Mr ELFERINK - 2000-02-29
The minister is fully aware that over the last couple of years I have had cause to write to him on numerous occasions about the condition of roads in Aboriginal communities. Can the minister inform this House exactly what is the problem?
ANSWER
Yes, Mr Speaker, members of this Chamber who have been here for some period of time would remember the debate in 1990 in relation to local roads funding. And they would remember the special Premiers Conference of 1990 where the then Parliamentary Secretary, I think to the Minister for Local Government, Hon Warren Snowdon, and the former member for MacDonnell, amongst others, contrived to remove funding for local roads from the Northern Territory and provide that directly to those Aboriginal communities. Prior to 1990, the Northern Territory government, through the Department of Transport and Works, received the money and maintained about 8000 km of road within Aboriginal communities.
For reasons best known to himself, and probably for the basis and causes of political reasons, the Hon Warren Snowdon had that money removed and had that provided direct to those Aboriginal communities. The result is, of course, that none of those communities have the wherewithal to maintain those roads.
Now, the honourable member for MacDonnell has written to me and to my predecessors on a number of occasions, asking that we address this issue. The Public Accounts Committee, in its report of last year, identified the issue as one of major importance, and one of major concern, in relation to infrastructure on Aboriginal communities. We, as a result of that Public Accounts Committee report, have put in place a committee comprising representatives from my department and representatives from the Department of Local Government, to try and address those issues, and perhaps take the issue back up with the Commonwealth government to have it resolved.
Prior to 1990, we, in consultation with those communities, were able to develop a works program, a maintenance program, that addressed those issues across the broad range of Aboriginal communities and provide the maintenance on a prioritised basis. What happens now is those Aboriginal communities, and there are many of them, are dribbled out little bits of money which don’t provide them with the wherewithal to maintain their roads and don’t provide enough money overall to maintain the road system. The fault and the blame lies with nobody else but the honourable Warren Snowdon and the previous member for MacDonnell.
As I said, those who have been in this House for any length of time will remember the debate in this House led by the former Minister for Transport and Works, Fred Finch, and will know that we pointed out, after the special Premiers’ Conference in 1990, what the result would be.
There is more neuron activity in this empty shell than in the combined shells of the craniums opposite.
We pointed out in 1990 what the results would be. Those results have come to pass. The member for Macdonnell, quite justifiably and quite rightly, keeps raising this issue. His predecessor connived with the honourable Warren Snowdon to deny Aboriginal people the ability to have a properly maintained and serviceable road system. The situation has been exacerbated by the recent flood rains in Alice Springs and in particular a couple of communities in the honourable member for MacDonnell’s electorate have been isolated and have suffered severe damage to their roads. They do not have the wherewithal, as a result of Snowdon and Bell’s little stunt. It was Warren Snowdon, Brian Howe, Neil Bell, Brian Ede, read the Hansard, go back through the press reports, who have caused this serious problem in Aboriginal communities. Mr Speaker, this government will take the issue up with the Commonwealth. This government will address the issue.
I can recall some really astonishing statements and some really astonishing meetings. Myself and the Minister for Resource Development held a meeting with Brian Howe et al in relation to strategic roads in Aboriginal communities, especially the Port Keats Road, wherein the community at Port Keats had asked that the money be handed over to the Department of Transport and Works so they could supervise the construction of the road. Brian Howe insisted that it be handed over to the Northern Land Council. When we pointed out the Northern Land Council had no expertise in the construction and maintenance of roads he said it didn’t matter, because that was his constituency. We pointed out that the people of Port Keats, Peppimenarti etc wanted the money handed over to Transport and Works, and he said that didn’t concern him because that was our constituency. His constituency was the executive and the staff of the Northern Land Council, our constituency who are the Aboriginal people directly affected, in his view and in the view of Warren Snowdon did not matter. We believe they matter, and I thank the honourable member for MacDonnell for his continual representations on behalf of his constituents.
ANSWER
Yes, Mr Speaker, members of this Chamber who have been here for some period of time would remember the debate in 1990 in relation to local roads funding. And they would remember the special Premiers Conference of 1990 where the then Parliamentary Secretary, I think to the Minister for Local Government, Hon Warren Snowdon, and the former member for MacDonnell, amongst others, contrived to remove funding for local roads from the Northern Territory and provide that directly to those Aboriginal communities. Prior to 1990, the Northern Territory government, through the Department of Transport and Works, received the money and maintained about 8000 km of road within Aboriginal communities.
For reasons best known to himself, and probably for the basis and causes of political reasons, the Hon Warren Snowdon had that money removed and had that provided direct to those Aboriginal communities. The result is, of course, that none of those communities have the wherewithal to maintain those roads.
Now, the honourable member for MacDonnell has written to me and to my predecessors on a number of occasions, asking that we address this issue. The Public Accounts Committee, in its report of last year, identified the issue as one of major importance, and one of major concern, in relation to infrastructure on Aboriginal communities. We, as a result of that Public Accounts Committee report, have put in place a committee comprising representatives from my department and representatives from the Department of Local Government, to try and address those issues, and perhaps take the issue back up with the Commonwealth government to have it resolved.
Prior to 1990, we, in consultation with those communities, were able to develop a works program, a maintenance program, that addressed those issues across the broad range of Aboriginal communities and provide the maintenance on a prioritised basis. What happens now is those Aboriginal communities, and there are many of them, are dribbled out little bits of money which don’t provide them with the wherewithal to maintain their roads and don’t provide enough money overall to maintain the road system. The fault and the blame lies with nobody else but the honourable Warren Snowdon and the previous member for MacDonnell.
As I said, those who have been in this House for any length of time will remember the debate in this House led by the former Minister for Transport and Works, Fred Finch, and will know that we pointed out, after the special Premiers’ Conference in 1990, what the result would be.
There is more neuron activity in this empty shell than in the combined shells of the craniums opposite.
We pointed out in 1990 what the results would be. Those results have come to pass. The member for Macdonnell, quite justifiably and quite rightly, keeps raising this issue. His predecessor connived with the honourable Warren Snowdon to deny Aboriginal people the ability to have a properly maintained and serviceable road system. The situation has been exacerbated by the recent flood rains in Alice Springs and in particular a couple of communities in the honourable member for MacDonnell’s electorate have been isolated and have suffered severe damage to their roads. They do not have the wherewithal, as a result of Snowdon and Bell’s little stunt. It was Warren Snowdon, Brian Howe, Neil Bell, Brian Ede, read the Hansard, go back through the press reports, who have caused this serious problem in Aboriginal communities. Mr Speaker, this government will take the issue up with the Commonwealth. This government will address the issue.
I can recall some really astonishing statements and some really astonishing meetings. Myself and the Minister for Resource Development held a meeting with Brian Howe et al in relation to strategic roads in Aboriginal communities, especially the Port Keats Road, wherein the community at Port Keats had asked that the money be handed over to the Department of Transport and Works so they could supervise the construction of the road. Brian Howe insisted that it be handed over to the Northern Land Council. When we pointed out the Northern Land Council had no expertise in the construction and maintenance of roads he said it didn’t matter, because that was his constituency. We pointed out that the people of Port Keats, Peppimenarti etc wanted the money handed over to Transport and Works, and he said that didn’t concern him because that was our constituency. His constituency was the executive and the staff of the Northern Land Council, our constituency who are the Aboriginal people directly affected, in his view and in the view of Warren Snowdon did not matter. We believe they matter, and I thank the honourable member for MacDonnell for his continual representations on behalf of his constituents.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016