Dr LIM - 1994-10-12
Last week, the minister suspended work on the Desert Wildlife Park in Alice Springs because a native title claim had been lodged over the area. Has the minister received advice from the Department of Law as to whether work may proceed at the park? Is the minister aware that a second group representing Aboriginals is preparing to lodge a claim over the Desert Wildlife Park?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am aware of the second group and the lodgment of another claim over the area. In fact, I have been speaking to a representative from each group over the last week. This morning, I have communicated by phone with them and I can say that Bob Liddle, representing the first group, is not against the development of the wildlife park. I have spoken
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to Charles Perkins today and he is not against the development of the wildlife park and we will be having further meetings in Alice Springs next week with Mr Perkins.
Very high level departmental meetings continued until about 9 o'clock last evening and the government and Crown Law believe that there is some risk in proceeding on Lot 8212, but that that risk is minimal. Greater risk is involved with proceeding on a small lot - Lot 1602. On the revised advice of Crown counsel and the outcome of these high level departmental discussions, the government has decided to proceed with the capital works program on Lot 8212 which is the bulk of the work there. We believe that, on the minimal chance that a native title claim will get up on that lot, compensation payable by the Northern Territory government would be 25% of whatever it is and the Commonwealth government would pick up the other 75%.
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Local Government will make a ministerial statement tomorrow on the complexities of this, and on the court decision that has yet to be made, in an attempt to clarify these native title claims. If the government were to sit back and wait for the outcome, it could be a year or 2 years before the decision was handed down in this case. We cannot wait that long for the Desert Wildlife Park. With that advice, and knowing that the risk is minimal, we have decided to commence work on Lot 8212 and that means that the $700 000 access road, the trunk services valued at $625 000 plus the $350 000 construction of the housing etc will proceed and we will take our chances on the risk. To stall this project and await the outcome of the court decision, which could take a very long time, is a penalty that we are not prepared to pay.
We will be meeting with Charles Perkins in Alice Springs next week and we will be proceeding with the development of the bulk of the work on Lot 8212. That may mean that Lot 1602 will not be joined by bicycle paths and all the other works that we were talking about doing because the surety against native title claim happening there is not as great. We think that the risk there is even higher, and we may have to go around it. However, that is a bridge that we will cross when we come to it. I am prepared to commence work now in light of the further advice we received from Crown counsel last evening. Those works will now commence.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am aware of the second group and the lodgment of another claim over the area. In fact, I have been speaking to a representative from each group over the last week. This morning, I have communicated by phone with them and I can say that Bob Liddle, representing the first group, is not against the development of the wildlife park. I have spoken
Page 223
to Charles Perkins today and he is not against the development of the wildlife park and we will be having further meetings in Alice Springs next week with Mr Perkins.
Very high level departmental meetings continued until about 9 o'clock last evening and the government and Crown Law believe that there is some risk in proceeding on Lot 8212, but that that risk is minimal. Greater risk is involved with proceeding on a small lot - Lot 1602. On the revised advice of Crown counsel and the outcome of these high level departmental discussions, the government has decided to proceed with the capital works program on Lot 8212 which is the bulk of the work there. We believe that, on the minimal chance that a native title claim will get up on that lot, compensation payable by the Northern Territory government would be 25% of whatever it is and the Commonwealth government would pick up the other 75%.
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Local Government will make a ministerial statement tomorrow on the complexities of this, and on the court decision that has yet to be made, in an attempt to clarify these native title claims. If the government were to sit back and wait for the outcome, it could be a year or 2 years before the decision was handed down in this case. We cannot wait that long for the Desert Wildlife Park. With that advice, and knowing that the risk is minimal, we have decided to commence work on Lot 8212 and that means that the $700 000 access road, the trunk services valued at $625 000 plus the $350 000 construction of the housing etc will proceed and we will take our chances on the risk. To stall this project and await the outcome of the court decision, which could take a very long time, is a penalty that we are not prepared to pay.
We will be meeting with Charles Perkins in Alice Springs next week and we will be proceeding with the development of the bulk of the work on Lot 8212. That may mean that Lot 1602 will not be joined by bicycle paths and all the other works that we were talking about doing because the surety against native title claim happening there is not as great. We think that the risk there is even higher, and we may have to go around it. However, that is a bridge that we will cross when we come to it. I am prepared to commence work now in light of the further advice we received from Crown counsel last evening. Those works will now commence.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016