Mr BURKE - 2005-02-09
In your answer on the waterfront, you said that the environmental aspects would be attended to with the project. I remind you that those environmental aspects are intended to be attended to as the project proceeds. Your government has responsibility for environmental aspects. The Hastings on Mindil project is a very large Territory project which your government did not allow to proceed to the construction stage until all environmental aspects were fixed. Why do you have one rule for a private developer on Hastings on Mindil, such that it cost them many of hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions, before they can start their project to get environmental aspects fixed, yet you ask Territorians taxpayers to take on trust that you will fix environmental aspects at the wharf - large environmental problems - as your project proceeds?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, 25 ha is a very large site. This waterfront redevelopment is an exciting project for Territorians that will take a decade, maybe more, to complete. What we have chosen to do is have an independent auditor. We are following all statutory regulatory processes regarding the environment, and we will do that work over time as is needed. That is an appropriate way to tackle a 25 ha …
Mr Burke: The Osbournes would have loved to have heard that.
Ms MARTIN That is an appropriate way to tackle the waterfront redevelopment.
Again, what we are hearing from the opposition that they do not support this project, that they would like to see it scrapped. They are walking away from jobs for Territorians, business opportunities for Territory businesses which know that the multiplier effect of a convention centre is very significant. Yet, all we hear from this opposition is bagging the project and, basically, not wanting to see it go ahead.
Ms MARTIN: Every single aspect of their questioning is not warranted. We will follow proper environmental processes, of course we will.
Mr Dunham: Your report is unreliable.
Ms MARTIN: The member for Drysdale says it is unreliable, based on what - the member for Drysdale’s opinion? It is basically the member for Drysdale’s opinion. We listened to the Lord Mayor of Darwin with his opinion today. Do we connect this at all? Is the Country Liberal Party trying to coordinate across two tiers of government and trying to oppose, even more strongly, the waterfront. I was under-whelmed when I heard the Lord Mayor say: ‘I do not think this is a good way to manage the environment’. I have to say, with all due respect to the Lord Mayor, what would he know?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, 25 ha is a very large site. This waterfront redevelopment is an exciting project for Territorians that will take a decade, maybe more, to complete. What we have chosen to do is have an independent auditor. We are following all statutory regulatory processes regarding the environment, and we will do that work over time as is needed. That is an appropriate way to tackle a 25 ha …
Mr Burke: The Osbournes would have loved to have heard that.
Ms MARTIN That is an appropriate way to tackle the waterfront redevelopment.
Again, what we are hearing from the opposition that they do not support this project, that they would like to see it scrapped. They are walking away from jobs for Territorians, business opportunities for Territory businesses which know that the multiplier effect of a convention centre is very significant. Yet, all we hear from this opposition is bagging the project and, basically, not wanting to see it go ahead.
Ms MARTIN: Every single aspect of their questioning is not warranted. We will follow proper environmental processes, of course we will.
Mr Dunham: Your report is unreliable.
Ms MARTIN: The member for Drysdale says it is unreliable, based on what - the member for Drysdale’s opinion? It is basically the member for Drysdale’s opinion. We listened to the Lord Mayor of Darwin with his opinion today. Do we connect this at all? Is the Country Liberal Party trying to coordinate across two tiers of government and trying to oppose, even more strongly, the waterfront. I was under-whelmed when I heard the Lord Mayor say: ‘I do not think this is a good way to manage the environment’. I have to say, with all due respect to the Lord Mayor, what would he know?
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016