Mr BALCH - 2000-10-19
Last month you announced that the Paspalis and Multiplex consortia had been shortlisted to progress the development of a convention centre for Darwin. Can you inform honourable members if the government has moved to next stage of this important project by proceeding to enter into detailed negotiations on one of these proposals?
ANSWER
Yes, Mr Speaker, this is another wonderful CLP government policy and it will, if it comes to fruition, deliver enormous benefits to the people of the Northern Territory in terms of taking full advantage of the 45 000-odd delegates who spend some $50m a year in attending conferences in the Northern Territory. That was the figure for last year and we have an incredible capacity to expand on that, to attract more people to the Northern Territory, to generate more business in the convention industry and, of course, to have the flow on benefits to the tourism industry and other businesses throughout the Northern Territory.
So it is in that regard, since the announcement of the short listing last month of the Paspalis and Multiplex groups, that I can announce today the Paspalis consortium has been assessed as the preferred proponent. We will be entering into detailed negotiations in order to deliver a convention and exhibition centre for Darwin, and there has been set a 45 day period to establish a Heads of Agreement to be able to further progress this matter. Those arrangements come into place following the calling last year, in October, of expressions of interest for the provision of convention facilities.
The Territory government is seeking to establish a convention centre within the Central Business District. We would expect that it would have the capacity of up to 1500 convention delegates, a banquet capacity in the order of 1000, provide appropriate exhibition space and, of course, car parking and access to accommodation. They are the essential components for a successful convention centre operation.
Discussions will be necessary, of course, with other bodies, particularly the Darwin City Council. I met with the Mayor, George Brown, the day before yesterday and explained to him that I would be making an announcement today in relation to the preferred proponent and that it would be necessary for government officers to meet with Council in terms of talking about issues that they will need to be involved in. For example, the closure of Herbert Street and the construction of a continuance of Bennett Street through to the Esplanade, car parking issues and other social matters that the Council would be interested in. I have his commitment that Council will pursue those matters with interest.
The successful development, of course, will require, if it is to occur, a full and rigorous process by government in meeting a Heads of Agreement with the proponent and, as I say, that should occur over the next 45 days. This is another demonstration of the government’s jobs policy. We do not have a useless scrap of paper such as that presented by the Leader of the Opposition as her jobs policy. Our jobs policy is getting out there and doing things and it is having a vision as to where the Territory is going to go over the next decade and how Territorians can best benefit.
In terms of a jobs policy, you will see in the order of 2000 jobs created by the railway and you will see an enormous level of, in terms of billions of dollars, investment, as the Chief Minister has alluded to, in the development of the gas industry. They are not stand alone industries, nor is a convention centre a stand alone industry, but they are components of a developing Darwin that the government has a vision of, and it is this government that has that vision. Because, as we develop and as we have a railway and as we have a gas industry, we are again going to become the focus of those industries, particularly gas, and as those fields are developed and the activity is generated onshore, there will be industry conventions in relation to those matters that will be sought to be conducted in Darwin. And if we are going to be able to conduct them we are going to have to have a convention centre of a suitable size and a suitable amenity and that is what having a vision is all about.
These are not stand alone projects. It is a comprehensive vision, as to how this government can develop the Northern Territory, notwithstanding the idle prattlings of the Leader of the Opposition about job promises, which amount to nothing. You have to have a vision. They have no vision, they have no drive and they have no commitment, and as the Leader of the Opposition has demonstrated, her faded dream in terms of the railway is now a reality. She has to apologise to Territorians for having denigrated that project which is now going to be a success, and bring that vision into a reality.
ANSWER
Yes, Mr Speaker, this is another wonderful CLP government policy and it will, if it comes to fruition, deliver enormous benefits to the people of the Northern Territory in terms of taking full advantage of the 45 000-odd delegates who spend some $50m a year in attending conferences in the Northern Territory. That was the figure for last year and we have an incredible capacity to expand on that, to attract more people to the Northern Territory, to generate more business in the convention industry and, of course, to have the flow on benefits to the tourism industry and other businesses throughout the Northern Territory.
So it is in that regard, since the announcement of the short listing last month of the Paspalis and Multiplex groups, that I can announce today the Paspalis consortium has been assessed as the preferred proponent. We will be entering into detailed negotiations in order to deliver a convention and exhibition centre for Darwin, and there has been set a 45 day period to establish a Heads of Agreement to be able to further progress this matter. Those arrangements come into place following the calling last year, in October, of expressions of interest for the provision of convention facilities.
The Territory government is seeking to establish a convention centre within the Central Business District. We would expect that it would have the capacity of up to 1500 convention delegates, a banquet capacity in the order of 1000, provide appropriate exhibition space and, of course, car parking and access to accommodation. They are the essential components for a successful convention centre operation.
Discussions will be necessary, of course, with other bodies, particularly the Darwin City Council. I met with the Mayor, George Brown, the day before yesterday and explained to him that I would be making an announcement today in relation to the preferred proponent and that it would be necessary for government officers to meet with Council in terms of talking about issues that they will need to be involved in. For example, the closure of Herbert Street and the construction of a continuance of Bennett Street through to the Esplanade, car parking issues and other social matters that the Council would be interested in. I have his commitment that Council will pursue those matters with interest.
The successful development, of course, will require, if it is to occur, a full and rigorous process by government in meeting a Heads of Agreement with the proponent and, as I say, that should occur over the next 45 days. This is another demonstration of the government’s jobs policy. We do not have a useless scrap of paper such as that presented by the Leader of the Opposition as her jobs policy. Our jobs policy is getting out there and doing things and it is having a vision as to where the Territory is going to go over the next decade and how Territorians can best benefit.
In terms of a jobs policy, you will see in the order of 2000 jobs created by the railway and you will see an enormous level of, in terms of billions of dollars, investment, as the Chief Minister has alluded to, in the development of the gas industry. They are not stand alone industries, nor is a convention centre a stand alone industry, but they are components of a developing Darwin that the government has a vision of, and it is this government that has that vision. Because, as we develop and as we have a railway and as we have a gas industry, we are again going to become the focus of those industries, particularly gas, and as those fields are developed and the activity is generated onshore, there will be industry conventions in relation to those matters that will be sought to be conducted in Darwin. And if we are going to be able to conduct them we are going to have to have a convention centre of a suitable size and a suitable amenity and that is what having a vision is all about.
These are not stand alone projects. It is a comprehensive vision, as to how this government can develop the Northern Territory, notwithstanding the idle prattlings of the Leader of the Opposition about job promises, which amount to nothing. You have to have a vision. They have no vision, they have no drive and they have no commitment, and as the Leader of the Opposition has demonstrated, her faded dream in terms of the railway is now a reality. She has to apologise to Territorians for having denigrated that project which is now going to be a success, and bring that vision into a reality.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016