Mrs AAGAARD - 2004-12-01
Can you please inform the House how the waterfront development will provide a significant boost in local jobs for Territorians, and what this will mean in attracting and developing further skilled labour for the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. As someone who has had a small business background prior to coming into this parliament, I know how passionate she is about small business. As Business minister, this is why I am passionate about this particular project, because this is going to provide great opportunities for Territory business and workers during the construction and, then, during the operating phase of this particular project.
To put these into perspective, Stage 1 is a $250m construction project. To put that into further perspective, it is $100m worth of investment in Darwin over the next 2 years. It is going to create an enormous number of opportunities for businesses in the civil, marine and other construction areas, as well as in the supply, service and architecture design areas of the economy. There will be fantastic opportunities for Territory contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and workers.
This is going to affect and support some sectors of the construction industry not only during Stage 1 for the first 2 years, but for the next 10 to 11 years. We are talking about businesses in the areas of plant operations, road crews, concreters, structural steel specialists, crane operators, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, tilers, fit-out specialists, the list goes on. These are the business and job opportunities that the opposition is knocking in trying to denigrate this particular project. Stage 1 will create 1000 jobs in the Territory.
You would think the opposition would applaud that, would you not? You would think they would applaud 1000 jobs in the Northern Territory, $250m worth of confidence and investment in our economy. And where will those jobs go? They will go to the sheds and businesses in Winnellie, Berrimah, Palmerston, Yarrawonga and across the Northern Territory. There are not only jobs for existing workers, but opportunities for apprenticeships, to skill people up for our work force over an integrated project going for 10 to 11 years. This is what the once proud CLP are now knocking and opposing.
One of the things I was pleased to see around the Cabinet table, as Minister for Business and Industry, is the commitment by this consortium to local content. The railway achieved about 85% local content; this is going to be bigger. It is not only going to be bigger, it is going to be monitored and there are going to be accountabilities and key targets to meet. Partnerships are already being developed with NTICN, the Industry Capability Network, the old ISO, Territory Construction Association and the NLC to maximise local participation - a commitment to skills development, research and development, developing networks and alliances, encouraging international standards and a focus on technologies.
Again, it is wonderful outcomes for our economy, yet the opposition would seek to knock and denigrate and see this project cancelled. What is the opposition putting up as an alternative? What constructive policies or initiatives are they putting before the people of the Northern Territory? Last night, we had the wonderful, edifying experience of the member for Greatorex, the shadow Treasurer, reporting to the parliament on his recent visit to Malaysia and India. We all know that the member for Greatorex was in desperate search of a policy - any policy. They were going to award $50 to the most successful innovative policy. Let us just reinvent the alternative economic polices that may be available.
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We have a limited amount of time in Question Time and we want to get through some important questions. I ask the minister to desist or stay on the subject.
Madam SPEAKER: I am sure the member for Nightcliff probably feels this is an important question. However, the answers are very long today, so wrap up quickly, minister.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, quickly, because it is important for Territorians who listen to this broadcast to compare and contrast the vision for the Northern Territory the government has, as opposed to the vision the opposition has. I will be very brief. The member for Greatorex was talking about call centres in India.
And going on further:
The Territory taxpayer has paid the member for Greatorex about $25 000 to swan off to India to encourage Territory businesses to export their call centres to India because they are cheaper.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Moving on, a convention centre would be a huge boost to the tourism industry - a major boost. I have not heard one tourism operator knock this project. They know that a convention centre for 1500 people will be a huge boost for the economy - for airlines, hotels, restaurants, and tour operators. Knock, knock, knock! That is all the opposition do. The CLP are a party of distant memories. They have no vision and no confidence in investment in the Northern Territory, as opposed to this government, which will deliver a project that will deliver $1bn worth of investment in Darwin over the next 10 years.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. As someone who has had a small business background prior to coming into this parliament, I know how passionate she is about small business. As Business minister, this is why I am passionate about this particular project, because this is going to provide great opportunities for Territory business and workers during the construction and, then, during the operating phase of this particular project.
To put these into perspective, Stage 1 is a $250m construction project. To put that into further perspective, it is $100m worth of investment in Darwin over the next 2 years. It is going to create an enormous number of opportunities for businesses in the civil, marine and other construction areas, as well as in the supply, service and architecture design areas of the economy. There will be fantastic opportunities for Territory contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and workers.
This is going to affect and support some sectors of the construction industry not only during Stage 1 for the first 2 years, but for the next 10 to 11 years. We are talking about businesses in the areas of plant operations, road crews, concreters, structural steel specialists, crane operators, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, tilers, fit-out specialists, the list goes on. These are the business and job opportunities that the opposition is knocking in trying to denigrate this particular project. Stage 1 will create 1000 jobs in the Territory.
You would think the opposition would applaud that, would you not? You would think they would applaud 1000 jobs in the Northern Territory, $250m worth of confidence and investment in our economy. And where will those jobs go? They will go to the sheds and businesses in Winnellie, Berrimah, Palmerston, Yarrawonga and across the Northern Territory. There are not only jobs for existing workers, but opportunities for apprenticeships, to skill people up for our work force over an integrated project going for 10 to 11 years. This is what the once proud CLP are now knocking and opposing.
One of the things I was pleased to see around the Cabinet table, as Minister for Business and Industry, is the commitment by this consortium to local content. The railway achieved about 85% local content; this is going to be bigger. It is not only going to be bigger, it is going to be monitored and there are going to be accountabilities and key targets to meet. Partnerships are already being developed with NTICN, the Industry Capability Network, the old ISO, Territory Construction Association and the NLC to maximise local participation - a commitment to skills development, research and development, developing networks and alliances, encouraging international standards and a focus on technologies.
Again, it is wonderful outcomes for our economy, yet the opposition would seek to knock and denigrate and see this project cancelled. What is the opposition putting up as an alternative? What constructive policies or initiatives are they putting before the people of the Northern Territory? Last night, we had the wonderful, edifying experience of the member for Greatorex, the shadow Treasurer, reporting to the parliament on his recent visit to Malaysia and India. We all know that the member for Greatorex was in desperate search of a policy - any policy. They were going to award $50 to the most successful innovative policy. Let us just reinvent the alternative economic polices that may be available.
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We have a limited amount of time in Question Time and we want to get through some important questions. I ask the minister to desist or stay on the subject.
Madam SPEAKER: I am sure the member for Nightcliff probably feels this is an important question. However, the answers are very long today, so wrap up quickly, minister.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, quickly, because it is important for Territorians who listen to this broadcast to compare and contrast the vision for the Northern Territory the government has, as opposed to the vision the opposition has. I will be very brief. The member for Greatorex was talking about call centres in India.
- Obviously, a call centre such as that can be easily based in Australia or India. The reason why businesses have based their call centres in India is because of the cheaper cost of running those call centres. Therefore, you would use India as your base because of the cost-effectiveness …
And going on further:
- … therefore, from a business point of view, it is cheaper to have a call centre in New Delhi. There is a cost saving so you have your call centres in a country that has cheaper labour.
The Territory taxpayer has paid the member for Greatorex about $25 000 to swan off to India to encourage Territory businesses to export their call centres to India because they are cheaper.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: Moving on, a convention centre would be a huge boost to the tourism industry - a major boost. I have not heard one tourism operator knock this project. They know that a convention centre for 1500 people will be a huge boost for the economy - for airlines, hotels, restaurants, and tour operators. Knock, knock, knock! That is all the opposition do. The CLP are a party of distant memories. They have no vision and no confidence in investment in the Northern Territory, as opposed to this government, which will deliver a project that will deliver $1bn worth of investment in Darwin over the next 10 years.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016