Ms MARTIN - 2000-05-10
Territorians welcome the forthcoming APEC conference and the business some 500 delegates will bring to Darwin, estimated by the minister to be worth some $640 000. Those who visit the area will have noticed the tarting up of the Chan Building for APEC with the Commonwealth apparently making a significant contribution towards the refurbishment costs. Last week, a Senate committee in Canberra was told the Commonwealth government was contributing around $20 000 rent for the use of the Chan Building. Will the minister tell Territorians, 1) how much is being spent on this refurbishment and who is paying the bill and, 2) what is the future of the Chan Building after June?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the APEC Trade Ministers Conference is coming to Darwin and it will have a terrific impact on our city. It will provide a window for the traders of the world to see what the Territory has to offer and also to appreciate the Territory’s position in regards to the rest of the world. In view of our forthcoming railway developments and vast improvements of our port facilities, it is a most appropriate time for that conference to occur here.
In terms of the details on the building, my colleague, the minister for transport and works, has carriage of the renovations to the Chan Building and I am sure he can provide all the detail that the Opposition Leader requires.
I will be making a detailed statement about the benefits of APEC to the House next week, to ensure that all honourable members can have an opportunity to speak to this pretty important event that is coming along. It is one that we, as a Territory government, had to work very hard to ensure occurred here. There were certainly a lot of moves by a lot of people around the country to get that conference redirected to another centre in Australia, for obvious reasons, and there was a lot of work by a lot of people.
In terms of the Commonwealth’s contribution to the upgrade of the Chan Building - the temporary upgrade – there has certainly never been any indication from this side of the House that the Commonwealth would be paying for that. In fact, that particular building will be of some use for a period of time, and the government is looking at detailed options regarding the management of that building until it’s no longer required. That will be something that Cabinet will be dealing with after a detailed submission is provided to us.
However, I find it really interesting, people opposite have to knock everything. Every step that the Territory has taken to improve trade, to improve industry, to improve activity of an economic nature in the Territory, this opposition has knocked. We go back - look at our short history since we have governed ourselves. Look at what this government has done to create wealth in the Territory, ranging from Uluru and the Ayers Rock Resort, the introduction of major hotel operators into the Territory - all the developments that we have put forward and which have created fantastic wealth for Territorians.
We have created jobs to the extent that we have the best, the lowest unemployment rate in the country, and created activity which has seen growth rates higher than anywhere else in the country. Created a scenario where Territorians have the best quality of life in the country. Created an economic set of circumstances where even housing affordability is one of the best in the country; and another step we take, bringing all the world trade ministers to Darwin to discuss world trade. The Chairman of the World Trade Organisation is also coming. Media, 200 media who deal with trade issues coming to Darwin. And what do we get: ‘How much does it cost us?’ It is ridiculous.
These are the people who say they can run the Territory. These are the people who are happy to see us with 30 000 tourists a year. These are the people who are happy to see us with dirt tracks around the place. These are the people who would like the tourists who visit here live in tents and they would like to do away with the fact that we have hotels and performing art centres and all the other things that make this city fantastic. They have the audacity, instead of saying what a great job that has occurred with, not only government, but business people encouraging the advent of APEC, what a great solution for providing a venue for these people to meet, to utilise, with some temporary upgrades of the Chan Building to provide a magnificent venue that fits in with our whole State Square vision, what do they do? Knock, knock, knock.
I can tell you that the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Development can provide the details on cost, but I can tell you this, we are going to be ensuring that the majority of those improvements can be utilised in other areas of the Territory, schools and other government areas, and community areas when that building is no longer needed. The fact is we have worked hard, and it would be worth 10 times the money to bring those people here and to get that exposure. But these people, no vision, no thoughts at all of trying to promote the Territory, not, not, not. They might get another vote. Well they will, they will get votes from the same 26% of the community that supported them the last time we went to the polls because they have no vision and they don’t, at any time, look at saying, what a good thing to do, let’s support it. They grubbily look around and say ‘oh, we might get a bit of a headline here’. Well it has cost us money, but what a progressive way to spend money because it’s going to create growth and future jobs for Territorians and this government will always continue along that road.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the APEC Trade Ministers Conference is coming to Darwin and it will have a terrific impact on our city. It will provide a window for the traders of the world to see what the Territory has to offer and also to appreciate the Territory’s position in regards to the rest of the world. In view of our forthcoming railway developments and vast improvements of our port facilities, it is a most appropriate time for that conference to occur here.
In terms of the details on the building, my colleague, the minister for transport and works, has carriage of the renovations to the Chan Building and I am sure he can provide all the detail that the Opposition Leader requires.
I will be making a detailed statement about the benefits of APEC to the House next week, to ensure that all honourable members can have an opportunity to speak to this pretty important event that is coming along. It is one that we, as a Territory government, had to work very hard to ensure occurred here. There were certainly a lot of moves by a lot of people around the country to get that conference redirected to another centre in Australia, for obvious reasons, and there was a lot of work by a lot of people.
In terms of the Commonwealth’s contribution to the upgrade of the Chan Building - the temporary upgrade – there has certainly never been any indication from this side of the House that the Commonwealth would be paying for that. In fact, that particular building will be of some use for a period of time, and the government is looking at detailed options regarding the management of that building until it’s no longer required. That will be something that Cabinet will be dealing with after a detailed submission is provided to us.
However, I find it really interesting, people opposite have to knock everything. Every step that the Territory has taken to improve trade, to improve industry, to improve activity of an economic nature in the Territory, this opposition has knocked. We go back - look at our short history since we have governed ourselves. Look at what this government has done to create wealth in the Territory, ranging from Uluru and the Ayers Rock Resort, the introduction of major hotel operators into the Territory - all the developments that we have put forward and which have created fantastic wealth for Territorians.
We have created jobs to the extent that we have the best, the lowest unemployment rate in the country, and created activity which has seen growth rates higher than anywhere else in the country. Created a scenario where Territorians have the best quality of life in the country. Created an economic set of circumstances where even housing affordability is one of the best in the country; and another step we take, bringing all the world trade ministers to Darwin to discuss world trade. The Chairman of the World Trade Organisation is also coming. Media, 200 media who deal with trade issues coming to Darwin. And what do we get: ‘How much does it cost us?’ It is ridiculous.
These are the people who say they can run the Territory. These are the people who are happy to see us with 30 000 tourists a year. These are the people who are happy to see us with dirt tracks around the place. These are the people who would like the tourists who visit here live in tents and they would like to do away with the fact that we have hotels and performing art centres and all the other things that make this city fantastic. They have the audacity, instead of saying what a great job that has occurred with, not only government, but business people encouraging the advent of APEC, what a great solution for providing a venue for these people to meet, to utilise, with some temporary upgrades of the Chan Building to provide a magnificent venue that fits in with our whole State Square vision, what do they do? Knock, knock, knock.
I can tell you that the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Development can provide the details on cost, but I can tell you this, we are going to be ensuring that the majority of those improvements can be utilised in other areas of the Territory, schools and other government areas, and community areas when that building is no longer needed. The fact is we have worked hard, and it would be worth 10 times the money to bring those people here and to get that exposure. But these people, no vision, no thoughts at all of trying to promote the Territory, not, not, not. They might get another vote. Well they will, they will get votes from the same 26% of the community that supported them the last time we went to the polls because they have no vision and they don’t, at any time, look at saying, what a good thing to do, let’s support it. They grubbily look around and say ‘oh, we might get a bit of a headline here’. Well it has cost us money, but what a progressive way to spend money because it’s going to create growth and future jobs for Territorians and this government will always continue along that road.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016