Mr KURRUPUWU - 2013-03-26
You made a speech last week in Alice Springs where you said the future of the Northern Territory is in the regions. Can you please expand on this and inform the House of your vision for the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. Yes, I made an important speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Alice Springs one day last week. We saw, under the previous government, a reluctance to support business development and growth in all areas of the Northern Territory.
They seemed to forget about so many people - the little people and the jobs for the future, and about the kids.
On 14 March, I said there would be no more Berrimah Line. Yes, I am a Chief Minister from Alice Springs who now spends his time in Darwin. The Berrimah Line has moved to the South Australian border. That is what the member for Arafura is referring to - what I said in that speech.
This is about developing the whole of the Northern Territory and the future of Darwin as the capital and our gateway to Asia. It is working on our port and our railway to ensure we have jobs and growth for the future.
However, it is also about developing the regions. In many ways Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek are service centres for what happens in the regions where our economy is stimulated.
Yesterday, the Minister for Mines and Energy announced a new ilmenite mine. What a fantastic thing for the growth of the region. The head office is in Darwin and it will stimulate the Darwin economy, the regional economy, and about 20 jobs will come out of this new project. That is good for the future of the Northern Territory. These are the things I want to see as I lead the Country Liberal Party. It is about creating development and business opportunities and ensuring there are jobs in the future. On the one hand our kids are lumbered with Labor’s debt burden but, on the other, they can see a bright future in a job. That is what it is about, and we will continue to lead the Northern Territory by investing in our future and creating jobs so everyone has hopes, dreams and aspirations for the future.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. Yes, I made an important speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Alice Springs one day last week. We saw, under the previous government, a reluctance to support business development and growth in all areas of the Northern Territory.
They seemed to forget about so many people - the little people and the jobs for the future, and about the kids.
On 14 March, I said there would be no more Berrimah Line. Yes, I am a Chief Minister from Alice Springs who now spends his time in Darwin. The Berrimah Line has moved to the South Australian border. That is what the member for Arafura is referring to - what I said in that speech.
This is about developing the whole of the Northern Territory and the future of Darwin as the capital and our gateway to Asia. It is working on our port and our railway to ensure we have jobs and growth for the future.
However, it is also about developing the regions. In many ways Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek are service centres for what happens in the regions where our economy is stimulated.
Yesterday, the Minister for Mines and Energy announced a new ilmenite mine. What a fantastic thing for the growth of the region. The head office is in Darwin and it will stimulate the Darwin economy, the regional economy, and about 20 jobs will come out of this new project. That is good for the future of the Northern Territory. These are the things I want to see as I lead the Country Liberal Party. It is about creating development and business opportunities and ensuring there are jobs in the future. On the one hand our kids are lumbered with Labor’s debt burden but, on the other, they can see a bright future in a job. That is what it is about, and we will continue to lead the Northern Territory by investing in our future and creating jobs so everyone has hopes, dreams and aspirations for the future.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016