Dr LIM - 2007-04-19
Yesterday, you described the federal government offer to spend $80m on the town camps in Alice Springs as ‘ransom money’ because the federal government wants to take control of the subleases over those town camps. Just before lunch today, the Chief Minister said on radio that she is aware that the federal minister wants the subleases and negotiations are continuing. Why is your government continuing to negotiate over what you consider to be ‘ransom money’? Do you not think that your comments threaten the expenditure of an enormous amount of money into this local community?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I want to make it very clear that I do not like being verballed in the context of your claim that I described it as ‘ransom money’. Under no circumstances did I say that. It is very critical and important that you, as a responsible member of this House, at the very least, be in a position to be accurate in the context of your question.
The very simple answer to the member for Greatorex is this: over a very long period of time, effectively from December of last year, there have been discussions arising out of the Town Camp Task Force, of which the Commonwealth government has been a member along with the NT government, Lhere Artepe, Tangentyere Council and the Alice Springs Town Council. That arose out of the fact that there were immense concerns in respect of what was happening in the town camps. Most people would be aware of the media coverage of the issues that have arisen over time in regard to the overcrowding, the lack of real infrastructure, the lack of housing and, more importantly, the impact that that was having on Alice Springs as a community.
Since then, the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments, and all the other agencies that I referred to, have worked together in a very constructive manner in trying to come to grips with the many issues that we face in this community. I am pleased to say that the Commonwealth government has come up with an offer of around $80m in respect to a whole range of programs on the town camps. We have also allocated some money, particularly in respect to the housing site. The expectation is that those dollars are going to be here; they are going to remain in this town.
Let us be honest about this; the issue which gave rise to some of the concerns was probably as a result of a statement by the federal Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs about two weeks ago, where he effectively said that the special purpose leases would have to be relinquished to the Northern Territory government. That is the issue that has, basically, brought about some of the concerns.
Since that point in time, Tangentyere Council has been negotiating with the Commonwealth government regarding a position which, effectively, does not require them to transfer their special purpose leases. I am pleased to say that, over the weekend, minister Brough effectively said: ‘That is fine, you do not have to relinquish those leases’. However, he did insist upon a 99-year lease. At the meeting that occurred in the mall yesterday, the motion in question was around that. Negotiations are continuing with the Commonwealth government in regard to the $80m.
I hope that politics does not come into this issue, because it is too big an issue for this town. It is very important that we get this right and that we act in a mature and professional way. There is a lot of political hullabaloo that goes on in a lot of cases. I would like to think, on this occasion, that we can rise above that and can actually do something very constructive for the people who live in the town camps, an important component of this community and, more importantly, improve the quality of life for everyone who lives in Alice Springs.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. I want to make it very clear that I do not like being verballed in the context of your claim that I described it as ‘ransom money’. Under no circumstances did I say that. It is very critical and important that you, as a responsible member of this House, at the very least, be in a position to be accurate in the context of your question.
The very simple answer to the member for Greatorex is this: over a very long period of time, effectively from December of last year, there have been discussions arising out of the Town Camp Task Force, of which the Commonwealth government has been a member along with the NT government, Lhere Artepe, Tangentyere Council and the Alice Springs Town Council. That arose out of the fact that there were immense concerns in respect of what was happening in the town camps. Most people would be aware of the media coverage of the issues that have arisen over time in regard to the overcrowding, the lack of real infrastructure, the lack of housing and, more importantly, the impact that that was having on Alice Springs as a community.
Since then, the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments, and all the other agencies that I referred to, have worked together in a very constructive manner in trying to come to grips with the many issues that we face in this community. I am pleased to say that the Commonwealth government has come up with an offer of around $80m in respect to a whole range of programs on the town camps. We have also allocated some money, particularly in respect to the housing site. The expectation is that those dollars are going to be here; they are going to remain in this town.
Let us be honest about this; the issue which gave rise to some of the concerns was probably as a result of a statement by the federal Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs about two weeks ago, where he effectively said that the special purpose leases would have to be relinquished to the Northern Territory government. That is the issue that has, basically, brought about some of the concerns.
Since that point in time, Tangentyere Council has been negotiating with the Commonwealth government regarding a position which, effectively, does not require them to transfer their special purpose leases. I am pleased to say that, over the weekend, minister Brough effectively said: ‘That is fine, you do not have to relinquish those leases’. However, he did insist upon a 99-year lease. At the meeting that occurred in the mall yesterday, the motion in question was around that. Negotiations are continuing with the Commonwealth government in regard to the $80m.
I hope that politics does not come into this issue, because it is too big an issue for this town. It is very important that we get this right and that we act in a mature and professional way. There is a lot of political hullabaloo that goes on in a lot of cases. I would like to think, on this occasion, that we can rise above that and can actually do something very constructive for the people who live in the town camps, an important component of this community and, more importantly, improve the quality of life for everyone who lives in Alice Springs.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016