Mr BALDWIN - 1995-03-01
Is the minister aware of the attack the Leader of the Opposition made on radio in relation to his department's research capacity? Are the allegations he made true or is this simply another of the Leader of the Opposition's attacks on the Northern Territory Public Service?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the suggestion from the Leader of the Opposition that research and development activities and funding in my department have been reducing is arrant and absolute nonsense. My department has maintained its range of research and development programs and the facilities where most of these programs are conducted. I have no idea where the Leader of the Opposition obtains his information, but I challenge him to reveal any specific information he has and I will respond to any specific concerns that he may have rather than to his generalisations.
As occurred with many activities following the ERC process in 1991, there was a cutback in departmental funding and the appropriate levels of research and development were assessed. Since that time, funding for research and development has been maintained at well
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over $8m per annum. By its very nature, research and development is an area of changing priorities. Some projects run their time and others are brought on stream. The requirements in each of the industries serviced by my department are different and diverse. Advisory committees for each industry advise me and my department on their needs and requirements. I am not aware of any research and development requirements from any of those industry advisory groups that have been unmet. In fisheries alone, many programs are under way.
From his many years of membership of the Public Accounts Committee, the Leader of the Opposition would be aware of the importance of annual reports. He would know also of the various reports that the PAC has had from eminent people, such as Professor Bob Walker, identifying the major users of annual reports. The prime users of annual reports are politicians. If the Leader of the Opposition had bothered to consult page 17 of the annual report of the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, he would have noted the heading, 'Fisheries Division - reports on programs.' I will run through a couple of those research and development programs:
Program title: Golden Snapper Aquaculture - undertake a feasibility study on the potential for golden snapper aquaculture.
Program title: Barramundi Aquaculture - provide barramundi larvae and technical support for barramundi farmers in the Northern Territory.
Program title: Mud Crab - investigate feasible techniques for the commercial mass production of juvenile crabs.
Program title: Australian Trawl Efficiency Device - develop a safe, effective, economical trawl device suitable for northern prawn fisheries.
Achieve 100% reduction in turtle catch and 75% reduction in total bycatch. Present extension advice to industry regarding the new technology.
Program title: Technology - develop new, improved, environmentally friendly fishing technology and introduce it to traditional and commercial fishermen.
Program title: Assessment of the Spanish Mackerel Fishery - develop a research program to improve the understanding of the status of the Spanish mackerel
stock of the Northern Territory, providing information on appropriate levels of fishing and thus establishing a sound knowledge base from which the effective
management of the mackerel fishery may develop.
Program title: Fisheries Biology and Interaction in the Northern Australian Small Mackerel Fishery ...
Program title: Assessment of Northern Territory Barramundi Fishery ...
Program title: Pearl Oyster ...
Program title: Assessment of the Northern Territory Snapper Fisheries ...
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Program title: Effects of Tool Design on Bycatch and Benthos in Prawn and Fin Fisheries ...
Program title: Assessment of Commercial Shark Resources ...
There are a further 90 pages in this report on the research and development programs undertaken by my department. Once again, the attack by the Leader of the Opposition is nothing but an attack on hard working public servants of the Northern Territory. In the eyes of the industry, they are doing an excellent job and are well-respected. In the eyes of any academic ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: ... institution in Australia, they are held in the highest regard.
Page 476
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the suggestion from the Leader of the Opposition that research and development activities and funding in my department have been reducing is arrant and absolute nonsense. My department has maintained its range of research and development programs and the facilities where most of these programs are conducted. I have no idea where the Leader of the Opposition obtains his information, but I challenge him to reveal any specific information he has and I will respond to any specific concerns that he may have rather than to his generalisations.
As occurred with many activities following the ERC process in 1991, there was a cutback in departmental funding and the appropriate levels of research and development were assessed. Since that time, funding for research and development has been maintained at well
Page 474
over $8m per annum. By its very nature, research and development is an area of changing priorities. Some projects run their time and others are brought on stream. The requirements in each of the industries serviced by my department are different and diverse. Advisory committees for each industry advise me and my department on their needs and requirements. I am not aware of any research and development requirements from any of those industry advisory groups that have been unmet. In fisheries alone, many programs are under way.
From his many years of membership of the Public Accounts Committee, the Leader of the Opposition would be aware of the importance of annual reports. He would know also of the various reports that the PAC has had from eminent people, such as Professor Bob Walker, identifying the major users of annual reports. The prime users of annual reports are politicians. If the Leader of the Opposition had bothered to consult page 17 of the annual report of the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, he would have noted the heading, 'Fisheries Division - reports on programs.' I will run through a couple of those research and development programs:
Program title: Golden Snapper Aquaculture - undertake a feasibility study on the potential for golden snapper aquaculture.
Program title: Barramundi Aquaculture - provide barramundi larvae and technical support for barramundi farmers in the Northern Territory.
Program title: Mud Crab - investigate feasible techniques for the commercial mass production of juvenile crabs.
Program title: Australian Trawl Efficiency Device - develop a safe, effective, economical trawl device suitable for northern prawn fisheries.
Achieve 100% reduction in turtle catch and 75% reduction in total bycatch. Present extension advice to industry regarding the new technology.
Program title: Technology - develop new, improved, environmentally friendly fishing technology and introduce it to traditional and commercial fishermen.
Program title: Assessment of the Spanish Mackerel Fishery - develop a research program to improve the understanding of the status of the Spanish mackerel
stock of the Northern Territory, providing information on appropriate levels of fishing and thus establishing a sound knowledge base from which the effective
management of the mackerel fishery may develop.
Program title: Fisheries Biology and Interaction in the Northern Australian Small Mackerel Fishery ...
Program title: Assessment of Northern Territory Barramundi Fishery ...
Program title: Pearl Oyster ...
Program title: Assessment of the Northern Territory Snapper Fisheries ...
Page 475
Program title: Effects of Tool Design on Bycatch and Benthos in Prawn and Fin Fisheries ...
Program title: Assessment of Commercial Shark Resources ...
There are a further 90 pages in this report on the research and development programs undertaken by my department. Once again, the attack by the Leader of the Opposition is nothing but an attack on hard working public servants of the Northern Territory. In the eyes of the industry, they are doing an excellent job and are well-respected. In the eyes of any academic ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: ... institution in Australia, they are held in the highest regard.
Page 476
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016