Ms MARTIN - 1996-11-21
On 5 February 1993, the then Minister for Lands, the member for Nightcliff, issued a media release about the Better Cities program and the people of Railway Dam. I quote from that press release: `The redevelopment of the tank farm includes integration with the Railway Dam Aboriginal town camp site'. I seek leave to table that press release.
Leave granted.
Ms MARTIN: In October of this year, the Railway Dam people were told they were out. They were told that their presence was not compatible with the development of the tank farm. Consultation with them amounted to a 10-minute meeting. What happened to the previous and very public commitment to the people of Railway Dam that they would be able to stay as a part of central Darwin?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am delighted to answer the question. It is nice to be able to talk about something that is happening in the Northern Territory - a development that will benefit Territorians - rather than the shadow-boxing that members opposite have been devoting themselves to over the last 3 days. There have been a few dozen questions on nothing of interest to anybody. It is interesting that the member can come in here and ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: Most people in the Northern Territory who are achieving things have a sign on their desks that says, `The buck stops here'. The member for Arnhem must have a sign on his desk that says, `Everything stops here', because he does not do anything. He is just a non-performer. He may as well stop interrupting and obstructing what is happening in the Northern Territory.
The member for Fannie Bay says the people were told in October that they have to get out. That is not the case. The fact that officers of the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment have approached the Railway Dam people should not have come as any surprise
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to the member for Fannie Bay if she had been doing her job. If she had seen the draft land-use strategy and land-use objectives that have been circulated now for the best part of a year, she would have been aware of the proposed future land use for the area about which she has raised questions, and that is as open space. However, she looks at the plan, and what it indicates does not sink in between the ears. She cannot comprehend what is really proposed. She is not up with the job and she is not able ...
Ms Martin: You cannot answer the question, can you?
Mr REED: It is very difficult to answer a question when you persist in interjecting.
From the land-use objectives that were advertised, it was very evident what the proposal was. In relation to the assertion that officers of the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment told these people that they would have to move, that is not so. They have been approached in relation to the overall development. Currently, the people there occupy an area in the order of 3.12 ha in a total area of 31 ha that is to be redeveloped. In that context, the Railway Dam area is a fairly attractive place to be in the current circumstances.
Mr Toyne interjecting.
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr REED: You do not want to hear the answer?
In that context, it is a fairly pleasant place to be. The member for Fannie Bay has difficulty in perceiving what is to happen there in the future. That 31 ha is to be part of a marvellous development for the population growth of Darwin. In that particular area, zonings will be in place allowing the construction, on either side of Railway Dam, of unit blocks of up to 8 storeys. It will be rather intense development.
Ms Martin: Not in the vicinity of Railway Dam. That is 2-storey to 4-storey buildings.
Mr REED: No, it is not. Again, you have looked at the plan and you have not been able to comprehend it.
Ms Martin: Will it all be 8-storey buildings?
Mr REED: When someone outside this Chamber tells something to the member for Fannie Bay, she accepts it as gospel. When she is given the facts, she completely disregards them. How does one relate to such a person? How does one get the message across?
The areas adjoining Railway Dam ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
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Mr REED: ... will be made available for intensive development, up to 8 storeys. Let us accept that as a fact. That is what the land-use objectives state, and that was accepted after lengthy consultation with the public, although without the understanding of the member for Fannie Bay.
In addition to that, Railway Dam is the lowest point on the 31 ha site. From the point of view of the provision of services, and drainage in a highly-developed area, it will not be a particularly joyous place to live when all that development has been completed. The approach that officers of the department took was along the lines that, given the circumstances of the development that is to occur at the site, we are more than happy to sit down and find an alternative living area and a place that people who come in from communities outside of Darwin ...
Ms Martin: Steve made a mistake, did he?
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: ... will be able to use. I assume that that has been accepted because arrangements have been put in place for the legal representatives of the people of Railway Dam to meet with officers of the department. If the legal representatives have approval from the people of Railway Dam to meet with the department, one assumes that they know what the consultative process is.
Mr Bailey: No. You told them what was happening ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: You do not want to know anything. Members opposite are the greatest stoppers. I should christen the member for Fannie Bay `the cork' because she stops everything.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr REED: And you are the most non-productive person in the House.
Let us look at the overall area from the point of view of Woolner Road. That area is about to undergo some redevelopment. The whole area of Stuart Park has been discussed in the land-use strategies ...
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will please resume his seat. If the member for Wanguri and other members on the opposition benches continue their current interjections, I will consider locking them in a room with a tape of what is occurring right now, and we will see how they fare.
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Mr REED: It should be borne in mind, Mr Speaker, that people are listening to this broadcast who want to know what is planned for their benefit. Land in that area has great development potential. To improve the traffic flow, the government will be relocating Woolner Road. That will see the movement of the Woolner Road intersection with Tiger Brennan Drive farther out from the city. A roundabout will be constructed with a through road into Bayview Haven. That will make land in that area, owned both by the government and the private sector, available for development. It will create better traffic flow into the city via Tiger Brennan Drive and Woolner Road. It will cost $0.9m. Work will commence in the middle of next year. Design work is currently under way. I have a plan ...
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: They are clearly not interested. That fact is made apparent by the level of interjections.
However, I have a plan here for anyone who may be interested in that redevelopment. It is part of the overall Stuart Park redevelopment which will be a great boon to the city. This is another example of the strategy that this government has in place to turn off land to meet the demands of high economic growth, high population growth, and the high level of development activity. That is what grieves members opposite.
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Leave granted.
Ms MARTIN: In October of this year, the Railway Dam people were told they were out. They were told that their presence was not compatible with the development of the tank farm. Consultation with them amounted to a 10-minute meeting. What happened to the previous and very public commitment to the people of Railway Dam that they would be able to stay as a part of central Darwin?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am delighted to answer the question. It is nice to be able to talk about something that is happening in the Northern Territory - a development that will benefit Territorians - rather than the shadow-boxing that members opposite have been devoting themselves to over the last 3 days. There have been a few dozen questions on nothing of interest to anybody. It is interesting that the member can come in here and ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: Most people in the Northern Territory who are achieving things have a sign on their desks that says, `The buck stops here'. The member for Arnhem must have a sign on his desk that says, `Everything stops here', because he does not do anything. He is just a non-performer. He may as well stop interrupting and obstructing what is happening in the Northern Territory.
The member for Fannie Bay says the people were told in October that they have to get out. That is not the case. The fact that officers of the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment have approached the Railway Dam people should not have come as any surprise
Page 1806
to the member for Fannie Bay if she had been doing her job. If she had seen the draft land-use strategy and land-use objectives that have been circulated now for the best part of a year, she would have been aware of the proposed future land use for the area about which she has raised questions, and that is as open space. However, she looks at the plan, and what it indicates does not sink in between the ears. She cannot comprehend what is really proposed. She is not up with the job and she is not able ...
Ms Martin: You cannot answer the question, can you?
Mr REED: It is very difficult to answer a question when you persist in interjecting.
From the land-use objectives that were advertised, it was very evident what the proposal was. In relation to the assertion that officers of the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment told these people that they would have to move, that is not so. They have been approached in relation to the overall development. Currently, the people there occupy an area in the order of 3.12 ha in a total area of 31 ha that is to be redeveloped. In that context, the Railway Dam area is a fairly attractive place to be in the current circumstances.
Mr Toyne interjecting.
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr REED: You do not want to hear the answer?
In that context, it is a fairly pleasant place to be. The member for Fannie Bay has difficulty in perceiving what is to happen there in the future. That 31 ha is to be part of a marvellous development for the population growth of Darwin. In that particular area, zonings will be in place allowing the construction, on either side of Railway Dam, of unit blocks of up to 8 storeys. It will be rather intense development.
Ms Martin: Not in the vicinity of Railway Dam. That is 2-storey to 4-storey buildings.
Mr REED: No, it is not. Again, you have looked at the plan and you have not been able to comprehend it.
Ms Martin: Will it all be 8-storey buildings?
Mr REED: When someone outside this Chamber tells something to the member for Fannie Bay, she accepts it as gospel. When she is given the facts, she completely disregards them. How does one relate to such a person? How does one get the message across?
The areas adjoining Railway Dam ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
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Mr REED: ... will be made available for intensive development, up to 8 storeys. Let us accept that as a fact. That is what the land-use objectives state, and that was accepted after lengthy consultation with the public, although without the understanding of the member for Fannie Bay.
In addition to that, Railway Dam is the lowest point on the 31 ha site. From the point of view of the provision of services, and drainage in a highly-developed area, it will not be a particularly joyous place to live when all that development has been completed. The approach that officers of the department took was along the lines that, given the circumstances of the development that is to occur at the site, we are more than happy to sit down and find an alternative living area and a place that people who come in from communities outside of Darwin ...
Ms Martin: Steve made a mistake, did he?
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: ... will be able to use. I assume that that has been accepted because arrangements have been put in place for the legal representatives of the people of Railway Dam to meet with officers of the department. If the legal representatives have approval from the people of Railway Dam to meet with the department, one assumes that they know what the consultative process is.
Mr Bailey: No. You told them what was happening ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: You do not want to know anything. Members opposite are the greatest stoppers. I should christen the member for Fannie Bay `the cork' because she stops everything.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr REED: And you are the most non-productive person in the House.
Let us look at the overall area from the point of view of Woolner Road. That area is about to undergo some redevelopment. The whole area of Stuart Park has been discussed in the land-use strategies ...
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will please resume his seat. If the member for Wanguri and other members on the opposition benches continue their current interjections, I will consider locking them in a room with a tape of what is occurring right now, and we will see how they fare.
Page 1808
Mr REED: It should be borne in mind, Mr Speaker, that people are listening to this broadcast who want to know what is planned for their benefit. Land in that area has great development potential. To improve the traffic flow, the government will be relocating Woolner Road. That will see the movement of the Woolner Road intersection with Tiger Brennan Drive farther out from the city. A roundabout will be constructed with a through road into Bayview Haven. That will make land in that area, owned both by the government and the private sector, available for development. It will create better traffic flow into the city via Tiger Brennan Drive and Woolner Road. It will cost $0.9m. Work will commence in the middle of next year. Design work is currently under way. I have a plan ...
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: They are clearly not interested. That fact is made apparent by the level of interjections.
However, I have a plan here for anyone who may be interested in that redevelopment. It is part of the overall Stuart Park redevelopment which will be a great boon to the city. This is another example of the strategy that this government has in place to turn off land to meet the demands of high economic growth, high population growth, and the high level of development activity. That is what grieves members opposite.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016