Mr BURKE - 2008-04-29
The Northern Territory economy is going strong. What is the government doing to ensure the economy keeps growing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. We have a strongly growing economy now and, as I said, one of my very strongest priorities is to ensure the growth in our economy continues into the future.
That is why I recently went on a significant trade mission to China, Japan and Hong Kong. Whilst I was there, I met some of the biggest players in the resources industry, and some very significant political people as well. I can advise this House that the Northern Territory is very much on the map in the resources industry in Japan and China. Along with other members of this government - my colleagues, the Business minister and the Primary Industry minister – I, as the Trade minister, will continue to travel and promote opportunities for investment in the Northern Territory.
However, arguably, the most important discussions I had were with the Chairman and President of INPEX in Japan, in Tokyo, where we had a very long meeting. I put a very strong case for their investment and their project to come to Darwin in the Northern Territory. It followed on from the signing earlier this year, between me and the head of INPEX in Australia, of a project facilitation agreement which allows for the Territory government to share information with INPEX so that they can have a commercial and technical feasibility study to look at the costs and risks of doing projects in the Northern Territory in Darwin, and those associated with the project in Western Australia, to allow them to make a decision by the middle of this year as to the preferred site - not a final investment decision, but the preferred site - for their project.
Why am I doing this as Chief Minister? Because I want confidence in our economy to grow into the future. A $12bn investment that, 12 months ago, we were not even in the race for. We want that investment here in the Northern Territory ...
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: There is a window of opportunity to snare a $12bn project for the Northern Territory that otherwise would go to Western Australia. That is what Territorians expect of their Chief Ministers and their governments: to seize the day, go after the opportunities, and promote the Northern Territory. What does it mean? Economic growth. What does that mean? Jobs for Territorians. That is what I am about as Chief Minister: jobs for Territorians.
Why is the Northern Territory in a place where we are competitive now? I still think we are the underdogs, but we provide certainty and security over land for the project; certainty and security in regards to the transfer of native title; certainty and security of a defined environmental process; and infrastructure in a capital city. We also have a track record that one LNG plant has been built here, on time, on budget - and so another one could be.
I have followed up those talks that I had in Tokyo with, again, significant and lengthy talks at the APIA Conference in Perth last month. I have worked hard to give us a chance at this project, along with a large number of dedicated Territorians in the public service - I take my hat off to them, they do an amazing job - and also people in the private sector who are assisting INPEX with the costings for the project if it was to come to Darwin.
Whilst I am trying to create an opportunity for the Northern Territory, I have to say I was shocked, stunned and dismayed when I saw the media release from the Leader of the Opposition saying that this project should not come to Middle Arm but it should go to Glyde Point, which had previously been ruled out. This came after the Leader of the Opposition was personally briefed by INPEX on the project and, in that briefing, told them he supported the project. What this Leader of the Opposition told INPEX was relayed directly to me. I remember speaking with INPEX people saying that there would be bipartisan support for this project because, not only was there certainty over land, native title, infrastructure …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … but the level of servicing would there for this project. I said the member for Nelson would probably oppose it, because he opposed the first one, but I said there would be political certainty for this project.
Mr WOOD: I did not. A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did not oppose the first one.
Mr Henderson: Yes, you did.
Members interjecting.
Mr WOOD: That is a lie.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I was somewhat …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the member for Nelson to retract his accusation. It is unparliamentary; he cannot do it unless by substantive motion. He is on the Parliamentary Record consistently as having opposed it.
Mr Wood: What? Opposing what?
Ms LAWRIE: LNG at Wickham Point.
Mr Wood: Wickham Point?
Ms LAWRIE: Absolutely.
Mr Wood interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, can you simply withdraw the comment that you made about the Chief Minister?
Mr WOOD: No, Madam Speaker, I ask for standing orders to be suspended because I do not believe that what the minister has said is true. He has said that I opposed Wickham Point and that is not true.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, the only way to do that is to move a motion and then we can have a vote.
Mr Wood: I move a motion.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! The member for Nelson is indicating that he wants to move a motion. Just move the motion.
Mr WOOD: Madam Speaker, I move that standing orders be suspended to show that the minister has said that I did not support the construction at Wickham Point, which is not true.
Madam SPEAKER: All right. Resume your seat. Does the government accept the motion?
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, the government does not support this spurious motion. The member can make a personal explanation. We can all get on with Question Time. We do not support this spurious motion.
Motion negatived.
Madam SPEAKER: All right. We will go on with Question Time. Chief Minister, have you concluded your remarks?
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I have not concluded my remarks. I want to go on to say that, as Chief Minister in this government, we are trying to create a significant economic opportunity for the Northern Territory, and I believed that the opposition were with us on that until - right out of the blue, no warning to anybody - I saw it about 6.30 pm or 6.45 pm when one of my staff walked in and said: ‘You will never believe what Millsy has just said’. I certainly did not believe it, Madam Speaker. There are a lot of people in INPEX who are also very concerned about what he had to say.
The Chamber of Commerce have taken quite a remarkable step in issuing a media release yesterday also condemning the Leader of the Opposition and his position on this particular project. I will quote from it:
Madam Speaker, ‘deliberately’, being the word here, jeopardising a major project that is going to create significant economic investment, confidence and wealth for Territorians into the future, and for making unrealistic demands. He knows those demands are unrealistic, because INPEX explained it to him. The time lines are such that, even if Glyde Point was an option, there is no way to build $500m-worth of infrastructure at Glyde Point to be able to capture this project in the time that INPEX need to make a financial decision. He knows that. It was explained to him and he said to them that he supported their project.
The Chamber went on to say: ‘In their eagerness to score points …’, - they will deliberately jeopardise this project, and economic growth and investment in the Northern Territory:
The Chamber’s words, not mine:
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Deliberately misrepresenting, because he was told, Madam Speaker …
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: You were told that Glyde Point was not an option.
There is more. Here is the kicker, and I quote:
Regarding the spurious environmental issues that he is trying to run, we can have both worlds. We can have an LNG plant situated at Middle Arm - we have one and it has not destroyed the harbour. It is not polluting the harbour. We still have great recreational fishing. We can have two. We can have a win-win. Under the CLP, there would be a lose-lose. The sign would go up: ‘Northern Territory closed for business. Do not bother. Take your money to Western Australia; we do not want you. Off you go to Western Australia. We are closed for business’.
The Leader of the Opposition opposed the waterfront development. He said: ‘Scrap the waterfront’. He opposed the first LNG plant, now he is opposing the second LNG plant.
Mr Mills: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is getting a bit out of control here …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: It is the sound of a desperate man when he is starting to pluck at straws with a similar allegation about scrapping the waterfront. I would like that substantiated too, otherwise we are just clutching at straws. It sounds like a desperate man.
Madam SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition knows there is no point of order. Chief Minister, have you completed your answer?
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I am a desperate man. I am a desperate man to secure a $12bn project for the Northern Territory. That is how desperate I am.
Regarding whether you oppose the waterfront - NT News 3 December 2004, when the recycled leader, the last time he was leader: ‘Scrap the waterfront call. CLP leader wants to revert to 1999 model‘. He was against the convention centre at the wharf, against the waterfront, against LNG 1, and against LNG 2. This man is an economic vandal and he should never be trusted to be the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. We have a strongly growing economy now and, as I said, one of my very strongest priorities is to ensure the growth in our economy continues into the future.
That is why I recently went on a significant trade mission to China, Japan and Hong Kong. Whilst I was there, I met some of the biggest players in the resources industry, and some very significant political people as well. I can advise this House that the Northern Territory is very much on the map in the resources industry in Japan and China. Along with other members of this government - my colleagues, the Business minister and the Primary Industry minister – I, as the Trade minister, will continue to travel and promote opportunities for investment in the Northern Territory.
However, arguably, the most important discussions I had were with the Chairman and President of INPEX in Japan, in Tokyo, where we had a very long meeting. I put a very strong case for their investment and their project to come to Darwin in the Northern Territory. It followed on from the signing earlier this year, between me and the head of INPEX in Australia, of a project facilitation agreement which allows for the Territory government to share information with INPEX so that they can have a commercial and technical feasibility study to look at the costs and risks of doing projects in the Northern Territory in Darwin, and those associated with the project in Western Australia, to allow them to make a decision by the middle of this year as to the preferred site - not a final investment decision, but the preferred site - for their project.
Why am I doing this as Chief Minister? Because I want confidence in our economy to grow into the future. A $12bn investment that, 12 months ago, we were not even in the race for. We want that investment here in the Northern Territory ...
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: There is a window of opportunity to snare a $12bn project for the Northern Territory that otherwise would go to Western Australia. That is what Territorians expect of their Chief Ministers and their governments: to seize the day, go after the opportunities, and promote the Northern Territory. What does it mean? Economic growth. What does that mean? Jobs for Territorians. That is what I am about as Chief Minister: jobs for Territorians.
Why is the Northern Territory in a place where we are competitive now? I still think we are the underdogs, but we provide certainty and security over land for the project; certainty and security in regards to the transfer of native title; certainty and security of a defined environmental process; and infrastructure in a capital city. We also have a track record that one LNG plant has been built here, on time, on budget - and so another one could be.
I have followed up those talks that I had in Tokyo with, again, significant and lengthy talks at the APIA Conference in Perth last month. I have worked hard to give us a chance at this project, along with a large number of dedicated Territorians in the public service - I take my hat off to them, they do an amazing job - and also people in the private sector who are assisting INPEX with the costings for the project if it was to come to Darwin.
Whilst I am trying to create an opportunity for the Northern Territory, I have to say I was shocked, stunned and dismayed when I saw the media release from the Leader of the Opposition saying that this project should not come to Middle Arm but it should go to Glyde Point, which had previously been ruled out. This came after the Leader of the Opposition was personally briefed by INPEX on the project and, in that briefing, told them he supported the project. What this Leader of the Opposition told INPEX was relayed directly to me. I remember speaking with INPEX people saying that there would be bipartisan support for this project because, not only was there certainty over land, native title, infrastructure …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … but the level of servicing would there for this project. I said the member for Nelson would probably oppose it, because he opposed the first one, but I said there would be political certainty for this project.
Mr WOOD: I did not. A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did not oppose the first one.
Mr Henderson: Yes, you did.
Members interjecting.
Mr WOOD: That is a lie.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I was somewhat …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the member for Nelson to retract his accusation. It is unparliamentary; he cannot do it unless by substantive motion. He is on the Parliamentary Record consistently as having opposed it.
Mr Wood: What? Opposing what?
Ms LAWRIE: LNG at Wickham Point.
Mr Wood: Wickham Point?
Ms LAWRIE: Absolutely.
Mr Wood interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, can you simply withdraw the comment that you made about the Chief Minister?
Mr WOOD: No, Madam Speaker, I ask for standing orders to be suspended because I do not believe that what the minister has said is true. He has said that I opposed Wickham Point and that is not true.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, the only way to do that is to move a motion and then we can have a vote.
Mr Wood: I move a motion.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! The member for Nelson is indicating that he wants to move a motion. Just move the motion.
___________________
Suspension of Standing Orders
Move Motion
Move Motion
Mr WOOD: Madam Speaker, I move that standing orders be suspended to show that the minister has said that I did not support the construction at Wickham Point, which is not true.
Madam SPEAKER: All right. Resume your seat. Does the government accept the motion?
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, the government does not support this spurious motion. The member can make a personal explanation. We can all get on with Question Time. We do not support this spurious motion.
Motion negatived.
___________________
Madam SPEAKER: All right. We will go on with Question Time. Chief Minister, have you concluded your remarks?
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I have not concluded my remarks. I want to go on to say that, as Chief Minister in this government, we are trying to create a significant economic opportunity for the Northern Territory, and I believed that the opposition were with us on that until - right out of the blue, no warning to anybody - I saw it about 6.30 pm or 6.45 pm when one of my staff walked in and said: ‘You will never believe what Millsy has just said’. I certainly did not believe it, Madam Speaker. There are a lot of people in INPEX who are also very concerned about what he had to say.
The Chamber of Commerce have taken quite a remarkable step in issuing a media release yesterday also condemning the Leader of the Opposition and his position on this particular project. I will quote from it:
- The Chamber of Commerce NT … criticised the Leader of the Opposition, Terry Mills, for deliberately jeopardising a major oil and gas project while attempting to score cheap political points and making unrealistic demands.
Madam Speaker, ‘deliberately’, being the word here, jeopardising a major project that is going to create significant economic investment, confidence and wealth for Territorians into the future, and for making unrealistic demands. He knows those demands are unrealistic, because INPEX explained it to him. The time lines are such that, even if Glyde Point was an option, there is no way to build $500m-worth of infrastructure at Glyde Point to be able to capture this project in the time that INPEX need to make a financial decision. He knows that. It was explained to him and he said to them that he supported their project.
The Chamber went on to say: ‘In their eagerness to score points …’, - they will deliberately jeopardise this project, and economic growth and investment in the Northern Territory:
- In their eagerness to score points against the Territory government, the opposition is deliberately misrepresenting …
The Chamber’s words, not mine:
- … the case for Middle Arm and Glyde Point to the public.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Deliberately misrepresenting, because he was told, Madam Speaker …
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: You were told that Glyde Point was not an option.
There is more. Here is the kicker, and I quote:
- For the Leader of Opposition to publicly claim that he supports the INPEX project while criticising the current government for pursuing a strategy established by the previous CLP government would appear a shade ridiculous.
Regarding the spurious environmental issues that he is trying to run, we can have both worlds. We can have an LNG plant situated at Middle Arm - we have one and it has not destroyed the harbour. It is not polluting the harbour. We still have great recreational fishing. We can have two. We can have a win-win. Under the CLP, there would be a lose-lose. The sign would go up: ‘Northern Territory closed for business. Do not bother. Take your money to Western Australia; we do not want you. Off you go to Western Australia. We are closed for business’.
The Leader of the Opposition opposed the waterfront development. He said: ‘Scrap the waterfront’. He opposed the first LNG plant, now he is opposing the second LNG plant.
Mr Mills: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is getting a bit out of control here …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: It is the sound of a desperate man when he is starting to pluck at straws with a similar allegation about scrapping the waterfront. I would like that substantiated too, otherwise we are just clutching at straws. It sounds like a desperate man.
Madam SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition knows there is no point of order. Chief Minister, have you completed your answer?
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I am a desperate man. I am a desperate man to secure a $12bn project for the Northern Territory. That is how desperate I am.
Regarding whether you oppose the waterfront - NT News 3 December 2004, when the recycled leader, the last time he was leader: ‘Scrap the waterfront call. CLP leader wants to revert to 1999 model‘. He was against the convention centre at the wharf, against the waterfront, against LNG 1, and against LNG 2. This man is an economic vandal and he should never be trusted to be the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016