Mr WOOD - 2008-02-19
I congratulate the minister on his new portfolio. The Rudd government recently announced that they will reintroduce permits in relation to roads within Aboriginal community townships. If roads within a town centre are maintained using money raised from shire rates, and a permit is required to travel on these roads, will ratepayers from that super shire who contribute through their rates for the maintenance of those roads be allowed to travel on those roads without a permit? If not, does that not make the roads private? Can ratepayers funds be used on private roads?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As the member well knows, local governments provide a whole range of services and they really are, at the local level, the backbone of a community. The reforms that we have announced over the last 15 months are vital to ensuring those services and the infrastructure out bush really deliver for individuals.
The member for Nelson will also realise that the federal government funds many roads in the Northern Territory in different ways. That situation will continue. With these reforms, though, we will see greater accountability of that roads funding and greater opportunities for efficiency. It will also give us the opportunity to lobby for more dollars to go into the bush where it is vitally needed.
To give an example, the minister for Transport will be travelling to Canberra next week to meet with the federal minister for Transport, Anthony Albanese. I am sure she will be putting a very strong case for more dollars to come into the Northern Territory to fund these communities as it does now.
The short answer for you, member for Nelson, is that funding will continue as it is today. Through these reforms, we will see better use of it and more coming in.
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I asked a question about whether those roads in Aboriginal townships that have been funded by ratepayers will be regarded as private.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, resume your seat. There is no point of order.
Ms LAWRIE (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 Nelson for his question. As the member well knows, local governments provide a whole range of services and they really are, at the local level, the backbone of a community. The reforms that we have announced over the last 15 months are vital to ensuring those services and the infrastructure out bush really deliver for individuals.
The member for Nelson will also realise that the federal government funds many roads in the Northern Territory in different ways. That situation will continue. With these reforms, though, we will see greater accountability of that roads funding and greater opportunities for efficiency. It will also give us the opportunity to lobby for more dollars to go into the bush where it is vitally needed.
To give an example, the minister for Transport will be travelling to Canberra next week to meet with the federal minister for Transport, Anthony Albanese. I am sure she will be putting a very strong case for more dollars to come into the Northern Territory to fund these communities as it does now.
The short answer for you, member for Nelson, is that funding will continue as it is today. Through these reforms, we will see better use of it and more coming in.
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I asked a question about whether those roads in Aboriginal townships that have been funded by ratepayers will be regarded as private.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, resume your seat. There is no point of order.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016