Ms LAWRIE - 2001-10-23
Madam Speaker, can the Chief Minister inform the House on the progress that is being made to rebuild the crucial relationship between East Timor and the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the relationship between the Territory and East Timor is a very important one. The East Timorese, the newest nation in the world, are our neighbours, and I can say very proudly to this House and Territorians, they are our friends. Our futures are linked and, as we all know, our paths have been linked.
I have met with the Chief Minister designate of East Timor, Dr Mari Alkatiri, four times since coming to government. It really was a privilege to be able to go to the swearing-in of the new Assembly of East Timor a number of weeks ago. I make note, in referring to that swearing-in of the Assembly, the fantastic work that was done by a Territory builder, Karl Ozolins, and the work he did in taking a building that was in pretty poor shape, and restoring it just beautifully, to be the Assembly building for the East Timorese. So, there was a double sense of pride that Territorian labour had restored this building - and a beautiful building it is - and also being there for the swearing-in of the 88 new members of the East Timorese government. I think Territorians, generally, were delighted to have Dr Alkatiri here last week for the opening of the Assembly. It was very heartening, when he was referred to in the Administrator’s speech, to hear the applause and the recognition for our nearest neighbour and their Chief Minister.
The rebuilding of our relationship with East Timor is symptomatic of this new government’s concentration on our Asian neighbours, one that was sadly neglected by the Country Liberal Party. After working very hard with the nineties …
Mr Burke: We did host a few thousand refugees for a few days.
Ms MARTIN: When you have the Minister for Asian Relations and Trade, who only travelled in Asia four times in one year - four times as the Minister for Asian Relations and Trade – there was no commitment from the previous administration willing to build those relationships. Well, this government has those commitments. We will certainly be working very closely within this inst, the East Timorese and their new government. We will be looking at how we can work with them in terms of how we can assist with their economy, particularly in areas like training, how we can work with trade and building Territory business in East Timor, and how both the Territory and East Timor can work together to exploit the oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea and create revenue, and create jobs, and create prosperity.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the relationship between the Territory and East Timor is a very important one. The East Timorese, the newest nation in the world, are our neighbours, and I can say very proudly to this House and Territorians, they are our friends. Our futures are linked and, as we all know, our paths have been linked.
I have met with the Chief Minister designate of East Timor, Dr Mari Alkatiri, four times since coming to government. It really was a privilege to be able to go to the swearing-in of the new Assembly of East Timor a number of weeks ago. I make note, in referring to that swearing-in of the Assembly, the fantastic work that was done by a Territory builder, Karl Ozolins, and the work he did in taking a building that was in pretty poor shape, and restoring it just beautifully, to be the Assembly building for the East Timorese. So, there was a double sense of pride that Territorian labour had restored this building - and a beautiful building it is - and also being there for the swearing-in of the 88 new members of the East Timorese government. I think Territorians, generally, were delighted to have Dr Alkatiri here last week for the opening of the Assembly. It was very heartening, when he was referred to in the Administrator’s speech, to hear the applause and the recognition for our nearest neighbour and their Chief Minister.
The rebuilding of our relationship with East Timor is symptomatic of this new government’s concentration on our Asian neighbours, one that was sadly neglected by the Country Liberal Party. After working very hard with the nineties …
Mr Burke: We did host a few thousand refugees for a few days.
Ms MARTIN: When you have the Minister for Asian Relations and Trade, who only travelled in Asia four times in one year - four times as the Minister for Asian Relations and Trade – there was no commitment from the previous administration willing to build those relationships. Well, this government has those commitments. We will certainly be working very closely within this inst, the East Timorese and their new government. We will be looking at how we can work with them in terms of how we can assist with their economy, particularly in areas like training, how we can work with trade and building Territory business in East Timor, and how both the Territory and East Timor can work together to exploit the oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea and create revenue, and create jobs, and create prosperity.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016