Mr VOWLES - 2014-02-11
You were not in the Territory, so you may not be aware that in the 1990s the previous CLP government’s plan to dam the Elizabeth River was a massive failure. This plan played a big part in your mates losing government in 2001. Now you are trying to dredge the stupidity again by planning to dam the Elizabeth River. It will fail. Even the member for Goyder is publicly campaigning against it. How out of touch are you to think you can resurrect a failed plan from the 1990s to dam one of our greatest rivers? How can you get it so wrong?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, with the winter Olympics being on it is good to reflect on what that means for the people of the Labor Party. We see these leadership contentions all the time; we are not sure who will be the leader of the Labor Party. The Leader of the Opposition put out a statement yesterday saying that she …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about damming the Elizabeth River, not the winter Olympics.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could answer the question as it was put.
Mr GILES: Can I spend my three minutes answering the question, Madam Speaker?
Madam SPEAKER: Not if you digress considerably, which you were.
Mr GILES: We look at who the real leader is on the other side. Everyone has their hand up, but the member for ‘Jingili Johnston’ - the member for Johnston - is at the back of the pack.
The winter Olympics are on; I was sitting up watching it late last night and I thought the member for Johnston is the Steven Bradbury of this parliament. You might come through the back; everyone might fall over and you might be the man, member for Johnston. You might be …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please withdraw those comments.
Mr GILES: I withdraw those comments, and I think if all seven fell down he still could not get across the line.
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. This is a question about damming, could you please answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could get to the point of the question.
Mr GILES: Member for Wanguri, this is not a question about damming, it is about planning. This is different. We are planning. We have our Planning Commission and we are planning for the future, ensuring we have land availability, housing stock and the ability to provide solutions to Territorians so they may get a house. We are not afraid to ask questions about visionary things that may or may not happen in the future. We are not afraid to consult, as the Minister for Education just said when he spoke about the Bruce Wilson Indigenous education review. That is what it is about, members for Wanguri and Johnston. You want to try to stir up some damming story in the newspaper to try to create some …
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I want to ensure the Chief Minister gets back to answering the question, considering there is a lot of noise coming from his side of this House about this.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, it is sufficient to say it is a point of order. Chief Minister, if you can get to the point please.
Mr GILES: He has just proved the point: if seven fell down he still could not cross the line. This is about planning, looking at opportunities, having strategic new designs and how to build liveable cities into the future. We are not afraid to have the debate. That does not mean these things will happen, but it is a part of our approach to having structured plans into the future, particularly for long-term land release to ensure we have the housing supply and capacity to match the pressures we see in the Northern Territory.
On the issue of housing supply, there is no doubt that when we came into government the demand outstripped the supply quite substantially. Both the minister for Lands and Planning and the Minister for Housing have been working tirelessly, looking at options to speed up the supply of housing. The Minister for Housing, with the Real Housing for Growth initiatives, is providing low-cost options for Territorians to try to get better opportunities.
We are seeing, according to the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory, a stabilisation of prices where the enormous growth factors are not there as they were before.
The challenge is to ensure we receive rents at the same point where there is a balancing out in the cost equation. Have no doubt, the Country Liberals are here to reduce the cost of living as well as financial pressure for Territorians.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, with the winter Olympics being on it is good to reflect on what that means for the people of the Labor Party. We see these leadership contentions all the time; we are not sure who will be the leader of the Labor Party. The Leader of the Opposition put out a statement yesterday saying that she …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about damming the Elizabeth River, not the winter Olympics.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could answer the question as it was put.
Mr GILES: Can I spend my three minutes answering the question, Madam Speaker?
Madam SPEAKER: Not if you digress considerably, which you were.
Mr GILES: We look at who the real leader is on the other side. Everyone has their hand up, but the member for ‘Jingili Johnston’ - the member for Johnston - is at the back of the pack.
The winter Olympics are on; I was sitting up watching it late last night and I thought the member for Johnston is the Steven Bradbury of this parliament. You might come through the back; everyone might fall over and you might be the man, member for Johnston. You might be …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please withdraw those comments.
Mr GILES: I withdraw those comments, and I think if all seven fell down he still could not get across the line.
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. This is a question about damming, could you please answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could get to the point of the question.
Mr GILES: Member for Wanguri, this is not a question about damming, it is about planning. This is different. We are planning. We have our Planning Commission and we are planning for the future, ensuring we have land availability, housing stock and the ability to provide solutions to Territorians so they may get a house. We are not afraid to ask questions about visionary things that may or may not happen in the future. We are not afraid to consult, as the Minister for Education just said when he spoke about the Bruce Wilson Indigenous education review. That is what it is about, members for Wanguri and Johnston. You want to try to stir up some damming story in the newspaper to try to create some …
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I want to ensure the Chief Minister gets back to answering the question, considering there is a lot of noise coming from his side of this House about this.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, it is sufficient to say it is a point of order. Chief Minister, if you can get to the point please.
Mr GILES: He has just proved the point: if seven fell down he still could not cross the line. This is about planning, looking at opportunities, having strategic new designs and how to build liveable cities into the future. We are not afraid to have the debate. That does not mean these things will happen, but it is a part of our approach to having structured plans into the future, particularly for long-term land release to ensure we have the housing supply and capacity to match the pressures we see in the Northern Territory.
On the issue of housing supply, there is no doubt that when we came into government the demand outstripped the supply quite substantially. Both the minister for Lands and Planning and the Minister for Housing have been working tirelessly, looking at options to speed up the supply of housing. The Minister for Housing, with the Real Housing for Growth initiatives, is providing low-cost options for Territorians to try to get better opportunities.
We are seeing, according to the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory, a stabilisation of prices where the enormous growth factors are not there as they were before.
The challenge is to ensure we receive rents at the same point where there is a balancing out in the cost equation. Have no doubt, the Country Liberals are here to reduce the cost of living as well as financial pressure for Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016