Dr LIM - 1996-08-21
Further to the work of the Sessional Committee on the Environment and the Wetlands Task Force, can the minister outline any plans to prevent further saltwater intrusion in the Mary River system over the course of the next year?
Mr Bailey: Who would ask for a briefing when the chairman puts a question in Question Time?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I have not been able even to commence providing an answer to the honourable member without an interjection from the member for Wanguri.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: His mouth is bigger than the problem with the wetlands, and that is saying something.
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Mr Palmer: What about dogs on Casuarina Beach?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Government members are more interested in this very important environmental issue than are the member for Wanguri and other members opposite. That is apparent.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr REED: There he goes again - joined on this occasion by the parrot, the member for Fannie Bay.
The Wetlands Task Force is to meet again tomorrow. That will be its fifth meeting on this matter. Its members are drafting a ...
Mr Bailey: Are you going to build another `mother of all barrages'?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will please resume his seat. While Question Time has been a little quieter than in recent weeks, some members continue to push a little too far. At this stage, I will warn the member for Wanguri that he should refrain from constant interjection. I do not mind short, sharp interjections that are to the point, but I do not want to hear the sort of interjection that I am hearing currently from the member for Wanguri.
Mr REED: Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is a very important matter.
As I was indicating, the plan being drafted will seek to balance the multiple and competing land uses, such as pastoralism, tourism, recreational fishing and agriculture, with the environmental issues pertaining to the Mary River wetlands. It is a wonderful environment. However, it is under threat. In this year's budget, the government has provided $1m to undertake some saltwater intrusion control works in the Mary River system. Honourable members will recall the ...
Ms Martin: Mother of all barrages!
Mr REED: Now it is the member for Fannie Bay. The mother of all newsreaders is interjecting in place of the member for Wanguri. However, I will proceed. The mother of all newsreaders may continue to interject, but I will provide the information that people listening to this broadcast of Question Time want to hear.
A first component of work at the Mary River wetlands this year will be to establish a restriction in a saltwater arm that is working its way up towards the fresh water at Shady Camp. Members would be aware that the lagoon is a very large body of fresh water. Shady Camp Lagoon is one of the most popular fishing spots in the Top End, and we are very concerned that, if work is not done before the next wet season, the excessive water flow could breach the body of fresh water at Shady Camp and allow for the intrusion of saltwater. About
Page 1531
$150 000 will be committed to restricting the saltwater arm. The intention will be to place a barrier across that saltwater inlet to the west of Shady Camp so that the saltwater is held back on one side and the fresh water is held back and ponded behind that restriction. Recreational fishermen and people who recognise the tourism and agricultural potential of this area will appreciate that work, even if members opposite do not.
In relation to the attempt to put a barrage across Tommycut Creek last year, a great deal of information was gained from that exercise. Unfortunately, it was not successful on that occasion because of the climatic conditions that impacted on that work.
Mr Bailey: The wet season came.
Mr Ah Kit: The engineers told you it would not be successful.
Mr REED: Keep up your interjections. You are simply displaying your ignorance.
The work still lies ahead of us. The problem of saltwater intrusion at Tommycut Creek has to be addressed. However, the difficulty is that, at the moment, the area cannot be accessed. We need a drilling rig in there to perform further hydrological and geological work to assess an appropriate course of action to address the problems. That dilemma is compounded as we progress towards the wet season. If it starts to rain before we can get in, there will be real problems. The task force and officers of a number of government departments are continuing to commit considerable time and effort to finding solutions. Members opposite do not seem to appreciate that. This first expenditure of money - works are to commence in the next couple of weeks - will be a tangible expression of what can be done to overcome the problem.
Page 1532
Mr Bailey: Who would ask for a briefing when the chairman puts a question in Question Time?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I have not been able even to commence providing an answer to the honourable member without an interjection from the member for Wanguri.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: His mouth is bigger than the problem with the wetlands, and that is saying something.
Page 1530
Mr Palmer: What about dogs on Casuarina Beach?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Government members are more interested in this very important environmental issue than are the member for Wanguri and other members opposite. That is apparent.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr REED: There he goes again - joined on this occasion by the parrot, the member for Fannie Bay.
The Wetlands Task Force is to meet again tomorrow. That will be its fifth meeting on this matter. Its members are drafting a ...
Mr Bailey: Are you going to build another `mother of all barrages'?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will please resume his seat. While Question Time has been a little quieter than in recent weeks, some members continue to push a little too far. At this stage, I will warn the member for Wanguri that he should refrain from constant interjection. I do not mind short, sharp interjections that are to the point, but I do not want to hear the sort of interjection that I am hearing currently from the member for Wanguri.
Mr REED: Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is a very important matter.
As I was indicating, the plan being drafted will seek to balance the multiple and competing land uses, such as pastoralism, tourism, recreational fishing and agriculture, with the environmental issues pertaining to the Mary River wetlands. It is a wonderful environment. However, it is under threat. In this year's budget, the government has provided $1m to undertake some saltwater intrusion control works in the Mary River system. Honourable members will recall the ...
Ms Martin: Mother of all barrages!
Mr REED: Now it is the member for Fannie Bay. The mother of all newsreaders is interjecting in place of the member for Wanguri. However, I will proceed. The mother of all newsreaders may continue to interject, but I will provide the information that people listening to this broadcast of Question Time want to hear.
A first component of work at the Mary River wetlands this year will be to establish a restriction in a saltwater arm that is working its way up towards the fresh water at Shady Camp. Members would be aware that the lagoon is a very large body of fresh water. Shady Camp Lagoon is one of the most popular fishing spots in the Top End, and we are very concerned that, if work is not done before the next wet season, the excessive water flow could breach the body of fresh water at Shady Camp and allow for the intrusion of saltwater. About
Page 1531
$150 000 will be committed to restricting the saltwater arm. The intention will be to place a barrier across that saltwater inlet to the west of Shady Camp so that the saltwater is held back on one side and the fresh water is held back and ponded behind that restriction. Recreational fishermen and people who recognise the tourism and agricultural potential of this area will appreciate that work, even if members opposite do not.
In relation to the attempt to put a barrage across Tommycut Creek last year, a great deal of information was gained from that exercise. Unfortunately, it was not successful on that occasion because of the climatic conditions that impacted on that work.
Mr Bailey: The wet season came.
Mr Ah Kit: The engineers told you it would not be successful.
Mr REED: Keep up your interjections. You are simply displaying your ignorance.
The work still lies ahead of us. The problem of saltwater intrusion at Tommycut Creek has to be addressed. However, the difficulty is that, at the moment, the area cannot be accessed. We need a drilling rig in there to perform further hydrological and geological work to assess an appropriate course of action to address the problems. That dilemma is compounded as we progress towards the wet season. If it starts to rain before we can get in, there will be real problems. The task force and officers of a number of government departments are continuing to commit considerable time and effort to finding solutions. Members opposite do not seem to appreciate that. This first expenditure of money - works are to commence in the next couple of weeks - will be a tangible expression of what can be done to overcome the problem.
Page 1532
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016