Ms CARTER - 2001-07-03
Minister, it seems that every time I visit Stokes Hill Wharf or open the newspaper there is another naval warship in our harbour. Could the minister please tell the House where these warships are coming from and if they bring benefit to the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a good question from the member for Port Darwin whose electorate receives quite a considerable benefit from visiting naval vessels to Darwin. It is interesting to note that over the next one-year period something in the order of 140 foreign naval vessels will be visiting Darwin and, particularly in this month of July, you will see a lot of activity occurring with naval ships and exercises in and around and outside of Darwin Harbour.
The visiting navies that we get here include the USA, France, Portugal, Thailand, New Zealand and Canada. Feedback that I have had over a couple of years now, particularly from the US Navy’s visiting ships, is that Darwin is becoming more and more a preferred destination, not only for recreation but for provedoring and also for ships’ maintenance. It is great that the US Navy has under contract a local business, Darwin Ship and Engineering Repairs - an agreement that has been in place for a number of years - to undertake maintenance work on particularly US Navy ships. That is a great benefit, obviously, to Darwin businesses and that one in particular, and Darwin tradesmen who have contracted for that repair work.
The estimate of the amount of money that is spent in Darwin by these visiting ships is in the order of $20m. It is estimated that the personnel themselves spend in the order of $A150 a day as they go about their recreational activities in Darwin. So it is of great benefit to the Northern Territory.
Currently there are four ships in the harbour, the USS John Paul Jones, USS O’Brien, USNS Niagara Falls and the USNS Walter S. Deal. As I said, I met with a couple of commanders of those vessels yesterday who reaffirmed that they love coming here to Darwin. They love the assistance they get from government agencies, such as my own Department of Industries and Business through their Defence Support Unit who liaise very closely to ensure that these ships know about and utilise the great capability of NT businesses here to supply the services they need.
I welcome all those ships that are in harbour currently; look forward to the many visits that we will get over the next year. It is estimated that we will have 140 here in Darwin Harbour - 85 between now and December - and people can understand from those numbers, I am sure, the great benefit that this brings to not only the relationships that Darwin will have with visiting foreign naval vessels, but also to Territory businesses. I look forward to welcoming the rest of those throughout the year.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a good question from the member for Port Darwin whose electorate receives quite a considerable benefit from visiting naval vessels to Darwin. It is interesting to note that over the next one-year period something in the order of 140 foreign naval vessels will be visiting Darwin and, particularly in this month of July, you will see a lot of activity occurring with naval ships and exercises in and around and outside of Darwin Harbour.
The visiting navies that we get here include the USA, France, Portugal, Thailand, New Zealand and Canada. Feedback that I have had over a couple of years now, particularly from the US Navy’s visiting ships, is that Darwin is becoming more and more a preferred destination, not only for recreation but for provedoring and also for ships’ maintenance. It is great that the US Navy has under contract a local business, Darwin Ship and Engineering Repairs - an agreement that has been in place for a number of years - to undertake maintenance work on particularly US Navy ships. That is a great benefit, obviously, to Darwin businesses and that one in particular, and Darwin tradesmen who have contracted for that repair work.
The estimate of the amount of money that is spent in Darwin by these visiting ships is in the order of $20m. It is estimated that the personnel themselves spend in the order of $A150 a day as they go about their recreational activities in Darwin. So it is of great benefit to the Northern Territory.
Currently there are four ships in the harbour, the USS John Paul Jones, USS O’Brien, USNS Niagara Falls and the USNS Walter S. Deal. As I said, I met with a couple of commanders of those vessels yesterday who reaffirmed that they love coming here to Darwin. They love the assistance they get from government agencies, such as my own Department of Industries and Business through their Defence Support Unit who liaise very closely to ensure that these ships know about and utilise the great capability of NT businesses here to supply the services they need.
I welcome all those ships that are in harbour currently; look forward to the many visits that we will get over the next year. It is estimated that we will have 140 here in Darwin Harbour - 85 between now and December - and people can understand from those numbers, I am sure, the great benefit that this brings to not only the relationships that Darwin will have with visiting foreign naval vessels, but also to Territory businesses. I look forward to welcoming the rest of those throughout the year.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016