Mr HATTON - 2001-07-05
The Chief Minister is in Dili this morning witnessing a landmark agreement between Australia and East Timor. It is an important step in triggering $13.7bn worth of development in the Northern Territory. Can the Deputy Chief Minister detail to honourable members the extent of the projects that will benefit from today’s agreement.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I think it is now appropriate for us to focus on what the benefits of this project will be. The honourable member for Nightcliff, who has been in this House for a long time, would be aware that these are the kind of projects that the government has pursued for many years - in fact, decades.
In relation to the railway, the record is clear. A $1.3bn project has been successfully put in place and is now under construction and creating jobs for Territorians. That was always considered to be a very large project in Territory terms, and indeed is. But it does, notwithstanding that, pale into insignificance in terms of what the opportunities will be now as regards the development in the oil and gas industry.
The Chief Minister, at about this time, would be landing in Dili to participate in and witness the formalities. I understand that he was being met at the airport this morning by the East Timorese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jose Ramos Horta. I think that demonstrates the level of understanding and cooperation that exists between the Northern Territory and East Timor. Indeed, Mr Ramos Horta’s comments this morning or yesterday afternoon on the radio, clearly demonstrate that they seek to pursue a very strong relationship with the Northern Territory. That is very encouraging, given where we have come from in the last couple of years in extending a helping hand to East Timorese people when they most needed it, and the arrangements that are now being formalised today.
There are 22 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves in the Timor Sea. To put that in perspective, Australia’s demand for natural gas could be met for 25 years on the current usage levels. It is a huge, world-class gas field and the developments that are going to occur onshore here will equate to something in the order of $13.7bn. To put that into context, that is about six times the Northern Territory gross state product, in terms of our budget. I think we would do well to dwell on those figures for a moment.
The following projects, both on and offshore are on the drawing board: the Bayu-Undan liquids project, $2.7bn; Greater Sunrise offshore project, $1.2bn; pipeline to bring the gas onshore from the above offshore developments, $1.5bn …
Dr Toyne: You should have cracked the champagne open …
Mr REED: … the Methanex methanol – I will get to that in a minute - plant, $1.5bn. I pick up the interjection from the member from Stuart.
Dr Toyne: You should have celebrated.
Mr REED: Celebrating with champagne was the most active thing that the Labor Party have done in relation to achieving these results. They had absolutely nothing to do with it. They did nothing except obstruct, by their comments, the arrangements that have been put in place. So the most active thing they have done is have a glass of champagne - illegally I might say, within 2 km of a liquor outlet. That of course, being done by the Labor Party would be …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: … the Methanex methanol plant, $1.5bn; the Phillips LNG plant, $3bn; the GTL Resources plant, $500m; the pipeline from Darwin to Moomba, $1.5bn; mineral processing at Batchelor and Gove, $300m; and other projects under discussion, but yet to be announced total $1.5bn.
In indirect and direct terms that will generate in the order of 10 000 jobs during the construction phases of those projects. For us to take into the context of the impact that it will have in a very positive way on the Northern Territory, we will need a sound and strong and committed government to be able to take advantage of those opportunities, which we have. It is this government that has seen these programs come to fruition.
The Leader of the Opposition of course comments that the Chief Minister made mistakes in his handling of the negotiations. Territorians can be rest assured that if the Leader of the Opposition thought that the Chief Minister made mistakes, at least even in her eyes if he did, he was doing something and he did it constructively and he did it well. That is why he was invited to be at the formal signing of the agreement today.
The Leader of the Opposition, on the other hand, when times get tough and someone starts to complain, goes into hiding. We saw that with Trish Crossin and her pre-selection as a Labor Senate candidate. You just do not hear from the Leader of the Opposition for the full duration of the problem that she has to face. Six weeks she went underground, and we did not hear from her. That paints in stark contrast the commitment, the dedication, and the vision that this government has and will continue to have and pursue in relation to creating jobs for Territorians as opposed to the incompetent and incapable manner of the way the Labor Party operate and conduct themselves.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I think it is now appropriate for us to focus on what the benefits of this project will be. The honourable member for Nightcliff, who has been in this House for a long time, would be aware that these are the kind of projects that the government has pursued for many years - in fact, decades.
In relation to the railway, the record is clear. A $1.3bn project has been successfully put in place and is now under construction and creating jobs for Territorians. That was always considered to be a very large project in Territory terms, and indeed is. But it does, notwithstanding that, pale into insignificance in terms of what the opportunities will be now as regards the development in the oil and gas industry.
The Chief Minister, at about this time, would be landing in Dili to participate in and witness the formalities. I understand that he was being met at the airport this morning by the East Timorese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jose Ramos Horta. I think that demonstrates the level of understanding and cooperation that exists between the Northern Territory and East Timor. Indeed, Mr Ramos Horta’s comments this morning or yesterday afternoon on the radio, clearly demonstrate that they seek to pursue a very strong relationship with the Northern Territory. That is very encouraging, given where we have come from in the last couple of years in extending a helping hand to East Timorese people when they most needed it, and the arrangements that are now being formalised today.
There are 22 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves in the Timor Sea. To put that in perspective, Australia’s demand for natural gas could be met for 25 years on the current usage levels. It is a huge, world-class gas field and the developments that are going to occur onshore here will equate to something in the order of $13.7bn. To put that into context, that is about six times the Northern Territory gross state product, in terms of our budget. I think we would do well to dwell on those figures for a moment.
The following projects, both on and offshore are on the drawing board: the Bayu-Undan liquids project, $2.7bn; Greater Sunrise offshore project, $1.2bn; pipeline to bring the gas onshore from the above offshore developments, $1.5bn …
Dr Toyne: You should have cracked the champagne open …
Mr REED: … the Methanex methanol – I will get to that in a minute - plant, $1.5bn. I pick up the interjection from the member from Stuart.
Dr Toyne: You should have celebrated.
Mr REED: Celebrating with champagne was the most active thing that the Labor Party have done in relation to achieving these results. They had absolutely nothing to do with it. They did nothing except obstruct, by their comments, the arrangements that have been put in place. So the most active thing they have done is have a glass of champagne - illegally I might say, within 2 km of a liquor outlet. That of course, being done by the Labor Party would be …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: … the Methanex methanol plant, $1.5bn; the Phillips LNG plant, $3bn; the GTL Resources plant, $500m; the pipeline from Darwin to Moomba, $1.5bn; mineral processing at Batchelor and Gove, $300m; and other projects under discussion, but yet to be announced total $1.5bn.
In indirect and direct terms that will generate in the order of 10 000 jobs during the construction phases of those projects. For us to take into the context of the impact that it will have in a very positive way on the Northern Territory, we will need a sound and strong and committed government to be able to take advantage of those opportunities, which we have. It is this government that has seen these programs come to fruition.
The Leader of the Opposition of course comments that the Chief Minister made mistakes in his handling of the negotiations. Territorians can be rest assured that if the Leader of the Opposition thought that the Chief Minister made mistakes, at least even in her eyes if he did, he was doing something and he did it constructively and he did it well. That is why he was invited to be at the formal signing of the agreement today.
The Leader of the Opposition, on the other hand, when times get tough and someone starts to complain, goes into hiding. We saw that with Trish Crossin and her pre-selection as a Labor Senate candidate. You just do not hear from the Leader of the Opposition for the full duration of the problem that she has to face. Six weeks she went underground, and we did not hear from her. That paints in stark contrast the commitment, the dedication, and the vision that this government has and will continue to have and pursue in relation to creating jobs for Territorians as opposed to the incompetent and incapable manner of the way the Labor Party operate and conduct themselves.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016