Ms McCARTHY - 2007-05-01
Can the minister advise the House of the Martin government’s plans for roads now and into the future?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her very important question, because she has been a great advocate for roads in her electorate. We know there are significant needs in the electorate of Arnhem and I am pleased to say that Budget 2007-08 responds to those core areas of need. It is great to be able to see the largest ever roads budget – a $180m commitment in Budget 2007-08. Importantly, that contains some $57m in repairs and maintenance.
This is a government that listens to both communities in the bush as well as industry. The Cattlemen’s Association and the Trucking Association said to us there has been a declining spend in roads maintenance. That is quite true. We have seen a reduction in Commonwealth dollars in R&M across the roads network. The Territory government stepped up and increased our roads repairs and maintenance – $57m in R&M in this budget alone. That is the largest repairs and maintenance spend, and it is just the first part of a $35m four-year injection into repairs and maintenance.
This significant boost helps to strengthen our infrastructure and plans for future growth right across our regions. Some of the significant record roads spending is: $10m – the first stage of a $32m commitment from the Territory for Tiger Brennan Drive. This will, importantly …
Mrs Miller: What about the $13.5m from the federal government promised in 2004? What happened to that one?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I will pick up the interjection from the member for Katherine, who is talking about the Commonwealth government’s commitment to the Tiger Brennan extension. There was a 50:50 deal done on that extension. The cost to deliver that project increased. The previous Minister for Infrastructure and Transport …
Mr Mills: Because of your delay.
Mrs Miller: Because you did not get your plans in, did you?
Ms LAWRIE: Well, if you are interested.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: The previous Minister for Infrastructure and Transport consistently said to the federal Roads minister, Jim Lloyd: ‘Match us 50:50 on this increased expenditure’ ...
A member: He did for a day.
Ms LAWRIE: For a day it looked like he did, and then he retracted. I will relay to the Chamber ...
Mrs Miller: It has absolutely nothing to do with your original figures.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I relay to the Chamber that I have not bothered to deal with Jim Lloyd because I saw the treachery he had here in the Territory. I am dealing with …
Mrs Miller: I am sending him a copy of this transcript.
Ms LAWRIE: I am dealing with a more honourable player in the federal sphere, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile. I will just relay, at the Chamber of Commerce lunch today, when we were talking about the roads funding and how critically important Tiger Brennan was, a member of the industry said to me that they had gone to Canberra to lobby Jim Lloyd for that Tiger Brennan funding, and his response was: ‘Oh, they will see the money, but we want to see them beg’. That is the level …
Mrs Miller: I suggest that it was about double the funding that you were asking for.
Ms LAWRIE: That is the level of petty politics that Canberra is playing over this critical road infrastructure. They wanted to see us beg …
Mrs Miller: Yes, it is critical.
Ms LAWRIE: No, they have the money but they want to see us beg. That is despicable and I thank God that I have not bothered to deal with Jim Lloyd, and have been working with the Transport minister, Mark Vaile, a far more honourable man ...
Mrs Miller: I will be sending him a copy of your transcript today. I am sure he will be very pleased.
Ms LAWRIE: Send Jim Lloyd my transcript by all means - absolutely happy for him to see it. He might understand why I have never sought a meeting with him and have always gone to meetings with Mark Vaile instead.
There is $10.5m in ongoing funding towards the Red Centre Way; $45.9m in new and ongoing funding under AusLink will go towards the Victoria Highway; $12.3m in ongoing and new funds provided to improve roads around Wadeye; and $2m is provided for the upgrade of the Tanami Road.
Planning for the future involves our bush roads. These are important assets to our trucking business, but they are also, critically, the lifeline for people living in our communities and on our pastoral stations. This year’s funding also supports repairs and maintenance, or grants to local governments for: the Lajamanu/Kalkarindji turn-off road; the Santa Teresa/Alice Springs connector road; the Umbakumba/Alyangula connector road; Ramingining barge road; the Eva Valley Road; and many other bush roads. They are all an important part of our overall plan for the future to improve essential infrastructure right across the Territory.
I am meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile, at the end of this week. I will again raise the important issue of Tiger Brennan and its funding. I hope to see funding for Tiger Brennan in the federal budget next week.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her very important question, because she has been a great advocate for roads in her electorate. We know there are significant needs in the electorate of Arnhem and I am pleased to say that Budget 2007-08 responds to those core areas of need. It is great to be able to see the largest ever roads budget – a $180m commitment in Budget 2007-08. Importantly, that contains some $57m in repairs and maintenance.
This is a government that listens to both communities in the bush as well as industry. The Cattlemen’s Association and the Trucking Association said to us there has been a declining spend in roads maintenance. That is quite true. We have seen a reduction in Commonwealth dollars in R&M across the roads network. The Territory government stepped up and increased our roads repairs and maintenance – $57m in R&M in this budget alone. That is the largest repairs and maintenance spend, and it is just the first part of a $35m four-year injection into repairs and maintenance.
This significant boost helps to strengthen our infrastructure and plans for future growth right across our regions. Some of the significant record roads spending is: $10m – the first stage of a $32m commitment from the Territory for Tiger Brennan Drive. This will, importantly …
Mrs Miller: What about the $13.5m from the federal government promised in 2004? What happened to that one?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I will pick up the interjection from the member for Katherine, who is talking about the Commonwealth government’s commitment to the Tiger Brennan extension. There was a 50:50 deal done on that extension. The cost to deliver that project increased. The previous Minister for Infrastructure and Transport …
Mr Mills: Because of your delay.
Mrs Miller: Because you did not get your plans in, did you?
Ms LAWRIE: Well, if you are interested.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: The previous Minister for Infrastructure and Transport consistently said to the federal Roads minister, Jim Lloyd: ‘Match us 50:50 on this increased expenditure’ ...
A member: He did for a day.
Ms LAWRIE: For a day it looked like he did, and then he retracted. I will relay to the Chamber ...
Mrs Miller: It has absolutely nothing to do with your original figures.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: I relay to the Chamber that I have not bothered to deal with Jim Lloyd because I saw the treachery he had here in the Territory. I am dealing with …
Mrs Miller: I am sending him a copy of this transcript.
Ms LAWRIE: I am dealing with a more honourable player in the federal sphere, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile. I will just relay, at the Chamber of Commerce lunch today, when we were talking about the roads funding and how critically important Tiger Brennan was, a member of the industry said to me that they had gone to Canberra to lobby Jim Lloyd for that Tiger Brennan funding, and his response was: ‘Oh, they will see the money, but we want to see them beg’. That is the level …
Mrs Miller: I suggest that it was about double the funding that you were asking for.
Ms LAWRIE: That is the level of petty politics that Canberra is playing over this critical road infrastructure. They wanted to see us beg …
Mrs Miller: Yes, it is critical.
Ms LAWRIE: No, they have the money but they want to see us beg. That is despicable and I thank God that I have not bothered to deal with Jim Lloyd, and have been working with the Transport minister, Mark Vaile, a far more honourable man ...
Mrs Miller: I will be sending him a copy of your transcript today. I am sure he will be very pleased.
Ms LAWRIE: Send Jim Lloyd my transcript by all means - absolutely happy for him to see it. He might understand why I have never sought a meeting with him and have always gone to meetings with Mark Vaile instead.
There is $10.5m in ongoing funding towards the Red Centre Way; $45.9m in new and ongoing funding under AusLink will go towards the Victoria Highway; $12.3m in ongoing and new funds provided to improve roads around Wadeye; and $2m is provided for the upgrade of the Tanami Road.
Planning for the future involves our bush roads. These are important assets to our trucking business, but they are also, critically, the lifeline for people living in our communities and on our pastoral stations. This year’s funding also supports repairs and maintenance, or grants to local governments for: the Lajamanu/Kalkarindji turn-off road; the Santa Teresa/Alice Springs connector road; the Umbakumba/Alyangula connector road; Ramingining barge road; the Eva Valley Road; and many other bush roads. They are all an important part of our overall plan for the future to improve essential infrastructure right across the Territory.
I am meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile, at the end of this week. I will again raise the important issue of Tiger Brennan and its funding. I hope to see funding for Tiger Brennan in the federal budget next week.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016