Ms MARTIN - 2001-02-27
The Territory’s construction industry, once a booming sector of our economy, has been doing it tough since you became Chief Minister. In December 2000, the ABS reported the number of new housing approvals across the whole of the Territory was just 42 in trend terms, down 70% from the year before and the lowest figure since the series began in July 1983.
In Darwin, the number of private sector approvals was just 10 compared with 116 in December 1999. This does not reflect national trends. It reflects CLP mismanagement. How can the Chief Minister stand there wringing his hands about struggling Territory builders when it is his policies that have pushed them to this desperate state?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the simple answer is that it does reflect national trends with a $6.3bn reduction in construction projects across Australia over the last three months. And, as I have said on many occasions, the Northern Territory has been particularly affected by the ceasing of the APIN program, a very expensive program, which resulted in a great deal of activity in the Territory over many, many years. Government does not stand back from that simple fact. Everyone knows that there is great hurt out there in the construction industry and certainly as I move around - I note from your survey, the TCA survey, you would see that we are meeting with the Territory Construction Association regularly. My ministers and I meet with them to discuss a whole range of issues.
I conduct business visits and I believe that this government is very well aware of the situation and where there is particular hurt and we are doing everything we can to stimulate activity using the capital works program and other initiatives in government. I notice that the Minister for Housing will report today on one of those initiatives.
We should remember though, that it is very easy to be Hanrahan as the Leader of the Opposition is and simply say, ‘We’ll all be rooned’, and point to every negative indicator that she can find. But when one looks at what the Labor Party has supported in the Northern Territory it is a pretty dismal record. For instance, they actually rejected the development of Palmerston, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. They rejected the whole concept that Palmerston should ever have happened. The Leader of the Opposition talks about let’s get development going at Myilly Point. The Labor Party opposed the whole Cullen Bay development concept. The Labor Party opposed the establishment of Bayview Haven. The Labor Party opposed the establishment of the Northern Territory University.
The member for Wanguri is actively trying to get special interest groups to oppose the development of an aged ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr BURKE: ... is actively getting lobby groups to oppose the establishment of a senior’s village at Leanyer. Actively trying to stop a housing project to house senior Territorians.
I can tell the member for Wanguri this: Have as many meetings as you like. That project will go ahead. Got that clear in your head? That project will go ahead and we will get construction underway as soon as possible.
When they stand on their high moral ground and talk about it’s all Denis Burke’s fault, I’ll put my faith in Territorians. I’ll put my faith in the initiatives of this Territory government over many, many years and the large projects still to come to ensure that we get a viable and continued construction industry and activity in the Northern Territory.
In Darwin, the number of private sector approvals was just 10 compared with 116 in December 1999. This does not reflect national trends. It reflects CLP mismanagement. How can the Chief Minister stand there wringing his hands about struggling Territory builders when it is his policies that have pushed them to this desperate state?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the simple answer is that it does reflect national trends with a $6.3bn reduction in construction projects across Australia over the last three months. And, as I have said on many occasions, the Northern Territory has been particularly affected by the ceasing of the APIN program, a very expensive program, which resulted in a great deal of activity in the Territory over many, many years. Government does not stand back from that simple fact. Everyone knows that there is great hurt out there in the construction industry and certainly as I move around - I note from your survey, the TCA survey, you would see that we are meeting with the Territory Construction Association regularly. My ministers and I meet with them to discuss a whole range of issues.
I conduct business visits and I believe that this government is very well aware of the situation and where there is particular hurt and we are doing everything we can to stimulate activity using the capital works program and other initiatives in government. I notice that the Minister for Housing will report today on one of those initiatives.
We should remember though, that it is very easy to be Hanrahan as the Leader of the Opposition is and simply say, ‘We’ll all be rooned’, and point to every negative indicator that she can find. But when one looks at what the Labor Party has supported in the Northern Territory it is a pretty dismal record. For instance, they actually rejected the development of Palmerston, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. They rejected the whole concept that Palmerston should ever have happened. The Leader of the Opposition talks about let’s get development going at Myilly Point. The Labor Party opposed the whole Cullen Bay development concept. The Labor Party opposed the establishment of Bayview Haven. The Labor Party opposed the establishment of the Northern Territory University.
The member for Wanguri is actively trying to get special interest groups to oppose the development of an aged ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr BURKE: ... is actively getting lobby groups to oppose the establishment of a senior’s village at Leanyer. Actively trying to stop a housing project to house senior Territorians.
I can tell the member for Wanguri this: Have as many meetings as you like. That project will go ahead. Got that clear in your head? That project will go ahead and we will get construction underway as soon as possible.
When they stand on their high moral ground and talk about it’s all Denis Burke’s fault, I’ll put my faith in Territorians. I’ll put my faith in the initiatives of this Territory government over many, many years and the large projects still to come to ensure that we get a viable and continued construction industry and activity in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016