Mr CONLAN - 2015-12-03
Can you outline what the Country Liberal government has achieved in 2015 and why Territorians should feel confident going into Christmas and the New Year?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question. Three minutes is not a long time to answer, but let us start with the following: the gas pipeline between Tennant Creek and Mount Isa; the port deal, sealing the economic future of the Northern Territory; saving TIO; the biggest land release in the Territory’s history; hosting the NRL and two AFL games; and hosting the Davis Cup, the A-League and the Red CentreNATS. That is all in one year.
We have a $1.4bn infrastructure budget and we are back in surplus.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 35: relevance. Does the member for Katherine get 15 seconds for his day as Chief Minister?
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down; it is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: We have the biggest live cattle port in the world and we have rebuilt the live cattle industry. We have implemented pastoral reform. We set up the Tiwi Islands to export woodchips, which is one of the best outcomes of the whole year. We have increased the number of public housing complexes and started a new affordable housing industry. This is a true credit to the Northern Territory.
The Palmerston hospital is being built. When you dig a hole, you put concrete in it and fill it up. The most important thing is Labor could not even dig a hole, let alone pour concrete into it. We are giving the Royal Darwin Hospital a $40m upgrade. We are fully duplicating Tiger Brennan Drive. Did I mention we are back in surplus?
We have another $10m going to the Tanami Road. The Port Keats Road, Santa Teresa Road and the Plenty Highway will get $45m.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Perhaps the Chief Minister can update the House on where the Nightcliff police station is.
Madam SPEAKER: No, that is not a point of order!
Mr GILES: This is all in one year. We have announced procurement reforms with 25% local value added. There are more than 300 additional jobs for Aboriginal people in communities. We have introduced the biggest environmental reform in the nation. We had the Northern Australia Investment Forum. They are all big picture things.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. Will the Chief Minister apologise to Sandra Lew Fatt for putting her out of business?
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: We have introduced sports vouchers and Back to School vouchers. We have childcare and long-daycare subsidies. All the while we are paying back Labor debt.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. Where is the Gove District Hospital upgrade? Where are the Galiwinku and Umbakumba clinics?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: This year has been about ups and downs. Fuel, housing and electricity prices are down, as are debt, deficit, crime and alcohol consumption. Domestic violence is down. The public housing waiting list is down. Do not worry; we have ups as well. Jobs and the economy are up, but there are a couple of other ups and downs.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. With 20 seconds to go, will the Chief Minister tell us about his number one achievement, which was getting minister Tollner dumped?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: There are a couple of other ups and downs. It was an up when the member for Karama was rolled as Leader of the Opposition, but she is still leading the opposition. That is a down.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask for your wise ruling on Standing Order 33 about this speech being offensive.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not offensive. Sit down.
Mr GILES: This is offensive if you are a Labor member because we have been successful, and 2016 will be bigger and better than 2015. While the Country Liberals are in charge, the NT will continue to be the best jurisdiction in this fantastic nation.
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 the question. Three minutes is not a long time to answer, but let us start with the following: the gas pipeline between Tennant Creek and Mount Isa; the port deal, sealing the economic future of the Northern Territory; saving TIO; the biggest land release in the Territory’s history; hosting the NRL and two AFL games; and hosting the Davis Cup, the A-League and the Red CentreNATS. That is all in one year.
We have a $1.4bn infrastructure budget and we are back in surplus.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 35: relevance. Does the member for Katherine get 15 seconds for his day as Chief Minister?
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down; it is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: We have the biggest live cattle port in the world and we have rebuilt the live cattle industry. We have implemented pastoral reform. We set up the Tiwi Islands to export woodchips, which is one of the best outcomes of the whole year. We have increased the number of public housing complexes and started a new affordable housing industry. This is a true credit to the Northern Territory.
The Palmerston hospital is being built. When you dig a hole, you put concrete in it and fill it up. The most important thing is Labor could not even dig a hole, let alone pour concrete into it. We are giving the Royal Darwin Hospital a $40m upgrade. We are fully duplicating Tiger Brennan Drive. Did I mention we are back in surplus?
We have another $10m going to the Tanami Road. The Port Keats Road, Santa Teresa Road and the Plenty Highway will get $45m.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Perhaps the Chief Minister can update the House on where the Nightcliff police station is.
Madam SPEAKER: No, that is not a point of order!
Mr GILES: This is all in one year. We have announced procurement reforms with 25% local value added. There are more than 300 additional jobs for Aboriginal people in communities. We have introduced the biggest environmental reform in the nation. We had the Northern Australia Investment Forum. They are all big picture things.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. Will the Chief Minister apologise to Sandra Lew Fatt for putting her out of business?
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: We have introduced sports vouchers and Back to School vouchers. We have childcare and long-daycare subsidies. All the while we are paying back Labor debt.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. Where is the Gove District Hospital upgrade? Where are the Galiwinku and Umbakumba clinics?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: This year has been about ups and downs. Fuel, housing and electricity prices are down, as are debt, deficit, crime and alcohol consumption. Domestic violence is down. The public housing waiting list is down. Do not worry; we have ups as well. Jobs and the economy are up, but there are a couple of other ups and downs.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. With 20 seconds to go, will the Chief Minister tell us about his number one achievement, which was getting minister Tollner dumped?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: There are a couple of other ups and downs. It was an up when the member for Karama was rolled as Leader of the Opposition, but she is still leading the opposition. That is a down.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask for your wise ruling on Standing Order 33 about this speech being offensive.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not offensive. Sit down.
Mr GILES: This is offensive if you are a Labor member because we have been successful, and 2016 will be bigger and better than 2015. While the Country Liberals are in charge, the NT will continue to be the best jurisdiction in this fantastic nation.
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