Ms WALKER - 2011-10-18
You have been reporting regularly on the good work being done by this government with its investments in our regions as part of A Working Future. Can you please update the House on how reform and improvements are building stronger regions and improving services to Territorians no matter where they live?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. We have been working incredibly hard across the regions. These past four years have seen major historic reforms. My department holds a number of those key reforms: the growth towns; the outstation policy; and also local government reforms.
One of the great things about being a member of this government is the teamwork and the united effort we are all putting into our commitment to every single Territorian across the Northern Territory with unprecedented investment in health, education, community safety, transport, infrastructure, and housing. With the Australian government we have invested over $1.5bn to address Indigenous disadvantage with over $20m per annum of Northern Territory grants on top of Commonwealth financial assistant grants. Most importantly, there is real planning involving local people and local government in setting shared objectives, prioritising work, and building stronger communities and stronger towns across the Northern Territory.
It was never going to be easy; it is not easy. There will always be room for improvement. Continual improvement is what our government is all about. We have moved from a system of small local government bodies lurching from one year to the next. As we have introduced reform, we have seen even more clearly the deeply embedded structural issues we have to tackle: the need to replace rundown assets and improve services to all people in the bush; the heavy reliance of the Australian government on our shires for delivering services such as Night Patrols and other community services; and the unique environment of a small rate base and heavy reliance on government grants to underpin the work of our shires.
As I travel across the Northern Territory …
Mr Tollner: Oh, whining?
Ms McCARTHY: … I am heartened by the progressive improvement I see, unlike the members opposite - and I pick up on the interjection by the member for Fong Lim, who says they are all hellholes. This lot over there want to move everyone from all these communities to every place on the Stuart Highway simply because they are too lazy, disinterested, and disingenuous to want to see these places grow ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister is misleading the parliament. She well knows that nowhere, anywhere, has anyone ever said we want to move all Aboriginal people onto the Stuart Highway. What nonsense …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. It is not a point of order. Minister, have you finished your response?
Ms McCARTHY: Yes, I have.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. We have been working incredibly hard across the regions. These past four years have seen major historic reforms. My department holds a number of those key reforms: the growth towns; the outstation policy; and also local government reforms.
One of the great things about being a member of this government is the teamwork and the united effort we are all putting into our commitment to every single Territorian across the Northern Territory with unprecedented investment in health, education, community safety, transport, infrastructure, and housing. With the Australian government we have invested over $1.5bn to address Indigenous disadvantage with over $20m per annum of Northern Territory grants on top of Commonwealth financial assistant grants. Most importantly, there is real planning involving local people and local government in setting shared objectives, prioritising work, and building stronger communities and stronger towns across the Northern Territory.
It was never going to be easy; it is not easy. There will always be room for improvement. Continual improvement is what our government is all about. We have moved from a system of small local government bodies lurching from one year to the next. As we have introduced reform, we have seen even more clearly the deeply embedded structural issues we have to tackle: the need to replace rundown assets and improve services to all people in the bush; the heavy reliance of the Australian government on our shires for delivering services such as Night Patrols and other community services; and the unique environment of a small rate base and heavy reliance on government grants to underpin the work of our shires.
As I travel across the Northern Territory …
Mr Tollner: Oh, whining?
Ms McCARTHY: … I am heartened by the progressive improvement I see, unlike the members opposite - and I pick up on the interjection by the member for Fong Lim, who says they are all hellholes. This lot over there want to move everyone from all these communities to every place on the Stuart Highway simply because they are too lazy, disinterested, and disingenuous to want to see these places grow ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister is misleading the parliament. She well knows that nowhere, anywhere, has anyone ever said we want to move all Aboriginal people onto the Stuart Highway. What nonsense …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat. It is not a point of order. Minister, have you finished your response?
Ms McCARTHY: Yes, I have.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016