Mr AH KIT - 1998-10-14
After almost 2 years of fruitless and protracted negotiations with the Country Liberal Party administration, the Institute for Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs is still being denied access to federal capital works funding it has already been granted. If the funding is not used within the designated period the offer will lapse. The money and construction jobs will be lost. Why is the minister still refusing to allow the organisation to determine its own infrastructure priorities and will he now cease his obstruction or will he let Canberra take the money back?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I think I had better paint a bit of a scenario and explain the situation because again the honourable member has entirely misrepresented the situation. For the benefit of honourable members, and those listening to this broadcast, IAD is the Institute for Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs. Like the 3 Aboriginal training providers in Alice Springs, they have accommodation that is certainly non-purpose built accommodation and there is no doubt that it is unsuitable for the present task at hand. For most of the nineties this government has had at times quite fruitful discussions with the IAD about moving from their current location. The reason for that is for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that the area is built on a flood plain. Now there are other areas in that similar situation that are also subject to floods. But here we have an opportunity, where money is available ...
Mr Bailey: Who’s money is it?
Mr ADAMSON: ... to actually move this money to somewhere else. I will pick up the interjection from the member for Wanguri who says: ‘Who’s money is it?’ Because the implication from the member for Arnhem that it is IAD’s money is incorrect.
What happened was the federal government allocated money subject to the approval of the relevant Northern Territory authority.
Members interjecting.
Mr ADAMSON: Well, the members opposite can um and ah but the fact is that that money was always subject to the approval of the relevant Northern Territory authority. To say the money has been taken away is untrue. What we have had since I have been minister is a discussion where we have tried to come to an arrangement, a compromise, where we could actually look at either a relocation or a co-location of IAD to a far more suitable area. The only thing I have said in my discussions, in terms of what is not for negotiations, ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ADAMSON: ... is construction at that particular site. I think anyone listening to the broadcast, or members from the centre, would know that this particular land is about the width of a suburban block. It is a very long thin stretch of land. Parking is an issue, although certainly reports have been done to say maybe you can get around that to an extent. But you have a very long thin unsuitable piece of land for a number of reasons.
However, what I have tried to do with IAD is to have discussions on this. I met with the board late last year and we had discussions where, in fact, members of that board would like to have had further consultations. As the member for Stuart said in a question that was asked not long afterwards: ‘Well, we’ve stopped that situation from happening, haven’t we?’. And that, in fact is the case. There were a few people on that board who would have been very grateful for the opportunity to go away and discuss further some options. But unfortunately, the chairman of that particular organisation said at that meeting: ‘There will be no further consultations on this matter’. However, since then I have continued to offer consultation and it’s been unfortunate that IAD has to this stage refused to take it up. I am more than happy to have discussions with them. I’ve been on the record at that stage and am now simply saying the only thing that is not negotiable is that particular site. Let’s work to find a bit better area, which I think we can do. To say that the money hasbeen taken off them is not the case. We’ve spoken to both the federal ministers and the training authority, we’ve spoken to the board of the training authority and we are working through this. They understand our situation. I spoke to Minister Alston as recently as last week and brought him up to date. Everyone is comfortable with the process at the moment, except for 2 groups – and that is IAD and the opposition. We will continue to hold out the hand for consultation. I have done that the whole time. I have gone down there and personally spoken, as I said, in their boardroom. I will continue to offer that negotiation. If IAD would be keen to take it up, we will listen.
Members interjecting.
Mr Stone: No, it’s taxpayers’ money, that’s the difference.
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I think I had better paint a bit of a scenario and explain the situation because again the honourable member has entirely misrepresented the situation. For the benefit of honourable members, and those listening to this broadcast, IAD is the Institute for Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs. Like the 3 Aboriginal training providers in Alice Springs, they have accommodation that is certainly non-purpose built accommodation and there is no doubt that it is unsuitable for the present task at hand. For most of the nineties this government has had at times quite fruitful discussions with the IAD about moving from their current location. The reason for that is for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that the area is built on a flood plain. Now there are other areas in that similar situation that are also subject to floods. But here we have an opportunity, where money is available ...
Mr Bailey: Who’s money is it?
Mr ADAMSON: ... to actually move this money to somewhere else. I will pick up the interjection from the member for Wanguri who says: ‘Who’s money is it?’ Because the implication from the member for Arnhem that it is IAD’s money is incorrect.
What happened was the federal government allocated money subject to the approval of the relevant Northern Territory authority.
Members interjecting.
Mr ADAMSON: Well, the members opposite can um and ah but the fact is that that money was always subject to the approval of the relevant Northern Territory authority. To say the money has been taken away is untrue. What we have had since I have been minister is a discussion where we have tried to come to an arrangement, a compromise, where we could actually look at either a relocation or a co-location of IAD to a far more suitable area. The only thing I have said in my discussions, in terms of what is not for negotiations, ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ADAMSON: ... is construction at that particular site. I think anyone listening to the broadcast, or members from the centre, would know that this particular land is about the width of a suburban block. It is a very long thin stretch of land. Parking is an issue, although certainly reports have been done to say maybe you can get around that to an extent. But you have a very long thin unsuitable piece of land for a number of reasons.
However, what I have tried to do with IAD is to have discussions on this. I met with the board late last year and we had discussions where, in fact, members of that board would like to have had further consultations. As the member for Stuart said in a question that was asked not long afterwards: ‘Well, we’ve stopped that situation from happening, haven’t we?’. And that, in fact is the case. There were a few people on that board who would have been very grateful for the opportunity to go away and discuss further some options. But unfortunately, the chairman of that particular organisation said at that meeting: ‘There will be no further consultations on this matter’. However, since then I have continued to offer consultation and it’s been unfortunate that IAD has to this stage refused to take it up. I am more than happy to have discussions with them. I’ve been on the record at that stage and am now simply saying the only thing that is not negotiable is that particular site. Let’s work to find a bit better area, which I think we can do. To say that the money hasbeen taken off them is not the case. We’ve spoken to both the federal ministers and the training authority, we’ve spoken to the board of the training authority and we are working through this. They understand our situation. I spoke to Minister Alston as recently as last week and brought him up to date. Everyone is comfortable with the process at the moment, except for 2 groups – and that is IAD and the opposition. We will continue to hold out the hand for consultation. I have done that the whole time. I have gone down there and personally spoken, as I said, in their boardroom. I will continue to offer that negotiation. If IAD would be keen to take it up, we will listen.
Members interjecting.
Mr Stone: No, it’s taxpayers’ money, that’s the difference.
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016