Mr CONLAN - 2016-02-09
As honourable members are aware, in December and January this year Top End flooding caused the evacuation of Daly River communities as well as two tragic events at Peppimenarti and Beswick. The events of emergency service personnel, Red Cross volunteers and local businesses are well documented and worthy of praise. I also understand there was a fair bit of effort pulled together by the Department of Sport and Recreation. Would you please outline those efforts and tell us why they were necessary?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As everyone would know the Top End flooding over December and January was a terrible time for many. It was tragic to hear of the missing man in Peppimenarti, the sad passing of an elder near Beswick and the destruction and angst caused by the evacuation of the Daly River community.
Honourable members would be well aware of the efforts put in by all agencies, volunteers, local businesses and organisations during the evacuation. As the local member, I put on record my heartfelt thanks for those efforts. You do not know how much the community was physically affected until you see it first-hand. When I visited with the Chief Minister, the damage on the ground was quite evident. It was upsetting for me to see, having been through this previously as well.
What is heartening is the way the community has got on with the job of cleaning up. On my last visit to the Daly River, with the NLC Chairman, Sammy Bush, we caught up with locals, who were upbeat about getting their community back into shape.
As minister, I ask for the indulgence of the House to praise some behind-the-scenes work done in the sport and recreation area for the young of the Daly River community. As well as the uncertainty, sadness and angst experienced by community members, another stress point would have been the boredom of the youngest members.
With this in mind, the Department for Sport and Recreation’s Caleb Johnston, Peter McKay and my own ministerial adviser, Jarred Illet, ditched their leave and pulled together a program of sport and recreation pursuits for the community members. They got in touch with sporting organisations from cricket to touch football, basketball, volleyball and the AFLNT. They pulled together a great program of activities that were enjoyed by many. I thank all the organisations which participated, particularly Territory Thunder players, who were extremely popular.
The activities that were directly funded by the government through the department of Sport were indoor beach volleyball, acrobatic performers and trainers from Corrugated Iron Youth Arts and music workshops with Shelly Morris.
We also bought sport equipment and arts and craft supplies for those at the evacuation centre. It may all seem a bit light in the face of all other efforts with the evacuation but I believe it is worth acknowledging because they were fun and healthy sporting activities. If it brought a smile to just one child in the Daly, then it was worth the effort. I am glad to report that there were many smiles.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As everyone would know the Top End flooding over December and January was a terrible time for many. It was tragic to hear of the missing man in Peppimenarti, the sad passing of an elder near Beswick and the destruction and angst caused by the evacuation of the Daly River community.
Honourable members would be well aware of the efforts put in by all agencies, volunteers, local businesses and organisations during the evacuation. As the local member, I put on record my heartfelt thanks for those efforts. You do not know how much the community was physically affected until you see it first-hand. When I visited with the Chief Minister, the damage on the ground was quite evident. It was upsetting for me to see, having been through this previously as well.
What is heartening is the way the community has got on with the job of cleaning up. On my last visit to the Daly River, with the NLC Chairman, Sammy Bush, we caught up with locals, who were upbeat about getting their community back into shape.
As minister, I ask for the indulgence of the House to praise some behind-the-scenes work done in the sport and recreation area for the young of the Daly River community. As well as the uncertainty, sadness and angst experienced by community members, another stress point would have been the boredom of the youngest members.
With this in mind, the Department for Sport and Recreation’s Caleb Johnston, Peter McKay and my own ministerial adviser, Jarred Illet, ditched their leave and pulled together a program of sport and recreation pursuits for the community members. They got in touch with sporting organisations from cricket to touch football, basketball, volleyball and the AFLNT. They pulled together a great program of activities that were enjoyed by many. I thank all the organisations which participated, particularly Territory Thunder players, who were extremely popular.
The activities that were directly funded by the government through the department of Sport were indoor beach volleyball, acrobatic performers and trainers from Corrugated Iron Youth Arts and music workshops with Shelly Morris.
We also bought sport equipment and arts and craft supplies for those at the evacuation centre. It may all seem a bit light in the face of all other efforts with the evacuation but I believe it is worth acknowledging because they were fun and healthy sporting activities. If it brought a smile to just one child in the Daly, then it was worth the effort. I am glad to report that there were many smiles.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016