Ms MANISON - 2016-03-15
Despite heavily investing in the Buy Local campaign, your government has refused to back local businesses and jobs. You sold TIO against the wishes of Territorians, resulting in losses of Territory jobs, despite promising all jobs were safe. You sold the port against the wishes of Territorians. You handed government travel to an interstate company with little Territory employment, destroying local small business. Territorians recently learnt of a $2m contract for a roof to cover the Palmerston BMX track which will use imported steel.
You are spending millions of dollars on a stimulus package but you cannot guarantee work for local businesses or Territory workers. Does this not show the only job you are really interested in is your own?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question. Member for Wanguri, when the original process started for the development of a new asset management system in the Northern Territory the initial quote came through at about $7m. That was presented to the Labor members at the time. The first quote was $7.2m in 2006.
At the time, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment released a tender to markets seeking a …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. I am asking the Chief Minister about the money this government is spending on the economy, and if he will guarantee the flow-on to local jobs, the economy and local businesses ...
Mr Elferink: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order. Chief Minister, get to the point; you have the time.
Mr GILES: In December 2007 a tender went out for a Tier 2 component. In March 2009 a contract was signed for $14.8m, which was twice the initial valuation. The contract that was signed …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Again, Standing Order 110: relevance. I am asking about a current program of government expenditure on works, and he is ranting on about something from five years ago.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. Please be seated; he has two minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: These things have not been described by Labor. Let me get to my point. What was initially assessed as a $7.2m asset management system was signed for $14.8m ...
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: They do not like this one. It was signed for $14.8m to two companies, Fujitsu, in partnership with a company called CSG ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. He was asked a question about a BMX track this year, and he is talking about an AMS from five years ago. Where is the relevance?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: The original assessment was $7.2m. The then Labor government contracted with Fujitsu and its partner CSG for $14.8m. I am not sure what changed between the original quote of $7.2m and the $14.8m which was going interstate ...
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110. With 60 seconds to go, it is a very direct question: why can the government not guarantee local businesses will be supported through this stimulus package? Answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Nightcliff.
Mr GILES: It is interesting to know what changed between 2007 and 2009 and why the contract went from $7.2m to $14.8m. I can tell you …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110 again. There are 45 seconds left. The Chief Minister is still talking about a completely different project from years ago, not relevant whatsoever to the question I asked. I have asked a question about the stimulus package they have released to the community. I seek some assurance for Territorians that there will be jobs for locals and spending in local businesses. He is not talking about it; he is not answering it.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Wanguri.
Mr GILES: You know our Buy Local campaign because the Leader of the …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, get to the point!
Mr GILES: The Leader of the Opposition has already endorsed our campaign and copied that homework too.
People want to know what changed between 2007 and 2008 with the asset management contract where $14.8m went interstate. I will tell you what happened. On 17 July 2008 …
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: They do not like this! On 17 July 2008 CSG paid the Labor Party a $50 000 donation. So the contract went from $7m to $14m interstate with Fujitsu and CSG, with a $50 000 donation to the Labor Party. Maybe we need an ICAC to look at that, Leader of the Opposition! Can you answer that question?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
You are spending millions of dollars on a stimulus package but you cannot guarantee work for local businesses or Territory workers. Does this not show the only job you are really interested in is your own?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question. Member for Wanguri, when the original process started for the development of a new asset management system in the Northern Territory the initial quote came through at about $7m. That was presented to the Labor members at the time. The first quote was $7.2m in 2006.
At the time, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment released a tender to markets seeking a …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. I am asking the Chief Minister about the money this government is spending on the economy, and if he will guarantee the flow-on to local jobs, the economy and local businesses ...
Mr Elferink: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order. Chief Minister, get to the point; you have the time.
Mr GILES: In December 2007 a tender went out for a Tier 2 component. In March 2009 a contract was signed for $14.8m, which was twice the initial valuation. The contract that was signed …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Again, Standing Order 110: relevance. I am asking about a current program of government expenditure on works, and he is ranting on about something from five years ago.
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. Please be seated; he has two minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: These things have not been described by Labor. Let me get to my point. What was initially assessed as a $7.2m asset management system was signed for $14.8m ...
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: They do not like this one. It was signed for $14.8m to two companies, Fujitsu, in partnership with a company called CSG ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. He was asked a question about a BMX track this year, and he is talking about an AMS from five years ago. Where is the relevance?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: The original assessment was $7.2m. The then Labor government contracted with Fujitsu and its partner CSG for $14.8m. I am not sure what changed between the original quote of $7.2m and the $14.8m which was going interstate ...
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110. With 60 seconds to go, it is a very direct question: why can the government not guarantee local businesses will be supported through this stimulus package? Answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Nightcliff.
Mr GILES: It is interesting to know what changed between 2007 and 2009 and why the contract went from $7.2m to $14.8m. I can tell you …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110 again. There are 45 seconds left. The Chief Minister is still talking about a completely different project from years ago, not relevant whatsoever to the question I asked. I have asked a question about the stimulus package they have released to the community. I seek some assurance for Territorians that there will be jobs for locals and spending in local businesses. He is not talking about it; he is not answering it.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Wanguri.
Mr GILES: You know our Buy Local campaign because the Leader of the …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, get to the point!
Mr GILES: The Leader of the Opposition has already endorsed our campaign and copied that homework too.
People want to know what changed between 2007 and 2008 with the asset management contract where $14.8m went interstate. I will tell you what happened. On 17 July 2008 …
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: They do not like this! On 17 July 2008 CSG paid the Labor Party a $50 000 donation. So the contract went from $7m to $14m interstate with Fujitsu and CSG, with a $50 000 donation to the Labor Party. Maybe we need an ICAC to look at that, Leader of the Opposition! Can you answer that question?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016