Mr McADAM - 2004-08-24
Can you please advise the House on progress in upgrading the Territory’s beef roads and on progress in getting the Commonwealth to meet its responsibilities in this area?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his interest because, of course, beef roads are an integral part of the economy of the Barkly electorate.
In the 2004 budget, there was $11.5m allocated by this government towards beef roads. Basically, that program included works on the Tanami Road, Finke Road, Central Arnhem Road, Point Stuart Road, Roper Highway, Sandover Highway, Oolloo, Fleming and Cadell Roads, Dorisvale Road, Carpentaria Highway and Wollogorang Road. It is a pretty impressive set of works.
However, as most people would be aware, on top of this, government allocated another $10m for beef roads over the next two years - $6m in the 2004-05 year, then $4m in the following year. The priorities for the way that that money is going be allocated has been reached in very close consultation with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association. They have expressed to me their delight at this extra money, and also their appreciation at the way the department has consulted very closely with them in prioritising those roads. Certainly, relationships between the department and cattlemen have been greatly enhanced through this process.
The additional works include the Plenty Highway, Buntine Highway, Buchanan Highway, Barkly Stock Route, Larrimah to Western Creek link road, Rankine Road, Ringwood Road and the Maryvale Road.
I would point out that the cooperative and solid way that this government has got behind our beef roads is in stark contrast to the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth had promised up big. We had Senator Campbell, the former federal minister for roads, come up here and promise it all - the accounts vary; anything from $20m, to $30m to $40m extra of funding - and we still have not seen the colour of that money. We have seen $1m extra that they allocated. That is essentially it.
Then we had the spectre of the CLP federal representative, Senator Scullion, coming out and trying to claim our $10m as his own. I made the analogy then of someone pretending that they had already shouted around the bar when they had not. That is the way I see what Senator Scullion does.
I know the cattlemen are very hopeful that the Commonwealth will honour their commitments and come through with some extra money for beef roads in the near future. My advice to the cattlemen and to other Territorians in relation to that: make sure you have a polygraph handy.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his interest because, of course, beef roads are an integral part of the economy of the Barkly electorate.
In the 2004 budget, there was $11.5m allocated by this government towards beef roads. Basically, that program included works on the Tanami Road, Finke Road, Central Arnhem Road, Point Stuart Road, Roper Highway, Sandover Highway, Oolloo, Fleming and Cadell Roads, Dorisvale Road, Carpentaria Highway and Wollogorang Road. It is a pretty impressive set of works.
However, as most people would be aware, on top of this, government allocated another $10m for beef roads over the next two years - $6m in the 2004-05 year, then $4m in the following year. The priorities for the way that that money is going be allocated has been reached in very close consultation with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association. They have expressed to me their delight at this extra money, and also their appreciation at the way the department has consulted very closely with them in prioritising those roads. Certainly, relationships between the department and cattlemen have been greatly enhanced through this process.
The additional works include the Plenty Highway, Buntine Highway, Buchanan Highway, Barkly Stock Route, Larrimah to Western Creek link road, Rankine Road, Ringwood Road and the Maryvale Road.
I would point out that the cooperative and solid way that this government has got behind our beef roads is in stark contrast to the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth had promised up big. We had Senator Campbell, the former federal minister for roads, come up here and promise it all - the accounts vary; anything from $20m, to $30m to $40m extra of funding - and we still have not seen the colour of that money. We have seen $1m extra that they allocated. That is essentially it.
Then we had the spectre of the CLP federal representative, Senator Scullion, coming out and trying to claim our $10m as his own. I made the analogy then of someone pretending that they had already shouted around the bar when they had not. That is the way I see what Senator Scullion does.
I know the cattlemen are very hopeful that the Commonwealth will honour their commitments and come through with some extra money for beef roads in the near future. My advice to the cattlemen and to other Territorians in relation to that: make sure you have a polygraph handy.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016