Mr WOOD - 2013-05-15
The Litchfield and rural area is the fastest growing area in the Northern Territory with the biggest projects happening, such as the INPEX gas plant, INPEX village, the AACo Abattoir, expansion of Robertson Barracks, the new prison, the Coolalinga residential/commercial development, and an approved 80-lot subdivision.
It has two of the biggest high schools and eight primary schools. It is an important centre for the horticultural and extractive mining industry. It has 20 000 people, making it the fourth largest municipality in the Northern Territory. It also has three members of parliament, two of whom are members of your government. I understand you needed to reduce the deficit, but why have you given the growing rural area crumbs out of the budget and disregarded the needs of rural constituents, many of whom are represented by your own CLP members?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I was not sure if you spoke about the new gaol and the INPEX workers camp in the list you read out, member for Nelson. I did not hear that in the list.
There is a range of things in the budget that meets the needs of people in the rural area, in Palmerston, in Darwin, in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, and right across the Northern Territory.
The Minister for Health just spoke about a $5m scoping and feasibility study - a master plan - for the Palmerston and regional rural hospital for the next 30 years. We are putting in a greater amount of investment.
Kids who go to school in the primary years - 61 new teachers in the kindergarten to Year 2 area.
The biggest health budget we have ever had. We are working on addressing issues for people who have alcohol and substance abuse issues. You cannot tell me that in the three electorates you are talking about there is nobody who will not benefit from having rehabilitation for alcohol issues and concerns.
There is $9.66m for the Darwin Correctional Precinct; headworks for the correctional facility are in the budget. That is part of the budget that is in your electorate. Member for Nelson, come up with a specific question about what you would like. You were the king maker for a number of years. I do not want to go over old ground but you committed to putting a swimming pool in the rural area. Did you deliver it? No, you did not. I remember the days when Ted Warren was promising a swimming pool. He did not even have a shovel or a hole. You are closing down all the water parks out there ...
Mr Wood: You took Freds Pass funding away.
Mr GILES: We did not take Freds Pass funding. I will take the interjection; I was the Minister for Local Government at the time and I rang, when the Freds Pass issue was raised, and offered to provide funding to keep Freds Pass Show going. That is a fact. I do not need to announce it to the public, member for Nelson, but we tried to provide that service. If you had come to me and said, ‘Minister for Local Government, can you help us with the Freds Pass Show?’ The money was there; it was ready and was waiting to go. Do not cry and belly ache.
I know you are a big on local government reform, member for Nelson. There is a $30m regional roads funding package, an extra $5m of operational funding for local government, and $10m into the forward estimates and another $10m. The money is flowing into the Northern Territory. We do not have a magic pudding where you can keep grabbing money, like the Leader of the Opposition did when she was Treasurer with a credit card, sprinkling dollar notes around like confetti coming off the money tree next to the magic pudding. We have a responsible budget with responsible action.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
It has two of the biggest high schools and eight primary schools. It is an important centre for the horticultural and extractive mining industry. It has 20 000 people, making it the fourth largest municipality in the Northern Territory. It also has three members of parliament, two of whom are members of your government. I understand you needed to reduce the deficit, but why have you given the growing rural area crumbs out of the budget and disregarded the needs of rural constituents, many of whom are represented by your own CLP members?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I was not sure if you spoke about the new gaol and the INPEX workers camp in the list you read out, member for Nelson. I did not hear that in the list.
There is a range of things in the budget that meets the needs of people in the rural area, in Palmerston, in Darwin, in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, and right across the Northern Territory.
The Minister for Health just spoke about a $5m scoping and feasibility study - a master plan - for the Palmerston and regional rural hospital for the next 30 years. We are putting in a greater amount of investment.
Kids who go to school in the primary years - 61 new teachers in the kindergarten to Year 2 area.
The biggest health budget we have ever had. We are working on addressing issues for people who have alcohol and substance abuse issues. You cannot tell me that in the three electorates you are talking about there is nobody who will not benefit from having rehabilitation for alcohol issues and concerns.
There is $9.66m for the Darwin Correctional Precinct; headworks for the correctional facility are in the budget. That is part of the budget that is in your electorate. Member for Nelson, come up with a specific question about what you would like. You were the king maker for a number of years. I do not want to go over old ground but you committed to putting a swimming pool in the rural area. Did you deliver it? No, you did not. I remember the days when Ted Warren was promising a swimming pool. He did not even have a shovel or a hole. You are closing down all the water parks out there ...
Mr Wood: You took Freds Pass funding away.
Mr GILES: We did not take Freds Pass funding. I will take the interjection; I was the Minister for Local Government at the time and I rang, when the Freds Pass issue was raised, and offered to provide funding to keep Freds Pass Show going. That is a fact. I do not need to announce it to the public, member for Nelson, but we tried to provide that service. If you had come to me and said, ‘Minister for Local Government, can you help us with the Freds Pass Show?’ The money was there; it was ready and was waiting to go. Do not cry and belly ache.
I know you are a big on local government reform, member for Nelson. There is a $30m regional roads funding package, an extra $5m of operational funding for local government, and $10m into the forward estimates and another $10m. The money is flowing into the Northern Territory. We do not have a magic pudding where you can keep grabbing money, like the Leader of the Opposition did when she was Treasurer with a credit card, sprinkling dollar notes around like confetti coming off the money tree next to the magic pudding. We have a responsible budget with responsible action.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016