Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1994-10-12
Will the minister tell me exactly why he wants to assume the power of consent authority over the Gunn Point area and, in so doing, take rural subdivision development back to the times pre-Litchfield Shire when Rafferty's Rules prevailed with regard to roads, culverts, creek crossings etc and no real attention was given to the 3 Rs of local government?
Mr Coulter: You fought against local government in the rural area in those days. Don't you remember?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Deputy Chief Minister makes the point that the member for Nelson was one of the greatest activists against local government for the Shire of Litchfield. She fought tooth and nail, in the party room and outside the party room and at public meetings...
Mrs Padgham-Purich: You foisted it on us and we live with it.
Mr HATTON: ... to oppose it, because 'they' did not want a government bureaucracy sitting over the Darwin rural area. Of course, the Litchfield Shire Council is now the icon of the Northern Territory. I think it is an excellent conversion by the member for Nelson, Mr Speaker, and to see her such a ...
Mrs Padgham-Purich: You are not consistent, but at least I am.
Mr HATTON: Consistent! It is really pleasing to see the level of support for the concept of local government, albeit belated, from the member for Nelson.
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Be that as it may, in respect of this issue, I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave her to this very Question last week in this Assembly. However, I will add to that because the honourable member would be aware that, on Monday afternoon of this week, I met with the Litchfield Shire Council and we had extensive discussions about the Gunn Point area, among other matters. During those discussions, our positions were outlined in detail. Following from that, discussion is ongoing at officer level on a number of the issues associated with the development of Gunn Point. We are hopeful that those discussions will be completed during the course of this week which will place me in a position to re-examine the issue of whether we should or should not continue with the application.
It should be remembered that the proposal for the Gunn Point area to be excluded from the Litchfield Area Plan would in no way derogate from the rights or responsibilities of the Litchfield Shire Council. It is a separate issue.
Mrs Padgham-Purich: The ratepayers will not be required to pick up the slack that you are creating?
Mr HATTON: No. There is no suggestion whatsoever that the ratepayers should pick up any tab from this, and that was clarified last week. I clarify that again now and I clarified it to the Litchfield Shire Council on Monday.
Mrs Padgham-Purich: You can change your mind next week if you choose to.
Mr HATTON: I did not change my mind. It is not a change of mind. The decision was taken to exclude that area at the time of the proposal. The fact that everybody made assumptions without bothering to talk matters through caused confusion. I accept that I should possibly have been clearer in my opening remarks, but I have since clarified that with the Litchfield Shire Council and ...
Mr Bailey: And you said you did not see Aquascene.
Mr HATTON: No, I did not actually.
A member: Never been to the fish feeding.
Mr HATTON: Actually, that is true. I have not been to the fish feeding.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HATTON: Mr Speaker, I make the point that we are trying to work this through with the Litchfield Shire Council. I hope to be in a position to discuss the matter with my colleagues during the course of next week. It is a ministerial decision, and I accept that, but we do talk and work as a team in this government and I hope ...
Members interjecting.
Page 237
Mr HATTON: ... to put this matter before the Litchfield Shire Planning Authority. The submission period closed on 5 October, as the member for Nelson knows because she made a submission to both myself and the authority. It is planned that the application will go to the authority for hearing on 20 October. If the matter can be sorted out, one way or the other, that may place both the government and the Litchfield Shire Council in a position to address the issues at or prior to that authority hearing.
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Mr Coulter: You fought against local government in the rural area in those days. Don't you remember?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Deputy Chief Minister makes the point that the member for Nelson was one of the greatest activists against local government for the Shire of Litchfield. She fought tooth and nail, in the party room and outside the party room and at public meetings...
Mrs Padgham-Purich: You foisted it on us and we live with it.
Mr HATTON: ... to oppose it, because 'they' did not want a government bureaucracy sitting over the Darwin rural area. Of course, the Litchfield Shire Council is now the icon of the Northern Territory. I think it is an excellent conversion by the member for Nelson, Mr Speaker, and to see her such a ...
Mrs Padgham-Purich: You are not consistent, but at least I am.
Mr HATTON: Consistent! It is really pleasing to see the level of support for the concept of local government, albeit belated, from the member for Nelson.
Page 236
Be that as it may, in respect of this issue, I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave her to this very Question last week in this Assembly. However, I will add to that because the honourable member would be aware that, on Monday afternoon of this week, I met with the Litchfield Shire Council and we had extensive discussions about the Gunn Point area, among other matters. During those discussions, our positions were outlined in detail. Following from that, discussion is ongoing at officer level on a number of the issues associated with the development of Gunn Point. We are hopeful that those discussions will be completed during the course of this week which will place me in a position to re-examine the issue of whether we should or should not continue with the application.
It should be remembered that the proposal for the Gunn Point area to be excluded from the Litchfield Area Plan would in no way derogate from the rights or responsibilities of the Litchfield Shire Council. It is a separate issue.
Mrs Padgham-Purich: The ratepayers will not be required to pick up the slack that you are creating?
Mr HATTON: No. There is no suggestion whatsoever that the ratepayers should pick up any tab from this, and that was clarified last week. I clarify that again now and I clarified it to the Litchfield Shire Council on Monday.
Mrs Padgham-Purich: You can change your mind next week if you choose to.
Mr HATTON: I did not change my mind. It is not a change of mind. The decision was taken to exclude that area at the time of the proposal. The fact that everybody made assumptions without bothering to talk matters through caused confusion. I accept that I should possibly have been clearer in my opening remarks, but I have since clarified that with the Litchfield Shire Council and ...
Mr Bailey: And you said you did not see Aquascene.
Mr HATTON: No, I did not actually.
A member: Never been to the fish feeding.
Mr HATTON: Actually, that is true. I have not been to the fish feeding.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HATTON: Mr Speaker, I make the point that we are trying to work this through with the Litchfield Shire Council. I hope to be in a position to discuss the matter with my colleagues during the course of next week. It is a ministerial decision, and I accept that, but we do talk and work as a team in this government and I hope ...
Members interjecting.
Page 237
Mr HATTON: ... to put this matter before the Litchfield Shire Planning Authority. The submission period closed on 5 October, as the member for Nelson knows because she made a submission to both myself and the authority. It is planned that the application will go to the authority for hearing on 20 October. If the matter can be sorted out, one way or the other, that may place both the government and the Litchfield Shire Council in a position to address the issues at or prior to that authority hearing.
Page 238
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016