budget works.
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: I know why all of your colleagues are jumping up and down. They are all union people who have never had a job either.
Let me get to the point, the budget next year will outline the infrastructure spend. The budget this year is $1.7bn. It has only ever been outspent once before; it was $1.8bn at the time of the global recession when Kevin Rudd put all that extra money in. This year there is $1.7bn and next year it will be stimulated again, and the year after, and we will continue to see infrastructure growth.
You cannot talk about next year’s infrastructure budget because we have not put the budget out for next year. It is pretty simple, Leader of the Opposition. I know it is difficult for you to understand. Perhaps you could get somebody who has had a job outside of unions and the Labor Party to be in charge of the Treasury role - someone who might understand how things work in normal life.
We have a budget of $1.7bn for infrastructure. When we issue our budget next year you will know exactly what our infrastructure spend will be next year.
It is great that you have allowed us to talk about our $1.7bn budget, because, of that, $545m will go into roads and bridges across the Northern Territory, opening it up, connecting people, communities and business. It is a great infrastructure spend.
Let us look at how much money will go on Tiger Brennan Drive, the $64m going into Royal Darwin Hospital and the $200m going into Palmerston hospital. It is a great infrastructure budget. It is about improving services, increasing jobs and building the Territory for the future.
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, this is all about the plan the Country Liberals have for the Northern Territory.
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: I have to say, the lack decorum in this Chamber is embarrassing.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Budget 2016-17 – Infrastructure
Budget 2016-17 – Infrastructure
Mr GUNNER to CHIEF MINISTER
The Chief Minister has just denied the cuts they plan for infrastructure, yet the Treasurer confirmed in estimates – Budget Paper No 2, page 86, the row headed ‘purchase of non-financial assets’ – the cuts they intend in cash to infrastructure of $500m, which means you will cut the cash for capital works. This is your path to return to fiscal surplus that you are projecting in your budget books. It flags the cash cuts and a loss of 2000 jobs. Why should Territorians trust you to deliver jobs when you will be cutting 2000 of them by cutting infrastructure spending, which is in your own budget books, and has been confirmed by the Treasurer?
ANSWER
Here you go, misleading again! When the next year’s budget comes out you will know how much we are spending. It is the same as this year. Last year you did not know how much we were spending this year, and next year you will find out how much we are spending next year.
Anyone who knows how to manage things would understand that.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. The Chief Minister is saying none of the projections in their budget books can be trusted.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, it is plain and simple. Next year’s budget will outline what next year’s budget is. This year’s budget does not outline next year’s budget. It is quite simple. You do not need to go too far.
Leader of the Opposition, you have 10 weeks between now and the end of August. I suggest you get a job in the real world and understand how things really work – something outside the unions and the Labor Party. You might understand how normal people live and see what matters to people with their normal cost-of-living expenses. Your questions today have been disgraceful.
Territory Housing Body Corporate Contracts – Altitude Management
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for HOUSING
I wrote to you in November 2015 and have been waiting for a response. I asked whether you were aware that Altitude Management is owned and managed by Alicia Tollner. When was Altitude Management provided with body corporate contracts by the Department of Housing? How many body corporate contracts exist? Did those body corporate contracts go out to competitive tender?
This came to my attention as the member for Karama as a housing body corporate complex in Malak has seen exorbitant increases in body corporate fees since Altitude Management took over. How many body corporate contracts have gone to Alicia Tollner’s company, Altitude Management, across Territory Housing complexes, and what has been the increase?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. The answer is none.
Mr Tollner: You are a grub.
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw, member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: What?
Madam SPEAKER: What you just said. I will not tolerate that language on the last day.
Mr TOLLNER: I withdraw.
Teaching and Support Staff Numbers
Ms MANISON to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Estimates confirmed that over the last four years you have cut hundreds of teachers and support staff from the Territory education system, and your results have been lumpy at best. You also confirmed that attendance efforts are failing. Estimates also revealed that you have decided to merge middle and senior schools in Palmerston and Alice Springs without consulting with the parents and the community. Is this not why Territorians cannot trust you with education when, over the last four years, we have seen big cuts to funds, teachers and support staffs in schools?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is interesting what was raised in estimates over the last week. It was a pleasure to go through estimates with the opposition, but they have a different view to what we see with our results on this side of the Chamber.
We took a bloated education system in the Northern Territory that was not getting the results we are getting today and we turned it around. Today we have an effective education system. Prior to the last federal election the then Labor government cut $272.5m from the Northern Territory’s education budget. Why? Because we did not sign up to Gonski.
It was not until the election of the Coalition government, which secured that money, with our relationship with the then minister, Christopher Pyne, on top of additional money we had to rebuild education in the Northern Territory – for the record, it was the former federal Labor government which cut $272m from the budget. The Coalition government reinstated that money.
Recently it came to my attention that the opposition wants to overturn something we have been working damn hard on, which is remote Indigenous education. Quite frankly, no government should be proud of some of the results in some of our communities, so we have worked damn hard to find out what works and what does not, and focus our valuable resources – we are talking taxpayers’ money – on what works.
There is another $34.8m that this government secured from the federal government to help with our endeavour to improve remote Indigenous education. If you overturn and change what we are doing in that area, you put at risk another $34.8m. If we have a Labor government in the NT after August this year, that is another $34.8m they will walk away from because they want to move the goal posts.
If you want to talk about who is taking what from education, let us look at NT and federal Labor. They are talking about the Gonski model of funding – there was no big money in Gonski because it was not about a quantum of money; it was a model of funding. Where was the big money? In the fifth and sixth years …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Home Improvement Scheme
Mr CONLAN to MINISTER for BUSINESS
The CLP government’s $20m Home Improvement Scheme has already generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in work for Territory tradies. It is pretty easy to say it has been a tremendous success in the short time it has been operational. Amazingly, the Opposition Leader wants to see this scheme scrapped. Can the minister please explain how well the Home Improvement Scheme is working for tradies right across the Northern Territory and why Labor’s plan to scrap the scheme is foolhardy and ludicrous.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Giles government members are some of the few people around here who have a plan, unlike the Labor Party.
Let us look at what the Opposition Leader would like to scrap. Nine-hundred-and-forty-three tradies have applied to register, 560 homeowner applications have been received so far and 135 vouchers have been processed for approval, heading towards millions of dollars. The total work value created through these approved vouchers is $710 000. The total work value applied for is $2.73m; that is over half of what the Leader of the Opposition wants to spend on his scheme when he scraps this one.
We are not even at the proposed start date; we brought it forward. We still have another week to go before we intended it to start and we have nearly spent and leveraged over half the money. It is working for small businesses. These are mum and dad businesses; these are sparkies, tilers, painters – the people who need cash flow.
Some of the things the Leader of the Opposition has announced have killed jobs in the Northern Territory. We are about creating jobs. The increase to small-scale home improvements and maintenance activities will keep work flowing for construction-related small businesses. The Opposition Leader wants to axe this scheme.
Under our plan, 10 000 homeowner-occupiers, including first home buyers, will have access to this. Under Labor’s idea only 500 first home buyers would receive the support of the renovations. That is $5m versus $20m. We want to put $20m out there for small businesses; the Leader of the Opposition wants to put out $5m.
This is about basic mathematics; 10 000 clients will clearly reap greater benefits for tradies than 500, and the leverage from this will be anything up to $200m. We estimate that at the minimum $67m will be leveraged out of this, unlike the Leader of the Opposition’s $5m and no leverage.
The Opposition Leader simply wants to scrap it, without even looking at the benefits. He would destroy the positive momentum that was created, disappoint thousands of Territory homeowners and take away work from small businesses and tradies. The Opposition Leader’s disregard for small business is a little surprise – I am not surprised; he did not even care to turn up for estimates last week on the most important day of business to ask one question of his alleged portfolio.
He complains about Buy Local and procurement. He forgot to put Business on his shadow ministry list and could not be bothered turning up for the Business portfolio in estimates, as he did for Police, Fire and Emergency Services.
I have one clear message. The Giles government has a plan for jobs and lifestyle. One thing you can be sure of is that the Leader of the Opposition is gunner be bad for business.
Palmerston Regional Hospital – Opening
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for HEALTH
Estimates confirmed that you and your Chief Minister are still completely at odds over the opening of the Palmerston Regional Hospital. The Top End Health Service told the Public Accounts Committee that patients would be seen in May 2018, and the Chief Minister told the Estimates Committee that the Palmerston hospital will open in September 2018. One of you has it wrong. Is this not why the people of Palmerston and the rural area cannot trust you to deliver this hospital?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, somebody certainly has it wrong and it is the shadow minister for Health. May 2018 is the milestone that will be met. I am more than comfortable to talk about the Palmerston hospital. I want honourable members to remember for one second what the Palmerston hospital looked like under this lot: a vacant lot with a fence around it for which we were spending $300 000 of taxpayers’ money every year …
Mr Styles: For the fence.
Mr ELFERINK: For the fence and to rent the vehicles that were not moving on it.
Contrast that to the current environment. The Chief Minister, when he asked me to become the Health minister, said, ‘John, one of the things I want you to do is get the Palmerston hospital happening’.
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: I will pick up on that interjection, ‘dig a hole’. Absolutely we dug a hole. We then dug another 210 holes and filled them all in, but because of work safety practices, not a single person has been injured.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Was that before or after the midnight coup when you tried to roll him?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I asked the Table Office, in anticipation of this very predictable question, to supply me with the photographs I tabled last week. That is the Palmerston hospital second floor going up. That is the Palmerston hospital’s full foundations.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110. Whilst we appreciate the show-and-tell from the Health minister, is he right in his date of May 2018, or is the Chief Minister right in his date of September 2018? Will the Health minister advise if the Chief Minister was wrong with his date?
Mr ELFERINK: Clearly you do not listen to the answers. I already answered that.
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I wonder if I can table a photo of the hospital for the Opposition Leader built when Labor was in government.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan!
Mr Chandler: I am sorry, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not good enough. You are on a warning.
Mr ELFERINK: That is the size of the pad of the hospital. To move on, that is the reinforcing of the concrete on the second floor. You will notice the safety verges; Lendlease is very interested in safety.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. It was a very specific question. Two ministers, two different dates – which is the correct date? Is this not why can the people of Palmerston cannot trust this government.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you can get to the point.
Mr ELFERINK: Once we take the honourable members through it they will understand we are meeting all the milestones in the agreement. This picture shows the concrete on the second floor, which has been poured. You will notice that people are working on the second floor of the hospital.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please pause. This is not a show-and-tell. I suggest you put your photos down and answer the question. If you have answered the question then sit down.
Mr Tollner: Oh, come on!
Madam SPEAKER: Have you got a problem, member for Fong Lim? What is your point of order?
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, I would like to comment on your ruling if that is okay.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I believe the member for Fong Lim was reflecting on the Chair.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister for Health, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: I know they do not like the answer to this question because there is a real building being built, which will be receiving patients in …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110. With one minute left to go, will the minister answer the question? Who is correct? Is the Minister for Health correct, or is the Chief Minister correct? We have two different dates for one hospital.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: You have your answer. Listen to …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We do not believe we had heard the answer.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Minister, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: I look to you for some protection, Madam Speaker. There have been at least 10 points of order in the last 30 seconds.
Madam SPEAKER: That is fine, member for Port Darwin. Get on with the answer.
Mr ELFERINK: I seek your protection, Madam Speaker. I would like to answer the question but unfortunately so many of the people opposite do not like the answer to a question even when they ask it.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Is it a different point of order?
Ms FYLES: It is a general point of order. The minister has not answered the question.
Madam SPEAKER: No. Please be seated. Minister you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: If you had listened you would have realised that in the first couple of seconds I answered the question. We will meet the milestones as agreed with the Commonwealth – May 2018.
Gonski Funding
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Can the minister please update the House on why the Country Liberal government has made the right decision by not signing up for Gonski?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, both Territory Labor and the federal Labor opposition have backed the wrong education reforms with their unrelenting comments on the so-called Gonski funding model. David Gonski himself will not endorse Labor’s federal funding promises. He clearly states that it was a needs-based funding model that he pushed for, which is what we already had in the Northern Territory.
Mr Gonski was clear; he never outlined a Gonski figure for a quantum amount of funding that would guarantee …
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: They do not want to listen to the answer. They can keep talking all they like, it seems.
David Gonski pushed for a needs-based funding model, not an unlimited bucket of money. This government has implemented a needs-based funding model which was developed by one of the most experienced academics in the field, in Australia. The Gonski model offered by the federal government would not have worked for the Northern Territory. The funding was not flexible and was tied to reporting regimes.
This government has fought to free Territory schools from excessive central control and give them the flexibility to best reflect the needs of the communities. Western Australia and Queensland also did not sign. When we lost the $272m when we did not sign up to Gonski, both the WA and Queensland governments lost a considerable amount more.
Through successive negotiations with my colleagues, the Coalition government in Canberra, the NT has been provided Students First funding, with an additional $272m over and above what was expected under the Gonski model. The Labor opposition and its union mates want to forget about the hard-working remote Territory independent schools and the vital role they play in education in remote schools.
Under this government Territory students have achieved their best results ever. A CLP government will continue to focus on what works. We are fiscally responsible and recognise that spending more money on education does not equal better outcomes for students. The Country Liberals and the Coalition have it right.
Let us look at what we are doing, which works. There is a strong alternative to the Gonski funding model, and we have it in the Northern Territory. While all schools deserve adequate funding equally, education experts outline that it is equally important to ensure all schools have effective and committed teachers, a rigorous curriculum, a disciplined classroom environment and a school culture that promises high expectations.
With this in mind, Territory Labor and its federal counterparts still commit to the Gonski mantra. I have said before that in the first four years of the Gonski model there were mild increases in funding, but in years five and six – where was this money coming and what services would be cut from other industries to find it? Bazinga. They cannot commit to this money because they do not have it.
Housing – Remote
Ms MOSS to MINISTER for HOUSING
In estimates you confirmed that the CLP government will not put a single dollar of Territory funding into remote housing. This means Indigenous Territorians will remain homeless in their thousands while you ignore their housing needs. Why would Indigenous Territorians trust you with their future when you will not put money into the most fundamental need of housing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for asking that question. This government is committed to delivering on remote housing. I know best because I live in the bush.
Ms Walker: So do I.
Mrs PRICE: I know you do, but I know because my people live in this horrendous situation where there is homelessness and overcrowding, and housing is a big issue. Labor, in its 11 years, did nothing. In 2011 they built one public housing dwelling in Tennant Creek. What does that tell you? They overlooked Elliott; they overlooked Kakarindji …
Ms Lawrie: You are too!
Mrs PRICE: You have not even been to Elliott. Go and see what is being done at Elliott.
Ms Lawrie: I have been to Elliott heaps of times.
Mrs PRICE: We are doing everything for remote housing. If they went out of their way outside of election times to speak to people on the ground they would find that we are delivering remote housing. We have delivered in Docker River, Mount Liebig, Warlpiri and Elliott, and we are delivering in Galiwinku …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. Could the minister please give us one example of Territory government funding, a single dollar, going into remote housing.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mrs PRICE: We are delivering for the bush. There are 80 houses to be built in Galiwinku. That is new housing going in without their input. In the 11 years they governed the Northern Territory no new houses were built - one house in Tennant Creek, and houses with only one bedroom.
So far we have built 60 houses across the Territory: seven new houses in Warruwi; 14 new houses in Minjilang; 13 new houses in Milikapiti; and 26 new houses in Galiwinku. This Adam Giles Country Liberal government has, so far, built 478 new houses.
Ms MOSS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: the question was about the amount of Territory money being put into the most fundamental need of housing in remote areas.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Casuarina.
Mrs PRICE: Why did the member for Casuarina not ask me that question during estimates?
Ms Moss: I did.
Mrs PRICE: We are building new houses right now in remote areas. We have built 14 new houses at Minjilang; 13 new houses at Milikapiti; 26 new houses in Galiwinku …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. Minister, in estimates you confirmed that the CLP government will not put a single dollar into Territory funding in remote houses. We have asked you for examples of where it has and you cannot give us any.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mrs PRICE: This government is committed to building new houses in remote communities. We have listened to people in remote communities who have talked to us about how housing is important. I have heard from people from Kalkarindji, Daguragu, Yarralin, Timber Creek, Amanbidji, Elliott, Papunya, Mount Liebig and Kintore. We are listening to their voices. I have been to these communities and heard them.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Labor Policy on Power
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE to TREASURER
Budget estimates are usually an opportunity for the opposition to examine the government and put it on trial, so to speak – to find out the nuts and bolts of the budget and try to score some political hits. I watched estimates carefully and the opposition failed dismally in its duty to the Northern Territory, through sheer incompetence I daresay. I hope they never become ministers because they were hopeless shadow ministers.
The greatest revelation to come out of estimates was the effect the opposition’s policy will have on power prices for Northern Territorians. Will the Treasurer please outline the Labor budget reply policy to have 50% renewables by 2030 and how that will increase power prices to Territorians by 400%.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for the question. Of course that was not the Opposition Leader’s idea; it has come from Bill Shorten, who wants to increase Australia’s renewables to 50% by 2030. It is a straight copy from that.
Up until last week it was an election commitment that Labor would introduce 50% of renewables by 2030 in the Northern Territory. Then last week we had budget estimates, which demonstrated that Territory Generation, backed by internationally-respected firm Aurecon, did some independent modelling on the cost of supplying renewables in Alice Springs. They found, lo and behold, there would be $1.5bn to $2bn worth of infrastructure costs, which would increase power prices in the Northern Territory by 345%. That is in Alice Springs, where the sun shines most of the year. T-Gen said there would probably be a week with cloud cover so they would need a week of storage.
Labor’s plan is to do this across the Northern Territory, including Darwin, so the estimate of a 400% power price increase in the Top End is probably light on given we have longer periods of cloud cover. It is anybody’s guess what Labor will hike the price to.
Last week after this was pointed out Labor said, ‘Hang on! It is not a commitment; it is only an aspiration.’ Now we are making election aspirations. We are no longer in the business of election commitments.
Labor is continually peddling the line that a Country Liberal government will sell the Power and Water Corporation. That is another case of copying electricity Bill Shorten. He said the federal government will privatise Medicare. That has been proved to be a lie. The federal Coalition has no intentions of privatising Medicare and the Country Liberal government has no intention whatsoever of privatising the Power and Water Corporation. We can rule that out.
The election of a Labor government will see massive increases in the price of electricity in the Northern Territory.
Aquifers in the Darwin Rural Area
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Following your response to water issues I raised during the Estimates Committee hearings, could you please give an update on the situation in relation to the aquifers in the Darwin rural area, and government’s response to those residents who are concerned they could run out of water by November? I have had a number of queries in relation to this over the weekend.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, following estimates I arranged for a briefing for you and the member for Nelson. The Darwin rural area has had concurrent poor Wet Seasons. Water Resources has 96 monitoring bores in the rural, which they assess at the end of each Wet Season to see how things are travelling. The monitoring is used to assess and report on the groundwater levels and the recharge responses, and to predict levels for the end of the Dry Season. The aquifers underlying the Darwin region have very limited storage capacity, which means they are impacted greatly by poor Wet Seasons.
The levels of the aquifers this year, at the end of the Wet Season, were lower than recorded any time in the last 10 years. Based on this, Water Resources feels that areas that are greatly vulnerable include Howard Springs, Girraween, McMinns Lagoon, Herbert, Lambells Lagoon and Berry Springs. When I received that report I asked the department to investigate the impact of this on people. The department came up with about seven-hundred-and-something bores – I do not have the exact figure here – out of 3500 bores in the rural area that have potential to experience problems by the end of October.
What we have done, and plan on doing in the future, is advertising – which we did last weekend – that highlights the areas that could be affected. People in those areas are being encouraged to contact Water Resources and get information specific to their individual bores. People need to get to know their bore, how it functions and how reliable it could be.
We are trying to educate people about the amount of water they are using. People living on five acres of tropical garden should be encouraged to cut down on their water usage. We are also monitoring the projected usage, and at the end of each month we will put ads in the paper to show the current level of the aquifer, the current usage, the estimated level at the end of October, and we will state that this is the lowest level the aquifer has been at over that period. People need to organise alternative water sources after they have seen resource management.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Health Infrastructure
Mrs FINOCCHIARO to MINISTER for HEALTH
Since coming to government in 2012 the CLP government has worked diligently to improve health outcomes for all Territorians by upgrading and developing health infrastructure. Can you highlight what this government has done over the last four years and its vision for the future? Please, minister, for the sake of the people of Palmerston, make sure you reiterate how wonderfully the Palmerston hospital is coming along. I would love to hear it again.
ANSWER
Madam speaker, the Giles Country Liberal government has a plan for health. That is what we must have; we also have to show true imagination in this space, and that is what we have done. For this reason we are now at the expression of interest process so we can have improved car park facilities at the Royal Darwin Hospital, and cognitive care facilities.
That is on top of a $64m spend across the Royal Darwin Hospital to see a paediatrics ward upgrade and additions to the negative isolation pressure rooms, new allied health clinics, refurbishments to outpatient clinics, new eye clinics and front entrance and foyer repairs worth $13.6m.
It is a total of $64m worth of work, but, moreover, it would be better if you could leverage money out of the private sector and things like the NDIS, which is precisely the positioning of the Health department of the Northern Territory. It is now in a much better position not only to be able to improve its service, but to ask other organisations to engage in helping to improve those services. It is for that reason the Giles Country Liberal government plan includes a capacity for remote regional clinics to be able to adopt their own work, being owned and run by people who live in remote areas.
This is very important because local ownership of those remote health clinics …
Ms Walker: That you have not even built – that were revoted works under Labor.
Mr ELFERINK: … will enable people to put together health outcomes for themselves. I hear the member for Nhulunbuy complaining, but she will never criticise Miwatj; she will criticise the Northern Territory government for having a plan which is partially modelled on what Miwatj is doing. Talk about being duplicitous in her approach and having double standards in relation to Aboriginal health in the bush.
We have also made a commitment of $186m to the core clinical system. We, unfortunately, inherited something that was abandoned by the formal Labor government because they had no plan. They allowed a patchwork of computer systems to continue serving the people of the Northern Territory in an increasingly less reliable way. We have bitten the bullet and will spend an enormous amount of money fixing the damage left by Labor in this particular area.
We show imagination, skill and depth. We have the courage to do different things, and as a result we do things like building the Palmerston hospital. That is the difference. They say they will and we say we will do. I ask Territorians to ask themselves who has the better plan? The Giles Country Liberal government has the better plan.
Domestic Violence Services – Transfer to Office of Women’s Policy
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT and COMMUNITY SERVICES
In estimates last week your department was unable to say whhich functions, positions and budget was being transferred to the Office of Women’s Policy from other government agencies to coordinate and operate domestic violence services across the Northern Territory. Are you now able to provide the House with the answer, given that as of Friday your department will be responsible for all domestic violence services across the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for asking about domestic violence, a very important issue that surrounds women.
The Northern Territory government has become a leader in this nation in addressing domestic and family violence by introducing a range of successful measures with multimillion-dollar funding to match. The government’s Safety is Everyone’s Right strategy aims to increase the safety of victims and their children, reduce the rates of intergenerational trauma, increase the accountability of perpetrators and establish integrated service delivery systems.
My government has committed $12m over the life of the Safety is Everyone’s Right strategy, with the federal government providing $6m over two years. We have made progress in the battle against this insidious blight on our society, but because much more needs to be done, we all need to be working much harder.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. It was a very specific question. I understand what the minister is saying. I have heard that before. It asked a very specific question. The domestic violence directorate from the Attorney-General’s department is transferring to the Office of Women’s Policy as of Friday this week. The minister was asked this question in estimates. We thought she would have the answer today. What exactly will her agency be doing with functions, positions and budget, and what will it be responsible for as of this Friday? Surely she has an answer to this?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Nhulunbuy. Minister, you have the call.
Mrs PRICE: I am happy to give the member for Nhulunbuy and the other members across the floor a briefing. If they have time for a briefing, I am happy to give them a briefing.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. The minister should know the portfolio she is responsible for. We are not asking for a briefing; we are asking for an answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mrs PRICE: I will not say anymore with this rubbish that is coming across from the other side. I am happy to give them a briefing when I am ready, Madam Speaker.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 32: offensive. The minister’s response that this is rubbish is offensive and she should withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
CLP Vision for the Northern Territory
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE to CHIEF MINISTER
It has been a huge four years for the Northern Territory. It has taken a government with an enormous amount of vision and drive to take us to where we are today. I must congratulate you as Chief Minister on all the work you have done, along with your team, to get us to where we are, out of the mire that was left by the opposition after the eleven-and-a-half years it had in government.
Would you please tell the House what your vision is for the Northern Territory for the next four years and beyond?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. It goes to the heart of everything we are doing. Since I became Chief Minister we have been working hard to do two things. The most important was building an economic plan for the Northern Territory, making sure we have a plan to retain and build the Territory lifestyle.
It is important to ensure we erode the Berrimah line so we become one Northern Territory rather than two divided Territories – the top half and the bottom half. We have also been working to bridge the divide between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Northern Territory. The divide between regional and remote, urban or otherwise has been a great challenge, and it has generated a great sense of despair for all Territorians. It is reflected in the statistics of disadvantage.
Working to remove the Berrimah line and build the bridge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Northern Territory has been important. In doing that we have sought to put infrastructure in place to connect people. There is a big focus on roads and bridges.
I gave an answer earlier about $545m in this budget for roads and bridges. A lot of it will be spent in urban areas, but much of it in regional and remote parts. The work cannot all be done in one year. The Territory is about 150 years behind the rest of the country when it comes to infrastructure. We will continue to build that infrastructure to connect communities, people and businesses.
We should not, in 2016, have communities that are cut off for three months of the year and have to helicopter food in. This is why we are putting so much money into roads and bridges. We will continue to do so.
We want to ensure northern Australia continues to have an economic plan to ensure the Northern Territory is not forever reliant on federal government GST receipts, and that we can start providing for our own and have more and more jobs in the private sector. That is why the economic development strategy and its diversification is so important.
We cannot just keep saying, ‘Give us more money, Canberra’, and spend it. We have to be able to live within our means and plan effectively, which is what we have been doing.
Investment in things such as the Palmerston hospital is making sure we have a plan for health for our future; redeveloping RDH is also about that. The 188 schools in the Northern Territory are getting $164m worth of infrastructure this year, which is $850 000 per school, on average. Most importantly, we want to see growth in private sector jobs, supported by a vibrant public service. In the last four years we have done a great job, and the next four years are ahead of us.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016