Mr ELFERINK - 1999-10-20
I believe that the government is building new accommodation and upgrading substandard dwellings for government employees in remote areas. Could the minister advise on the progress of this program?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I know the member understands that we need to maintain good-quality housing in remote areas to make sure that we attract people to stay there longer.
Last year, this government assessed remote-area housing and decided to increase its commitment over a 3-year period. Cabinet approved an additional $10m over 3 years, bringing the total for this program to $18m.
A total of 40 houses were built last year, and $1m was spent on upgrading. This year we are hoping to have 27 new dwellings and 80 will be upgraded. This is a great boost for the construction industry right across all regions.
An important part of this program was the replacement of the ‘silver bullets’. There is a bit of nostalgia about those, I have to admit, but I am quite sure the teachers out there will greet this with a sigh of relief rather than regret. A total of 21 silver bullets were scheduled to be replaced. When the last 4 houses are completed this month, there will be only one silver bullet remaining, at Gapuwiyak. That will be replaced next year. The last of the bullets at the moment are at Maningrida, Peppimenarti and Gapuwiyak.
Mr Reed: And the Timber Creek museum.
Mrs BRAHAM: Oh, that’s right. At Timber Creek we have replaced the silver bullet classroom but the member for Katherine is pushing for it to be put into a museum so people can remember what the old silver bullets were like.
There is no doubt that this government has policies and then implements them, not like the people on the other side. This government recognises that we need quality housing to ensure we keep people there, but ...
Mr Burke: What’s your housing policy?
Mrs BRAHAM: Yes, exactly! Where is their policy for remote-area housing? You don’t have one! It’s true. The member for Wanguri, who doesn’t want seniors in his electorate, stood up the other day and I was a little bit worried because he said: ‘What a great statement! This contemporary statement could almost be a Labor Party policy’. Now, that was a bit of a worry. We’ll be checking on the Internet to see it when it does appear, this policy of the Labor Party, and whether it does reflect our policies. Certainly, at the moment you’ve got nothing on record about remote-area housing.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! It’s impossible to hear the minister. I would appreciate silence, thank you.
Mr Toyne: She does have a quiet voice.
Mr SPEAKER: The member for Stuart is one who is very much at fault here, because he is mumbling under his breath continuously. If he continues to do so, he will find himself out.
Mrs BRAHAM: We heard the Minister for Health the other day talk about how the Labor Party had actually pinched the policies of this government. If there was such a thing as mandatory sentencing for policy-pinching, that lot over there would be in jail for months, because they haven’t got one.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I can understand the minister’s embarrassment about having to answer a question that one of her colleagues should have been answering about 10 years ago, about silver bullets. But I ask you to direct her to get on with the answer to the question rather than talking about the opposition.
Mr SPEAKER: Well, I won’t rule a point of order because there’s been so much interjection. It’s understandable that the minister has got off the track. But I would appreciate the wind-up to the answer as quickly as possible.
Mrs BRAHAM: I want to say to members that this side of the House made a commitment about remote-area housing and we have implemented it. We have funded remote-area housing to improve it so that people out there will stay longer. We will maintain our services. This government, on this side, actually has policies.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I know the member understands that we need to maintain good-quality housing in remote areas to make sure that we attract people to stay there longer.
Last year, this government assessed remote-area housing and decided to increase its commitment over a 3-year period. Cabinet approved an additional $10m over 3 years, bringing the total for this program to $18m.
A total of 40 houses were built last year, and $1m was spent on upgrading. This year we are hoping to have 27 new dwellings and 80 will be upgraded. This is a great boost for the construction industry right across all regions.
An important part of this program was the replacement of the ‘silver bullets’. There is a bit of nostalgia about those, I have to admit, but I am quite sure the teachers out there will greet this with a sigh of relief rather than regret. A total of 21 silver bullets were scheduled to be replaced. When the last 4 houses are completed this month, there will be only one silver bullet remaining, at Gapuwiyak. That will be replaced next year. The last of the bullets at the moment are at Maningrida, Peppimenarti and Gapuwiyak.
Mr Reed: And the Timber Creek museum.
Mrs BRAHAM: Oh, that’s right. At Timber Creek we have replaced the silver bullet classroom but the member for Katherine is pushing for it to be put into a museum so people can remember what the old silver bullets were like.
There is no doubt that this government has policies and then implements them, not like the people on the other side. This government recognises that we need quality housing to ensure we keep people there, but ...
Mr Burke: What’s your housing policy?
Mrs BRAHAM: Yes, exactly! Where is their policy for remote-area housing? You don’t have one! It’s true. The member for Wanguri, who doesn’t want seniors in his electorate, stood up the other day and I was a little bit worried because he said: ‘What a great statement! This contemporary statement could almost be a Labor Party policy’. Now, that was a bit of a worry. We’ll be checking on the Internet to see it when it does appear, this policy of the Labor Party, and whether it does reflect our policies. Certainly, at the moment you’ve got nothing on record about remote-area housing.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! It’s impossible to hear the minister. I would appreciate silence, thank you.
Mr Toyne: She does have a quiet voice.
Mr SPEAKER: The member for Stuart is one who is very much at fault here, because he is mumbling under his breath continuously. If he continues to do so, he will find himself out.
Mrs BRAHAM: We heard the Minister for Health the other day talk about how the Labor Party had actually pinched the policies of this government. If there was such a thing as mandatory sentencing for policy-pinching, that lot over there would be in jail for months, because they haven’t got one.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I can understand the minister’s embarrassment about having to answer a question that one of her colleagues should have been answering about 10 years ago, about silver bullets. But I ask you to direct her to get on with the answer to the question rather than talking about the opposition.
Mr SPEAKER: Well, I won’t rule a point of order because there’s been so much interjection. It’s understandable that the minister has got off the track. But I would appreciate the wind-up to the answer as quickly as possible.
Mrs BRAHAM: I want to say to members that this side of the House made a commitment about remote-area housing and we have implemented it. We have funded remote-area housing to improve it so that people out there will stay longer. We will maintain our services. This government, on this side, actually has policies.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016