Dr LIM - 1998-06-16
My question relates to the threat of federal Labor Party intervention in the Northern Territory. The federal Labor leader, Kim Beazley, says Labor will do everything it can in Canberra to stop the multimillion-dollar Jabiluka uranium mine, regardless of the harm caused to the Northern Territory. Members are aware that I am the chairman of the Sessional Committee on the Environment. The committee plans to visit the Jabiluka site next week as part of its monitoring role in the uranium province. What would be the cost to Territorians of such intervention?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, members opposite guffaw and laugh. They must think it is par for the course that they can come back from conferences and meetings in southern states and tell Territorians one thing when they must know the opposite is true. The member for Barkly, the Leader of the Opposition, feigns concern. She issued a media release headed: ‘Hickey Triumphs in Hobart’. It was announced with a great fanfare on television, and she was reported in the newspaper under the headline: ‘Labor Drops 3-Mine Policy: Jabiluka OK’. She told Territorians not to worry about that because she had everything under control. However, ‘Hickey Triumphs in Hobart’ was followed by the pathetic sight of the Leader of the Opposition, standing meekly beside Mr Beazley during his recent visit to Darwin, and compliantly acknowledging that she had fixed nothing, she had triumphed over nothing and she had delivered nothing for Territorians.
Let us understand what Jabiluka means in real terms. The Territory economy is not buoyant due simply to a quirk of fate. It has become buoyant because this government and governments before it have gone out pro-actively and pursued projects that have generated jobs. Jabiluka is a $1200m ...
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition.
Mr STONE: Jabiluka is a $1200m project. It will inject $6200m into the Australian economy, including more than $210m in royalties. It will generate 250 jobs during construction and 110 jobs during operation. Even Blind Freddy will understand the impact that that will have on the Territory economy. Yet, when it came time for the Leader of the Opposition, the leader of the Labor Party in the Territory, to stand up and be counted, what did we find? We know what members opposite really think. We know their real position. They have compliantly rolled over because their federal organisation has told them to pull their heads in. They do not determine these things.
Mrs Hickey: It is called democracy.
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: I will pick up the interjection from the member for Arnhem.
Madam SPEAKER: I would like you to wind up soon, Chief Minister.
Mr STONE: He made the interjection and I believe I am entitled to respond to it.
Mr Ah Kit: Did it hit a sore point?
Mr STONE: No, it did not, because I am well on track. However, I would be more on track if I did not have the interference of a federal Labor Party and its leader in projects that are critical to the Territory’s economic wellbeing and development. The Leader of the Opposition interjected that it is called democracy. This is one of the clear differences between the ALP in the Territory and the CLP - the Territory party. We determine matters here for Territorians. We are elected by Territorians and we are here to govern for Territorians. Members opposite are there to roll over compliantly and accept what they are told by Canberra. The spectacle on television of the Leader of the Labor Party standing there and then conceding, ‘That’s the way it is’, must have sent a shudder through every Territorian. Territorians know that, if they ever elect this hapless lot opposite or if they re-elect the Warren Snowdons of the world to the House of Representatives, they can say goodbye to Territory jobs and to Territory exports. The CLP is here to ensure that does not happen.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, members opposite guffaw and laugh. They must think it is par for the course that they can come back from conferences and meetings in southern states and tell Territorians one thing when they must know the opposite is true. The member for Barkly, the Leader of the Opposition, feigns concern. She issued a media release headed: ‘Hickey Triumphs in Hobart’. It was announced with a great fanfare on television, and she was reported in the newspaper under the headline: ‘Labor Drops 3-Mine Policy: Jabiluka OK’. She told Territorians not to worry about that because she had everything under control. However, ‘Hickey Triumphs in Hobart’ was followed by the pathetic sight of the Leader of the Opposition, standing meekly beside Mr Beazley during his recent visit to Darwin, and compliantly acknowledging that she had fixed nothing, she had triumphed over nothing and she had delivered nothing for Territorians.
Let us understand what Jabiluka means in real terms. The Territory economy is not buoyant due simply to a quirk of fate. It has become buoyant because this government and governments before it have gone out pro-actively and pursued projects that have generated jobs. Jabiluka is a $1200m ...
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition.
Mr STONE: Jabiluka is a $1200m project. It will inject $6200m into the Australian economy, including more than $210m in royalties. It will generate 250 jobs during construction and 110 jobs during operation. Even Blind Freddy will understand the impact that that will have on the Territory economy. Yet, when it came time for the Leader of the Opposition, the leader of the Labor Party in the Territory, to stand up and be counted, what did we find? We know what members opposite really think. We know their real position. They have compliantly rolled over because their federal organisation has told them to pull their heads in. They do not determine these things.
Mrs Hickey: It is called democracy.
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: I will pick up the interjection from the member for Arnhem.
Madam SPEAKER: I would like you to wind up soon, Chief Minister.
Mr STONE: He made the interjection and I believe I am entitled to respond to it.
Mr Ah Kit: Did it hit a sore point?
Mr STONE: No, it did not, because I am well on track. However, I would be more on track if I did not have the interference of a federal Labor Party and its leader in projects that are critical to the Territory’s economic wellbeing and development. The Leader of the Opposition interjected that it is called democracy. This is one of the clear differences between the ALP in the Territory and the CLP - the Territory party. We determine matters here for Territorians. We are elected by Territorians and we are here to govern for Territorians. Members opposite are there to roll over compliantly and accept what they are told by Canberra. The spectacle on television of the Leader of the Labor Party standing there and then conceding, ‘That’s the way it is’, must have sent a shudder through every Territorian. Territorians know that, if they ever elect this hapless lot opposite or if they re-elect the Warren Snowdons of the world to the House of Representatives, they can say goodbye to Territory jobs and to Territory exports. The CLP is here to ensure that does not happen.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016