Ms ANDERSON - 2007-05-02
Can the minister advise the House on how Central Australia has been supported under Budget 2007-08?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell, a very committed member for Central Australia as, indeed, is the member for Stuart.
Before I go into all the details, I would also like to express my concerns about the program that was aired last night on Today Tonight. I am not going to challenge the Leader of the Opposition to issue a media release because, quite frankly, it is not enough for you to issue a media release. I believe that she and the member for Greatorex have been quite dishonest, quite divisive, not in the spirit of making any real attempts to try to resolve some of the issues in Central Australia, particularly Alice Springs ...
Ms Carney: We have given you various scenarios and alternatives. You just do not take them up. We have been telling you for two years, Elliot.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: We have made it very clear – just listen to me …
Ms Carney: Well, you do not. You have not been listening which is why it is the way it is.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Leader of the Opposition!
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It has not been the normal number of questions asked today. We are getting ministerial statements. With due respect to the minister - I understand where he is coming from - he is not actually answering the question. He is commenting on a previous question.
Mr McADAM: I am answering the question member for …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, please resume your seat. The minister is answering the question. Please continue.
Mr McADAM: In response, I will say that it is incumbent on you, Leader of the Opposition, and you, the member for Greatorex, to engage the total community in Alice Springs in a very constructive way. I am very much aware of the passion and the commitment of people like Steven Brown and Murray Stewart. I know that this government is going to work with all sectors there to try to resolve these problems. We acknowledge that there are some real issues there ….
Ms Carney: Remember those 500 people who turned up? Half of them were my constituents. What do you think about that, Elliot? Why do you not talk about that?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: If you listen to me I can answer this question. If you let me just finish this then I will go on to the other part of the question.
The point I want to make is this: my challenge to you and to the member for Greatorex in respect to Central Australia is to be mature, to engage with all sectors of the community, both indigenous and non-indigenous, and not to play pure politics ...
Ms Carney: Thank you for that gratuitous advice. Why do you not do your job and work for them, because you have failed?
Mr McADAM: Would you like me to keep going?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, order!
Mr McADAM: That is my challenge to you, Leader of the Opposition. Be fair dinkum: engage all sectors of the community in the interests of everyone in Alice Springs. That is all I am asking. I do not think that that is unreasonable because I can tell, you there are many decent people in Alice Springs who expect it of you, and you, member for Greatorex.
Ms Carney: You cannot be taken seriously, Elliot.
Mr McADAM: You do not believe that? We will see.
Ms Carney: You are just not serious.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Carney: You are the government. Do something, you have ignored it. You all have. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: We will see. That is your challenge. Would you like me to work with you? Anyway, back to …
Members interjecting.
Ms Carney: Yes, get back to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, opposition members.!
Mr McADAM: I was about to get back to that, but there are so many interjections. As I said, Central Australia is one of the real dynamic communities, which includes Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and all the indigenous communities around there - very viable, very strong. This government’s commitment in this budget is going to go a long way in improving the quality of life, infrastructure spends, education, and health right across the board.
By way of example, in the Barkly region, we have $5m going into the Borroloola Primary School …
Mr Bonson: For the kids.
Mr McADAM: Yes, to make it a better place. Also, in Borroloola, there will be $5m into the Borroloola sewerage upgrade, which is also going to provide development opportunities. There is $1m, which is part of the $6.2m upgrade of Ross Park Primary School in Alice Springs; $6m to the Emergency Department of the Alice Springs Hospital, including a total of $13m for ongoing new hospital works, improving facilities for the Alice Springs Hospital and people living in Alice Springs. There is a $1m upgrade for the Tennant Creek Hospital, which is a fire safety upgrade.
There is a record spend on roads repairs and maintenance right across the Northern Territory, with $23.3m going into the Central Australian region on projects such as the Red Centre Way, $10.5m; Outback Way, $1.96m; Maryvale Road, $1.4m; Sandover Highway, $0.5m; Alice Springs to Santa Teresa connector road, $0.5m; Tanami Road, $2m, which is very important, because this enhances and improves economic and social opportunities for indigenous and non-indigenous people, pastoral and mining industries right across the board.
The other important aspect that relates to Central Australia is the $814m infrastructure spend by Power and Water: $8.9m for the power station at Brewer Estate; $450 000 for Ntaria, Hermannsburg, upgrade for water; the same at Roe Creek, $800 000; new generation capacity into Tennant Creek, $1.5m over five years; Tennant Creek Pump Station upgrade, $800 000; and upgrade water production at Epenarra, $700 000.
From what I have said thus far you can see that there has been a clear commitment on the part of this government in respect to real dollars flowing through Alice Springs for real outcomes, as opposed to the artificial responses that have been put forward thus far by the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greatorex.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell, a very committed member for Central Australia as, indeed, is the member for Stuart.
Before I go into all the details, I would also like to express my concerns about the program that was aired last night on Today Tonight. I am not going to challenge the Leader of the Opposition to issue a media release because, quite frankly, it is not enough for you to issue a media release. I believe that she and the member for Greatorex have been quite dishonest, quite divisive, not in the spirit of making any real attempts to try to resolve some of the issues in Central Australia, particularly Alice Springs ...
Ms Carney: We have given you various scenarios and alternatives. You just do not take them up. We have been telling you for two years, Elliot.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: We have made it very clear – just listen to me …
Ms Carney: Well, you do not. You have not been listening which is why it is the way it is.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Leader of the Opposition!
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It has not been the normal number of questions asked today. We are getting ministerial statements. With due respect to the minister - I understand where he is coming from - he is not actually answering the question. He is commenting on a previous question.
Mr McADAM: I am answering the question member for …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, please resume your seat. The minister is answering the question. Please continue.
Mr McADAM: In response, I will say that it is incumbent on you, Leader of the Opposition, and you, the member for Greatorex, to engage the total community in Alice Springs in a very constructive way. I am very much aware of the passion and the commitment of people like Steven Brown and Murray Stewart. I know that this government is going to work with all sectors there to try to resolve these problems. We acknowledge that there are some real issues there ….
Ms Carney: Remember those 500 people who turned up? Half of them were my constituents. What do you think about that, Elliot? Why do you not talk about that?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: If you listen to me I can answer this question. If you let me just finish this then I will go on to the other part of the question.
The point I want to make is this: my challenge to you and to the member for Greatorex in respect to Central Australia is to be mature, to engage with all sectors of the community, both indigenous and non-indigenous, and not to play pure politics ...
Ms Carney: Thank you for that gratuitous advice. Why do you not do your job and work for them, because you have failed?
Mr McADAM: Would you like me to keep going?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, order!
Mr McADAM: That is my challenge to you, Leader of the Opposition. Be fair dinkum: engage all sectors of the community in the interests of everyone in Alice Springs. That is all I am asking. I do not think that that is unreasonable because I can tell, you there are many decent people in Alice Springs who expect it of you, and you, member for Greatorex.
Ms Carney: You cannot be taken seriously, Elliot.
Mr McADAM: You do not believe that? We will see.
Ms Carney: You are just not serious.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Carney: You are the government. Do something, you have ignored it. You all have. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr McADAM: We will see. That is your challenge. Would you like me to work with you? Anyway, back to …
Members interjecting.
Ms Carney: Yes, get back to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, opposition members.!
Mr McADAM: I was about to get back to that, but there are so many interjections. As I said, Central Australia is one of the real dynamic communities, which includes Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and all the indigenous communities around there - very viable, very strong. This government’s commitment in this budget is going to go a long way in improving the quality of life, infrastructure spends, education, and health right across the board.
By way of example, in the Barkly region, we have $5m going into the Borroloola Primary School …
Mr Bonson: For the kids.
Mr McADAM: Yes, to make it a better place. Also, in Borroloola, there will be $5m into the Borroloola sewerage upgrade, which is also going to provide development opportunities. There is $1m, which is part of the $6.2m upgrade of Ross Park Primary School in Alice Springs; $6m to the Emergency Department of the Alice Springs Hospital, including a total of $13m for ongoing new hospital works, improving facilities for the Alice Springs Hospital and people living in Alice Springs. There is a $1m upgrade for the Tennant Creek Hospital, which is a fire safety upgrade.
There is a record spend on roads repairs and maintenance right across the Northern Territory, with $23.3m going into the Central Australian region on projects such as the Red Centre Way, $10.5m; Outback Way, $1.96m; Maryvale Road, $1.4m; Sandover Highway, $0.5m; Alice Springs to Santa Teresa connector road, $0.5m; Tanami Road, $2m, which is very important, because this enhances and improves economic and social opportunities for indigenous and non-indigenous people, pastoral and mining industries right across the board.
The other important aspect that relates to Central Australia is the $814m infrastructure spend by Power and Water: $8.9m for the power station at Brewer Estate; $450 000 for Ntaria, Hermannsburg, upgrade for water; the same at Roe Creek, $800 000; new generation capacity into Tennant Creek, $1.5m over five years; Tennant Creek Pump Station upgrade, $800 000; and upgrade water production at Epenarra, $700 000.
From what I have said thus far you can see that there has been a clear commitment on the part of this government in respect to real dollars flowing through Alice Springs for real outcomes, as opposed to the artificial responses that have been put forward thus far by the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greatorex.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016