Ms WALKER - 2010-11-25
- Can you please advise the Assembly on how the government’s A Working Future policy is working to improve the lives of Indigenous Territorians living in our remote areas?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex!
Mr HENDERSON: Empty vessels. Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Our A Working Future policy is the biggest, most progressive reform in the Northern Territory since self-government.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr HENDERSON: As I said, Madam Speaker, empty vessels rattling around in his head - … the biggest and most progressive reform in the Territory since self-government. The strategy is all about improving the lives of Indigenous people and working hard to improve the standard of living in our remote towns across the Northern Territory.
We want a stronger future and a working future for our people in our remote towns. We want those towns to become vibrant, thriving towns, to become towns where there are economies and jobs for people, and where people are living healthy lifestyles with their unique cultural values not only intact but part of the future of those working towns. It is about improved services, improved education and health, and opportunities for Indigenous people. As I said, it is the most progressive policy reform in the Territory since self-government.
The development of our growth towns into economic hubs in their regions requires the growth of commerce and industry. Central to this is a skilled workforce. That is why education is fundamentally critical. That is why children in our 20 towns having the opportunity of a secondary education is vital to providing those jobs into the future.
There is an enormous backlog in infrastructure that needs to be addressed. That is why, in the budget this year, there is record funding for the Northern Territory of over $900m-worth of infrastructure into those towns. Some highlights: we have invested $20m to seal the road between Angurugu and Umbakumba - anyone who has driven that road will know what a major piece of infrastructure and improvement that will be; $7.8m to construct a police station at Gapuwiyak - a major investment; $14.5m to upgrade the Central Arnhem Road – another strategic investment; more than $10m, through the Commonwealth government - that the opposition and the Liberal Party opposed - for trade training centres in Wadeye, Ngukurr, Nguiu, Gunbalanya, Groote Eylandt - the list goes on.
We have a vision for the Territory. We have a vision for these 20 towns. We started the journey 18 months ago and things are changing in the bush ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016