Mr ELFERINK - 2000-08-17
During the May sittings, I asked him what was happening in the Ilparpa Swamp with regard to the mosquito problem emanating from the area. Since that time, I have repeatedly - in fact almost on a weekly basis - contacted him in relation to the Ilparpa Swamp and some of the other problems that have arisen in the area. Can the minister advise the House where we are at with the situation?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, that is a good question from a hardworking backbencher.
A member interjecting.
Mr DUNHAM: You can make groaning sounds, but this is a fairly serious issue in Alice Springs. I know the member for Macdonnell took great pains when Territory Cabinet was in Alice Springs, lastly at the Alice Springs Show, to make sure that I was available for some of the people who had concerns relating to Ilparpa Swamp. They are quite a range of people. Some may be conservationists, colloquially described as greenies, right through to engineers with some good ideas. They are members of virtually every political party, and young people and old people.
I think what we are doing over the next couple of days is a very tangible demonstration of good government. We have the Alice Springs urban water management strategy workshop starting tomorrow. I am unable to attend, unfortunately. I have asked the member for Macdonnell, given his great capacity in this area and his tenacity in pursuing it, to stand in my place. The workshop has been advertised in the local press.
I fear the Leader of the Opposition may call that money wasted on campaigns, as she did with the matters relating to NTsafe, and she may even call the documents relating to this workshop ‘glossies’, because that is her denigrating way of talking about this government’s consultative devices.
Ms Martin: Spend millions on glossies.
Mr DUNHAM: We spend millions on consulting, because we think it is important.
This workshop will look at future water resources for Alice Springs, the value and use of water in arid climates, opportunities and strategies to reduce water use inside the home and outside the home, upstream of the sewerage system, the use of the town basin aquifer resource, effluent re-use, effluent storage, effluent discharge into Ilparpa Swamp and, of course, the mosquito problem. There will be presentations by Darryl Day of the Power and Water Authority, Paul Heaton of Sinclair Knight Mertz, Stuart White of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, John Childs of Department of Lands, Planning and Environment and Peter Whelan, who is well known to members of this House as a medical entomologist. He has great knowledge of this swamp going back to 1974. I urge members from Alice Springs to attend.
I hope to report progress with this very important matter to this House periodically. I know it is an issue of concern for people in Alice Springs. I put on record my appreciation that not only the member for Macdonnell but other Alice Springs members have been virtually beating a path to my door. I thank the member for Macdonnell for standing in in my place.
While I am on my feet, I will mention that I have felt a bit neglected in matters relating to health recently. I had hoped that I would get some questions but we are now at the end of the second week and I have received none. In previous sittings there have been a number of allegations …
Mr TOYNE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! This has nothing to do with the question at all. He does this all the time.
Mr SPEAKER: There is a point of order. You have completed the answer to the question that you were asked. You are now going on to a matter that is unrelated, I understand.
Mr DUNHAM: Okay. Suffice to say I have gifts for the opposition. They are paperweights made from the tarmac that the Chief Minister jackhammered up at Royal Darwin Hospital. I have put their names on them so that they can put them on their desks to remind them of the very important matter of the civil contracts out at Royal Darwin Hospital. As they look at their paperweight, they will get an appreciation that work is actually occurring there. I ask for these to be delivered to them.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, that is a good question from a hardworking backbencher.
A member interjecting.
Mr DUNHAM: You can make groaning sounds, but this is a fairly serious issue in Alice Springs. I know the member for Macdonnell took great pains when Territory Cabinet was in Alice Springs, lastly at the Alice Springs Show, to make sure that I was available for some of the people who had concerns relating to Ilparpa Swamp. They are quite a range of people. Some may be conservationists, colloquially described as greenies, right through to engineers with some good ideas. They are members of virtually every political party, and young people and old people.
I think what we are doing over the next couple of days is a very tangible demonstration of good government. We have the Alice Springs urban water management strategy workshop starting tomorrow. I am unable to attend, unfortunately. I have asked the member for Macdonnell, given his great capacity in this area and his tenacity in pursuing it, to stand in my place. The workshop has been advertised in the local press.
I fear the Leader of the Opposition may call that money wasted on campaigns, as she did with the matters relating to NTsafe, and she may even call the documents relating to this workshop ‘glossies’, because that is her denigrating way of talking about this government’s consultative devices.
Ms Martin: Spend millions on glossies.
Mr DUNHAM: We spend millions on consulting, because we think it is important.
This workshop will look at future water resources for Alice Springs, the value and use of water in arid climates, opportunities and strategies to reduce water use inside the home and outside the home, upstream of the sewerage system, the use of the town basin aquifer resource, effluent re-use, effluent storage, effluent discharge into Ilparpa Swamp and, of course, the mosquito problem. There will be presentations by Darryl Day of the Power and Water Authority, Paul Heaton of Sinclair Knight Mertz, Stuart White of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, John Childs of Department of Lands, Planning and Environment and Peter Whelan, who is well known to members of this House as a medical entomologist. He has great knowledge of this swamp going back to 1974. I urge members from Alice Springs to attend.
I hope to report progress with this very important matter to this House periodically. I know it is an issue of concern for people in Alice Springs. I put on record my appreciation that not only the member for Macdonnell but other Alice Springs members have been virtually beating a path to my door. I thank the member for Macdonnell for standing in in my place.
While I am on my feet, I will mention that I have felt a bit neglected in matters relating to health recently. I had hoped that I would get some questions but we are now at the end of the second week and I have received none. In previous sittings there have been a number of allegations …
Mr TOYNE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! This has nothing to do with the question at all. He does this all the time.
Mr SPEAKER: There is a point of order. You have completed the answer to the question that you were asked. You are now going on to a matter that is unrelated, I understand.
Mr DUNHAM: Okay. Suffice to say I have gifts for the opposition. They are paperweights made from the tarmac that the Chief Minister jackhammered up at Royal Darwin Hospital. I have put their names on them so that they can put them on their desks to remind them of the very important matter of the civil contracts out at Royal Darwin Hospital. As they look at their paperweight, they will get an appreciation that work is actually occurring there. I ask for these to be delivered to them.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016