Mr GUNNER - 2012-05-02
Can the minister please tell the House how Budget 2012-13 is investing in Central Australia and supporting Centralian families and businesses?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question about Central Australia. He has a history with Central Australia, much more than other people in this House. It was interesting, as the member for Arafura has picked up on, there was absolutely no mention in the Leader of the Opposition’s budget speech about Central Australia. It is quite obvious what they think about Central Australia. There was nothing about the bush.
Turning to the answer, I am very pleased as the Minister for Central Australia to speak about some of the highlights in Budget 2012-13 for Central Australians. As my colleague, the Minister for Health, has already stated in the House, there is $147m for the Alice Springs Hospital as part of a record health budget. It is these types of legacy infrastructure projects that will do Alice Springs and Central Australia good over many more years to come. There is $28m for Central Australian roads, and $10.6m to boost Correctional Services and infrastructure in Alice Springs.
As the Treasurer said in her budget speech yesterday, it was a tough budget but a responsible budget. It is great to see we are continuing, unlike Victoria, to support Territory families through many concessions and subsidies across health, education and training, particularly to offset children and power costs, and to support seniors as well.
Work on the new Kilgariff subdivision will continue. I want to reassure the town council and our Deputy Mayor, Mr Brendan Heenan, that this government’s commitment is absolutely 110%, with Budget 2012-13 providing $3.5m for headworks on top of the $10m in works due for completion this year. Again, I would like to congratulate the Minister for Construction on this visionary project and the work done with the Enquiry by Design process. This is a great outcome for Alice Springs, with land that will stand us in good stead over the next 20 to 30 years.
We are continuing the $3.9m redevelopment of the Greatorex Building for the new Alice Springs Police Station, and $1m goes towards the upgrades at the Alice Springs Youth Hub. I was absolutely astounded to hear the member for Braitling yesterday talk about the Youth Hub and if they were in government they would dismantle it. They would tear it down; they would not continue with the Youth Hub or the Youth Action Plan. Given the issues we have in Alice Springs with antisocial behaviour and youth, it bemuses me that a local member in Alice Springs would even think of that, would even think about dismantling the Youth Hub and defunding it. It is obvious he is out of touch with his electorate. He spends more time in other electorates. He needs to get back into his electorate and get in touch with reality.
Madam Speaker, the Youth Hub is buzzing. There are many non-government and government organisations working there now and they are getting great outcomes for the community of Alice Springs. So, a great budget for Central Australia, and I again thank the Treasurer for the budget.
Dr BURNS (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 Fannie Bay for his question about Central Australia. He has a history with Central Australia, much more than other people in this House. It was interesting, as the member for Arafura has picked up on, there was absolutely no mention in the Leader of the Opposition’s budget speech about Central Australia. It is quite obvious what they think about Central Australia. There was nothing about the bush.
Turning to the answer, I am very pleased as the Minister for Central Australia to speak about some of the highlights in Budget 2012-13 for Central Australians. As my colleague, the Minister for Health, has already stated in the House, there is $147m for the Alice Springs Hospital as part of a record health budget. It is these types of legacy infrastructure projects that will do Alice Springs and Central Australia good over many more years to come. There is $28m for Central Australian roads, and $10.6m to boost Correctional Services and infrastructure in Alice Springs.
As the Treasurer said in her budget speech yesterday, it was a tough budget but a responsible budget. It is great to see we are continuing, unlike Victoria, to support Territory families through many concessions and subsidies across health, education and training, particularly to offset children and power costs, and to support seniors as well.
Work on the new Kilgariff subdivision will continue. I want to reassure the town council and our Deputy Mayor, Mr Brendan Heenan, that this government’s commitment is absolutely 110%, with Budget 2012-13 providing $3.5m for headworks on top of the $10m in works due for completion this year. Again, I would like to congratulate the Minister for Construction on this visionary project and the work done with the Enquiry by Design process. This is a great outcome for Alice Springs, with land that will stand us in good stead over the next 20 to 30 years.
We are continuing the $3.9m redevelopment of the Greatorex Building for the new Alice Springs Police Station, and $1m goes towards the upgrades at the Alice Springs Youth Hub. I was absolutely astounded to hear the member for Braitling yesterday talk about the Youth Hub and if they were in government they would dismantle it. They would tear it down; they would not continue with the Youth Hub or the Youth Action Plan. Given the issues we have in Alice Springs with antisocial behaviour and youth, it bemuses me that a local member in Alice Springs would even think of that, would even think about dismantling the Youth Hub and defunding it. It is obvious he is out of touch with his electorate. He spends more time in other electorates. He needs to get back into his electorate and get in touch with reality.
Madam Speaker, the Youth Hub is buzzing. There are many non-government and government organisations working there now and they are getting great outcomes for the community of Alice Springs. So, a great budget for Central Australia, and I again thank the Treasurer for the budget.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016