Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1997-04-22
Why did the government recently purchase a house on low-lying land at lot 90 Fitzgerald Road, Howard Springs, after the last record Wet, thereby opening a Pandora's box exposing government responsibility in the future for all decisions made by officials holding government office? Why was no similar offer made to the people living next door on lot 100
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in Fitzgerald Road, who suffered as much water damage on their land and in their house as the Wainwrights on lot 90 Fitzgerald Road?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, members would be aware that, as a consequence of the extreme levels of rainfall during the last wet season, flooding was experienced, particularly in a number of rural areas. This was certainly so in the Darwin rural area and, to a lesser extent, in the Uralla Road area of Katherine. This caused many people considerable discomfort, inconvenience and expense.
Mr Bailey: Not to the developer, though.
Mr REED: I really do wonder what the people listening to this broadcast think of the member for Wanguri. You would think his boss would keep her deputy under some form of control in order that members who ask questions may listen to the responses to them without interruption. This is a serious matter. It is a matter of great concern to people in the Darwin and Katherine rural areas and other parts of the Northern Territory. I ask the member for Wanguri to show a little more respect for those people, allowing them to hear the answer to the question.
I must say that the owners of this property were also the subject of a terrible example of politicisation by the member for Fannie Bay who visited the Wainwrights on a Sunday preceding the February sittings.
Mr Bailey: Were you hiding in the bushes, watching?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: I will persist. I am a little more patient than the member for Wanguri, and I think I have a few more manners.
That visit took place at a time when the Wainwrights were very distressed because their house had been inundated. One might think that, having had a look at the house on a Sunday, the member for Fannie Bay might have very promptly made representations to my office on behalf of the Wainwrights. However, she held the issue over until the Tuesday to enable her to maximise any political benefit that might be gained by pursuing it in a more emotive way in this House. This is a demonstration of an urge to pursue political ends rather than assisting people. It shows that the Labor Party uses people instead of serving them. I think it is worth putting the behaviour of the member for Fannie Bay on record.
When the subdivision was surveyed and engineered in the early 1980s, one block was marked `not to be sold'. That was indeed the Wainwright block. After I met with the Wainwrights, my investigations revealed that the block was not to be included in the subdivision. However, it was included.
Ms Martin: Could you table that documentation? I have not seen any of that. Where is the documentation?
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Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: I am telling you about it. It might be more convenient if I met with the member for Nelson privately and was able to explain this matter in full to her, rather than attempting to provide information over the top of ignorant behaviour by members opposite.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will withdraw that implication.
Mr BAILEY: I withdraw it, but I bring it to your attention that ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no need to bring anything to my attention. Withdraw it without comment.
Mr REED: Mr Speaker, having discussed this matter with departmental officers and having seen the plan that indicated that this block should not have been sold, it seemed to me that I should take this matter to Cabinet, as a matter of procedural fairness, for consideration as to whether or not the government should purchase that property. That decision was taken. The Wainwrights' property has been purchased by the government.
I have met with one nearby property holder. There is a drainage problem in the area. I am advised that there may be a requirement to extend the drainage in that area of that subdivision.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: The member for Fannie Bay is an expert on everything and cannot resist the temptation to keep interjecting. People listening to this broadcast will make their judgment about the value of the contributions of the member for Fannie Bay.
While the rain was still falling, I directed officers of the water resources branch to look at the flooding in the Darwin rural area and in the Uralla Road area of Katherine. Those investigations have been undertaken and reports are being prepared for me in a more complete form. Because we have not yet received those reports, we do not know the extent of work that needs to be done. However, it is clear that there is a need to upgrade drainage works in those areas in Katherine and Howard Springs. In the 1997-98 budget, funding will be provided for additional drainage works.
Ms Martin: Are you going to take action now?
Mr REED: I have given now an indication that we have acted in this regard. Engineers have made an assessment of the problem. Consultants and engineers are working currently on a report to me through the department. The government will provide funding in the forthcoming budget to ensure that work can proceed before the next wet season.
Members interjecting.
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Mr REED: Members opposite are not happy even with that response. They laugh at that. The member for Nelson will be able to convey that message to the people in her electorate given that, as a result of the rudeness of the member for Wanguri in particular, they may not have heard the details that I provided in this answer.
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in Fitzgerald Road, who suffered as much water damage on their land and in their house as the Wainwrights on lot 90 Fitzgerald Road?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, members would be aware that, as a consequence of the extreme levels of rainfall during the last wet season, flooding was experienced, particularly in a number of rural areas. This was certainly so in the Darwin rural area and, to a lesser extent, in the Uralla Road area of Katherine. This caused many people considerable discomfort, inconvenience and expense.
Mr Bailey: Not to the developer, though.
Mr REED: I really do wonder what the people listening to this broadcast think of the member for Wanguri. You would think his boss would keep her deputy under some form of control in order that members who ask questions may listen to the responses to them without interruption. This is a serious matter. It is a matter of great concern to people in the Darwin and Katherine rural areas and other parts of the Northern Territory. I ask the member for Wanguri to show a little more respect for those people, allowing them to hear the answer to the question.
I must say that the owners of this property were also the subject of a terrible example of politicisation by the member for Fannie Bay who visited the Wainwrights on a Sunday preceding the February sittings.
Mr Bailey: Were you hiding in the bushes, watching?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: I will persist. I am a little more patient than the member for Wanguri, and I think I have a few more manners.
That visit took place at a time when the Wainwrights were very distressed because their house had been inundated. One might think that, having had a look at the house on a Sunday, the member for Fannie Bay might have very promptly made representations to my office on behalf of the Wainwrights. However, she held the issue over until the Tuesday to enable her to maximise any political benefit that might be gained by pursuing it in a more emotive way in this House. This is a demonstration of an urge to pursue political ends rather than assisting people. It shows that the Labor Party uses people instead of serving them. I think it is worth putting the behaviour of the member for Fannie Bay on record.
When the subdivision was surveyed and engineered in the early 1980s, one block was marked `not to be sold'. That was indeed the Wainwright block. After I met with the Wainwrights, my investigations revealed that the block was not to be included in the subdivision. However, it was included.
Ms Martin: Could you table that documentation? I have not seen any of that. Where is the documentation?
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Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: I am telling you about it. It might be more convenient if I met with the member for Nelson privately and was able to explain this matter in full to her, rather than attempting to provide information over the top of ignorant behaviour by members opposite.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will withdraw that implication.
Mr BAILEY: I withdraw it, but I bring it to your attention that ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no need to bring anything to my attention. Withdraw it without comment.
Mr REED: Mr Speaker, having discussed this matter with departmental officers and having seen the plan that indicated that this block should not have been sold, it seemed to me that I should take this matter to Cabinet, as a matter of procedural fairness, for consideration as to whether or not the government should purchase that property. That decision was taken. The Wainwrights' property has been purchased by the government.
I have met with one nearby property holder. There is a drainage problem in the area. I am advised that there may be a requirement to extend the drainage in that area of that subdivision.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: The member for Fannie Bay is an expert on everything and cannot resist the temptation to keep interjecting. People listening to this broadcast will make their judgment about the value of the contributions of the member for Fannie Bay.
While the rain was still falling, I directed officers of the water resources branch to look at the flooding in the Darwin rural area and in the Uralla Road area of Katherine. Those investigations have been undertaken and reports are being prepared for me in a more complete form. Because we have not yet received those reports, we do not know the extent of work that needs to be done. However, it is clear that there is a need to upgrade drainage works in those areas in Katherine and Howard Springs. In the 1997-98 budget, funding will be provided for additional drainage works.
Ms Martin: Are you going to take action now?
Mr REED: I have given now an indication that we have acted in this regard. Engineers have made an assessment of the problem. Consultants and engineers are working currently on a report to me through the department. The government will provide funding in the forthcoming budget to ensure that work can proceed before the next wet season.
Members interjecting.
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Mr REED: Members opposite are not happy even with that response. They laugh at that. The member for Nelson will be able to convey that message to the people in her electorate given that, as a result of the rudeness of the member for Wanguri in particular, they may not have heard the details that I provided in this answer.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016