Mr BALCH - 2000-10-17
The long battle for the Alice Springs to Darwin railway is nearly over with the signing by the Chief Minister of the principal agreement for the project tomorrow. Leading the detractors for this project has been the federal ALP and their Territory members. Does the Acting Chief Minister share the previous and stated view of members opposite that the railway is only a faded dream?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a notable week in the advancement of the Territory and the progress of the Territory and can I say that without the vision of the CLP government in terms of the railway, the Chief Minister would not have had to leave the Chamber today to go and sign the agreement for the railway to commence. It is a notable occasion in Territory history.
This particular project will generate activity, employment opportunities and business opportunities for people right across the Northern Territory. It will have a national positive impact in terms of the benefits it will deliver not only to the Territory economy but to the national economy. It will have strategic significance in terms of the support of our defence forces in the north and all along the way we have had to fight the opposition to keep the project …
MsMartin: Rubbish!
Mr REED: I hear from the opposition some opposition to that comment. The fact is, that all along, the Leader of the Opposition has believed this project to be a faded dream. She has no vision. She has had no commitment to this project and she has no ability to see a project through, to be able to put in the hard miles, not go on holidays two weeks before and two weeks after the sittings so she can either prepare for them or rest from them and to be able to see it through.
The Leader of the Opposition did interject in terms of suggesting that they were not of that ilk, but can I say that in an interview on 5 September on the ABC 8DDD program, the Leader of the Opposition was asked by a reporter in a press release put out: ‘You have actually said that there are widespread rumours in the business sector that there is a $100m shortfall. Now do you think that that is responsible?’ The journalist recognised that the media release put out by the Leader of the Opposition was not responsible and the journalist went on to ask the Leader of the Opposition: ‘Should you be, as a responsible politician and the Leader of the Opposition, should you be depending on rumours?’ Well no, she should not but it is with that sort of approach that she has continually reinforced her position that the railway is a faded dream. And she cannot deny that it was in her mind a faded dream.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Well they might shout in the week that the railway agreement is to be signed …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Arnhem.
Mr REED: The interjections of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition are no better because he is similarly on the public record by saying: ‘We know there is not enough money and we know this government has a shocking record of backing out of deals’.
There has been enough money – notwithstanding the rumours that the Labor Party has been peddling, and we have witnessed today the Chief Minister leaving this Chamber to go and sign an agreement for the railway so we can then now demonstrate the Deputy Leader that the government has a shocking record of backing out of deals.
So this government has had the vision in relation to the railway. This government has had a commitment to providing jobs. We have not gone around fiddling around with ‘what is your job strategy’, ‘what is some electoral reform we can undertake’ and that is the small focus of the opposition that this government is focused clearly on the railway. It is now about to be a reality and Territorians in all regional centres will benefit from it and the national benefits will see further advancement of the economy and overall improvements in the lot for Australians and Territorians generally.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a notable week in the advancement of the Territory and the progress of the Territory and can I say that without the vision of the CLP government in terms of the railway, the Chief Minister would not have had to leave the Chamber today to go and sign the agreement for the railway to commence. It is a notable occasion in Territory history.
This particular project will generate activity, employment opportunities and business opportunities for people right across the Northern Territory. It will have a national positive impact in terms of the benefits it will deliver not only to the Territory economy but to the national economy. It will have strategic significance in terms of the support of our defence forces in the north and all along the way we have had to fight the opposition to keep the project …
MsMartin: Rubbish!
Mr REED: I hear from the opposition some opposition to that comment. The fact is, that all along, the Leader of the Opposition has believed this project to be a faded dream. She has no vision. She has had no commitment to this project and she has no ability to see a project through, to be able to put in the hard miles, not go on holidays two weeks before and two weeks after the sittings so she can either prepare for them or rest from them and to be able to see it through.
The Leader of the Opposition did interject in terms of suggesting that they were not of that ilk, but can I say that in an interview on 5 September on the ABC 8DDD program, the Leader of the Opposition was asked by a reporter in a press release put out: ‘You have actually said that there are widespread rumours in the business sector that there is a $100m shortfall. Now do you think that that is responsible?’ The journalist recognised that the media release put out by the Leader of the Opposition was not responsible and the journalist went on to ask the Leader of the Opposition: ‘Should you be, as a responsible politician and the Leader of the Opposition, should you be depending on rumours?’ Well no, she should not but it is with that sort of approach that she has continually reinforced her position that the railway is a faded dream. And she cannot deny that it was in her mind a faded dream.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Well they might shout in the week that the railway agreement is to be signed …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Arnhem.
Mr REED: The interjections of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition are no better because he is similarly on the public record by saying: ‘We know there is not enough money and we know this government has a shocking record of backing out of deals’.
There has been enough money – notwithstanding the rumours that the Labor Party has been peddling, and we have witnessed today the Chief Minister leaving this Chamber to go and sign an agreement for the railway so we can then now demonstrate the Deputy Leader that the government has a shocking record of backing out of deals.
So this government has had the vision in relation to the railway. This government has had a commitment to providing jobs. We have not gone around fiddling around with ‘what is your job strategy’, ‘what is some electoral reform we can undertake’ and that is the small focus of the opposition that this government is focused clearly on the railway. It is now about to be a reality and Territorians in all regional centres will benefit from it and the national benefits will see further advancement of the economy and overall improvements in the lot for Australians and Territorians generally.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016