Mr BAILEY - 1997-02-26
Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table copies of 3 memos from Training Network staff warning of severe budget problems with Training Network NT.
Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: These memos are dated 30 October 1996, 15 November 1996 and 25 November 1996. Will the minister admit that he ignored warnings provided by Training Network NT staff about the severe budgetary problems facing the network? Will he admit that he was warned that, despite deep cutbacks, the budget overrun was estimated to be almost
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$0.4m? Will he also admit that, because these warnings were ignored by him, the Training Network operational accounts had to be frozen, severely curtailing the training of Territorians?
ANSWER
On the contrary, Mr Speaker, it is one of the most encouraging areas we have in the Northern Territory. As a result of our healthy and vital economy, there is a rapid expansion in training demand. People are doing so well that they are starting to look at training up a few more young people. Obviously, it has a budgetary impact. While some of the cost of that training is carried by the National Training Authority, a Commonwealth-funded group, much still lies on the shoulders of the Northern Territory government through the Northern Territory Employment and Training Authority.
About a month ago, it was my pleasure to tell Cabinet the good news, in a sense, that NTETA was strapped for cash because the number of trainees was going through the roof. I do not have the precise figures here, but approximately 2000 young people are now in training in the Northern Territory, an increase of about 400 from a year ago. That has a cost impact. I applied to Cabinet for an additional $0.5m for NTETA because things were going so well in the training area. My colleagues in Cabinet supported that application for additional funds. As I acknowledged, there may have been circumstances previously that contributed to the situation in question. One involved an interdepartmental transfer of funds which was sorted out, and the other was healthy growth against a healthy economy - not a bad problem to have. If they had our problems interstate, they would all be delighted. The Territory's unemployment figures for young people are the lowest in the country, about half the national average. Do not let us hear from the opposition that this is all sad and bad news. It is good news and the CLP government is responding positively.
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Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: These memos are dated 30 October 1996, 15 November 1996 and 25 November 1996. Will the minister admit that he ignored warnings provided by Training Network NT staff about the severe budgetary problems facing the network? Will he admit that he was warned that, despite deep cutbacks, the budget overrun was estimated to be almost
Page 1960
$0.4m? Will he also admit that, because these warnings were ignored by him, the Training Network operational accounts had to be frozen, severely curtailing the training of Territorians?
ANSWER
On the contrary, Mr Speaker, it is one of the most encouraging areas we have in the Northern Territory. As a result of our healthy and vital economy, there is a rapid expansion in training demand. People are doing so well that they are starting to look at training up a few more young people. Obviously, it has a budgetary impact. While some of the cost of that training is carried by the National Training Authority, a Commonwealth-funded group, much still lies on the shoulders of the Northern Territory government through the Northern Territory Employment and Training Authority.
About a month ago, it was my pleasure to tell Cabinet the good news, in a sense, that NTETA was strapped for cash because the number of trainees was going through the roof. I do not have the precise figures here, but approximately 2000 young people are now in training in the Northern Territory, an increase of about 400 from a year ago. That has a cost impact. I applied to Cabinet for an additional $0.5m for NTETA because things were going so well in the training area. My colleagues in Cabinet supported that application for additional funds. As I acknowledged, there may have been circumstances previously that contributed to the situation in question. One involved an interdepartmental transfer of funds which was sorted out, and the other was healthy growth against a healthy economy - not a bad problem to have. If they had our problems interstate, they would all be delighted. The Territory's unemployment figures for young people are the lowest in the country, about half the national average. Do not let us hear from the opposition that this is all sad and bad news. It is good news and the CLP government is responding positively.
Page 1961
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016