Mr BALDWIN - 1994-10-13
In a media statement, the member for MacDonnell claimed yesterday that the Northern Territory government has downgraded the classification of certain roads in the Northern Territory. This is certainly contrary to the views expressed in a ministerial statement delivered in parliament this week. Has the Northern Territory government downgraded any roads?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I was somewhat bewildered when I was contacted by a media organisation yesterday, and made aware of a press release that had been issued by the
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member for MacDonnell. I have a copy of it here. It begins:
The member for MacDonnell, Neil Bell, today expressed shock and amazement at the Northern Territory government's downgrading of the Alice Springs to Ayers Rock road
and the Glen Helen/King's Canyon loop road. These 2 roads are 2 of the tourism industry's most significant roads in the Northern Territory and the Minister for Transport
and Works, in his ministerial statement, has reduced them from Territory arterial roads to local roads.
The press release went on to say that these are important roads and that they should be classified as state arterial roads. He wants a guarantee from me that this downgrading will not affect the amount of work done on the roads nor the funding provided for their maintenance etc.
The press release itself is totally inaccurate, but we expect that sort of thing from the member for MacDonnell. However, the more serious matter is that it misleads the community. In respect of people in the remote areas, it is particularly important because, as a representative of remote communities, he has a responsibility to provide factual information to those communities about matters that affect them in order that those people may be in a position to take steps to improve the situation. When provided with totally false information, people are unable to take such steps.
I made a statement in this House which was delivered in a written form to the member for MacDonnell. I emphasised on 2 occasions during the debate, as a result of remarks made by member for MacDonnell, that the classification of roads in the Territory is done in terms of the federal definition. The Territory government does not determine that this is a state arterial road, that this is a national highway and that this is a local road. The choice is not ours. I emphasise that.
Mr Bell: Absolute rubbish!
Mr MANZIE: 'Local roads' by federal definition include all roads that are not national highways or state arterial roads. Hence local roads include roads ranging from single-user access roads to major secondary roads such as the Roper Highway, the Lasseter Highway, the Sandover Highway, Nathan Road, Docker River Road and Lajamanu Road. These are designated as local roads under the federal government's definition of roads. There are only 3 types of roads in the Territory. The inference that the Territory government has reclassified those roads and downgraded them is a blatant lie. As I emphasised in this House ...
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The honourable minister has been a member of this House long enough to know that, if he wants to accuse me of telling lies anywhere, he cannot do it while Question Time is being broadcast throughout the Northern Territory. I am quite happy for a debate to be broadcast right around the world about his failure to understand the difference between a state arterial road and a local road, but I am not happy to have him make such an accusation selectively. As he should well know by now, standing orders demand that he make those kinds of representations in this Assembly by way of a substantive motion.
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Mr SPEAKER: I ask the honourable minister to withdraw the word 'lie'.
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, in the context of what I said ...
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, I am speaking to the point of order.
Mr SPEAKER: I have ruled that you will withdraw the comment.
Mr MANZIE: I withdraw, Mr Speaker, but I think it should be in order for me to comment on a point of order. I will not say anything further. The fact that the member for MacDonnell misrepresents the truth ...
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker! That is no better than accusing me of telling lies.
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, that the information provided in his press release is totally untrue is very unfortunate, particularly in view of the fact that the correct information was provided in this House on 3 occasions. The fact is that the definitions are federal definitions. We have not made any changes whatsoever. The Lasseter Highway has always been designated as a local road.
The member for MacDonnell needs to apologise to people in the area for misleading them. The most important aspect is that the statement was made in relation to steps taken by Hon Warren Snowdon, the federal member, to have changes made to the way local roads are funded. $4m was distributed to 59 community councils and that resulted in the deterioration of roads. 8000 km of ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is the honourable minister still speaking to the point of order?
Mr MANZIE: No, Mr Speaker. You said I might not speak to it.
Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry. There was a second point of order. I find there is no point of order. In fact, the minister is trying to indicate that the press release is wrong and I believe he has some scope in that regard.
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, it is important to understand that the member for MacDonnell was trying to move away from a situation that he was in as a result of supporting the federal member, Hon Warren Snowdon, by attempting to blame the Territory government for the deterioration of local roads in remote Aboriginal communities. The fact is that the changes that were instigated by the federal member, with the member for MacDonnell's support, resulted in the $4m funding for 8000 km of roads being taken out of the Territory government's hands and redirected to 59 local community government councils. That resulted in deterioration of the roads. As a consequence, a federal government body is now carrying out a review to attempt to rectify the situation.
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Instead of explaining to remote communities what the facts are to enable people to make an intelligent contribution, the member for MacDonnell ...
Mr Stirling: They can never get any money from you. That is why it went that way.
Mr MANZIE: If they knew the facts, the people could make representations to the review indicating their situation and why changes are needed. The member for MacDonnell continues to mislead those people and they do not have the correct information. As a result, they are not in a position to improve their situation. He is abdicating his responsibilities as a local member. His responsibility is not to attempt to gain political points and divert criticism which is justifiable, as it will be when people learn of the part he played in this redistribution of funds. His responsibility is to ensure that the communities in his electorate gain the best possible result that they can in relation to their circumstances. They cannot do that when they are provided with false information. I suggest to the member for MacDonnell that he should not issue press releases that are incorrect. He knew that was incorrect because he has been told in this House on 3 occasions. He can pick up a phone and be briefed on this. However, he continues to mislead people in his community.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I was somewhat bewildered when I was contacted by a media organisation yesterday, and made aware of a press release that had been issued by the
Page 243
member for MacDonnell. I have a copy of it here. It begins:
The member for MacDonnell, Neil Bell, today expressed shock and amazement at the Northern Territory government's downgrading of the Alice Springs to Ayers Rock road
and the Glen Helen/King's Canyon loop road. These 2 roads are 2 of the tourism industry's most significant roads in the Northern Territory and the Minister for Transport
and Works, in his ministerial statement, has reduced them from Territory arterial roads to local roads.
The press release went on to say that these are important roads and that they should be classified as state arterial roads. He wants a guarantee from me that this downgrading will not affect the amount of work done on the roads nor the funding provided for their maintenance etc.
The press release itself is totally inaccurate, but we expect that sort of thing from the member for MacDonnell. However, the more serious matter is that it misleads the community. In respect of people in the remote areas, it is particularly important because, as a representative of remote communities, he has a responsibility to provide factual information to those communities about matters that affect them in order that those people may be in a position to take steps to improve the situation. When provided with totally false information, people are unable to take such steps.
I made a statement in this House which was delivered in a written form to the member for MacDonnell. I emphasised on 2 occasions during the debate, as a result of remarks made by member for MacDonnell, that the classification of roads in the Territory is done in terms of the federal definition. The Territory government does not determine that this is a state arterial road, that this is a national highway and that this is a local road. The choice is not ours. I emphasise that.
Mr Bell: Absolute rubbish!
Mr MANZIE: 'Local roads' by federal definition include all roads that are not national highways or state arterial roads. Hence local roads include roads ranging from single-user access roads to major secondary roads such as the Roper Highway, the Lasseter Highway, the Sandover Highway, Nathan Road, Docker River Road and Lajamanu Road. These are designated as local roads under the federal government's definition of roads. There are only 3 types of roads in the Territory. The inference that the Territory government has reclassified those roads and downgraded them is a blatant lie. As I emphasised in this House ...
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The honourable minister has been a member of this House long enough to know that, if he wants to accuse me of telling lies anywhere, he cannot do it while Question Time is being broadcast throughout the Northern Territory. I am quite happy for a debate to be broadcast right around the world about his failure to understand the difference between a state arterial road and a local road, but I am not happy to have him make such an accusation selectively. As he should well know by now, standing orders demand that he make those kinds of representations in this Assembly by way of a substantive motion.
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Mr SPEAKER: I ask the honourable minister to withdraw the word 'lie'.
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, in the context of what I said ...
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, I am speaking to the point of order.
Mr SPEAKER: I have ruled that you will withdraw the comment.
Mr MANZIE: I withdraw, Mr Speaker, but I think it should be in order for me to comment on a point of order. I will not say anything further. The fact that the member for MacDonnell misrepresents the truth ...
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker! That is no better than accusing me of telling lies.
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, that the information provided in his press release is totally untrue is very unfortunate, particularly in view of the fact that the correct information was provided in this House on 3 occasions. The fact is that the definitions are federal definitions. We have not made any changes whatsoever. The Lasseter Highway has always been designated as a local road.
The member for MacDonnell needs to apologise to people in the area for misleading them. The most important aspect is that the statement was made in relation to steps taken by Hon Warren Snowdon, the federal member, to have changes made to the way local roads are funded. $4m was distributed to 59 community councils and that resulted in the deterioration of roads. 8000 km of ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is the honourable minister still speaking to the point of order?
Mr MANZIE: No, Mr Speaker. You said I might not speak to it.
Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry. There was a second point of order. I find there is no point of order. In fact, the minister is trying to indicate that the press release is wrong and I believe he has some scope in that regard.
Mr MANZIE: Mr Speaker, it is important to understand that the member for MacDonnell was trying to move away from a situation that he was in as a result of supporting the federal member, Hon Warren Snowdon, by attempting to blame the Territory government for the deterioration of local roads in remote Aboriginal communities. The fact is that the changes that were instigated by the federal member, with the member for MacDonnell's support, resulted in the $4m funding for 8000 km of roads being taken out of the Territory government's hands and redirected to 59 local community government councils. That resulted in deterioration of the roads. As a consequence, a federal government body is now carrying out a review to attempt to rectify the situation.
Page 245
Instead of explaining to remote communities what the facts are to enable people to make an intelligent contribution, the member for MacDonnell ...
Mr Stirling: They can never get any money from you. That is why it went that way.
Mr MANZIE: If they knew the facts, the people could make representations to the review indicating their situation and why changes are needed. The member for MacDonnell continues to mislead those people and they do not have the correct information. As a result, they are not in a position to improve their situation. He is abdicating his responsibilities as a local member. His responsibility is not to attempt to gain political points and divert criticism which is justifiable, as it will be when people learn of the part he played in this redistribution of funds. His responsibility is to ensure that the communities in his electorate gain the best possible result that they can in relation to their circumstances. They cannot do that when they are provided with false information. I suggest to the member for MacDonnell that he should not issue press releases that are incorrect. He knew that was incorrect because he has been told in this House on 3 occasions. He can pick up a phone and be briefed on this. However, he continues to mislead people in his community.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016