Ms MARTIN - 2000-05-16
In February, Bayview Homes collapsed with 27 homes under construction. Twenty-seven houses equates to 1.4% of total home starts in the Territory in 1998-99. In April, Avon Homes in Victoria collapsed with 500 houses on their books, equal to 1.3% of Victorian housing starts in 1998-99. What is the difference between a Victorian home owner and a Territory one? The Victorian benefits under home indemnity insurance, a Territorian has no such protection and is out of pocket thanks to the CLP inaction.
The best the CLP can come up with is another discussion paper. Minister, when are we going to see some real action to protect Territorians in ways that other Australians simply take for granted?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the CLP government has a proud history of consulting with Territorians and with industry groups. We are very proud of the way that we interact with industry groups in the Northern Territory, unlike the opposition who, if we cast our minds back to the Residential Tenancies Act, grabbed a piece of New South Wales legislation, changed ‘New South Wales’ to the ‘Northern Territory’, introduced it into this parliament without talking to one sector of the Northern Territory population, and were going to pass it without consultation. They plagiarised legislation, legislation that has not been adapted to the Territory environment and the needs of Territorians.
What have they done since that time? They have come up with a commercial tenancy act that they have introduced into this parliament, again without consultation. Not with the property council, not with this act. They have priors for jumping in with legislation that they keep pulling out of New South Wales for some reason. I think the Leader of the Opposition has a friend down there. It would be the only one left that she has anywhere in Australia.
As far as the builders indemnity insurance goes, it actually lays with me and my responsibilities as Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, because I look after the Building Board and all those things, not the Department of Industries and Business. It is of major concern to the Northern Territory government that the consumers at the end of the day are protected. There are many schemes around Australia. You have mentioned the Victorian scheme. It is not a good scheme in fact.
Ms Martin: I didn’t mention the Victorian scheme.
Mr BALDWIN: Sorry, Mr Speaker, picking up the interjection, Avon Homes in Victoria went bust the other day and you mentioned the Victorian scheme. The Victorian scheme is not the best scheme in Australia. New South Wales has a very, very poor scheme. The Northern Territory has been working on this for over a year. I have had a person dedicated within my department working on this very issue for over a year. This person has been around every other scheme, personally, in Australia having a look at what is wrong. We won’t just pick a piece of legislation and introduce that into the Northern Territory.All of these indemnities ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BALDWIN: I wish to finish without the rude interruptions from the Leader of the Opposition.
All of these schemes revolved around builders’ licensing as well. Now, some people may say that is a good thing, but some in the industry say that it is not a good thing, and do you have to have builders ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will take his seat just for a moment. The Leader of the Opposition and the member for Nhulunbuy are treading on very shaky ground. If they keep it up, they have been warned, next time you are out.
Mr BALDWIN: Can I just finish because I am getting all these interruptions.
The Northern Territory has been working for a year. We have been consulting with industry, we have been consulting with the industry representative groups. We have had a look around Australia at what is wrong with all of these schemes and there are many, many faults with many of the schemes. We will introduce good legislation that is adapted to Northern Territory circumstances which will provide protection at the end of the day for consumers.
The best the CLP can come up with is another discussion paper. Minister, when are we going to see some real action to protect Territorians in ways that other Australians simply take for granted?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the CLP government has a proud history of consulting with Territorians and with industry groups. We are very proud of the way that we interact with industry groups in the Northern Territory, unlike the opposition who, if we cast our minds back to the Residential Tenancies Act, grabbed a piece of New South Wales legislation, changed ‘New South Wales’ to the ‘Northern Territory’, introduced it into this parliament without talking to one sector of the Northern Territory population, and were going to pass it without consultation. They plagiarised legislation, legislation that has not been adapted to the Territory environment and the needs of Territorians.
What have they done since that time? They have come up with a commercial tenancy act that they have introduced into this parliament, again without consultation. Not with the property council, not with this act. They have priors for jumping in with legislation that they keep pulling out of New South Wales for some reason. I think the Leader of the Opposition has a friend down there. It would be the only one left that she has anywhere in Australia.
As far as the builders indemnity insurance goes, it actually lays with me and my responsibilities as Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, because I look after the Building Board and all those things, not the Department of Industries and Business. It is of major concern to the Northern Territory government that the consumers at the end of the day are protected. There are many schemes around Australia. You have mentioned the Victorian scheme. It is not a good scheme in fact.
Ms Martin: I didn’t mention the Victorian scheme.
Mr BALDWIN: Sorry, Mr Speaker, picking up the interjection, Avon Homes in Victoria went bust the other day and you mentioned the Victorian scheme. The Victorian scheme is not the best scheme in Australia. New South Wales has a very, very poor scheme. The Northern Territory has been working on this for over a year. I have had a person dedicated within my department working on this very issue for over a year. This person has been around every other scheme, personally, in Australia having a look at what is wrong. We won’t just pick a piece of legislation and introduce that into the Northern Territory.All of these indemnities ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BALDWIN: I wish to finish without the rude interruptions from the Leader of the Opposition.
All of these schemes revolved around builders’ licensing as well. Now, some people may say that is a good thing, but some in the industry say that it is not a good thing, and do you have to have builders ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will take his seat just for a moment. The Leader of the Opposition and the member for Nhulunbuy are treading on very shaky ground. If they keep it up, they have been warned, next time you are out.
Mr BALDWIN: Can I just finish because I am getting all these interruptions.
The Northern Territory has been working for a year. We have been consulting with industry, we have been consulting with the industry representative groups. We have had a look around Australia at what is wrong with all of these schemes and there are many, many faults with many of the schemes. We will introduce good legislation that is adapted to Northern Territory circumstances which will provide protection at the end of the day for consumers.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016