Ms LAWRIE - 2014-11-26
Your contempt for Territorians clearly knows no bounds. Have you learnt nothing from your disgraceful crash through sale of TIO? I am advised that this morning Darwin Port Corporation staff were informed you are introducing legislation tomorrow to provide for the sale of our port. Will you arrogantly seek to pass it through all stages tomorrow while you sell our future prosperity?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. I learnt yesterday that only one team in this Chamber has the courage to make a decision for the future of the Northern Territory. In 2006 you did nothing, and in 2014 we made a decision that freed up TIO for a long-term future in the Northern Territory. Not only did we free up TIO, we partnered it with the biggest general insurer in the world so TIO can now act locally but reinsure globally. What an opportunity and fantastic partnership for TIO. What an opportunity the Territory government has provided for the long-term sustainability of insurance in the Northern Territory.
Flood mitigation is now permanently in every TIO home and contents policy. This was not the case before. TIO, the organisation, has provided an $18m return to government over 35 years. How much have we put in? We put $20m in to prop it up in 2002, let alone the $50m lost during the GFC.
We learnt yesterday we are prepared to make the tough decisions, and tomorrow you will find …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We asked a question about the port, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: Member for Wanguri, clearly your ears are dirty and you cannot hear because you asked what we learnt yesterday and I am telling you. What you will learn tomorrow, after I give notice at 2 pm today, is we will introduce two bills, one creating a regulatory environment for ports in the Northern Territory, something you did not do in government. We will also put the horse before the cart tomorrow when we talk about providing long-term options for the port. That legislation will be introduced tomorrow and will sit on the table until February, perhaps March or April, for public consultation. The port is not for sale. You will see the legislation tomorrow …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Opposition members, one warning. Cease interjecting or you will be asked to leave the Chamber.
Mr GILES: Yesterday we saw the feigned indignity of the Leader of the Opposition and others opposite who complained they had not seen the legislation. I understand that. It went through in one day. Tomorrow you will have an opportunity to review legislation and have public consultation in regard to the long-term future of the port, how we can get more investment into the port and increase the hardstand area, reefer points and quay lines. There will be an opportunity for us to discuss it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. I learnt yesterday that only one team in this Chamber has the courage to make a decision for the future of the Northern Territory. In 2006 you did nothing, and in 2014 we made a decision that freed up TIO for a long-term future in the Northern Territory. Not only did we free up TIO, we partnered it with the biggest general insurer in the world so TIO can now act locally but reinsure globally. What an opportunity and fantastic partnership for TIO. What an opportunity the Territory government has provided for the long-term sustainability of insurance in the Northern Territory.
Flood mitigation is now permanently in every TIO home and contents policy. This was not the case before. TIO, the organisation, has provided an $18m return to government over 35 years. How much have we put in? We put $20m in to prop it up in 2002, let alone the $50m lost during the GFC.
We learnt yesterday we are prepared to make the tough decisions, and tomorrow you will find …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. We asked a question about the port, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: Member for Wanguri, clearly your ears are dirty and you cannot hear because you asked what we learnt yesterday and I am telling you. What you will learn tomorrow, after I give notice at 2 pm today, is we will introduce two bills, one creating a regulatory environment for ports in the Northern Territory, something you did not do in government. We will also put the horse before the cart tomorrow when we talk about providing long-term options for the port. That legislation will be introduced tomorrow and will sit on the table until February, perhaps March or April, for public consultation. The port is not for sale. You will see the legislation tomorrow …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Opposition members, one warning. Cease interjecting or you will be asked to leave the Chamber.
Mr GILES: Yesterday we saw the feigned indignity of the Leader of the Opposition and others opposite who complained they had not seen the legislation. I understand that. It went through in one day. Tomorrow you will have an opportunity to review legislation and have public consultation in regard to the long-term future of the port, how we can get more investment into the port and increase the hardstand area, reefer points and quay lines. There will be an opportunity for us to discuss it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016