Ms LAWRIE - 2003-04-30
Horticulture is rapidly becoming an industry of significant importance to Central Australia. Could you please inform the House of any potential for growth in this sector.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. As the member for Katherine observed yesterday, certainly horticulture is not a new industry in Central Australia. There is a substantial table grape …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I would ask that the Leader of the Opposition afford some respect here.
Madam SPEAKER: I will ask him if it is necessary. You just give us the answer.
Mr Burke interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I can get on with it, but there is no need for this sort of sniping.
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, get on with it. Leader of the Opposition, give him a go.
Dr BURNS: The member for Katherine observed yesterday that horticulture in Central Australia is not a new industry, but in its development in Central Australia, this government is right behind the measures that need to be taken for the further development of horticulture here. Most people in this place tonight would have tasted the tremendous table grapes that come from this region and, indeed, are exported and enjoyed by many Australians. It is a $20m a year industry in the Ti Tree district.
As a government, we are looking to the expansion of this industry, particularly in the Alice Springs area. This will require market development. There are important native title issues to be resolved, as well as natural resource management issues, environmental protection and the development of infrastructure. Although this question was asked of me as Minister for Primary Industry, I see my other portfolio areas of the Environmentand Essential Services, as coming together to support the development of the horticulture industry in Central Australia.
It was my privilege, quite soon after I became Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, to visit Ti Tree to meet with the growers and others there, to hear what their concerns and issues are, and what is needed for the development of the horticulture industry within the Centre. Certainly, the issue of fruit fly came up, and I will be talking about developments around the Alice Springs area. In the medium term, I have been speaking with them about the eradication of fruit fly within this area which forms a basis, if you like, for the development of the horticulture industry, particularly around Alice Springs. I am heartened that the industry is very keen to further the discussion and, possibly, contribute to the eradication of fruit fly in the area in a number of ways.
Horticulture will provide a basis for new opportunities and jobs for Territorians. Around the Alice Springs area, most people would be aware of developments at Rocky Hill, 25 km east of the town, and a substantial development of 300 hectares on Undoolya Station and, as I announced the other day, a $6.2m investment by PowerWater for the re-use of effluent from the settling ponds within Alice Springs.
I see this as a very positive development, because Ilparpa Swamp, for many years, had provided a problem for residents around it regarding the stench coming from the settlement ponds, overflow coming on to the road at certain times of the year, and the environmental damage that it was doing to the Ilparpa Swamp. My predecessor, the minister, actually put a limit on PowerWater, that there would be no more effluent discharge in the dry weather past December 2005. This announcement of $6.2m to upgrade the infrastructure within the settlement ponds, to provide a pipeline through to the Arid Zone Research Institute, and to start the trial horticulture developments there, I believe, is a very substantial investment. It is turning an environmental negative into a positive. I see this development around Alice Springs as being very positive, and I am hopeful that, in the medium term, that there will be a development around AZRI that will equal what is going on in the Ti Tree area.
However, at the bottom of a lot of these things are native title issues, and most people in the room would be aware that, soon after we came to government, we negotiated with the native title holders about a culvert to take effluent overflow away from the Ilparpa Swamp into St Mary’s Creek as a temporary measure. Similarly, with the opening up of horticultural land, it is very important that native title issues be recognised and resolved. As a government, we are all about negotiation, not litigation. We will prove the fruits of those labours. The CLC is involved in the Centre horticulture project …
Madam SPEAKER: This is very long, minister.
Dr BURNS: I am winding up, Madam Speaker. This government is proud. Yes, there is a very strong existing horticulture industry in Central Australia, but we have plans to develop it further, particularly in the Alice Springs region.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, while you are fixing up the fruit fly, how about the bush fly?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. As the member for Katherine observed yesterday, certainly horticulture is not a new industry in Central Australia. There is a substantial table grape …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I would ask that the Leader of the Opposition afford some respect here.
Madam SPEAKER: I will ask him if it is necessary. You just give us the answer.
Mr Burke interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I can get on with it, but there is no need for this sort of sniping.
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, get on with it. Leader of the Opposition, give him a go.
Dr BURNS: The member for Katherine observed yesterday that horticulture in Central Australia is not a new industry, but in its development in Central Australia, this government is right behind the measures that need to be taken for the further development of horticulture here. Most people in this place tonight would have tasted the tremendous table grapes that come from this region and, indeed, are exported and enjoyed by many Australians. It is a $20m a year industry in the Ti Tree district.
As a government, we are looking to the expansion of this industry, particularly in the Alice Springs area. This will require market development. There are important native title issues to be resolved, as well as natural resource management issues, environmental protection and the development of infrastructure. Although this question was asked of me as Minister for Primary Industry, I see my other portfolio areas of the Environmentand Essential Services, as coming together to support the development of the horticulture industry in Central Australia.
It was my privilege, quite soon after I became Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, to visit Ti Tree to meet with the growers and others there, to hear what their concerns and issues are, and what is needed for the development of the horticulture industry within the Centre. Certainly, the issue of fruit fly came up, and I will be talking about developments around the Alice Springs area. In the medium term, I have been speaking with them about the eradication of fruit fly within this area which forms a basis, if you like, for the development of the horticulture industry, particularly around Alice Springs. I am heartened that the industry is very keen to further the discussion and, possibly, contribute to the eradication of fruit fly in the area in a number of ways.
Horticulture will provide a basis for new opportunities and jobs for Territorians. Around the Alice Springs area, most people would be aware of developments at Rocky Hill, 25 km east of the town, and a substantial development of 300 hectares on Undoolya Station and, as I announced the other day, a $6.2m investment by PowerWater for the re-use of effluent from the settling ponds within Alice Springs.
I see this as a very positive development, because Ilparpa Swamp, for many years, had provided a problem for residents around it regarding the stench coming from the settlement ponds, overflow coming on to the road at certain times of the year, and the environmental damage that it was doing to the Ilparpa Swamp. My predecessor, the minister, actually put a limit on PowerWater, that there would be no more effluent discharge in the dry weather past December 2005. This announcement of $6.2m to upgrade the infrastructure within the settlement ponds, to provide a pipeline through to the Arid Zone Research Institute, and to start the trial horticulture developments there, I believe, is a very substantial investment. It is turning an environmental negative into a positive. I see this development around Alice Springs as being very positive, and I am hopeful that, in the medium term, that there will be a development around AZRI that will equal what is going on in the Ti Tree area.
However, at the bottom of a lot of these things are native title issues, and most people in the room would be aware that, soon after we came to government, we negotiated with the native title holders about a culvert to take effluent overflow away from the Ilparpa Swamp into St Mary’s Creek as a temporary measure. Similarly, with the opening up of horticultural land, it is very important that native title issues be recognised and resolved. As a government, we are all about negotiation, not litigation. We will prove the fruits of those labours. The CLC is involved in the Centre horticulture project …
Madam SPEAKER: This is very long, minister.
Dr BURNS: I am winding up, Madam Speaker. This government is proud. Yes, there is a very strong existing horticulture industry in Central Australia, but we have plans to develop it further, particularly in the Alice Springs region.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, while you are fixing up the fruit fly, how about the bush fly?
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016