Mr SETTER - 1996-02-21
Last week, at the Northern Territory launch of the federal Labor campaign, Warren Snowdon MHR claimed that he was responsible for creating mining jobs at McArthur River and through the expansion of the Nabalco and Mt Todd projects. This came as a complete surprise to me, because it has always been my belief ...
Mrs Padgham-Purich: It came as a surprise to the mining industry too.
Mr SETTER: ... that federal Labor continues to obstruct the full development of Northern Territory resources. What role, if any, has Warren Snowdon played in the development of these very important projects?
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the federal member for the Northern Territory, Hon Warren Snowdon, is notable principally for his absence, and for his support of Canberra in the Northern Territory rather than of Territorians. When the member for Jingili was asking this very appropriate question, which is of interest to Territorians, the member for Nelson interjected that it came as a surprise to the mining industry also that the federal member was taking credit for the McArthur River mine, the Nabalco expansion and the Mt Todd mine. She is dead right, because we never hear from the member for the Northern Territory. What was his involvement with the McArthur River project?
Mr Ede: He was out there brokering agreements on ...
Mr REED: Was he now? I can tell you who was brokering agreements. It was the member for Palmerston, and perhaps Laurie Brereton, who was not the federal minister at the time. Laurie Brereton might have had something to do with it, but Warren was noticeable by his absence. He had nothing to do with the negotiations. As the member for Nelson has said, the mining industry would be very intrigued to hear such a claim.
Before we leave Borroloola, let us look at what was perhaps the only involvement that Warren Snowdon had in relation to the project. After the project was in place and all of the i's had been dotted and the t's crossed, he made a commitment, through his DEET responsibilities, to spend $500 000 in Borroloola on training. What did the people of Borroloola get from that? They got a closed office. It was not even staffed. Warren Snowdon was running around like a chook with his head cut off, sending a DEET officer out from Katherine to staff the office in order to make it look good to enable him to say what a marvellous initiative it was and that the federal government had provided training for the people of Borroloola. When challenged, who did he blame for the training not being put in place? On the radio, this great supporter of the mining industry blamed the mining company. MIM was to blame for Warren Snowdon's incompetence and for his inability to establish the training program that he said he would put in place! That was what the people of Borroloola and the McArthur River mine had from Warren Snowdon in that little episode.
What about the Mt Todd agreement? Over the last couple of weeks, he has taken credit for the Mt Todd agreement. Warren Snowdon was there on one occasion in relation to determining what would happen at Mt Todd. I can tell honourable members how many times he has been there, negotiating with Mt Todd mine management and providing assistance to it to extend its operations with the expenditure this year of $208m. He has not been seen there! A $208m expansion is being put in place, but the company has not even heard from Warren.
In respect of the initial Mt Todd agreement, the member for Palmerston put a great deal of effort into that. What was Warren Snowdon's involvement in negotiating the Mt Todd agreement? I can tell you what it was. The member for the Northern Territory turned up on the last day to have his photo taken. Every time the Prime Minister is in the Northern Territory, there is Warren: `G'day, mate! How are you going, mate? I'm here. I'm on the job. Territorians, make sure you can see me standing up for you'. The representative from Canberra in the Northern Territory!
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Members interjecting.
Mr REED: You know it is true. You know it is a fact. To his great shame, the member for the Northern Territory, Warren Snowdon, who has taken credit for something that he had not done in relation to the Mt Todd agreement, turned up on the day to have his photo taken with the Aboriginal people at the signing of the Mt Todd agreement. Warren had nothing to do with the signing of the agreement. Warren had nothing to do with the negotiations. Warren wanted
to have his picture taken so that Warren could take the credit. That is what Warren Snowdon is - a credit-taker, but not a performer. These photographs tell a lie.
What about the Nabalco expansion? It was announced recently that the company would spend $86m on expanding its operations at Gove. It was a wonderful announcement. How does Warren Snowdon have the temerity to take the credit for that announcement by Nabalco? Let him tell us what role he played. I believe the member for Nelson's comment that it came as a surprise to the mining industry is spot on. Warren was not there. Warren Snowdon has provided nothing for Territorians. He may perhaps be a lovely bloke who will have a chat with people. However, that is all they can get from him. What has he done for Territorians? He has provided a little income for the film retailers and the film developers, and that is about the extent of his activity. He had nothing to do with the McArthur River mine agreement. He had nothing to do with the Mt Todd agreement, except to turn up for a photograph and take credit for the things that he had not done. He had nothing to do with the $86m expansion announced by Nabalco.
Members opposite blindly support Hon Warren Snowdon for doing nothing for Territorians. When he goes to Katherine, no one can even find him. That is how much he did for Mt Todd. He does not even tell the people of Katherine when he is going there, because he is embarrassed about what he has not done. It is the same wherever he goes in the Northern Territory. He cannot take credit for anything in relation to the mining industry's achievements. Give the credit to the people who did the work. Do not give it to Warren Snowdon.
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Mrs Padgham-Purich: It came as a surprise to the mining industry too.
Mr SETTER: ... that federal Labor continues to obstruct the full development of Northern Territory resources. What role, if any, has Warren Snowdon played in the development of these very important projects?
Page 1184
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the federal member for the Northern Territory, Hon Warren Snowdon, is notable principally for his absence, and for his support of Canberra in the Northern Territory rather than of Territorians. When the member for Jingili was asking this very appropriate question, which is of interest to Territorians, the member for Nelson interjected that it came as a surprise to the mining industry also that the federal member was taking credit for the McArthur River mine, the Nabalco expansion and the Mt Todd mine. She is dead right, because we never hear from the member for the Northern Territory. What was his involvement with the McArthur River project?
Mr Ede: He was out there brokering agreements on ...
Mr REED: Was he now? I can tell you who was brokering agreements. It was the member for Palmerston, and perhaps Laurie Brereton, who was not the federal minister at the time. Laurie Brereton might have had something to do with it, but Warren was noticeable by his absence. He had nothing to do with the negotiations. As the member for Nelson has said, the mining industry would be very intrigued to hear such a claim.
Before we leave Borroloola, let us look at what was perhaps the only involvement that Warren Snowdon had in relation to the project. After the project was in place and all of the i's had been dotted and the t's crossed, he made a commitment, through his DEET responsibilities, to spend $500 000 in Borroloola on training. What did the people of Borroloola get from that? They got a closed office. It was not even staffed. Warren Snowdon was running around like a chook with his head cut off, sending a DEET officer out from Katherine to staff the office in order to make it look good to enable him to say what a marvellous initiative it was and that the federal government had provided training for the people of Borroloola. When challenged, who did he blame for the training not being put in place? On the radio, this great supporter of the mining industry blamed the mining company. MIM was to blame for Warren Snowdon's incompetence and for his inability to establish the training program that he said he would put in place! That was what the people of Borroloola and the McArthur River mine had from Warren Snowdon in that little episode.
What about the Mt Todd agreement? Over the last couple of weeks, he has taken credit for the Mt Todd agreement. Warren Snowdon was there on one occasion in relation to determining what would happen at Mt Todd. I can tell honourable members how many times he has been there, negotiating with Mt Todd mine management and providing assistance to it to extend its operations with the expenditure this year of $208m. He has not been seen there! A $208m expansion is being put in place, but the company has not even heard from Warren.
In respect of the initial Mt Todd agreement, the member for Palmerston put a great deal of effort into that. What was Warren Snowdon's involvement in negotiating the Mt Todd agreement? I can tell you what it was. The member for the Northern Territory turned up on the last day to have his photo taken. Every time the Prime Minister is in the Northern Territory, there is Warren: `G'day, mate! How are you going, mate? I'm here. I'm on the job. Territorians, make sure you can see me standing up for you'. The representative from Canberra in the Northern Territory!
Page 1185
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: You know it is true. You know it is a fact. To his great shame, the member for the Northern Territory, Warren Snowdon, who has taken credit for something that he had not done in relation to the Mt Todd agreement, turned up on the day to have his photo taken with the Aboriginal people at the signing of the Mt Todd agreement. Warren had nothing to do with the signing of the agreement. Warren had nothing to do with the negotiations. Warren wanted
to have his picture taken so that Warren could take the credit. That is what Warren Snowdon is - a credit-taker, but not a performer. These photographs tell a lie.
What about the Nabalco expansion? It was announced recently that the company would spend $86m on expanding its operations at Gove. It was a wonderful announcement. How does Warren Snowdon have the temerity to take the credit for that announcement by Nabalco? Let him tell us what role he played. I believe the member for Nelson's comment that it came as a surprise to the mining industry is spot on. Warren was not there. Warren Snowdon has provided nothing for Territorians. He may perhaps be a lovely bloke who will have a chat with people. However, that is all they can get from him. What has he done for Territorians? He has provided a little income for the film retailers and the film developers, and that is about the extent of his activity. He had nothing to do with the McArthur River mine agreement. He had nothing to do with the Mt Todd agreement, except to turn up for a photograph and take credit for the things that he had not done. He had nothing to do with the $86m expansion announced by Nabalco.
Members opposite blindly support Hon Warren Snowdon for doing nothing for Territorians. When he goes to Katherine, no one can even find him. That is how much he did for Mt Todd. He does not even tell the people of Katherine when he is going there, because he is embarrassed about what he has not done. It is the same wherever he goes in the Northern Territory. He cannot take credit for anything in relation to the mining industry's achievements. Give the credit to the people who did the work. Do not give it to Warren Snowdon.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016