Mr MITCHELL - 2001-05-31
Mr Speaker, the development of the port, the railway and the imminent onset of the oil and gas industry coming to Darwin will certainly have significant impact on land use objectives in the area. Can the minister tell us what plans he has in place to meet these major activities?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I know this is an area that you, Mr Speaker, have been very interested in and so has my colleague, the member for Nelson. The candidate for Goyder has been talking to me about this as well because of his interest.
What we are talking about here is the Litchfield Land Use Objectives that are out there for public comment. Today is the final day for comment. We are doing that for a number of reasons. We have just heard my colleague, the Minister for Resources, talking about the onset of the oil and gas development. Included in the Litchfield Land Use Objectives are preparations for that development and I will come back to that.
They also include: the continuing need to accommodate for population growth in this area - a very important area; expansion of some major horticulture and aquaculture projects; creation of new locations for tourism development and potential into the future; recreation opportunities; and protection of our extractive resources. A lot of the extractive minerals that are taken for the development of these big projects come from within the Litchfield area.
On the close horizon, as we all know and as has been set out in this great budget publication Development Outlook, oil and gas, along with the railway, are things that we have to cater for. My Department of Lands, Planning and Environment are right on top of the strategic land use planning that has to occur to accommodate all of that.
I mentioned yesterday in my budget reply that we have started design work on the first of those corridors. In the publication I was talking about, there are some very good maps and I ask the opposition members to look at that ...
Members interjecting.
Mr BALDWIN: That really ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr BALDWIN: Sorry. You don’t like glossies. Well, maybe we should take up that point, but for others interested, there are very good maps ...
Members interjecting.
MrSPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr BALDWIN: We have received a number of phone calls and inquiries about how to get hold of that book. We have facilitated distribution of the book to many people as well.
These maps show very clearly what needs to be done in the oil and gas area to make sure that we have not only the corridors in place but the precincts in place on both Middle Arm and Glyde Point to ensure that the companies that want to come here to develop these industries are well catered for. That is what strategic planning is all about, that is what forward planning is all about.
Many of you have seen the maps that have been produced in the public process that is going on right now. Another glossy map - I am sorry about that, but that’s what planning is all about. Planning is about going to the people and asking for their input into this process and that is what we have been doing over the last two months.
Very shortly, in fact, some time in July, I hope to be able to sign off on these land use objectives. They are forward vision by this government on what can occur in the future development of this region, Darwin and the Northern Territory, including allowing for population growth that will come with these great industry developments.
They include new townships like Weddell and increasing maximum use of rural areas. This government has been doing a lot of work in that regard so that Territorians of the future know where we are heading and can take full advantage of those industries that are on the horizon in terms of oil and gas.
Mr PALMER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I know this is an area that you, Mr Speaker, have been very interested in and so has my colleague, the member for Nelson. The candidate for Goyder has been talking to me about this as well because of his interest.
What we are talking about here is the Litchfield Land Use Objectives that are out there for public comment. Today is the final day for comment. We are doing that for a number of reasons. We have just heard my colleague, the Minister for Resources, talking about the onset of the oil and gas development. Included in the Litchfield Land Use Objectives are preparations for that development and I will come back to that.
They also include: the continuing need to accommodate for population growth in this area - a very important area; expansion of some major horticulture and aquaculture projects; creation of new locations for tourism development and potential into the future; recreation opportunities; and protection of our extractive resources. A lot of the extractive minerals that are taken for the development of these big projects come from within the Litchfield area.
On the close horizon, as we all know and as has been set out in this great budget publication Development Outlook, oil and gas, along with the railway, are things that we have to cater for. My Department of Lands, Planning and Environment are right on top of the strategic land use planning that has to occur to accommodate all of that.
I mentioned yesterday in my budget reply that we have started design work on the first of those corridors. In the publication I was talking about, there are some very good maps and I ask the opposition members to look at that ...
Members interjecting.
Mr BALDWIN: That really ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr BALDWIN: Sorry. You don’t like glossies. Well, maybe we should take up that point, but for others interested, there are very good maps ...
Members interjecting.
MrSPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr BALDWIN: We have received a number of phone calls and inquiries about how to get hold of that book. We have facilitated distribution of the book to many people as well.
These maps show very clearly what needs to be done in the oil and gas area to make sure that we have not only the corridors in place but the precincts in place on both Middle Arm and Glyde Point to ensure that the companies that want to come here to develop these industries are well catered for. That is what strategic planning is all about, that is what forward planning is all about.
Many of you have seen the maps that have been produced in the public process that is going on right now. Another glossy map - I am sorry about that, but that’s what planning is all about. Planning is about going to the people and asking for their input into this process and that is what we have been doing over the last two months.
Very shortly, in fact, some time in July, I hope to be able to sign off on these land use objectives. They are forward vision by this government on what can occur in the future development of this region, Darwin and the Northern Territory, including allowing for population growth that will come with these great industry developments.
They include new townships like Weddell and increasing maximum use of rural areas. This government has been doing a lot of work in that regard so that Territorians of the future know where we are heading and can take full advantage of those industries that are on the horizon in terms of oil and gas.
Mr PALMER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016