Mr ADAMSON - 1997-04-29
As honourable members will be aware, full details of the Prime Minister's 10-point plan to resolve the Wik issues are still unclear. When will members of this House have an opportunity to debate the outcomes of the plan put to state and territory leaders by the Prime Minister yesterday?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the member for Casuarina's question demonstrates a concern that many Territorians have at the moment in relation to native title issues. These have been on the tip of everyone's tongue, particularly in Darwin with the Larrakia claim and in Alice Springs with the claim over substantial parts of that town and the impediments that it is placing on development there. The Chief Minister is on his way back from Canberra after the conference yesterday. I will accept questions relating to his portfolios.
Last week, the House debated extensively the question of native title. A wide range of issues was considered and debated. Many concerns were expressed by members but, unfortunately, only by members on this side and by the member for Nelson. Members will recall that the Leader of the Opposition directed all members of the Labor Party not to participate in that debate. That was a clear abdication of their responsibility by members opposite and by the Labor opposition as a whole to represent the interests of all Territorians. It should be a matter of great concern to Territorians that the Labor Party was directed in that case not to debate native title. It is probably the issue of greatest contemporary importance to Territorians and Australians generally. It is a matter that is impeding development. It is impeding economic growth. It is impeding job growth. Of course, also, it is putting at risk the continued public ownership, without constraints in terms of
financial imposts, of our beaches, our parks and other public areas, and the ability for the government to ensure that the activity that has been occurring in the Northern Territory continues into the future for the benefit of Territorians.
The Leader of the Opposition and members opposite will have to answer to Territorians for their abdication of their responsibilities in that regard. It has been a shameful exercise. They did not convey their views to Territorians in relation to this matter. It is all very well to put out a glossy policy - Let's Just Do It: Negotiate and Win - with a little fanfare on television and introduce it as Territory Labor's solution to the High Court decision on Wik and native title. The last dot point on the first page is `a negotiated process that will produce certainty for the Territory's future'. The only certainty that this document would generate, if Territorians were unfortunate enough to be in a position to have this policy imposed on them, would be that they would be up for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: You sold out to Territorians with `let's just do it'.
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Mr Speaker, `let's just do it', translated into terminology that can be understood by Territorians, means let's give away the rights to public ownership of parks and reserves, and the right not to have entry fees for Berry and Howard Springs Nature Parks where access for the public has been free for decades. That is what the Labor Party's abdication of its duties, by its failure to participate in the debate, would foist on Territorians.
The member for Wanguri wrote to me recently about a development in his electorate. He was concerned that the sale of government land was being held up. He asked what was happening about it. I can tell him what is happening about it - and his stance has not helped. It is being held up by native title. No progress can be made in relation to approvals for aged services unit development on this land, proposed by people who want to purchase and invest in Northern Territory real estate to take advantage of the economy. There is no point in the member for Wanguri writing to me in relation to that block of land. It is his `let's just do it' attitude that is holding up dealing in land in the Northern Territory. It is that sort of attitude that is not helping us.
Members opposite were enjoying the sunset at Mindil Beach - and I dare say a glass of white wine - last Thursday night when the debate on native title was occurring. If they had shown a level of interest last Thursday night and given their opinions in relation to native title, they might have been a little more productive in terms of representing Territorians in this Chamber. I will remind them that they represent all Territorians, not just some of them, and not just those with whom they sit down at sunset and have a glass of wine.
The Chief Minister will provide us with full details this afternoon. He proposes to make a detailed statement. He has indicated that yesterday's conference on native title was a constructive meeting, with areas of considerable agreement. The issues are yet to be signed off officially by the states but, clearly, progress has been made towards putting in place changes to the native title legislation that will ensure that public land is protected from frivolous claims such as we have experienced in Darwin. I dare say the land councils will be somewhat upset. On radio this morning, Mr Fry commented that it was not only the temperature that was cold in Canberra yesterday, but also the advice he had received. It is unfortunate that the expectations of Aboriginal people were elevated to a high and unachievable level by the former Labor administration. We have also seen the land councils make frivolous claims that are well beyond the bounds of reality. The adverse reaction they are now receiving across the
community was, I think, entirely predictable. People have had enough. They want the problem resolved. We will hear from the Chief Minister this afternoon about the outcome of yesterday's meeting.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the member for Casuarina's question demonstrates a concern that many Territorians have at the moment in relation to native title issues. These have been on the tip of everyone's tongue, particularly in Darwin with the Larrakia claim and in Alice Springs with the claim over substantial parts of that town and the impediments that it is placing on development there. The Chief Minister is on his way back from Canberra after the conference yesterday. I will accept questions relating to his portfolios.
Last week, the House debated extensively the question of native title. A wide range of issues was considered and debated. Many concerns were expressed by members but, unfortunately, only by members on this side and by the member for Nelson. Members will recall that the Leader of the Opposition directed all members of the Labor Party not to participate in that debate. That was a clear abdication of their responsibility by members opposite and by the Labor opposition as a whole to represent the interests of all Territorians. It should be a matter of great concern to Territorians that the Labor Party was directed in that case not to debate native title. It is probably the issue of greatest contemporary importance to Territorians and Australians generally. It is a matter that is impeding development. It is impeding economic growth. It is impeding job growth. Of course, also, it is putting at risk the continued public ownership, without constraints in terms of
financial imposts, of our beaches, our parks and other public areas, and the ability for the government to ensure that the activity that has been occurring in the Northern Territory continues into the future for the benefit of Territorians.
The Leader of the Opposition and members opposite will have to answer to Territorians for their abdication of their responsibilities in that regard. It has been a shameful exercise. They did not convey their views to Territorians in relation to this matter. It is all very well to put out a glossy policy - Let's Just Do It: Negotiate and Win - with a little fanfare on television and introduce it as Territory Labor's solution to the High Court decision on Wik and native title. The last dot point on the first page is `a negotiated process that will produce certainty for the Territory's future'. The only certainty that this document would generate, if Territorians were unfortunate enough to be in a position to have this policy imposed on them, would be that they would be up for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: You sold out to Territorians with `let's just do it'.
Page 2069
Mr Speaker, `let's just do it', translated into terminology that can be understood by Territorians, means let's give away the rights to public ownership of parks and reserves, and the right not to have entry fees for Berry and Howard Springs Nature Parks where access for the public has been free for decades. That is what the Labor Party's abdication of its duties, by its failure to participate in the debate, would foist on Territorians.
The member for Wanguri wrote to me recently about a development in his electorate. He was concerned that the sale of government land was being held up. He asked what was happening about it. I can tell him what is happening about it - and his stance has not helped. It is being held up by native title. No progress can be made in relation to approvals for aged services unit development on this land, proposed by people who want to purchase and invest in Northern Territory real estate to take advantage of the economy. There is no point in the member for Wanguri writing to me in relation to that block of land. It is his `let's just do it' attitude that is holding up dealing in land in the Northern Territory. It is that sort of attitude that is not helping us.
Members opposite were enjoying the sunset at Mindil Beach - and I dare say a glass of white wine - last Thursday night when the debate on native title was occurring. If they had shown a level of interest last Thursday night and given their opinions in relation to native title, they might have been a little more productive in terms of representing Territorians in this Chamber. I will remind them that they represent all Territorians, not just some of them, and not just those with whom they sit down at sunset and have a glass of wine.
The Chief Minister will provide us with full details this afternoon. He proposes to make a detailed statement. He has indicated that yesterday's conference on native title was a constructive meeting, with areas of considerable agreement. The issues are yet to be signed off officially by the states but, clearly, progress has been made towards putting in place changes to the native title legislation that will ensure that public land is protected from frivolous claims such as we have experienced in Darwin. I dare say the land councils will be somewhat upset. On radio this morning, Mr Fry commented that it was not only the temperature that was cold in Canberra yesterday, but also the advice he had received. It is unfortunate that the expectations of Aboriginal people were elevated to a high and unachievable level by the former Labor administration. We have also seen the land councils make frivolous claims that are well beyond the bounds of reality. The adverse reaction they are now receiving across the
community was, I think, entirely predictable. People have had enough. They want the problem resolved. We will hear from the Chief Minister this afternoon about the outcome of yesterday's meeting.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016