Mr POOLE - 2001-02-20
Can the minister tell Territorians living in Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs what the Darwin to Alice Springs railway will mean to them?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is worth putting this project in context. It is the single largest civil works project since the Snowy River Scheme. It will provide enormous benefit to Territorians across the whole region, from Alice Springs through to Darwin, and everybody in between. The rail link with the port will provide additional opportunities, not only for the Northern Territory but for the rest of Australia, as a link to the rest of our Asian neighbours to the north.
It is the CLP government that is driving this vision on behalf of Territorians that will provide jobs, not only during the construction phase but also for many, many years to come.
The opportunities that will flow with the construction are obvious in terms of the contracting opportunities that my colleagues have spoken about. There are also employment and training opportunities, supply opportunities, and provision of accommodation and services. After construction, there will be opportunities in terms of track maintenance and training of personnel in freight terminal operations. Not to mention, as I said, the flow-on effects to all Northern Territory businesses.
Regional benefits out of the construction will include sleeper factories, construction of sleeper factories, and flash-butt welding facilities. In Tennant Creek, for instance, there will be up to 80 jobs. The Katherine sleeper factory will provide somewhere in the order of 60 jobs. The load-out gantry in Katherine will provide in the order of 40 jobs. AdRail has proposed logistics facilities with Alice Springs becoming a major service hub during that construction phase. For the Tennant Creek and Centralian region that will provide more jobs.
The establishment of permanent construction camps in both Tennant Creek and Katherine, and construction camps along the route, will provide yet again more jobs. My department has been working with Territory businesses to give them the service they would expect from this government, the service that they have come to expect over the years, and the support to assist them in becoming rail-ready.
We have been providing networking workshops. We have funded such things as the Barkly Business Directory so that the rail consortium is aware of the capacity and the capability of those businesses in that region. We have run seminars to increase the opportunities for business to expand their company profile. These seminars are still running. In fact, another couple of those will be running up and down the Track over the next few weeks.
This is the CLP government supporting Territory businesses in gaining opportunities out of this fantastic project. Over 230 visits have been made by my department to businesses around the Territory to make sure they are aware of the potential and the opportunities, and to be rail-ready.
Through my department of lands, we have also provided land in Tennant Creek itself and that will facilitate the campsite. There was some talk that the campsite was going to be outside the town of Tennant Creek. Visits by myself and the Chief Minister showed that the economic benefits to the region, and particularly to Tennant Creek businesses, would flow better if that camp was sited in the town itself. Obviously the businesses welcome that, and they will be using the likes of the local suppliers and service businesses of the town. The construction workers will be walking down to the pub every night to have a drink in the local hotels. All these things provide more jobs for Territorians and more jobs for Territory businesses.
Local contract and transport companies have already had the opportunity to get work out of this project by relocating heavy earthmoving equipment into Katherine for the site works of the sleeper factory. Obviously, when this project starts, there will be many, many more transport opportunities, including the carriage of fuel and the sourcing and cartage of raw materials.
The Minister for Tertiary Education and Training has mentioned the MOUs that have been signed with the indigenous Territorian groups that will take part in the construction opportunities for this railway. Groups like the Tangentyere Council, Julalikari, CLC, and others have signed MOUs in respect of training opportunities. These are jobs for Aboriginal Territorians in this particular project and we are very proud of that, and it is this CLP government that continues to support those businesses.
The opportunities for Territory businesses across our regional centres are enormous. As I said, this project, the Alice Springs to Darwin railway, will bring enormous benefits across the whole region, not only in the interim construction period but for many, many years to come. It is this government that is bringing this new wave of economic development and providing these jobs for Territorians.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is worth putting this project in context. It is the single largest civil works project since the Snowy River Scheme. It will provide enormous benefit to Territorians across the whole region, from Alice Springs through to Darwin, and everybody in between. The rail link with the port will provide additional opportunities, not only for the Northern Territory but for the rest of Australia, as a link to the rest of our Asian neighbours to the north.
It is the CLP government that is driving this vision on behalf of Territorians that will provide jobs, not only during the construction phase but also for many, many years to come.
The opportunities that will flow with the construction are obvious in terms of the contracting opportunities that my colleagues have spoken about. There are also employment and training opportunities, supply opportunities, and provision of accommodation and services. After construction, there will be opportunities in terms of track maintenance and training of personnel in freight terminal operations. Not to mention, as I said, the flow-on effects to all Northern Territory businesses.
Regional benefits out of the construction will include sleeper factories, construction of sleeper factories, and flash-butt welding facilities. In Tennant Creek, for instance, there will be up to 80 jobs. The Katherine sleeper factory will provide somewhere in the order of 60 jobs. The load-out gantry in Katherine will provide in the order of 40 jobs. AdRail has proposed logistics facilities with Alice Springs becoming a major service hub during that construction phase. For the Tennant Creek and Centralian region that will provide more jobs.
The establishment of permanent construction camps in both Tennant Creek and Katherine, and construction camps along the route, will provide yet again more jobs. My department has been working with Territory businesses to give them the service they would expect from this government, the service that they have come to expect over the years, and the support to assist them in becoming rail-ready.
We have been providing networking workshops. We have funded such things as the Barkly Business Directory so that the rail consortium is aware of the capacity and the capability of those businesses in that region. We have run seminars to increase the opportunities for business to expand their company profile. These seminars are still running. In fact, another couple of those will be running up and down the Track over the next few weeks.
This is the CLP government supporting Territory businesses in gaining opportunities out of this fantastic project. Over 230 visits have been made by my department to businesses around the Territory to make sure they are aware of the potential and the opportunities, and to be rail-ready.
Through my department of lands, we have also provided land in Tennant Creek itself and that will facilitate the campsite. There was some talk that the campsite was going to be outside the town of Tennant Creek. Visits by myself and the Chief Minister showed that the economic benefits to the region, and particularly to Tennant Creek businesses, would flow better if that camp was sited in the town itself. Obviously the businesses welcome that, and they will be using the likes of the local suppliers and service businesses of the town. The construction workers will be walking down to the pub every night to have a drink in the local hotels. All these things provide more jobs for Territorians and more jobs for Territory businesses.
Local contract and transport companies have already had the opportunity to get work out of this project by relocating heavy earthmoving equipment into Katherine for the site works of the sleeper factory. Obviously, when this project starts, there will be many, many more transport opportunities, including the carriage of fuel and the sourcing and cartage of raw materials.
The Minister for Tertiary Education and Training has mentioned the MOUs that have been signed with the indigenous Territorian groups that will take part in the construction opportunities for this railway. Groups like the Tangentyere Council, Julalikari, CLC, and others have signed MOUs in respect of training opportunities. These are jobs for Aboriginal Territorians in this particular project and we are very proud of that, and it is this CLP government that continues to support those businesses.
The opportunities for Territory businesses across our regional centres are enormous. As I said, this project, the Alice Springs to Darwin railway, will bring enormous benefits across the whole region, not only in the interim construction period but for many, many years to come. It is this government that is bringing this new wave of economic development and providing these jobs for Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016