2013-03-28
Madam Speaker Purick took the Chair at 10 am.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that a leave of absence be granted to the member for Araluen today on account of ministerial business, and that all questions directed to her portfolio areas should be directed to the Deputy Chief Minister.
Leave granted.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Year 7 Rosebery Middle School students accompanied by their teachers, and Year 11 Casuarina Senior College students accompanied by Mr Ewan MacDonald. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to you and hope you enjoy your time at Parliament House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise of the death, on 23 March 2013, of Mr Fred Walker, Clerk of the Legislative Council from 1960 to 1974, and Clerk of the Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1997. Mr Walker was appointed Clerk Assistant in 1959 and Clerk in 1960, succeeding the first locally appointed Clerk, Derek Thompson.
In his adjournment debate in February 1978, Speaker McFarlane said of Mr Walker that he brought to the task of Clerk:
We pay our respects and pass our sympathies on to the Walker family. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis and his children Tony, Mark and Julian. Fred will be laid to rest on 4 April 2013 at a private funeral.
On behalf of all honourable members, we extend our sincere sympathies and condolences to the family.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery - I am sure they have had quite an earful in the last 10 minutes - of Year 7 Rosebery Middle School students accompanied by their teachers. On behalf of honourable members, I welcome you to the parliament and hope you enjoy your stay here.
Members: Hear, hear!
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to repeal the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010. The bill will repeal the current vendor disclosure legislation, which was passed but never commenced, concerning a scheme that imposes obligations on sellers of land, including their agents, to provide accurate information about the land at the time the potential buyers are considering whether to make an offer or sign a contact.
Under vendor disclosure legislation, the vendor of a property being sold is obliged to have relevant reports and information as determined by the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010 and regulations under that act concerning that property readily available to all prospective purchasers prior to the signing of any contracts. In the same way, potential purchasers should be aware of their right to expect such reports and information be made readily available to them upon showing any serious interests in the property. If this fails to occur, the purchaser will have the right to void the contract at a later stage.
The government has made a decision to repeal the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010 in order to reduce the red tape for industry and the general public, and to keep the costs of the housing transactions down, which are high enough.
Arranging building reports, etcetera, would have had some cost implications for the vendor. This may have led to these costs increasing conveyancing or real estate agent fees which would lead to inflated property prices. Furthermore, the information required under the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010 by way of reports set down in regulations can, in the main, already be requested by the purchaser under the standard contract of sale used by licensed real estate agents. Purchasers can request and obtain the reports if they wish to make an informed decision at their own cost.
There is also a real concern that vendors may be required, under the current act, to disclose information which is beyond his or her knowledge which cannot be easily obtained. For example, it may be argued that the government has enacted such legislation without creating an adequate administration structure; for example, a central agency where vendors can easily obtain government certified information.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr GILES (Transport): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I introduce a bill that is delivering a major national transport reform involving the Commonwealth, states and the Northern Territory.
This bill has its origins in the intergovernmental agreement signed by all first ministers in August 2011, committing to implementing a national maritime regulator with a national body of law covering all domestic commercial vessels.
The purpose of this agreement was to overcome the differences in state and territory maritime legislation that imposed additional regulatory burden on operators doing business across borders.
Since that time, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, or AMSA, has led a dedicated team, including Department of Transport staff, other marine safety authorities and industry stakeholders, to develop the law and standards that will be implemented nationally. This bill is the culmination of those efforts.
This bill will apply to the national domestic commercial vessel law in the Northern Territory for all domestic commercial vessels. It will ensure coverage of any vessels in the Northern Territory not covered by the Commonwealth law; specifically, vessels that are owned by individuals rather than companies, and operated on inland waters.
The new law applies to vessels used in connection with a commercial, government or research activity. The Northern Territory has over 1700 commercial vessels that will benefit from the new laws. It establishes clear and consistent requirements that focus on delivering improved productivity and safety to industry whilst minimising red tape. It will not apply to recreational vessels, sailboards, surf skis, etcetera.
The new laws establish AMSA as a national regulator and outline the national requirements for crew and vessels and the safety obligations for those involved in the industry.
National standards relating to commercial vessel design, construction, operation and crewing will be adopted under the national law and will provide a consistent approach and application across the country. To have effect, the national standards need to receive unanimous agreement from all Transport ministers. This means the impacts on all operators in all states and territories, including the Northern Territory, will need to be considered to ensure the new standards do not impose an unwarranted burden on the industry.
For marine operators in the Northern Territory involved in cross-border activities, having a single national regulator means they will no longer need to seek recognition of vessel surveys or seafarer qualifications in multiple jurisdictions, nor do they need to abide by several different laws for what is, essentially, the same activity.
AMSA has placed considerable emphasis on consulting industry and state and territory marine safety authorities during the development of the law to ensure that unintended consequences are avoided. This has resulted in the Northern Territory retaining its existing arrangements for sea rangers employed in remote communities, pearl farms, and the inland waters tourism industry.
While AMSA is the national regulator, the Northern Territory, through the Department of Transport, will continue to deliver regulatory services to the Northern Territory maritime industry on behalf of the national regulator under a delegated model.
Marine operators will notice a new requirement for a certificate of operation which provides the permission to operate and specifies the activities of a vessel - for example, cargo fishing etcetera - and the area of operation. The national regulator has taken a commonsense approach and provided grandfathering and transitional provisions to assist operators move across to the new system. Essentially, new operators entering the national system will require a certificate of operation from Day 1. However, existing operators who do not make any changes have until 2016 unless their existing certificate of survey expires before 2016, they move their operation interstate, or they change their operation area or modify their vessel.
The good news for maritime safety operators is that, over time, the move to a national regulator is expected to deliver savings in time and money through improved productivity. Although the national regulator has responsibility for domestic commercial vessels in the country, the Northern Territory, along with other jurisdictions, will continue to provide input into the development of standards and legislation. This enables us to continue to advocate strongly for the interests of the Northern Territory in relation to any changes in the national system. Additionally, the Northern Territory retains its legislative responsibility for regulating recreational vessels, the management of ports, pilotage, environmental management, designation of waters, speed limits, navigational aids, and other operational restrictions.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members and I table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from 21 February 2013.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will be very brief in this debate. I thank the Attorney-General for bringing this bill before the House. The opposition has no issues with this bill and is most certainly supporting it.
I thank the officer from the Department of Attorney-General and Justice who provided me with a briefing last Friday. It probably goes down in history as one of the briefest briefings in the history of this parliament, simply because the bill is self-explanatory and I had no issues to raise.
I understand the bill simply amends Part 5, Practice and Procedure, of the Supreme Court Act, section 86, which deals with rules of court. Repealing section 86 and inserting a new section 86 will remove any doubt, as the Attorney-General said in his second reading speech:
This element of doubt was identified by the Chief Justice and, as such, the ambiguity of the words, ‘any business of the court’, which had the potential to exclude the power of the NT Supreme Court from making rules for the purpose of the operation of a Commonwealth act. The amendments make this very explicit and allow the Supreme Court to administer justice in relation to Commonwealth acts under which it has powers and functions.
Mr Deputy Speaker, There is little point in me rehashing the second reading speech or the explanatory statement. It is on the record. As I said at the outset, we have no issue with the bill; we support it and thank the Attorney-General for bringing it before the House.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the opposition for their support of this bill. I was fully expecting a long and strident argument over many hours to explore the technical nature of this bill and find the skulduggery the government was up to in implementing this bill. However, I suspect the shadow Attorney-General has seen through the villainous plan on this side of the House and realised this is probably one of the most pedestrian bills we can pass because, in many respects, the issue before us is not to change a power, it is almost not to change anything other than to make certain that which was uncertain prior to the bill being introduced.
I thank the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory, Trevor Riley, for drawing this to my attention as the Attorney-General and for his fastidious and careful attention to matters of such detail. I suspect if it was ever tested, the matter that occupied the Chief Justice’s mind would have, in every likelihood, been supported by any court that had to review the meaning of the legislation. Where things are not entirely clear, to render them crystal clear so there is no doubt is an appropriate and correct thing to do, hence the bill coming before this House.
The bill provides judges of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory with the power to make rules of court relating to functions, practices and procedures of the Supreme Court, including the Court of Appeal. The bill provides that the rule-making power extends to circumstances where the Supreme Court is conferred jurisdiction by a Northern Territory law, a Commonwealth law or otherwise. The amendment was requested by the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory as it was unclear whether a term ‘any business of the court’ in section 86(1)(a)(ii) of the Supreme Court Act conferred jurisdiction on the judges to make rules for a court for matters they were hearing under Commonwealth legislation.
This is due to the fact that the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 of the Commonwealth gives the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court power to make rules necessary for its functions under the act, but does not expressly give the Northern Territory Supreme Court such a power.
However, the Chief Justice also pointed out other provisions, such as section 29 of the Corporations Reform (Northern Territory) Act, under which the Northern Territory explicitly sets out the powers of judges of the Supreme Court to make rules of the court for the purposes of the operation of a Commonwealth Act; that is, the Corporation Act 2001 Commonwealth, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 of the Commonwealth.
Is anyone still awake? I did not think so.
The bill will remove any doubts about the ability of the Northern Territory Supreme Court to make the rules necessary for the proper administration of justice in the Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, the bill had to repeal the whole of section 86 of the Supreme Court Act because the section needed to be entirely reworded to ensure the intended purpose of the amendment was met.
The bill also contains a transitional provision that ensures any rules of court made under the repealed section 86 and, in effect, immediately prior to the repeal, will remain in force. The provision also ensures that the rules of the court made under any acts, including Northern Territory acts, such as under section 29 of the Absconding Debtors Act, also remain in enforce.
Clause 4 of the bill therefore inserts:
(a) section 86(1) which provides that the permanent judges of the Supreme Court or a majority of them can make rules of the court. Acting or additional judges cannot make rules of a court.
(b) section 86(2) which states that the:
So it is clearly understood by Hansard, the term ‘or otherwise’ is used as a catch-all, although it is difficult to foresee a circumstance where the power to make rules would rely on the ‘or otherwise component’. And:
(d) section 86(4) which confirms that the rule of a court can be made under section 86(1) even if the power to make such a rule is found in another act, law of the Commonwealth, or otherwise.
Clause 5 of the bill inserts section 88 which is a transitional provision to ensure that any rule made under section 86 that commenced prior to the repeal by this bill will continue to remain in force. This ensures that all current Supreme Court rules are valid and validated.
In mid-January 2013, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Trevor Riley, notified the Department of the Attorney-General and Justice that an amendment was required, for the reasons I outlined earlier. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel drafted the amendment as a matter of urgency, the Chief Justice was shown copies of the draft bill and was requested to provide feedback as to whether the bill was satisfactory and clarified the point in issue. The Chief Justice agreed that the bill was satisfactory prior to its introduction into this House in February this year.
The Chief Justice was consulted in the drafting of the bill and provided with a copy of the final bill prior to its introduction. Of course, any other interested party, as a result of having this bill sitting on the Notice Paper for the last few months, would also have been able to provide input and constructive criticism during that period, including such organisations as the Law Society and the Criminal Lawyers Association. I am now looking at my departmental staff, who anticipated the question, and say no other submissions have been received. That is not at all surprising considering the utterly uncontentious nature of this bill. No subordinate legislation will flow from this bill.
The act will commence on a day fixed by the Administrator as a gazettal notice and we will transmit this as a matter of urgency to the Administrator for the purposes of gazetting this bill to have it turned into legislation. The Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court will be advised when the bill has been passed and of its commencement date and a copy of the act will be forwarded post haste to the judges.
I turn to the expression ‘or otherwise’. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure that in every circumstance the Northern Territory Supreme Court is afforded jurisdiction to hear a matter, the Judges of the Supreme Court will have the power to make rules of the court to regulate the practices and procedures of the court and the court’s officers. The jurisdiction will invariably be conferred by the Supreme Court Act, another Northern Territory law, or a Commonwealth law. There is, however, the remote possibility that another type of agreement, such as an inter-governmental agreement, may confer jurisdiction, therefore, it was decided to include the catch-all term ‘or otherwise’ ensuring the amendment met its purpose - commonsense and straightforward insertion of that term I am sure all members would agree to without any rancour.
It needs to be made clear that clause 5 of the bill will ensure any rule of the court in force immediately before the commencement of the amendment will continue to be in force as the rules of the court under section 86 of the Supreme Court Act as inserted by clause 4(2). The amendment will also allow the judges to make rules of the court under this general power, despite any other act also specifying this power. Judges of the Supreme Court, or a majority of them, can make rules under this act. It is the power that we seek to confer upon them.
I suspect I have already driven many people to leave the Chamber with this scintillating response to an exciting bill which has obviously excited the public of the Northern Territory to the point where the bleachers are full. I notice some people have turned up to hear the passage of this bill; they are clearly interested in this matter. This is a bill with a prophylactic intent in the sense it is there to protect the laws of the Northern Territory from some sort of misunderstanding into the future. It makes clear that which is unclear and gives certainty to the uncertain.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank honourable members for their attention to this matter and the shadow Attorney-General for seeking a briefing and informing herself fully and handsomely in relation to the contents of this bill.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice) (by leave): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Continued from 20 February 2013.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the former Minister for Local Government for bringing this bill before the House, and the current Local Government minister for seeing its passage through the House today. I congratulate the member for Namatjira on her new role. The responsibilities of Local Government and Regional Development are a good and complementary fit. Going through the budget process, as Cabinet currently is, I hope the minister is in there with her sleeves rolled up, fighting for people in the bush and for the dollars to deliver on the many election commitments they have made.
The minister and her colleagues have spent far too much time fighting amongst themselves, and now it is time to go in fighting for Territorians who live in the bush because the minister and her colleagues have promised to deliver an awful lot in the bush: roads, bridges, houses, jobs and local government reforms. As the minister responsible for those areas of big and promised reform in the bush, we look forward to seeing leadership from her and seeing her deliver on the CLP government’s promises. The minister will, no doubt, be watched and judged on it, not just by members of the opposition, who will hold you to account, but Territorians and people in the bush will also be judging the new minister and her capacity to do the job and deliver on promises. Hers will not be an easy job; there is absolutely no doubt about that. It will be a tough job and will carry with it a very big workload. I am sure the minister is up to it.
Let me turn to the bill before the House. The first bill the new minister has carriage of, in her capacity as Minister for Local Government, is the Places of Public Entertainment Act Repeal Bill 2013, a bill which the opposition supports. The act is to be repealed because, essentially, it is redundant and government has a responsibility to clean up the statute books and keep abreast of legislative instruments to ensure they are current and contemporary. I see the Justice minister has been doing his bit in this area, but other ministers also need to look into their own legislative back yards to check everything is in order.
Essentially, the act became redundant when the current Local Government Act was enacted in 2008, which does not contain the provisions around places of public entertainment, and those provisions which were pertaining to matters of safety from sanitary arrangements to protections against fire and emergency. In fact, these provisions are covered by the Building Code of Australia and, therefore, sit within the Northern Territory Building Act. Regulation and compliance of places of public entertainment does not sit with Local Government at all, and I understand that.
However, the second reading speech presented by the former Minister for Local Government and now Chief Minister, praised the bill:
That sounds like a good bit of spin, but according to the Cabinet submission there was no red tape to cut because:
No licences issued, therefore, no red tape to cut.
This bill is about repealing the act to deal with what the Cabinet submission described as ‘significant risk’. Yet, this is not addressed anywhere in the second reading speech. It highlights this with:
When the minister is responding in closing debate, I would be grateful if she addressed this underlying and key driver to repealing the act and not just window dress it under the guise of reducing red tape. I would also like to hear from the minister how she intends to go forward with legislation to address the fact that while compliance with licensing arrangement of places of public entertainment does sit with the Building Act, what is the way forward given many of these buildings do not come under the Building Act because they are on Aboriginal land or on special purpose leases, such as is the case in Nhulunbuy.
I am sure the minister would agree that requirements to set out important health and safety requirements for these buildings are as important in Yuendumu, Santa Teresa and Umbakumba as they are in Alice Springs or Darwin. I want to hear from the minister what plans are afoot to address that legislative gap we have with these buildings on Aboriginal land or special purpose leases that do not come under the Building Act. Who is responsible for compliance, auditing and licensing to ensure these places are safe as places of public entertainment where sometimes very large crowds of people will gather?
Mr Deputy Speaker, as I said, the opposition supports this bill. I thank the minister for picking this bill up from the Chief Minister and bringing it to the House. I have no doubt we will see its passage today. I have asked the minister a couple of questions which I would like her to respond to in closing debate. Depending on the answers, we will decide whether or not we go to committee stage.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I do not have many concerns about this bill, but the statement in the second reading that this was getting rid of red tape made me ring someone in the department and ask how many times this act has been used. My understanding is it has hardly been used. So whilst I understand it is no good having acts that are superseded, I thought it was a little rich to say this is the government getting rid of red tape. It would be getting rid of red tape if this was causing a problem in business. Really, with the changes in legislation over time, the requirements for this act have been generally superseded.
I am interested in finding out whether this creates a loophole or a vacuum in relation to places of public entertainment that are outside the Building Board’s area. I heard what the member for Nhulunbuy was saying and it would be nice to know what arrangements, if this bill is removed, would cover buildings that do not require some of the regulations and that are in parts of the Territory covered by the Building Board and Building Code. What happens to those buildings? Are they still protected if this act is repealed?
Mr Deputy Speaker, I understand the essence and basis of what the government is doing. That is reasonable, but some questions would need to be answered to ensure what is happening does not create problems which may not have been foreseen.
Ms FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to contribute to the debate on the Places of Public Entertainment Act. I have to admit it was the first time I had heard about this. It seemed so ridiculous, when I learnt what the act does, that it even still exists. That is why we are here today, because it no longer will.
It was modelled on legislation in South Australia a long time ago and the history of this act sets up a system of licensing for places of public entertainment which includes places like ten-pin bowling alleys, public libraries, public halls, cinemas, stage theatres, school halls, churches, a very wide range of areas. It is very clear to me this places an enormous burden on local government, on administration of Northern Territory government, and on business and the community, because they had to apply for these licences, pay fees, and monitor their compliance with all the terms and conditions associated with the licence, amongst many other things.
Some of the areas this licence would cover would be sanitation, risk of fire, safety exits, inconvenience of the public generally, firefighting equipment and things like that. You can already see it is completely duplicitous because we have a great deal of legislation covering those identical fields. We have the Building Code of Australia as adopted in the NT by the Building Act; the Electricity Reform Act; the Fire and Emergency Act and the Public and Environmental Health Act 2011. There is no need to have all these running in tandem with one another.
South Australia repealed its legislation in 1995, so it is certainly not shocking we are doing this. What it indicates is we are reaffirming our commitment to Territorians that we do not want to burden business and community organisations, we are not a government of overregulation and we do not have laws or make laws for laws sake. That is very important to me.
When I was a practicing solicitor, before my time in this parliament, it was often the case that more legislation did not necessarily mean a better outcome or better protection for your client. If we can avoid providing uncertainty in the law - as we have seen recently with the amendment to the Supreme Court rules, which is all about providing certainty, and the uncertainty left by this Labor government with the container deposit scheme - and take every step necessary to eliminate uncertainty and provide certainty in the law Territorians will be much better off.
I understand local government was consulted about this some time ago, around the 2008 mark, and certainly they …
Ms Walker: They raised it; they asked for the legislative changes.
Ms FINOCCHIARO: Thank you, member for Nhulunbuy. She has corrected me. She said this was their initiative, and it is not hard to see why. Obviously, it distracts them from their core service delivery and their core business. It is not the place of a local government to be monitoring fire safety issues and sanitation. It is no wonder they did not want this burden.
I am aware the last time a licence was issued was by the City of Darwin in 2000, so you can see very clearly that whilst it was mandatory, it completely fell by the wayside. It has become completely irrelevant and insignificant in the scheme of things in that it competed with identical responsibilities under other legislation, as I pointed out earlier.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the main point I wanted to make in this contribution to debate is we are a government that is doing business. We are starting to trawl back through this time-old legislation to ensure we have a legislative agenda which suits the future needs of Territorians, delivers certainty for Territorians, and eliminates as much red tape as possible so everyone can get on with the business of their business and the business of living and being a community.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am all for repealing legislation which is, in essence, redundant - and this is a classic example of such legislation.
Legislation comes and goes and, since the rise of the parliament, particularly since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the nature of what the parliament does has substantially changed.
Any number of statutes exist for years and years and, in some cases, centuries. Any student of the law will know section 4 of the Statute of Frauds relating to the transaction of property which still resonates through different statutes. I believe it is still operational in England, despite the fact it was written in the 1700s, if memory serves me. Statutes which are sound continue to exist. Statutes which are unsound should be expunged. We are, by our nature, and through our systems of governance, a dynamic society. Many statutes have even been expunged in my lifetime.
When I started working as a police officer I remember having to study the Summary Offences Act – the bread and butter and stock in trade of the average police officer. I was curious to see in that legislation it was once an offence in the Northern Territory to cart ammoniacal liquors and night soils outside particular hours. So heinous was this crime considered that not only was a police officer empowered by the legislation to make an arrest with all necessary force should a person outside the hours between midnight and 6am be found in possession of ammoniacal liquors or night soils, the legislation also empowered the average citizen with the power to make such an arrest and bring that person immediately before a constable of police. So heinous was that crime, whilst it was a summary offence, that power was extended to the average citizen.
We all realise in the modern age such a crime is somewhat redundant, so over the years that offence has been removed from the statute book. I have no recollection of anyone ever being charged with being in unlawful possession of night soils.
Also, the Summary Offences Act had offences in it relating to cellar doors. There were a number of offences surrounding the opening, closing, and proper protection of cellar doors. I do not know of many buildings in the Northern Territory - perhaps one or two in the old East Side of Alice Springs - which have cellar doors, particularly for the purposes of delivering coal in the winter months. Such doors did not exist north of Elliott at any time in history, I imagine.
What the minister has brought before, and is managing through this House, is a process by which we deal with the Places of Public Entertainment Act, which has had its day. This is so important because some acts can sit on the statute book and be happily ignored with no effect on anyone, but this act demands a licensing scheme. This means, essentially, something has to be done as a result of this legislative instrument. It is small wonder, in this day and age of various other legislative instruments that deal with the conduct of the public in public places and with safety of the public, that having to positively manage a licensing scheme which has no real sensible reason to exist is a burden. That burden has been identified by the minister and brought before this House to be expunged - remove the red tape.
I am happy to listen to any person in the Northern Territory who wants to complain about other government legislation imposing a positive act upon them which is no longer required. There are a number of other legislative instruments which enable the powers-that-be to cover off on the issues sought to be managed by this legislation. They were covered off quite eloquently by the member for Drysdale and the minister in the second reading speech, which dealt with public safety issues that have now found their way into other legislation.
The implied possibility of losing your licence to run a place of public entertainment also imposed upon the management of that institution - be it a community hall, a pinball parlour, an adult shop, or a church hall - would, ultimately, ensure the managers of such institutions were …
Mr Chandler: Drawn them out.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, I tried to bore them out of the room with the Supreme Court stuff …
Ms Walker: Ten minutes. Just keep filibustering. You clearly were not prepared for this bill.
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on your interjection. You are right; I was not that prepared for this bill, but we have to get from here to lunchtime, and that is precisely what I will do. One of the privileges of being in this House is we have time limits. I will speak well within my time limit and wrap up in due course.
It is worth making some of these points. Yesterday, the members opposite were complaining there was no contribution to bills from members on this side, now they are complaining there is a contribution from members on this side. Make up your mind! You cannot have it both ways; it is as simple as that.
In legislation such as the Police Administration Act there are sections which empower police to go into places of public entertainment and remove drunks and reputed thieves, people acting indecently, or prostitutes who are there for the purposes of soliciting. That legislation used to work in tandem with legislation like this, with a view to enabling licensing authorities to say to people who ran places of public entertainment that if they have that sort of conduct occurring in their place of public entertainment they can withdraw their licence. That is an important component of legislation because when you issue a licence, it implies the capacity for the issuer to take it away. Therefore, it means there are certain responsibilities imposed.
A driver licence is a good example. You expect certain types of conduct on a driver licence. If people do not adhere to that conduct, we take that licence away. It is the same for running a place of public entertainment. The purpose of imposing a licensing system was to ensure the safety and good order of the people who visited that place of public entertainment. The way you ensured that was by imposing a licensing system. Licensing authorities, of course, were local government authorities.
With the way legislation now operates, such a threat is no longer required. A number of other sanctions are available in legislation which enable the authorities to ensure the safety, good order, and good conduct of people who are inside institutions which are called places of public entertainment.
Mr Deputy Speaker, this renders this act utterly redundant. That is precisely why the minister has come into this House and sought to repeal the bill. I thank the minister for his - and now her - attention to this important matter. This is a good thing to do, and it is indicative of a government which is prepared to repeal legislation which unfairly imposes itself on a community inside a liberal society.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, being almost midday, I remind you it is Robyn Smith’s birthday today, in the context of public entertainment. I also remind honourable members that immediately following suspension for lunch …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! We still have five minutes on the clock before midday. Why you do not see through the passage of this bill rather than suspend the House if there are no further speakers?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Brennan, you were going to speak as well?
Mr CHANDLER: I was, yes, but after lunch at this stage.
Debate suspended.
Mr HIGGINS (Daly)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition not conforming with standing orders from 967 petitioners, including 128 electronic petitioners, praying that there is a second inquest into the death of Dwayne Berto. I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise of the death, on 17 January 2013, of Mr Loizou, a great Territory journalist.
I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of Ms Christine Elizabeth Pas, Mr Loizou’s widow; Ms Margaret Evans, his sister; Mr Brendan Loizou, his son; Ms Dawn Lawrie; and friends and family: Mr Brian Manning; Mr Majorie Winphil, Ms Lorna Cubillo, Ms Ilana Eldridge, Mr Chips Mackinolty, Ms Barbara Cummings, Ms Maureen Davey, Mr Nigel Adlam, Ms Andrea Allen, Mrs Barbara Slattery, Mr Jim Anderson and Mr Baz Ledwidge. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to you today to hear this condolence motion.
I remind honourable members that on the completion of the debate I will ask members to stand in silence for one minute as a mark of respect.
CONDOLENCE MOTION
Mr John Loizou
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly expresses its condolences at the passing of John Loizou, a journalist’s journalist. I note we do so on Larrakia land. I acknowledge the Larrakia elders, both past and present. I acknowledge the Larrakia farewell for John Loizou that occurred graveside at Thorak Cemetery. It is appropriate that he was shown that respect and acknowledgement by the Larrakia people.
John loved his sons Brendan and Damian. He taught them to treat people with respect and to always listen to what people were really saying. Both Brendan and Damian spoke openly and honestly about their father after he died, which says much about the courage he also helped instil in them.
I personally pass on my deepest condolences to his partner, Cri, his sons, Brendan and Damian and family members and friends who are here today. I welcome them to our parliament to join us in acknowledging the life of this great journalist, John Loizou.
Something can be said of the respect John had in Darwin by those who attended his first wake on 26 January at an old drinking hole favoured by him back in the days when it was known as the Hot and Cold Bar, now renamed Hotel Darwin. They came from all walks of life and from all sides of politics. There were CLPers, Labor Party members, members of the old Communist Party and others with no political allegiances. While John never hid his political ideas over a couple of drinks at the bar, he was always a scrupulously balanced and fair reporter, and this is what was honoured.
At the wake, Chips Mackinolty recalled one of the many occasions when the two of them reported side by side: Mackinolty for Fairfax and Loizou for the Murdoch press. It was an episode at the old Darwin Airport, which fellow members of the Assembly will recall was the site of many dramas over the years, such as the ASIO seizure of Petrov’s wife in April 1954 to events surrounding the Lindy Chamberlain affair. In this case, 28 May 1991, there were, in Mackinolty’s words:
It followed the defection of three East Timorese soccer players to Australia the day before and involved scores of demonstrators begging the other 11 Timorese soccer players to defect. They were openly weeping as they made the decision to return to their homeland. Both Loizou and Mackinolty were profoundly affected by the drama they had witnessed and had to report on for the next day’s papers. Each of the reporters had long track records of support for the East Timorese struggle. Knowing them both, that fact does not surprise me.
They headed upstairs to the old airport bar to compare notes, but also to share their feelings over the events of that day and the difficulties of reporting such emotionally charged events in a dispassionate and balanced way. After a few beers they went back to their respective offices and reported the events in just that fashion; fairly and accurately, sourcing material from both sides of the events of the day, yet painting a vivid picture of the drama.
It has been inspiring to listen to people speak about John and offer their sincere condolences. I will share some of their thoughts with you. His reporting of the social, economic, cultural, environmental and political life of the Northern Territory is highly regarded, not only by those who knew him, but by those who read his work and had the pleasure of working with him.
John’s work as a reporter at The Canberra Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne’s The Age, the Financial Review, the Northern Territory News, the Star, the ABC, the Vietnam News and The Southeast Asian Times was an important contribution to the continuity and advancement of the intellectual development of the Northern Territory.
While working with the NT News, it can be argued that John’s reports on Indigenous land claims during the early 1970s contributed to the establishment of land rights in the Northern Territory in 1976. Reports such as the occupation of the RAAF Quail Island Air Weapons Range by Indigenous protesters in 1973 and protests on Bagot Reserve, with headlines such as ‘Blacks told Bagot Yours’, helped to legitimise land rights and Indigenous identity in an Australia which, back then, resisted this legitimacy.
In 1992, he was named the NT Journalist of the Year for his report about two foreign women workers who fled a Chinese factory at Darwin’s NT government Trade Development Zone because they were paid only $1 a day.
NT News journalist, Nigel Adlam said:
John’s regular research at the NT News archives and the Northern Territory Library here at Parliament House contributed to his accuracy. His accurate reporting of events in East Timor in the aftermath of the declaration of independence in 1975 was acknowledged by Fretilin General Secretary, Mari Alkatiri, in a condolence message.
The General Secretary said, in part:
As friend and colleague Jamie Gallacher recalled:
John worked in Hanoi on and off over the last 15 years where his work at Vietnam’s English language national daily newspaper, the Vietnam News, was also appreciated. Vietnam News Editor-in-Chief, Mrs Trinh Thanh Thuy, who John trained in the first years after the paper was established in 1991, said:
John and his partner, Cri, established the Southeast Asian Times as a regional newspaper in Darwin in 2000. The paper was designed to provide its readers with political, economic, social, cultural and environmental news from northern Australia and the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries: Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Brunei.
John envisaged that the development of the Southeast Asian Times, the first English language regional newspaper, would make Darwin a city of significance in Southeast Asia. Northern Australia is geographically located in Southeast Asia. This was a fact that was not lost on John Loizou or Cri.
John was also a very skilled and no-nonsense Aussie Rules football player. He learned his football playing for Dandenong in Victoria, and he was considered a VFL chance until he broke his leg at training playing a practice match for South Melbourne. He played in Darwin for St Mary’s in a premiership side in the late 1950s and, when he returned later to Darwin, he played for Wanderers. His straight-ahead style was much admired.
Like many Territorians, he was sent back down south after Cyclone Tracy. The presses had stopped running for a time at the NT News. When he finally made it back to Darwin, John started working at the Darwin City Council in the street labour team as there was no job for him at the NT News. But, being the top-notch journalist he was, the NT News re-employed him. From there, he became one of the Territory’s best journalists - an old-school journalist who knew how to dig up a scoop.
He leaves behind a legacy of integrity and respect. I doubt there will ever be another journalist who quite matches up to his unique reporting style. The memories of his life, his works, and his deeds will continue in others. As I sat at the funeral listening to his sons, I felt pleased, in a way, that the legacy is truly living on within Brendan and Damian.
Madam Speaker, it is my honour to acknowledge John Loizou. I feel very privileged to have known the man. I feel very privileged to have been inspired by his integrity. Everything remembered is dear, enduring, touching and precious. My deepest condolences to Cri and the family and friends.
Mr TOLLNER (Deputy Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, first, I say thank you very much to the Leader of the Opposition for moving this condolence motion. Second, the Chief Minister extends his apologies. He cannot be here for this condolence motion, but he wanted to extend his apologies to the people of this Chamber and to all the friends and family of John Loizou. He asked me to read a short statement on his behalf:
They are the words of the Chief Minister.
I knew John Loizou; I first met him when I came to the Territory. The first job I had in the Northern Territory was at the NT News, and he was a giant of that establishment, well respected by all. One of my colleagues asked me before lunch - he had never heard of John Loizou, which surprised me – ‘What sort of man was he?’ He was a bit of an old leftie; the NT News balanced him up quite well with Frank Alcorta, who was much more of our persuasion. Between John and Frank Alcorta they provided a good balance in the NT News. Both were fantastic writers and good reporters.
The Chief Minister mentioned the infamous head-butt. Reluctantly, I inform this House I was in that restaurant that afternoon and witnessed the event. Both of them were involved in quite a political stoush, similar to what we do here – fortunately, we do not end up in fisticuffs. Both of them were extraordinarily embarrassed. Later that night I received a phone call from John saying, ‘Whatever you do, keep the story to yourself’. I am reliably informed he called as many people as he possibly could that evening to say, ‘Keep it to yourself’. I believe the only person he did not ring was Mick Palmer, who, when contacted the next day, was quite up-front and said, ‘Yes, there was an incident. Yes, I did head-butt him, but I copped one myself too’. It was the measure of both men in many ways. I had no idea he was a former St Mary’s footballer. Knowing that, he had to be a tough nut in that regard.
I found John Loizou one of life’s great gentlemen; a fantastic human being. Whilst his political persuasions might not have been mine, I enjoyed a wonderful relationship with John. He was always an easy bloke to talk to and was one of the true old style reporters - a bloke who really knew the game, knew his craft and did the best he possibly could every time he put pen to paper.
Madam Speaker, I will miss John Loizou. I enjoyed bumping into him quite often. He was a man I admired greatly because of his dedication to his work and the true belief in what he was doing. To his friends, family, it is so good to see so many people here celebrating the life of John Loizou. He really was a dead-set, true Territorian and a bloke we will all miss.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, I rise with pride to speak about John Loizou, not only because he was a top-notch journalist, but because we shared a common ancestry; we are both Greeks. I forgot about Frank Alcorta, but I will never forget John Loizou.
My condolences to Cri, Brendan, and Damian. John passed away at Royal Perth Hospital. He was ill for several years, and he was 70 years old. He worked for the NT News and the Sunday Territorian before moving to Hanoi to work at Vietnam’s English language national daily newspaper Vietnam News.
He was a mentor and he trained several generations of reporters at the paper. He was described by his NT News colleague, Ashley Manicaros, as a, ‘grumpy, cantankerous, old-school journalist who knew how to dig up a scoop’.
Ex-Darwin barrister, Brian Cassells, who was at Petty Sessions - probably with you, Deputy Chief Minister – on that infamous day when John was hit by Mick Palmer, remembers John as:
Brian continued:
Mick Palmer head-butted Loizou in a Darwin pub during a session at Petty Sessions. John made a name for himself in journalism in the Territory for being the man responsible for the headline: ‘Toothless MP head-butts reporter’. Palmer had removed his watch and teeth before he head-butted John.
John won the NT News Journalist of the Year Award in the early 1990s for a story about two women who ran away from a Chinese sweat shop at Darwin’s Northern Territory government owned Trade Development Zone. That was the first time I heard the name John Loizou, on ABC television when I was in Perth. It was a real story; it was a tragic story for the Chinese women. It was a brave John Loizou who found the information, tracked the women down, and gave it publicity for everyone in Australia to see what modern day slavery means. He won the award, but guess what? He did not turn up to collect it; he was at the local pub having a few drinks.
He was a Marxist, but he balanced his writing. He thought Labor’s first Chief Minister, Clare Martin, made the Territory a better kind of place. His son, Damian recalls how his dad thought Alice Springs did not have enough Greeks, and I tend to agree with him. Damian said, ‘He used to tell me that we make a better place when we are there’. He was a strong supporter of East Timorese independence and Mari Alkatiri, the Fretilin General Secretary said:
John worked as a reporter for the Canberra Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne’s The Age, the Financial Review, the Northern Territory News, The Star, the ABC, the Vietnam News and, lastly, the Southeast Asian Times. He always told both sides of the story, and got on well with all parties. I will quote from Peter Simon who, in his blog, Little Darwin, on 27 January, had the following to say of John:
After Cyclone Tracy, John came back to Darwin and worked for Darwin Council. It was not long before he went back to the Northern Territory News because the Northern Territory News would re-employ a journalist of his calibre. He was also appointed editor of the independent newspaper, Darwin Star. The proprietor said, of all the editors, John’s time at the helm had been the smoothest and most financially productive. The two Darwin papers, naturally, were locked in a deadly circulation and revenue battle.
Peter continued:
Well, that was John Loizou. He died in Perth and I regret I was not there to give him the coin to pay the ferryman. Vale John Loizou, the last of the real old school journalists.
Madam SPEAKER: I also extend my condolences and sympathies to the family of John Loizou, and his friends, on his departing. I extend my sincere sympathies to you for what is clearly a great loss. A terrific journalist, a great Territorian, and I know he will be sorely missed by his loved ones and family.
Motion agreed to.
Members stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.
Madam SPEAKER: I thank honourable members for their contribution to the motion. I invite the family and friends of John Loizou, and interested members, to afternoon tea in the Main Hall.
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr CHANDLER (Education): Madam Speaker, from someone who in a past life had to use this legislation operationally, it was confusing to local government. I can give you a couple of examples. The responsibility to work with the legislation was passed to local government, and two councils I worked for, the Darwin City Council - as a regulatory officer many years ago - was charged with using this legislation and Palmerston Council was charged with administering this legislation. It was extremely frustrating because you did not really understand why local government was charged with this legislation in the first place.
Local government has care and control of parts of this act. Regulatory staff at Palmerston and Darwin City Councils, as well as other councils across the Northern Territory, are often required to issue permits to clubs and hotels within their municipalities when a request from any of these venues involves the potential use of public places. However, in every case where alcohol is to be served, the Licensing Commission and police must first give approval before a permit may be granted to the applicant. Local government officers are required to inspect these sites and may not always be adequately trained to identify and assess potential risks and hazards.
Fire and Emergency Services, in many cases, also had input and this added further and unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. Local government officers are not empowered to deal with alcohol offences such as the consumption of alcohol in a restricted area, or offences such as fighting in a public place. All the above antisocial behaviours are, and have always been, dealt with by police.
There was a real complication with this legislation. I am thrilled to talk about why we should be rescinding this legislation because of the complication. Having worked with it, it was complicated. The reality …
Mr Wood: I am excited too.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes, very excited. To unpack that, as a former regulatory officer, we were sent to establishments because the owners wanted a permit under the Public Places of Entertainment Act. You were sent, usually unskilled, to deal with issues, to look at things you were not familiar with such as the number of toilets an establishment was supposed to have for the number of people in the establishment at any one time, through to fire extinguishers and fire systems. The regulatory officer usually became the facilitator because you had to rely on the expertise of the fire department or the Health department. Basically, local government was charged with administering this legislation but then had to rely on making appointments with the fire department to meet them on-site to go through any fire restrictions which had to be dealt with. Similarly, they met with the Health department to ensure the number of toilets was correct and fire doors were accessible. At the end of the day, you had a number of different departments all involved. Once everyone had signed off on it, the permit was then signed off by the local government authority.
The most interesting thing I found was had there been a breach of the permit, local government was not able to take action under the scheme. It would have been up to the fire department, police, or the Health department. It was a layer of bureaucracy that, from the operational side, was very complicated. Coming from an experience of having to deal with it, one wanted to know why local government was charged with that responsibility in the first place.
I wanted to speak on the complication and some of the reasons why. It strengthens the argument that all jurisdictions - not just in the Northern Territory - from time to time should review their legislation and, wherever possible, clean it up.
I listened to the Attorney-General, earlier today in a debate, talk about poo - was it not?
Mr Elferink: Ammoniacal liquors and night soil.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes, they were the words he used. There was a time when - what was it again? - you could not have this material in public at certain times?
Mr Elferink: Between midnight and 6 am were the only times you were allowed to be in possession of such material.
Mr CHANDLER: Between midnight and 6 am. It brings you back to the times of the long drops and pan toilets used years ago in many jurisdictions. In a modern society in Australia, it would be very rare to find pans being used and, therefore, needing legislation to deal with it. It is important to review this legislation from time to time, and not just this legislation, all legislation, because it has to remain relevant. I have heard people from time to time suggest 10 years is probably a good time period for any legislation. Unless anything is brought up that needs to be changed sooner, every 10 years it should be mandatory for legislation to be reviewed to ensure it is brought up to date and, where it is deemed necessary, get rid of it if there is no need for it.
That is all I have to say, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am thrilled this level of bureaucracy is being rescinded today.
Ms ANDERSON (Local Government): Mr Deputy Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in this debate. I thank all my colleagues on this side of the House, and I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for getting a briefing from my office on this issue. I also thank the member for Nelson for contributing.
In wrapping up, it is a job of any incoming government to look at legislation that may be redundant and has not been effective or used for a decade or so, and where other legislation is in conflict with that legislation that once could have operated.
What we found, member for Nhulunbuy, is other legislation is in conflict or working the same way as this legislation. I am advised this legislation has not been used for over 13 years.
I take the opportunity to thank the former minister who brought this to the House and the ability he had, when he was Minister for Local Government, to see what was happening and that this legislation was in conflict with other legislation. There was already other legislation lying underneath, beside and on top of it that was doing the same thing, and this was idle and not being used. I thank today’s Chief Minister for making this possible. It is the job of government to research where legislation is inactive.
The member for Nhulunbuy asked a question about the risk to government. As the Attorney-General pointed out before the break, it is poor practice for government to keep legislation when it has not been enforced for over a decade. The last government exposed everyone to a risk leaving unenforced legislation on the books.
That is why it is really important, as an incoming government, to assess what legislation is on the books and not active. As a government, we have taken action to remove legislation that is redundant when other legislation has more effect. As the member for Nhulunbuy knows, it is not the first time repeal of this legislation has been looked at. The difference is this government is taking swift and decisive action, in the interests of the Territory, to repeal it.
In one of the other questions you asked, member for Nhulunbuy, about the Building Act, you pointed out many remote areas in the Northern Territory are not covered by that legislation. You also asked about extending the Building Act. Many of the remote areas fall outside what is called the Building Control Act, member for Nhulunbuy, but they still fall under other relevant and in-force legislation, namely the Fire and Emergency Act, the Public and Environmental Health Act 2011 and the Electricity Reform Act. While I am confident the repeal of the Places of Public Entertainment Act will have no negative impact on the bush, my department will refer this question to the Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment for its response.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank everybody who has contributed to this debate and I commend the bill to honourable members.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms ANDERSON (Local Government)(by leave): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will say a few words in the third reading debate. I could not help but make the observation at around 11.25 am, or whenever it was this bill came on, that what was going on in the Chamber was like an episode of Keystone Cops.
Legislation is a key part of what this parliament does and we, as elected members, take on board. It was comical to see what was happening. I thought the bill must be coming on after lunch because I could not see any advisors from the agency sitting in the box. There were no signals we were about to move to this bill, but we did. I was very happy because I was prepared to speak to it, but I watched the minister run around the Chamber, in and out of the lobby, into the Table Office, obviously madly making phone calls to people saying, ‘Help, help, what is going on in here?’
I find it astounding the minister was not adequately prepared for the debate and we had two other members who stepped in to filibuster and talk their way through. Well done to the member for Drysdale, she spoke quite well given it was dropped in her lap. Thank you to the Attorney-General for the history lesson around redundant legislation and why legislation needs to be kept up to date.
I am making the point this is a House that makes laws, changes laws and repeals laws and people need to take that job seriously. People need to be prepared for that. Given this is the first bill the new Minister for Local Government has taken on, her response and preparedness for it was a little ordinary. I daresay there were probably some heads rolling in her office the moment she was able to step out of here. She is probably breathing a sigh of relief that the two-hour lunchtime suspension allowed her the time to properly get across this piece of legislation.
It was not huge legislation, but I hope when the next bill comes around with her name to it that she is ready for it. We know local government is a really important area of reform in the Northern Territory. We are going down a road of reform at the moment. I expect there will be other bills coming before this House associated with local government. I am sure there have been some important lessons learnt today and when those future bills come around the minister will be adequately prepared and supported in this House to deliver on them.
Ms ANDERSON (Local Government): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to respond to that and say there …
Ms Walker: Are you closing debate now?
Ms ANDERSON: Yes, in the closing debate I will respond.
There were no heads rolling in my office. We are not like the Labor Party which takes it out on innocent people upstairs. We are a party that has been fully briefed and this document was placed on my table on Tuesday. I went inside the Table Office to make a phone call to my office upstairs. I was not running around like a chook with my head cut off.
You are an empty group of people who have not developed any opposition policy to challenge this government. You should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves for criticising the Country Liberal Party for having policies and looking at old legislation that has been lying around in your 11 years, and you have not done anything about it. Do you know what? While I was upstairs for the two hours I thought of something. Aboriginal people, when we are travelling and we run out of petrol, we fill the carby up with petrol so it can go chuk, chukachuk. Well, that is what you are – empty, no policy, chug chugging along, not doing anything; you have run out of steam, you have run out of fuel.
Motion agreed to, bill read a third time.
Continued from 21 February 2013.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Continued from 20 February 2013.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Mr Deputy Speaker, in the very brief time I have - I will wait until the clock sets because I thought I had five minutes but believe I have three. We will call it question time, yes, it looks like three.
In my contribution to the debate about agribusiness, I was talking about the opportunities with tailings. Tailings represent old product from previous mines. It just so happens that when we were in government there was a great deal of interest shown from a number of companies about the production of tailings, or the re-process of tailings, particularly around the Tennant Creek area. There are many dollars left in tailings and they represent revenue and jobs for the Northern Territory, and cleaning up the environment of old mining sites. So, it is a good way to do business. As we heard in Question Time today, the new minister will have to brush up on his operations around bonds and environmental security with new mines in the Northern Territory, as he was left in a quandary. You can always judge when our new minister for Mines and natural resources is in a quandary because he does not have any personal insults to use.
We will move on because I would like to discuss with this minister, in the brief time I have, the need for regional infrastructure to support what was spoken about by many members in this House in the agribusiness statement.
Of course, we are talking about rail, port, roads - these are the transport logistics, these are the elements of infrastructure that are needed. We have some great operators in the Northern Territory, and if we touch briefly on rail, the previous government was working closely with Genesee & Wyoming about passing loops. There will be the need for important passing loops to support that extra traffic that will be created on the rail.
In relation to the Chief Minister’s inarticulate and juvenile statement about a dirty port, I was able to clear that up for Territorians when I rearticulated it for our young Chief Minister. He was trying to talk about the second port, which is needed as a bulk commodity port. The previous government did much work around planning for that and I am happy the new Chief Minister has taken that on board.
Mr Deputy Speaker, he also promised a port on the Tiwi Islands which, no doubt the member for Arafura will be very keen to pursue. He has on the credit card two ports coming up, also the railway line and the gas pipeline between Mount Isa and Tennant Creek. These are important infrastructure logistics which will support the Territory’s growth and development.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am not normally attracted to three minutes of hyperbole from the member from Barkly, but I am frustrated when I hear the former Labor government make excuses for inactions because they undertook planning. I have seen their planning documents - the 2030 documents, the deadlines of which were never met. They did much planning and issued pamphlets - this was government by issuing pamphlets. One of the great frustrations I had listening to the former government is telling me two things: (1) how much money they were spending, and (2) issuing pamphlets.
We hear the same argument being rolled out by the member for Barkly now about the dirty port or a bulk commodities port - I am happy to be corrected on that area – ‘We were doing some planning’.
The problem is, I have never seen a bulk container ship pull up next to a pamphlet and offload onto the pamphlet. It does not happen; something has to happen in the meantime. It is an interesting mental picture, ‘Argh captain, we can tie up here. There is a pamphlet to be tied up against’ …
Mr Westra van Holthe: A glossy Labor one.
Mr ELFERINK: That is right. ‘It is glossy, captain. This is where we gotta be, this is the place to be’. If government by pamphlet was how we governed, the Labor Party would never lose power because it is all about message and image, which is why I was so frustrated and sat there for such a long time …
Mr McCarthy: Let us see what you have.
Mr ELFERINK: I will tell you what I have.
Mr McCarthy: Let us hear it.
Mr ELFERINK: I am delighted to pick up on this interjection. Take your original policy in relation to the new era of Corrections where you were going to get people into the workplace. How many did you get out? Two or three?
Mr McCarthy: How many do you have out there?
Mr ELFERINK: I have 30 now and will have 200 by the end of this year …
Mr McCarthy: Let us hear it at estimates.
Mr ELFERINK: I will have 200 by the end of this year. You are so useless it is scary …
Mr McCarthy: You did not tell the truth about Toll.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the point, incompetence writ large in the Labor Party …
Mr McCarthy: You neglect the truth. We did the work with Toll but you ignore it.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can I have a bit of order. Please sit down, member for Barkly.
Mr McCarthy: Careless with the truth.
Mr ELFERINK: Incompetence writ large. Shy nervous …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, you are already on a warning. Can you please leave the Chamber? You were given a warning this morning.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I would like to call that in regard to the rules of the House, I was given a warning in Question Time by the Speaker. If you would like to put me on a warning let us hear it.
Mr ELFERINK: He has just thrown you out.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, I would like you to leave the Chamber, thank you. Leave the Chamber for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
Mr ELFERINK: Incompetence writ large, and that is the problem we have had with the former government. They tell us all the things they were planning to do, yet when you asked them for something, they failed to achieve anything. It is frustrating.
I suspect the Country Liberals government of the Northern Territory will not be a perfect government; it will make mistakes and struggle with issues like all governments do. At least we will have a go beyond just producing a pamphlet. What frustrated me is when, year in, year out, members of the former Labor government, as ministers of the Crown said, ‘We are gonna do this and we are gonna do that’. They did do some things. To their credit, they did pursue some policies but, unfortunately, the areas they failed in are the ones that mattered most. They had social policies rolling out left, right, and centre which cost a fortune. Well, here is a social policy! What about a social policy that generates jobs; policies that deal with issues like agribusiness and the issues raised by the minister in his statement to the House - multimillion dollar industries in agriculture, and the cattle industry.
We have heard from the minister that the ilmenite mine he has signed off on is the first greenfield site mine in how many years?
Mr Westra van Holthe: Six or seven years.
Mr ELFERINK: Six or seven years. That is taking some steps forward. That is creating jobs. I heard the Deputy Chief Minister say something which is utterly worthwhile: the best form of welfare is a job. That captures me. That is what the former Country Liberals government - before all the old slander techniques we are seeing rolled out now by the Labor Party again finally brought the former CLP government to book in the public domain - believed in. They took risks and made mistakes along the way but, in the process, they had a go.
I remember the Northern Territory in the period 1969 to 1978 because that was the period I lived here before self-government. I remember my father coming home and talking about people like Goff Letts. I did not know or understand their roles, but this much I did understand: my father was very impressed. I do not think my father was, necessarily, the right-winger I am, but he was impressed by the desire of the then Country Liberals, even before the formation of the self-governing body politic in 1978, to improve the Northern Territory. Whilst I saw the Country Liberals between 1978 and 2001 make errors along the way, they were prepared to have a go.
Unfortunately, in 2001, it became governance by pamphlet, particularly in the areas of agribusiness and Asian connection. There was a time …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 36, the state of the House.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
We have a quorum. Continue, Attorney-General.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The passion and desire for the Territory to improve was truly remarkable. That is something the Country Liberals would like to bring back. Members would be impressed to know the Northern Territory had greater entre into Indonesia than the Australian government, particularly during the period of the Perron and Stone Chief Ministries. Those Chief Ministries saw such a presence of the Northern Territory that we had a diplomatic entrance the Australian government could not maintain in Jakarta. Shane Stone, in particular, had strong ties with Indonesia, particularly with President Suharto, and was able to get contact and levels of communications that were the envy of the Australian government.
There was a photograph floating around this building not so long ago which showed Paul Everingham sitting next to President Suharto, being carried around in a rickshaw, or something of that nature. It was about getting our communications and entry into Southeast Asia nailed down. We had any number of offices dotted around Southeast Asia, we were part of BIMP-EAGA, and we were working very hard with Brunei to encourage trade relationships. After 2001, those offices were closed down, those trade relationships were reduced, and it will take years to rebuild them. The minister has already been on a number of missions internationally, trying to rebuild the Territory’s reputation in Southeast Asia. I congratulate the minister wholesomely, fulsomely, and utterly for those trips.
Because I have been around this House for a few years, I remember a few things. I remember one former minister, a fellow by the name of Daryl Manzie, the Asian Relations minister, was criticised by the then Opposition Leader, Clare Martin, to her credit, for not travelling enough into Southeast Asia. That is not a criticism that could be levelled at the current minister, because he has been very active in his portfolio areas. I encourage and urge him to continue building those ties with Southeast Asia in the way he is.
The problem was, despite the chants of the then Chief Minister, Clare Martin, saying, ‘You are not travelling enough into Southeast Asia’, to the CLP government at the time - whether that was true or not I cannot comment on because I was not aware of Daryl Manzie’s travel schedule - after the Labor government took control of the reins in the Northern Territory, the contacts with Southeast Asia diminished sharply over time. That is a problem; that is a challenge.
It is insane to not realise Darwin is substantially closer to large countries with enormous populations than we are to our own federal capital. That point has been made. Anyone who has visited a ministerial office upstairs understands how well that point has been made by virtue of one simple truth: if you look at the maps on the walls of those ministerial suites they do not show a picture of Australia with Alice Springs at the centre, they show a picture of Southeast Asia with Alice Springs as the southernmost city in Southeast Asia. There is good reason for that, because when those maps were originally put on the walls of this Parliament House, it was done with one eye as to who would visit those ministerial suites. The anticipation and expectation was always that it would be ministers from Southeast Asia. It continues to impress people today that we see ourselves, and rightly so, as a Southeast Asian city. Even in the physical design of the building we are standing in at the moment, there is an acknowledgement of the Southeast Asian nature of the capital city of the Northern Territory. These are important considerations for government policy.
The minister is saying we have to build agribusiness and minerals in the Asian century. Duh, of course we do. It is not a challenge. Yet it is something that seems to have been forgotten by the Labor Party. I can understand why it has been forgotten, to be honest, because when you are interested in things like social policies and Aboriginal issues, you become introspective, you start to look inward; you flagellate yourself for the sins of the past. You carry this baggage forward, the guilt of history writ large or carried heavy on your shoulders like a cross to bear, because we have to correct all of the wrongs, we have to apologise for who we are. We have to apologise for our history, we have to apologise for all types of things. We have to make reparations, and before you know it you are crippling yourself with a psychology which is saying that if we do anything, it is the wrong thing to do. I cannot subscribe to that psychology. I am naturally too optimistic. This government is naturally too optimistic to subscribe to that sort of psychology.
Yes, I believe in fairness; yes, I believe in justice; yes, I believe in all of those principles, but do not saddle yourself to the point where your investment into the future is an investment in a social or welfare program rather than in a job. If you follow that logic you find yourself stuck in the circumstances where those policies logically take you, and that is not wealth creation, participation, or job creation, or making more of what you have, that is sitting around saying, ‘Oh! Poor bugger me, I am a victim; it is not fair’.
Well, life is not fair, but life provides you with challenges as well as opportunities. If you see challenges as an opportunity, you can rise above, lift yourself up, and be far more aggressive and positive about your development as a human being, as a small community, as a large community, as a state, territory or nation. If the collective belief of the people who live in an environment is we are a can-do place, that we have courage and are prepared to take risks beyond just producing pamphlets, then you will succeed more often than you fail. When you succeed more often than you fail you generate the best form of welfare ever: jobs, dignity, self-trust and self-worth.
I cannot separate out, in a human perspective, all of those concepts from the human condition. Being passionate about what you do, being resolved to be good at what you do, being fired up, juiced up and desiring to make things better through your own efforts for yourself is by far the best thing you can, rather than carry the cross of history on your back like some burden that cripples you under its weight. That is the essence of the Labor philosophy; that is what we have seen for 10 years in this place.
We have apologised left, right and centre for things we have to apologise for, but we cannot cast off that weight. We burden ourselves with it and carry it forward. Small wonder we lose a sense of vision. When you are carrying a burden you are looking down when we should be looking over the horizon. Over the horizon, just to the north of us, there is opportunity upon opportunity, built on in the past by a former Country Liberal Party government which sent public servants into Southeast Asia to try to improve things like feedlots - practical things. The original feedlots we were sending cattle into were mud holes. There was a good economic reason for improving them, but you had to demonstrate to the Indonesians that you had to spend some money on feedlots because it was better for your product, and you made more money on the product in the deal. A cow caught 1 m deep in mud will expend more energy and lose more condition trying to get through that quagmire than a cow working on a firm surface. So, you spend the money on creating a firm surface, the cow walks around, gets fatter, and all of a sudden, you have more meat which you can sell into the marketplace for much more money. That is the sort of pragmatic thing we were doing in Southeast Asia. Was it making an impact? Hell, yeah!
The live cattle trade, which was so summarily executed by the current Labor federal government, assented to so readily by the former Territory government, was built on the trust developed between the Northern Territory and Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, to the point where the Indonesians were ignoring some of their own rules of beast weight because they realised we were providing a reliable source of food. If there is one challenge Indonesia has, it is its food security.
That trust was shattered in a single political decision in a Labor Caucus room in Canberra. It was smashed to the four winds and now people like the minister for Primary Industry have to spend a great deal of energy slowly rebuilding that trust. It is once bitten twice shy as far as the Indonesians are concerned, because that country is held together by the issue of food security. If they cannot maintain food security, the country would fall apart. If you want to see problems for the future of Australia, imagine a country with 250 million people with multiple languages, multiple faiths, falling apart just north of Australia. We have to build those relationships. We have to say to them, ‘We know your food security problems and have we got a deal for you’. Those are the things we have to be doing and that is the positive thing I see in this important statement before the House.
Mr Deputy Speaker, people are afraid of a return to the CLP of old. I am not, because the CLP of old had ambition, drive, and courage. It could look over the horizon and was prepared to drive itself and the Northern Territory forward. No shortage of people will complain because we are not walking on eggshells around this group and that group, not pussy-footing around, we are getting things done. Let them complain. Perhaps because of the success we have in that area, one day we will even lose government. That might be the case – fine - but if I am part of a government that leaves a legacy of tens of thousands of jobs behind, I will be proud.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I was listening to some of what the member for Port Darwin said and I remind him of the end of the CLP and the reason it left. It lost its roots, lost its way, and I would hate to see it go back to what it was in the late 1990s. I knew the CLP when it started and I thought it was a great party: small business and family oriented. When it reached the silver circle it lost its way.
I welcome the minister bringing this statement forward. It is always nice to talk about horticulture or agriculture. I probably repeat myself a number of times, but I said to the previous government that primary industry was always the poor cousin. I will give the minister praise where it is due because he has put a big effort into lifting the profile of primary industry in the Northern Territory. There is a long way to go. I regard the Territory as a pioneer when it comes to horticultural production, but it is moving on and developing its markets.
On 14 and 15 March there was an NT mango forum in Katherine, held at Knotts Crossing Resort, about research development and extension. It was nice to meet people in the industry, not only because as a member of parliament I should try to keep in touch with what is happening, especially in primary industry, but because horticultural science is what I learnt many years ago …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
A quorum is present.
Mr WOOD: Mr Deputy Speaker, it is like, ‘We interrupt this program for a short pause’.
The rural area of Darwin where I live is a large area, one of the largest areas in the Northern Territory for producing mangoes as well as Asian vegetables and cut flowers. I try to take an interest in what is happening in the industry.
The two days of research development extension was extremely well run by the government, the Northern Territory Mango Industry Association and NT Farmers. There were approximately 30 people attending, maybe a few more. There were growers, people from the department, people like Grant Fenton, the Executive Officer of the Northern Territory Farmers Association, and a representative from the Australian Mango Industry Association, Gavin Scurr, who spoke about the season’s production throughout Australia.
It is interesting to note in Australia there were an estimated seven-and-a-half million trays with four million trays coming from the Northern Territory. The Territory is the largest producer of mangoes in Australia. There were some issues of immature fruit, which is always of concern because if you put immature fruit on the market, the consumer who buys it does not like it, which gives mangoes a bad name.
There was discussion - I have been to a previous meeting where this was discussed – of a disorder called resin canal. It is a disorder which is of concern to the mango industry. Basically, the natural canals that move the fluids around inside a mango turn black after harvest and, when you cut the mango in half, there are black finger-like marks through the mango. There are many theories about it. It is a concern to the industry because you only need a few of those in a tray and you have some problems.
There was also discussion about improving transport conditions. One of the biggest problems in places like the Northern Territory is you can get beautiful fruit, you can pack them up and make them look nice for the markets, but if you cannot get them down there in time, you do not have a sale. Or, if you get them on a truck and that truck takes a bit longer than expected or gets waylaid, you may not have mangoes that are of high enough quality to get a good price.
They talked about those issues and about mango variety commercialisation. People may not understand it. You might grow Kensington Pride mangoes, which is a variety anyone can buy. Many of the new varieties are commercially bred varieties for which you have to buy the rights to grow. There are new varieties coming on the market.
Trevor Dunmall, Industry Development Manager at AMIA, spoke about the issues in relation to bringing new varieties on to the market. You have to ensure you do not interfere too much with the existing varieties. There are also issues about making sure growers have equitable access to buying the new varieties. He discussed what is happening in that area, because everybody has to get a fair share of the cake: the people who grow this variety of mango, the people who market it, as well as the plant breeders, because they are the ones who own the rights to sell these products.
That led on to a gentleman called Ken Rayner, who is a mango breeder in Katherine. He looks old, but he is a sprightly fellow. He is very interesting to talk to, and his passion is breeding new varieties of mangoes. I do not have the pamphlet with me, but he has produced a variety called RA17. It is a red mango - a very ripe mango that looks very attractive. That will be coming on to the market. I will give you the description he gave it:
He has developed this species and is promoting it. The fruit matures approximately one week before Kensington Pride at Florina Road - 1000 RA17 trees have been planted at Seven Fields on Fox Road and another 2000 will be planted in late 2013 and early 2014. There is another variety coming on which is RA108.
He is also looking at new varieties of rootstocks and trying to develop rootstocks, looking at things like dwarfing because, as you know, mango trees can be enormous. The cost of getting mangoes down from a big tree means labour is expensive. If you have smaller tree where you can hand pick them or just use a ladder, that reduces the cost. All these things are happening in our back yard at present.
The department is also doing rootstock trials. Dr Cameron McConchie, the research leader in this area, described what work they are doing. They have trials in Darwin, Katherine and Ti Tree. You might think that is pretty boring stuff but it is not. The department is trying to spread out the season for mangoes. If we can get a season going from October to June we have great opportunities for selling mangoes in the Australian markets, and perhaps export, for a longer period than we are at the moment.
Of course, we have to balance that with markets coming from Queensland, Kununurra and northern New South Wales. However, what they are trying to do is expand the time in which mangoes can be picked and marketed in Northern Territory.
All these things need finance, and we met Charlie Goode, a Northern Territory financial counsellor for the Australian government Rural Financial Counselling Service. He spoke about his role. It is not just about people who might be having financial troubles, it can be for people who want some financial advice; they are doing all right but need some assistance in making sure their business is operating correctly. He can do some case management on those things.
Warren Hunt, the Industry Development and Extension leader, talked about different ways of getting the message across to people in the mango industry. He talked about the small groups, in other words, getting just a few growers together and talking about their issues. That seemed to be a better way of getting the message across in relation to new approaches to pest management and post-harvest problems. All the things extension officers have to talk about, he dealt with.
There was a young research lady from the department called Chelsea Moore. She also spoke about - it might sound like a funny title - scoping the effect of Vigor-Cal and Biomin on lenticel spotting of Kensington Pride mangoes. This is a new problem for mangoes. Mangoes, like leaves, have what they call stomata: little holes in the skin. They have found that in some mangoes that little hole is going brown and you can get a mango that is quite ripe inside but the skin looks terrible. They were doing some trials with calcium - that is what Vigor-Cal is - on trees in Katherine or Darwin in an attempt to see whether it was a calcium problem. It appears that is not the problem.
However, we got a good description of the problem. How do you fix it? As Andrew MacNish from the University of Queensland said in his talk on improving the commercial viability of the B74 mango, improving the genetics of some of our old varieties, like Kensington Pride, may be the way to get round some of these problems.
I highlight that there is some major work happening in our major industries. Mangoes are the biggest horticultural industry in the Northern Territory. It is good to see there is an ongoing research and development program. I went to the Katherine Research Station. Unfortunately I had to get home for a meeting at the Litchfield Council so I went to ..
Mr Westra van Holthe: Are you coming to the Farm and Garden Day?
Mr WOOD: Oh yes, when is it?
Mr Westra van Holthe: 6 April.
Mr WOOD: I will pause for an advertisement. The farm day at Katherine Research Station is on 6 April. It is a great day for everybody.
I was at the farm and they were doing the rootstock and scion trials, which are fairly new. The trees have not been in that long but we were given an explanation of what the trials meant and how long before those trials will start to give us results.
I congratulate the government - these things should be updated - for bringing out the Vegetable Growing Manual. You might have heard it on the Country Hour. It is not necessarily for home growers. You can use it because the basis of growing vegetables is the same whether you are growing them at home or growing a large amount of them, except you are not going to buy a tractor and plough for three tomatoes and four pumpkins. This is a really good manual. It discusses a range of things. If you were looking at commercial production of vegetables in the Northern Territory, it deals with farm planning, what to grow, soil preparation, green manure cropping, land preparation, planting - raised beds, plastic mulch, drip lines; nutrition - fertigation, soil testing; and irrigation. It goes on to pest and disease control, chemical use and residues, harvest and post-harvest, and transport and markets.
It is a really good manual produced this year. I pay credit to people like Kevin Blackburn. A number of people have left the department since then, but Kevin Blackburn was one of the main contributors. There are a few other people who should be recognised: Mark Traynor; Greg Owens, who was also working at Taminmin College; Chris Wicks, Matt Darcey, Melinda Gosbee, Liz Easton, Graeme Patch, Stuart Smith, Colin Martin, and Chelsea Moore. A combination of a range of people working in the department put this together; they obviously would have spoken to growers in the industry. If people are looking for a guide to vegetable growing in the semi-tropics – it is not for the southern part of the Territory, they will have their own, of course - this is the one to get. I congratulate the government on that. Obviously, it would have been put together by the previous government as well; it has taken some time to put together. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting into the vegetable growing industry.
There is a new book out People might not have realised the Northern Territory Agricultural Association, the Northern Territory Nursery and Garden Industry and the Horticultural Association, I believe, have got together and now call themselves the NT Farmers Association. They have brought out their own magazine called GrowNT.
Again, if you want to keep up with what is happening, especially the commercial side of it, this is the one to go to. They have a new president, Phil Howie, a former Western Australian wheat and sheep farmer. He and his wife and family opted for a lifestyle change 16 years ago, leaving their property near Albany in the state’s southwest to move to the Top End and manage Maneroo Station in the Douglas Daly district. They later took over Maneroo’s lease. They bought a 5000 ha property, where they have 2200 ha under improved pasture. They produce hay and seed, and raise cattle for the live export trade. The station partnership includes son, Chris, and his wife Amanda.
To show you the range of people who are involved in the NT Farmers Association: we say goodbye to Jan Hintze, the former president who is a flower producer at Lambells Lagoon and has been for many years and I presume she is still going all right there; Grant Fenton, the new CEO of NT Farmers, gives a run down on where things are; Ian Quinn; there is an article about the 2012 mango season, written by Ian Baker, who is the president of the Northern Territory Mango Industry Association; Jeremy Hemphill who people might know him from Lambells Lagoon where he has a bed and breakfast but grows organic fruit as well; and Camp Creek Station. There are quite a number of articles that can help growers get in contact with people they need. There was also the launch of our mango growers, which was done through the ABC Country Hour last year.
Sometimes we battle about the politics, but there are good and positive things happening. It would be remiss of people not to occasionally promote what is happening, especially in the horticultural and agricultural industry in the Northern Territory. It has always been an industry that has suffered from ups and downs, which will continue because it relies on the weather, and the weather is never level; each year it will be different. There is always risk involved in the production of fruit and vegetables in the Northern Territory.
I thank the minister for bringing this statement on. I also thank the people working in this industry, especially those who are putting in time, effort and money. We have been discussing the Mataranka issue, but some people there have invested a lot of money. The Younghusbands, for instance, have put a lot of money into watermelons and have about $10m of sales a year to Coles and Woolies from just one farm at Mataranka. Down that way you also have Oolloo Farm producing top grade mangoes.
We want production. The argument I had yesterday …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I move that the member for Nelson be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: I will be quick.
Mr Tollner: You can talk as long as you want, Gerry.
Mr WOOD: I know that. Some of you have a problem with time today. Time management has not worked for the government today. Be that as it may, I had concerns about the debate on Mataranka because people there have shown their track record in producing good crops for the Northern Territory. They have shown there bona fides.
What disappointed me was a licence was granted independently. I am not arguing about that, but if I was a grower in Mataranka, had been looking for an extension of my water licence and had been growing watermelons for years, and someone said, ‘There is a new person over here getting 5800 ML’, I would feel I had been kicked in the guts. That is what is annoying the growers. They want their licence and there are quite a few. If you look at the list of people waiting for licences there are quite a few and that is the feeling I get when talking to people in the industry. They are not saying the MacFarlanes should not have water, but to give them one big licence when other people who have been working hard in the industry get nothing is not a good way to do things.
We should try to promote horticulture more in the Northern Territory. Many people have said we should have more farms in Aboriginal communities. I worked for 14 years at Daly River and Bathurst Island and know that unless you have people dedicated to work seven days a week, forget it. The area you can promote is in the back yard gardens in Aboriginal communities where people who want to have a garden can have a small one in their back yard. There are people like Terry Sams at Emu Point who has a little chook shed and a small garden.
One of the best farms I have seen was at Ramingining in someone’s back yard. I do not see big farms anymore. No one wants to work seven days a week, but there is potential to promote small-scale horticulture in people’s back yards if people want to grow something for themselves You do not have to grow big for the whole community.
There are other areas that concern me. I took a photo last year coming back from Alice Springs. I had been to the melon farm which had a sign, ‘Workers Wanted’. It is just down the road from Ali Curung. When I asked about it they said –think this was Centrefarm – ‘Well, it is too hard’. That is what people do for a living. I used to pick watermelons. I did not have a nice conveyor belt going across the crop. I had to take them over to the car and back again, back again, and back again. It is a hard but fulfilling job ...
Mr Tollner: That is why you are so bent up these days, Gerry, from carrying watermelons.
Mr WOOD: I know. The reason I am bald is when you carried watermelons a march fly would land on your head and you had to put the watermelon down to kill the march fly and away you go again. You can see why I have no hair.
I am passionate about horticulture. I have heard people say it is a waste of time. I heard a university professor say that at a forum once. People knock the idea of a food bowl. I do not say a food bowl, I say a food saucer. Food bowl is a bit ‘in your dreams’. We have limitations on where we can grow crops in the Northern Territory. We have limitations on water, soil, and markets, but we can expand.
I reinforce what I was trying to say yesterday. We need sustainable agriculture and sustainable use of resources, especially water.
I do not use the Murray Darling as an example, I use common sense. We have had our own problems in the Northern Territory with developments: Scott Creek, Tipperary. I visited Daly River not long after Tipperary had failed, and the areas cleared there were creeks. No one took into account the proper way to clear; they just cleared all the creeks. We introduced improved pastures like Pennisetum - mission grass. The country down there would be white and it was a useless crop once it started to go to seed. We made our mistakes.
We should not be making those mistakes anymore because, in the end, those mistakes cost us a great deal of money to repair. Let us do it right. By all means, member for Fong Lim, say, ’Yes we want development’. As I said yesterday, I do not want the Russ Hinze version of development; I want a development that is transparent and will sustain the Northern Territory for a long period of time without doing long-term damage in the future, for which we will have to pick up the tab to repair. If I sound as if I am cautious, it is not being cautious because I belong to the extreme greens, it is because I have seen too much public money spent repairing approaches to agriculture and other things where not enough thought was given to the consequences.
People sometimes say, ‘Sustainable is just one of those words people use’. No, sustainable makes good sense. To grow things sustainably means you will grow them properly and not cause a legacy of problems later. That is all it means to me. That is why I was passionate about the water, whether it is Mataranka, Uluru, or the Daly River. I lived on the Daly River. Tipperary was going to pump masses of water out of that river in 1970. Thankfully, someone said, ‘Hey! In the Dry Season there are people at the other end who drink it. Just hang on a second’. You have to ensure what you do is well planned and well thought out.
Mr Deputy Speaker, once again, I thank the minister for his statement. I hope it at least gives people some idea about one small part of agriculture - the mango and vegetable industries - which I hope will continue to expand in the Northern Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Mr Deputy Speaker, likewise, I thank the minister for this very important statement. It is very important for the Northern Territory because the Northern Territory is largely underdeveloped. I agreed with the member for Nelson. I do not think there is any disputing his passion for horticulture and farming. I possibly have some disagreement with the level of agriculture that is possible in the Northern Territory but, in the main, I agree with him.
There are a couple of things I particularly want to talk about in relation to agriculture before getting on to mining. The major one is water. It might come as a surprise to some members of this House, but in the last few years of the Howard government I found myself on the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce which Bill Heffernan was chairing. A number of well-known Territorians and Australians were part of it. I found it an extraordinarily interesting, educative, and enlightening time in my life. It was great getting across the top of north Australia looking at water.
There is an abundance of water in the Top End of the Northern Territory, probably like no other part of the country. It is fair to say two-thirds of the rainfall in Australia falls on one-third of the country. Of course, that is the top third of the country.
It was interesting, while in opposition in this House listening to the other side. Their main concern was they did not want another Murray Darling in Australia, particularly not in north Australia. Every time you talk about putting a farm on the Daly or in Mataranka they instantly said, ‘No, no, no, we do not want another Murray Darling in Australia’. The Murray Darling has some 64 000 farms along it. Half of Australia’s food crop is grown on the Murray Darling. My first reaction to that is, ‘Why would you not want that in the Northern Territory?’ What is so bad about growing half of Australia’s food crop? What is so bad about 64 000 farms? The work those farms generate is enormous and they are doing good things. They are feeding people. They are providing jobs and opportunities for Australia. That reaction from the opposition that we do not want another Murray Darling in Australia, I find rather intriguing.
The problem with the opposition when they were in government was they had to placate some of the extreme greens, the extreme lefties in their ranks. They portrayed them as anti-development and anti-farming. When you look at water restrictions in a place like the Northern Territory - as I said, two-thirds of Australia’s rain falls on one-third of the country. To try to lock up the water and say, ‘Oh, we have so much water allocated for the environment. We have an Indigenous allocation of water. There are other needs for water and, by the way, once you take that into account there is really nothing left’.
To make matters worse, they started talking about their Native Vegetation Act. They were going to bring laws into the Northern Territory which would mean anybody who wanted to prune a tree had to get a full-blown environmental impact statement. It was bizarre. You could not clear land; you could not turn the land into productive land. It was all about locking up the Northern Territory - vast tracts of the Northern Territory blocked from development in any way at all. Really scary stuff.
As part of the northern water task force we travelled around the Top End and the top part of Australia. It was apparent broadacre farming, which occurs in the southern parts of the country, is not appropriate in north Australia, not because of water but because of the soils. We get so much water that many of the nutrients in the soils are leeched out and flushed into the ocean, so it is very difficult to grow broadacre crops as they do interstate.
What was apparent is a mosaic of arable land in the Top End, not small amounts. Scattered right across the Top End are places where you find good soils that are farmable and where you can grow things. It is the view of this government that we want to see those places utilised for the benefit of Territorians and people around the world. Whatever we can grow, what we do not use we can export. We can derive income for the Northern Territory and provide food and sustenance for the millions of people who live to our north.
This has manifested, most recently, in the grant of the water licence to the MacFarlanes in Mataranka. It was interesting to listen to the member for Nelson because he said what galls him most is other growers in that area cannot get their hands on that amount of water. I say to the member for Nelson, tell those growers to put in an application because you will find a much different reception from this government about water usage than you would have from the previous government.
We want to see more people applying to use water in the Northern Territory because it is something we have in abundance. We want to see people, particularly Indigenous people, utilising their land and growing things. In relation to the MacFarlanes, what I am really hoping for is in the very near future - I will encourage them when I speak to them next - they get into the Lands department and apply for a subdivision permit, because Mataranka now is a township. It is completely covered by native title which makes it very difficult to develop as a town. We know there is an enormous number of enterprises in that region and we really need to extend the town. House blocks and small farming blocks are a necessity in that area. I would love to see the MacFarlanes come in because they have quite a large block of freehold land. It is really the only freehold land in the region. They can - I encourage them to - subdivide that land, sell it off, allow for the town of Mataranka to grow, provide much-needed accommodation to people in the area - it is one of those areas in the Territory we want to see develop and grow - also subdivide that large block of freehold land into much smaller blocks to allow farming families to start tilling the soil and growing things. That would be a fantastic thing for Mataranka, for the township, and for the Northern Territory in general.
It is what we, as a government, want to see happening right across the Northern Territory: making provision for development and growth, getting people to utilise the land. When you tie up land - for instance, create national parks and the like - it is very difficult to manage and maintain that land, look after it and keep it in good order. However, when you have people working on it whose lives depend on it, there is a much greater desire to manage the land, keep weeds, feral animals, and all those things out of the place and keep it in good order, in a sustainable way, for a long-term future.
It is interesting that most of the feral animal infestations come from national parks, and it costs government an enormous amount of money to look after and maintain national parks. It is very expensive to do, but where you have landowners, cattlemen, farmers and the like, it is in their interest to maintain their land. For that reason, and because the Northern Territory really is, in many ways, still a mendicant state in that as much as 80% of our income comes from Canberra, it is in our interests to do what we can to develop and grow our economies.
That northern water task force identified many issues across the Top End of the Territory where farming and horticulture could work. It was unfortunate there was a change of government federally in 2007, because that northern water task force was, of course, reconstituted and we had a pack of greenies and lefties and whatnot thrown onto it; Stuart Blanch from the Environment Centre NT was one of them. Stuart Blanch, of course, is the fellow who is so affronted by Territorians washing their cars in their driveways during the day he wants to see permanent water restrictions in Darwin, and it seems the Labor Party agrees with him. What happened with that northern water task force was all rather horrifying. Of course, they reported no development could happen anywhere in north Australia otherwise we would all go down the gurgler, the environment would be destroyed and we would lose something precious forever. What a load of absolute rot!
The actions of the previous government were anti-farming, anti-agriculture. They got rid of Berrimah Research Farm. If you want to have a farming and horticultural industry in the Northern Territory, because we are in the tropics, it is important we act on the best science. The best science should be conducted in the Northern Territory to meet the conditions we live with. Shutting that research farm showed you these people are not really interested in farming, they do not really want to see farming take hold in the Northern Territory so they closed it down. ‘Let us make water access across the Northern Territory almost impossible, let us make it almost impossible to clear land then we do not have to worry about a research farm’. What a retrograde step, what a poor way to conduct business.
We need that research farm and I encourage the minister – I have set you a pretty deadly budget, minister, things are not as good as they could be. We are dealing with $5.5bn worth of debt, and the debt Delia racked up in government means we have interest repayments of $750 000 per day. In a population of 230 000, this government is spending $750 000 every day on interest payments, not a new school, building a road, assisting in building a research farm or any of that. It is dead money going in interest repayments. This puts a dark cloud over all our decisions in government at the moment. However, I encourage the minister to look at doing what he can within his agency’s budget to put money towards research and support farming industries.
We have a bright future in farming. I look at the Daly, the Western Australian border, areas around Katherine and Mataranka and into Arnhem Land, and I see opportunity everywhere. People need government, in many ways, to get out of the way, get rid of the red tape, get rid of the nonsense green tape put in place by the previous Labor government, and allow enterprise to take hold in the regions.
It is rather sad listening to the member for Nelson because he said, ‘Farms will not work in Aboriginal communities because people have to work seven days a week’. It is almost like he is throwing in the towel before he even had a go. I am so proud to sit in this parliament with the members for Arnhem, Arafura, Namatjira and Stuart. These guys are a golden dawn for the Northern Territory. They represent a new direction for Indigenous people, they are pro-development, they want to see jobs, they want to see economic growth in their communities, and I am so proud to be in this parliament with them. They are great people who are setting a new direction in Indigenous communities and showing people that it is not a life of welfare, there is hope and opportunity in the Northern Territory for Aboriginal people; they can live decent, normal hard-working lives like any other people in the country. They are not a special case. That is what they are saying and good on them because it fills me with hope that there is that opportunity.
The cattle industry was mentioned by the minister in Question Time. The previous government’s reaction to Julia Gillard’s ban on live trade was disgusting. The previous Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, said the ban was the circuit breaker we needed. I was appalled at that comment. The Attorney-General gave a fantastic speech a few minutes ago about the hard work that had gone into building trade relations with Indonesia. Not just trade relations, but a genuine partnership building the feedlots in Indonesia and putting world’s best practice in place. I was horrified to see that put in jeopardy by the former government and its federal masters.
There is enormous opportunity in the cattle industry in the Northern Territory. We conjure up images in our minds about the Territory bushman or the Indigenous stockman, but a little known fact is there are more cattle within a 100 km radius of Rockhampton than there are in the entire Northern Territory. That tells a story that we have not harnessed the cattle industry in the Northern Territory; there is enormous growth opportunity, and the country is not flogged out. It says to me there are opportunities to utilise our water and our natural resources, and to improve pastures. There is great hope for growth in that industry.
When you look around the Territory, there are not many feedlots. We are talking about building an abattoir here. I would like to see, side by side with that abattoir, some pretty decent feedlots where we can fatten and finish cattle. That is where we get the …
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Fong Lim.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER: There is an enormous opportunity in the cattle industry. If we can have feedlots in place near this abattoir, where we can fatten and finish cattle - because it is the marbling in the beef we all like. I often tell people I do not really want to eat a razor blade that came out of Tennant Creek and had to walk 50 km each day to get a drink of water, not when you have these nice big fat round things that sit in feedlots, do not have to walk anywhere, eat grain, and water is sitting in a trough right beside them. Those cows live in the lap of luxury and they are pretty damn tasty too. Feedlots allow cattle to be fattened and finished in that way.
We talk about building an abattoir. Listen to David Farley, who is a great bloke with great vision for northern Australia. When he talks about putting old cows through an abattoir, I know what he is talking about. He is talking about hamburger meat, mince, and supplying that into some of the fast food agencies in Asia.
What I like is a nice big, fat juicy steak. The best way to get them is to have a feedlot so cattle do not have to roam so far to eat. To walk 10 m to 12 m between blades of grass is a pretty hard way of life for a cow. People say, ‘If you were a cow where would you rather be, running around Tennant Creek or sitting just outside Rockhampton?’ I would not really want to be the cow outside Tennant Creek which has to walk 5 m or 10 m to have a blade of grass, and another 15 km to get a drink of water. I would much rather be the cow in the feedlot in Rockhampton in the lap of luxury with a grazier delivering grain, and a water trough next to where I am standing.
There is the opportunity to develop these industries in the Northern Territory. We have fantastic opportunities in agriculture, aquaculture, and in grazing cattle. The Northern Territory is a place of opportunity.
I notice I do not have much time left. I wanted to talk about mining too. Another misnomer we have in the Northern Territory is the Territory is a mining Territory. The fact is, we only have four or five world-class mines. The vast majority of those mines are all pre-land rights, which is an interesting story as well. Since land rights, very few mines have taken hold. I say this not because I am so negative about the Land Rights Act, but one of the aspects of the Land Rights Act is it makes land access so difficult. It is interesting that over our borders, in Western Australia and Queensland, there are mines all across those states employing people, digging up valuable minerals, exporting them from the country, providing good trade dollars for Australians and making us more prosperous as a nation. However, it all seems to stop at the border.
I am dead certain the minerals do not stop at the border. They do not say, ‘Oops, hang on! We cannot have a rich vein here because we are going into the Northern Territory’. When you listen to mining companies around the world they tell you land access in the Northern Territory is one of the toughest things to crack anywhere in the world. The best thing we can do if we want to see a mining industry take hold, as a government and a community, is get out of the way. We need to give greater access to explorers to look around the Northern Territory and find what minerals and energy options we have. This is a real opportunity for us.
Madam Speaker, you are an expert in this field having spent a decade, at least, at the Minerals Council. You know green tape is a big killer in the Northern Territory for the mining industry. It goes back to similar things with agriculture. The previous government was so desperate to win the hearts and minds of the green extremists and their extreme leftist mates that they were prepared to sacrifice development and jobs in the Northern Territory to win that support. I found that absolutely shameful. It is so difficult for mining companies in the Northern Territory to get over the hurdles of green tape and red tape. I encourage the Mines minister – I, as the Business minister, and this side of the House, this government, will do everything we can to slash needless green tape, needless red tape and make land access so much easier.
I look at the Indigenous members on this side of the parliament, those bush members, and it gives me real hope that we have people in this place who are Indigenous, who come from these communities, who want these types of jobs, who are casting a fresh eye over some of the regimes in the Northern Territory and are keen to work with communities to develop mines, jobs, opportunity and give people real hope in the future.
I cannot express how proud I am to be in this parliament with these people because it does set a new era. For so long the Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory were treated as puppets of the left. It was almost a given that if you came from an Aboriginal community you must be a communist.
It is not that easy. Aboriginal people are not necessarily communists just because they are Aboriginal. There are probably some in our community; I have absolutely no doubt there are some. They are also libertarians. They are also people who want to see freedoms, who enjoy the fact that in the Territory we can do things people cannot do in other parts of the country. We should enjoy so much more freedom of opportunity, choice, and the ability to do things in the Territory we so love.
That is really why the Chief Minister is so keen on the idea of open speed limits, because the Territory is a place of freedom. It is a place where you can choose, where you have opportunity, where you do not have to wear the straitjacket of laws and regulations that you do in other parts of the country. We want people to use their initiative, their common sense and sense of decency, because we trust people. We believe that people, by nature, want to do the right thing. We do not believe opening up the land to farmers and miners will necessarily mean they will go out with an idea to destroy the environment. We believe completely the opposite. We believe opening up the land to farmers and miners means we have a bunch of people who want to look after the land, because that is in their interest. That is why we encourage freedom, opportunity and liberty. That is what being a Country Liberal is about. That is what being a Territorian is about. That is why we were elected, because we believe in people and their fundamental right to freedom, to have a go and earn a living, to be enterprising, to use their brains and do what is best for them and their families. We encourage that and we want to keep encouraging it.
Madam Speaker, again, I say thank you to the minister for bringing on this very important motion. The more we talk about this and the more we tell Territorians what we believe in, the more they will trust us because this is not about environmental degradation or stuffing things up, this is about giving people a go, letting them use their initiative. It is about developing the Territory and bringing back that sense of freedom we had prior to the socialists coming into government.
Mr STYLES (Infrastructure): Madam Speaker, I support my colleague’s ministerial statement. The title of this statement gives a very good insight into the contents of the statement by the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy. I quote from that statement:
I was very pleased to see, some time ago, a map on someone’s wall showing a pile of mine sites either side of our current railway from Darwin to Adelaide. From memory, there are about 104 potential mines within 100 km either side of that railway, and they are all just waiting to get started. However, we need infrastructure. Of course, as the Minister for Infrastructure it is within my portfolio and I am very keen to talk to people from wherever they come about delivering infrastructure. I will talk about agribusiness first and the infrastructure and everything else we need in order to identify what we can export.
We have been left with a $5.5bn debt, and I just ask my colleagues …
A member: How much?
Mr STYLES: $5.5bn debt. That is where it is headed; that is the forward projection of the former Labor government. If we kept spending, we would end up in a situation like Cyprus and others ...
Mr VATSKALIS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
We have a quorum.
Mr STYLES: Madam Speaker, there are four ways to get the Northern Territory out of the mess we found it in when we took government. The first is to put taxes up, but nobody wants to do that. We do not want to do it. I do not believe the opposition wanted to do it either, nor do the people. The second way is to reduce services, but there are people who do not want to see services reduced. We do not want to reduce services. The third way is a combination of those. The fourth way is to have economic development.
The member for Fong Lim spoke in the House today about water. We need water for economic development. If nobody develops the Northern Territory then we are destined to continue down the same path. If we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result - we know where that quote came from; Mr Einstein – we are mad. We have to create and generate wealth.
We need to use the agricultural land in the Territory which is available to us. I recall reading a very good book by William Bernstein called The Birth of Plenty. It is a fabulous book which explains how the wealth of the world was created but, more important to this argument, how you generate wealth in a community, state, or country.
There are four things any community, country, or continent needs to not only generate wealth but to maintain and create an ongoing wealth base. The first is you must have personal property rights. You need to have access to land and it is the nature of human beings across the world that they perform better when they have personal property rights. The second is they must have intellectual property rights. The third is they must have access to cheap capital, and the fourth is they must have effective and efficient transport and communications systems, which is infrastructure.
If you do not have those things over a sustained period of time, you are not destined to go anywhere. It is with that in mind that we in the Northern Territory need to create an environment where people can get a block of land. They can have it subdivided and with some water so they can grow things. We need all of those things which create the environment so we can generate wealth.
That book explains that in Russia, when they had state farms, each worker received an acre of land. This is a communist community where they all worked on the state farm. Some of them were huge areas - 20 000 acres to grow crops - but each worker on the farm received one acre of land they could do whatever they wanted with. They built a hut, lived in it, and what they grew on that one acre was theirs to keep. That is only a small amount of land. There were quite a few workers on the big farms so if you had 20 workers that is 20 acres of land.
What happened was very interesting. You gave these people incentive. They worked in the fields all day and, unfortunately, history has shown us it is not a very efficient or effective system. However, on their own acre of land they produced approximately 1% of the gross product in food and agricultural products of the USSR at that time.
You had millions of acres under state farms and a small acreage producing that. Why? Because there was human incentive to generate wealth and do things. In the Northern Territory, we need to create that environment where people can get a bit of dirt and start producing.
The opportunities in the Northern Territory are aplenty. I endorse the member for Port Darwin’s comments on the maps on the wall of ministerial conference rooms in this building. On the wall in my office upstairs I have that map replicated on a smaller map. It sits on the wall directly opposite my desk. It reminds me our future is predominantly to the north not south. The map shows the very top of Australia, and most of the map deals with Southeast Asia, Japan, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, and across to India. That reminds us all there is not much the southern part of Australia needs from us, except the early mangoes, of course. We produce excellent mangoes and many of those come from Katherine. The member for Katherine has spoken about some of the fine mangoes produced there.
There is not much else they need. We have an opportunity to produce and send it north. However, we will need land and water for all people.
A topic discussed today is the issue of the licence to the MacFarlanes. Congratulations to the MacFarlanes. Someone is getting on with the job and doing something. If we can get people there and give them a bit of dirt, with water so they can grow things, that is what needs to happen. That is creating economic wealth for the Territory to get out of the mess it is in.
No one wants to increase taxes or reduce services. People, sadly, will have to take a bit of both. We have to then create economic development through jobs, jobs, jobs for our young people. Youth in the Northern Territory need the opportunities. We need to keep people here. We need to do a whole raft of things to keep our young people here so we have a workforce which can generate economic development.
We need all sorts of infrastructure. We need to increase the size of the airport so air freight can be put in place for a whole raft of fresh food that needs to be airfreighted out of Darwin into Southeast Asia. We need to increase our container facilities at the wharf. We need fast ships to Singapore where there are niche markets. I recall being in Singapore in 2011 when I gave a paper to the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, which held a conference called the Maritime Logistics International Forum. There were people there from all over the world. I delivered a paper on intermodal travel, and what we can do in the Northern Territory to get fast ships travelling from Darwin to Singapore and back for niche markets with containers and roll-on/roll-off pantechs. There are opportunities, but we need to increase the infrastructure.
We would love to say, ‘Let us build this, that, and a whole raft of other things’. The trouble is, when you are saddled with a huge debt, it is like having a ball and chain on your foot, like having an anchor, or trying to drive down the road with the handbrake on. We want to take this journey. It is a fabulous journey the Territory can go on, but we are hamstrung. That leads us to: who can provide new ports, railway lines, handling facilities, and the roads network?
We are probably stuck with building our own roads network, but we can look at the private sector. When government is hamstrung by inheriting huge debts, we have to go to private enterprise and we have to think outside the square.
In my capacity as Minister for Infrastructure we have already started to do that. People are excited by some of the things we are speaking about. I am very excited. Within a couple of weeks there were things on the drawing board, discussions to be had and meetings to be held. Plans are already being made for a raft of infrastructure activities where the private sector can assist us to create economic wealth in the Northern Territory.
At the end of the decade - in fact, in the very near future - Asia will be the world’s largest consumer of goods and services. We have the golden opportunity to fill the gap in the production of food and export to help these people sustain their growing population, their growing middle class and growing demand for not only goods and services, but fresh fruit, minerals and a whole raft of things.
I was in Ambon last September and had a fascinating meeting with the governor. They are very keen to do business with the Northern Territory. We discussed a range of transport and trade opportunities to get the smaller container ships floating around Indonesia to drop into not only Dili in Timor, but into Darwin. We can create an export and import business again, facilitating economic growth in the Northern Territory. Ambon is very keen to take some of our live cattle and fruits and vegetables.
They have an opportunity, as they see it, to export many of their goods. They have a willing population. They are very happy to produce many of the things we may not produce in this country so they can get the trade coming here. They need to import containers of meat. They are also looking at importing live cattle. There are opportunities. It does not matter where you go, we need to develop opportunities.
Sadly, when the previous Labor government came into power in 2001 it dropped the ball on a raft of things in engagement with Southeast Asia. We used to have offices in Southeast Asia to promote tourism and trade. They were the vehicles we used to engage Southeast Asia. We had very good people in them. Sadly, a couple of them have passed on. I was in Indonesia when Mr Seda passed away. He had an excellent reputation for building bridges between Australia, particularly the Northern Territory, and Indonesia.
We used to be the leaders in Asian engagement. People from Canberra used to come to the Northern Territory and get us to make arrangements to engage Southeast Asia and the Asia region in general. When we look at the dropping of the ball by the previous government - this government is committed to rebuilding those relationships we had so trade and economic development can follow. That is the way we will have to go forward to try to reduce the massive debt we have inherited and the problems with the previous budgets the Labor Party put together when in government.
Indonesia’s middle class grew from 38% to 56% between 2003 and 2010. I recall reading somewhere recently that Indonesians eat about 1.7 kg of meat per year. I am informed by the same reading that figure will increase to about 20 kg of beef per person. The amount of beef we export through the live cattle trade will have to increase. I was talking to some people recently about what is going on in Indonesia and I looked at some figures which demonstrated Indonesia’s home herd is reducing, which means they may be consuming their breeding stock. There is an opportunity for us to do business with Indonesia and help supply the 20 kg of beef per person per year they may require.
There are trade opportunities. We would like to see a responsible government in Canberra that will not, on a whim, stop the live cattle trade. Had the Coalition been in government, that issue would have been handled totally differently and we would not find ourselves in the terrible trouble we are in with the live cattle trade.
I was in Alice Springs last week talking to cattlemen who were attending the cattlemen’s annual conference and dinner. Some of the stories I heard saddened me: families in terrible stress, properties that are now on the market, people who have gone broke. It is horrific. I also heard there is a class action being put together for those families who have lost everything, lost all the work - people in the bush and on the land work hard. My mother comes from a farm. My wife comes from a farm. I have been there. I spend all my holidays on a farm. You work day in, day out. You appreciate that they do it because they love it.
When the government does that type of thing it is an absolute disgrace people are put in that position. They are happy to face the elements but when you have to face governments that, without the full facts, make ill-thought-out decisions about people’s futures, it is very sad. I hope the class action they have against the federal government will compensate them for some part of their pain and suffering, and their financial loss, but you can never compensate for that sort of thing.
I move on. We look at trade and the infrastructure required. We have some fantastic private investment infrastructure. The Australian Agricultural Company recently announced it will construct an $85m abattoir in Livingstone …
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member to complete his comments.
Motion agreed to.
Mr STYLES: Thank you, member for Brennan. The Port of Darwin is one of the key components of the supply chain. We need to expand that facility. We need increases in bulk handling and general cargo, and, in particular, we need cold chain facilities.
As a government, and in the infrastructure budget, we have roads and essential services to provide. With those things in mind, we will have to engage with the private sector and ask, ‘Can you assist us to do things?’ How can they do that? We will need to think outside the square.
We may have to build a new port. With the mines that are potentially out there, if we can talk to the miners who can provide private infrastructure, we can generate some exceptional economic development in the Northern Territory so we can have job, jobs, jobs, not only for our kids but for all; even some of the older generation who choose to remain in the workforce.
In the future, we will need to look at a second railway line, new ports, and other infrastructure that will be required. We need to articulate power, water, and sewerage to places. The amount of economic development which can occur and flow on from the agribusiness that can happen across the Northern Territory is enormous. We need to provide opportunities for farmers of all persuasions. There are Aboriginal people who have farm experience.
Over the years I have listened with interest to the member for Nelson describe people who have experience in running massive market gardens. It is all over the Territory. Not only can we be self-sufficient so we do not have to truck our food in or bring it up on our railway, we can grow our own. There are opportunities for Aboriginal people to produce enormous amounts. I read again, recently, that there is a community not far out from Alice Springs which provides fresh fruit and vegetables to Woolworths ...
Mr Vatskalis: Kalano in Katherine.
Mr STYLES: That’s it. Thank you, member for Casuarina. From Kalano to Woolworths in Katherine. Fantastic.
Again, it is self-sustaining; people have a job and, of course, with jobs comes self-esteem. It is so important for people across Australia, those in the workforce and those who are looking for work, that we give them the opportunity to get a great job and improve their self-esteem.
The opportunities are there in our sector of agribusiness. We grow a lot of produce in opposite seasons. When things will not grow in Hong Kong they will grow here. We have flat land. In Indonesia, they have volcanic soil and many mountains. At some stage in the future, as their standard of living increases, they will be importing produce from north Australia, produced across the Northern Territory from the Centre in Ti Tree where we grow grapes, tomatoes and a whole range of things. Again, we need water. There are enormous blocks of land there with suitable soil to grow these things but we need to get the water out in a responsible manner and produce fruit and vegetables to supply the Northern Territory and not have to import anything except the products that will not grow in the Northern Territory - and there are a number.
I see the need for infrastructure so we can export our seafood. We need air freight facilities and to encourage expansion of the Darwin airport for the cold chain facilities we need to shift fresh and frozen seafood. There are niche markets. I recall a number of occasions, especially in 2011 when I was in Singapore for the Silver Conference, where I went to markets and looked at the fresh fish, the swimming fish and the live produce that is imported. Hong Kong imports an enormous amount of live fish. We need to get that from places like the Tiwi Islands and we need infrastructure to do that. The markets are there.
When I did my Masters in Business Administration, for one of our marketing units we had to go overseas. We went to Singapore and it was fascinating going through the markets to see what prices they get for live fish and a whole range of products. It is fascinating to realise the Territory has all this, and we have the ability to harvest our wild catch. We also have the ability to grow fish in aquaculture projects and export them into Singapore and on-sell into Hong Kong. There are enormous markets. When you are getting $100 per kilogram for fish which are still swimming in Hong Kong, there is enormous potential for people in the Northern Territory. When you look at saltwater people along the coast of Arnhem Land, you see there is enormous potential. I do not know about mullet out of the Todd River in Alice Springs - the freshwater people are probably struggling a little - but for the saltwater people there are enormous opportunities for jobs. We need to create all these things; it is just waiting to happen.
It is very important that we re-engage with Southeast Asia to secure our future, the future of our kids, the future of the Territory, and the future of this enormous debt we have inherited and how to get it down. We are not afraid to tackle the debt. It is something responsible governments have to do. We will not say, ‘You need to pay more tax’, we need to create economic development. We have an enormous opportunity in the Territory to create economic development.
I am particularly impressed with Kimberley Agricultural Investment in the Ord River. I was very fortunate to be chosen, as a recipient of a scholarship, to do the Australian Rural Leadership Program. You do about nine sessions in 18 months, one of which is overseas, and I was very grateful to get to India to do mine. Our first session was two weeks in the Kimberley. You walk the Kimberley and it is a fascinating leadership development program. I am grateful for the opportunity to have done it. I walked through some of where Ord Stage 3 is. I have literally walked around the lake; it takes you a few days. The opportunities there are enormous. Yet, what I did not see from the previous Labor government was an effort to engage and push for development of these things. There are jobs, there is economic creation to be had, but they did not push for those things.
I am very impressed my colleagues and the minister have started that. It is well down the path of creating far more jobs and more economic growth for the Territory. I am very grateful for that because I have three kids. Other members in this Chamber have children, some have grandchildren. I might be showing my age, but I have a couple of those as well. It is their future; we need to fight for their future. We cannot sit around and talk, we need to do it. We need to ensure the kids in Yuendumu, Papunya or Santa Teresa have an opportunity as well. We have to produce an environment where they can flourish. We have to educate them, but they need the opportunity. They need to have access to the land to grow, to participate in agribusiness and to get jobs in the mining industry. With that comes self-esteem and they are moving up the ladder in social development where we all see benefits across the Northern Territory.
Food to Asia, obviously, is one of those things where we can see the opportunities. The Asian century is a fabulous opportunity for us to do that. The Asian White Paper is a great paper; I encourage all members to read it. Once in a position where distance was a problem for us, Darwin’s location is now an advantage for doing business in Asia. It is a key factor in the government’s three-hub economy. There is opportunity for jobs, jobs, jobs. The mining that will be available directly employs more than 4000 people, including many Indigenous people. We need infrastructure such as roads and bridges. One of the most important issues is we need to reduce debt.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement. It was very well put together and very encouraging. I support the statement and ask all members of the House to show the same level of support.
Ms LEE (Arnhem): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement on the tremendous opportunities in agribusiness and minerals sectors in the Northern Territory as we head into what is commonly being called the Asian century. What an exciting time it is for the Northern Territory, especially for people in the bush.
Having grown up in the small community of Barunga, which is in central east Arnhem Land, I have witnessed many comings and goings of ideas for the betterment of my people. Across Indigenous lands throughout the Territory, we have seen mining and other industries develop and flourish.
Many years ago - I think it was in the early 1980s - in the Barunga community there used to be a farm which was run by the local people with support from people from the agricultural industry. That worked because it produced food for the local communities and made profits which went towards the school, excursions, and a whole heap of things. After that came the piggery, which opened up ideas of all the other things you can do in the communities; that opened the door to many things.
Then there was a change of government. I recall it was the Labor government which took everything away, particularly from an old fellow at Ramingining. I am very disappointed with that because I went there and sat with him for hours. He is a traditional owner and is very old. I think he is in his 80s. He told me he had his own vegetables next to his house since the 1960s. It was never a problem. He has always grown his own vegetables and sold them to the local store and to Ramingining, Milingimbi, Gapuwiyak, and all the outstations. The community contributed, there was work for them and money went back to the schools, sport and recreation, and other activities. That was until 2007. I recall he came to me and said, ‘Since the Labor government came in they put the shires in. The shires came in, stripped it all down and told me I could not have my farm any more’. I was very disappointed to hear that.
These are the first people in Australia. This is an Indigenous man who worked in his own vegetable garden since 1960. I thought the Labor Party always considered itself to be the voice for Aboriginal people. It really broke my heart to see that happen. It happened in my community and all over the Northern Territory. The opportunities to work in the agricultural business were taken away from them by the Labor government, and that is disappointing. This is where the jobs were created in the community, and it helped my people get off the welfare system. This is where a role model was produced. The little kids were watching their parents and older siblings getting up every day and going to work. Since the shires, after the Labor government came in and took everything away, there is nothing left in those communities; it is just burnt, dead grasses. People are pulling pickets out of the ground and taking them home because they cannot be utilised anymore. That is a shame. That really is a disappointment.
Where there is a fair go for all, any worthwhile project will be, and has been, looked at closely by landowners. If all are happy then the green light is usually given. In 2007, there were consultations in the communities with a previous government talking about vegetable plantations and those types of things. The community expressed deep interest in this. I was there. I was part of these meetings. I sat there with my aunties, mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers, and they said they would like to bring that back into the community because that created jobs, the kids were fed, they went to school and they had role models to look up to. It is not there. The government said, ‘We will take this back and we will look at this and that’, but nothing ever happened.
We are on this side of the House because all it has done is go through one ear and out the other. If you are going to make a difference you have to really push in that direction. That should be a lesson learnt on the other side of the House. That really broke the people in the communities. They were fed up with being told, ‘Yes we will take it back’, but nothing ever happened.
It is very important for all to understand that, generally speaking, Indigenous people are pro-development and keen to partake in, and contribute to, the Australian economy, like they have in history. I can say that from experience. I have worked in the piggery since I was seven years old. I earned my own bucks, contributed to the household, bought my own Mars Bar and a can of Coke with the old $2 note back in those days. I contributed to the shop.
It is also very important for all to understand that we have very strong responsibilities for our land and, therefore, it is very important for us to get the balance right between development, preservation of our traditional countries, and culture. We already see this balance being met in areas like Groote Eylandt, Nhulunbuy and many others spread right across the Territory’s, north, east, south and west.
I would like to mention a story about Kalano, which was mentioned a couple of times by a few of the members on this side of the House. They started growing their own vegetables and selling them to Woolworths shopping centre in Katherine. There is also the same regime going around in Ngukurr where they are growing coffee. That is pro-development for Indigenous people. There are jobs there for them.
The minister touched on many areas in his statement and, as I stated previously, I am very excited to be here and be part of what is very important to the Northern Territory and the Indigenous people in the communities: grassroots people. Rather than go over what the minister and other members have contributed, I will touch on a couple of things which I know will have a long-lasting influence on the future prosperity of people within my electorate. Members would be aware that in the Roper River area two major projects are about to commence or are not so far off at the moment - the ilmenite mine and the Sherwin Iron mine - and there are a few other projects in that area. There are jobs for the locals and that is all we will keep pushing: jobs, jobs, jobs. It is about freedom. What we are on about on this side is liberty; giving the people the choice of freedom.
The other major projects and the ilmenite mine have gained a fair bit of media attention this week. Jerry Ren has been in the papers just about every day. He is a great guy; I have met him. His vision of prosperity for the Northern Territory is good. He made a pretty good point when speaking to me about giving jobs back to the locals, contributing back to the local football teams and clubs and things like that. He contributes. Where do you see many people do that? Has the Labor government ever done that? I remember Karl Hampton when he was the Minister for Sport and Recreation. We sent him a letter requesting in-kind support for the Barunga Festival. He gave us a $500 cheque. Can you believe that? The year after that when we said we did not want to have the festival anymore because we spent too much of our own money, the former government came up with $70 000. During the election, he said to me, ‘What did you contribute?’ I said, ‘Mate, the Jawoyn people contributed $120 000 towards the festival and your government can only come up with $500’. I said, ‘Where is your dedication towards the people in the community for these projects? Where is the dedication? Obviously, you do not have it’.
This ilmenite mine project alone will provide 20 to 30 jobs in the short term for our young people. The flow-on effects from that will be tremendous. These two new exciting projects will have major benefits for all and will be a major contributor to not only the future financial prospects of the region, but will also have a major impact on the social wellbeing of the area.
I want to reflect on some of the minister’s speech. The Northern Territory government has identified food exports and the minerals and energy sectors as two sectors of the Northern Territory three-hub economy. In 2010-11, the NT produced $44m in agricultural products, cattle and livestock comprised $284.3m, and horticultural crops accounted for $138.7m. That is a big part of our overall economy.
I want to reflect on when the live cattle ban happened. That sent a shockwave through, especially in my electorate because in the Arnhem electorate we have the Gulin Gulin foundation. It is a private cattle company set up by the traditional owners in the 1970s or 1980s. It was a traditional man from the Bulman to Ramingining region, a grandfather of mine, who came up with this idea. He worked with the stockmen who were working in that region to make this cattle company something for the future of our people. We still have it today and it is growing. It is buffalo, not cattle - buffalo catching because there are many buffalo in Arnhem, as you all probably know. As soon as the ban came in, the buffalo catching company went down to ropes so fast without any consultation from the government with the people in the Arnhem electorate; there was nothing. It hit them like a brick wall. It was devastating.
Even today, there is talk about trying to bring it up again. I support the minister for making an effort to try to talk because these people are in the NT Cattlemen’s Association. Just going there, being part of that, listening to them, talking about the buffalo and cattle companies in the Northern Territory, provides a future for the people in the bush. Five generations of my family have worked in the cattle company for years as stockmen, ringers, starting from the bottom all the way to the top. Aboriginal people are no strangers to the cattle industry.
Looking to the future of the cattle industry, the NT starts in a position of strength. There is room for growth and development, and the marketplace in Indonesia and broader Asia grows hungry for beef.
The Territory horticultural industry is strong, yet there are missing links in the strategy for expansion. Mangoes grown in the NT are processed interstate and leave through Queensland, New South Wales or Western Australia; they are not processed locally or exported through our ports. Melons are the Territory’s next major crop and there is strong demand in Singapore for future exports. Seafood is another industry. In 2010, China imported $5bn worth of seafood and their seafood consumption is expected to triple by 2020.
The Northern Territory commercial fisheries are not large but we produce high-quality products and our waters are pristine. The Australia in the Asian Century White Paper located the Northern Territory as a place of significance, and that is a milestone. Not only are we close to Asia, but our extensive engagement makes the Territory a strong friend. Mining is a huge part of our Asian engagement. Our engagement with Asia must have a focus on attracting investment opportunities and connecting exploration mining projects with finances, looking to put a mine in that production phase.
Madam Speaker, this statement it is very touching, especially to Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. The Territory has much to offer and Territory primary producers are widespread. I commend the minister for bringing his statement to the House and I support him in this because I would like see developments in my region and in the Northern Territory. Let us cut the red tape we have been bound with and make some prosperous development in our communities. We need to look in that direction; we are not going to get any smaller. These communities are going to grow so we need to grow with them as people, as a nation, as a Territory and look towards the future of people and the kids and what we can offer them. There is a whole heap of stuff - not just red tape. I am not all about that. Sorry, the reason I am a liberal is because it is freedom. You have to think about the future and if you lock everything up then it is not worthwhile. I am here to say that is what my people want, because that is what we talk about when we have our meetings. I commend the minister for bringing the statement to the House and I support it very much.
Ms FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I, like my colleagues, support the minister’s statement on agribusiness and minerals in the Asian century. It is key and core to the Country Liberals’ philosophy and something we are all very proud of. We could not have a better person leading the charge on behalf of our government. At the time of writing my notes I wanted to agree with the Attorney-General’s comments about the castings on the walls of the fifth floor of where the Northern Territory sits in our immediate region. That was echoed by a number of my colleagues between the time the Attorney-General spoke and now. When I thought about this statement the first thing that came to mind was that the Country Liberal Party has always had a vision to the north and has always understood its place in this world and this region; it is forwards, beyond and upwards and certainly not looking behind.
The Country Liberal Party has a proud history to that extent, which is evidenced everywhere in this building and in our long and proud history of service to the Territory. We have always had a long-standing commitment to relationship building with our Asian neighbours - not just building for trade purposes; it is a range of disciplines.
We made a number of election commitments relating specifically to engagement with Asia which not only include trade, they include collaborating with Charles Darwin University to increase the number of international students who decide to study in the Northern Territory. That is incredibly important to our economy, our growth, our relationship building and the opportunities that will come in the future from these students who travel from afar, or not so far, to come to Darwin, or Katherine for that matter, or our other educational centres, to receive a world-class education. We are proud of the relationships we have been able to build. I note minister Chandler, in a media release the other day, said he was looking forward to seeing hundreds of international and domestic students attend the Charles Darwin University Business School at the waterfront, and that it is key to our three-hub economy, which we talk about so often and with great affection.
Another example is the AusIndo Forum. We have made not only a financial commitment to holding that forum, but it is a way in which we will strengthen ties with our Asian partners and increase the good work we have done in the past well into the future.
Minister Conlan, the minister for Tourism, has today met with a SilkAir delegation which is in the Northern Territory exploring and getting their head around this place and the ways we can increase tourism in our regions. Recently, there was an announcement that Philippine Airlines would be commencing Darwin to Manila flights from 1 June. These are all positive stories to tell of what we have been able to achieve in the very short time we have been in government, and how we are steadfast in our commitment to Territorians to deliver this three-hub economy and beyond.
Minister Conlan has been working very hard building our global relationships in and outside of our immediate region, and getting a good understanding of the market and what it is that tourists want from us. He has been left with the tragic black hole of tourism by Labor. That black hole is in every other portfolio. There are about 10 black holes in each portfolio. I am proud to say that from what I have heard from minister Conlan, there is light at the end of that tourism tunnel. That does not just happen by a miracle, luck, or by hoping we will get extra GST and other types of Labor mentalities; that comes from hard work and vision.
When I was thinking about what I would say in reply to the minister’s statement, I reflected on my education in the Territory. When I commenced at Gray Primary School from preschool, I learnt Chinese, which was stock standard; you had to do it, it was part of the curriculum. There were no questions about it. As a young child, I did not think much of it.
Then, when I moved to Sacred Heart Primary, we learnt Indonesian - again part of the curriculum, with equal weighting and time allocated to that subject as with English and maths. When I moved into high school I went to Kormilda, and it was Indonesian again. I did not have the vision, at that time. At the end of Year 10, I swapped to Spanish. I am not sure where I was going with that one, but Indonesian was compulsory from Year 8 to Year 10. As a result of the change, I can speak neither Indonesian nor Spanish. Anyway, that is a story for another time; perhaps a reflection on the type of teenager I was. We cannot look back, we must look forward. With Chinese, Indonesian and other Asian languages in our schools - it just occurred to me, for my cousin in Adelaide it was compulsory to learn Japanese. These things do not happen by accident, they happen for a reason. Young Territorians are encouraged to learn the languages of our near neighbours for a very important reason. That reason is for the future of us all.
Yet, despite some of these very obvious things we very easily intertwine into our everyday life, such as the education system, we still see in this modern day catastrophic and inconceivable acts like the guillotine Gillard took to our live cattle export trade which many of my colleagues have spoken about today. I acknowledge the member for Arnhem for her contribution to that debate, as she is much closer to that issue than I am, being from Palmerston.
The shock, horror, and awe of that act, which was incomprehensible to me at the time, caused great devastation to our industry and Territory families. As minister Styles said, compensation and class actions can happen but the pain, hurt and trauma can never be replaced by money. The compensation will probably never cover the cost this act has caused. The reverberations of this disastrous, reckless and irresponsible decision will be felt for a long time to come; there is no question about that. I do not expect to hear any opposition to that statement from this Labor opposition. We have seen, as a result of the decision, multiple pastoral leases up for sale. The number of live cattle being exported is lower than they were pre the ban, and Territory families are being forced off their land. It is a tragedy which could have been avoided.
That is not to mention adding insult to injury with the carbon tax. As my colleague, Senator Nigel Scullion, calls it, the ‘toxic tax on remoteness’ really does add insult to injury on pastoralists who are already suffering from low sale figures amongst everything else Labor, be it federal or Territory, has put them through.
On a more positive note, the Ord River development, which was completely ignored by Labor - yet again another black hole of ideas and lack of foresight. The phrase ‘intestinal fortitude’ comes to mind. I hear my colleagues say it often and it is quite an apt description.
What did we do with Ord? We immediately welcomed it with open arms. There is no question there is a demand for food in our region and we are here to take that opportunity. It can only be lost by us but we, a Country Liberals government, will not lose that opportunity. In fact, we have not. We have seized it and we will continue to build on relationships with Western Australia and the Commonwealth to develop these nation building projects which lead to bigger and better things. It is not just food, it is all the infrastructure and opportunities arising from that.
It reminds me of Ti Tree. The member for Nelson was saying we have a difficult climate, difficult soils, difficult situations, but when I visited Ti Tree and saw the grapes they are growing there and the vineyards in the middle of Central Australia, it blew my mind. What they are doing there is just amazing. They should be commended for their efforts because we need more of that; it is a very good initiative. We must put the Northern Territory at the apex of projects like the Ord River, and we need to be seen as a conduit between Australia and Asia. Once we owned that spot but we do not anymore, thanks to Labor. We need to take that back because it is our rightful place in the Australian economy. We will, once again, be the great gateway to Asia we were.
Mining is another way we can solidify our importance to Asia and our interstate counterparts. We know Western Australia is a thriving hub for mining but we are not that far behind; many will say we are leaps and bounds ahead.
I will read some statistics in that respect. Mining in the Northern Territory hires 4000 primary workers and supports a host of other industries. It amounts to 19% of the Territory’s economy, which is enormous; it cannot be underestimated.
We have to focus on investing and attracting investment from Asia, engaging in exploration and other initiatives to get things moving, get new projects happening, and explore the opportunities we may very well have.
In the 2012-13 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies, the Northern Territory was ranked amongst the world’s leading jurisdictions in regulatory environment and attractiveness for exploration investment. In the current mineral potential index, which is a combined measure of the industry’s perceptions as to whether a jurisdiction’s mineral potential and its current policy and environment encourages or discourages exploration, we came 10th in the world and second in Australia, just behind Western Australia. We also ranked ninth globally and first in Australia for having a lack of regulatory duplication and inconsistencies.
As the member for Arnhem really rang home, this is about job opportunities in the bush as well. Our government has done the hard yards to secure the future of Gove. Unfortunately, the media did not get as excited about that as we and the people of Gove did. I note the member for Nhulunbuy mentioned yesterday there is renewed optimism in Gove since we were able to secure the future of that important town. That is the type of government we are. We work hard and do what needs to be done. For the people of Gove, who were left so uncertain for so long, my heart goes out to you, but we did everything we could as quickly as we could to secure this. There is renewed optimism which is felt throughout the Territory because it has not only brought security to the people of Gove, but we now have opportunities for our regional areas and people in the bush - Jobs, jobs, jobs, as we always say.
The prospects for Tennant Creek are enormous. The member for Barkly should be thrilled by the former Chief Minister’s efforts in this regard, and the efforts of our Cabinet. With the Tennant Creek to Mount Isa pipeline, there is no end to opportunity in this story. This story will continue to unfold over the time of our term in government. As always, projects do not just bring a pipe, they bring roads, infrastructure, houses, jobs, people, tourism, business, you name it. When you get things moving, other things happen. It is all positive news for the Northern Territory.
I am conscious that when we talk about mining - the member for Fong Lim also echoed this sentiment - it is not about digging the heart out of the Northern Territory and creating a barren wasteland so we can sell all of our riches overseas and pack our bags and have to start buying back minerals because we have given all ours away. That is a very nave way of looking at our vision for mining in the Northern Territory. This is about realising our full potential. I have mentioned that a number of times across a number of contexts and it applies equally to mining.
Other exciting projects that will feed into this Asian century include increasing the capacity of our port. That certainly needs to be looked at. If we were not $5.5bn in debt that might happen a little quicker, but you cannot help what you inherit. The Chief Minister said on Tuesday that we will be exploring options for an alternative industrial port so the Port of Darwin can be free for passengers and for more tourism and recreational uses. These are very exciting things. I am sure that is something our Planning Commission, another excellent initiative, will be looking at very closely.
The Australian Agricultural Company is developing the Livingstone abattoir, which is well under way. This will really diversify the Territory’s beef trade by significantly increasing our packaged beef trade. It will have the capacity to create a market which includes halal, a whole other market we can tap into that has been put by the wayside. Traditionally, abattoirs have struggled to thrive in the Northern Territory, but this project is enormous. It has enormous potential and we are very excited about it. Not only is its diversification of our opportunities exciting, but the fact it will employ 270 Territorians is excellent. That brings people to the Territory and gives families jobs and opportunities. It is a wonderful thing and is excellent for the rural area. The project is being closely watched by others across the north of Australia. Some very big things are happening in this place and there are eyes watching us.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister for his statement and our government for our vision and commitment to the three-hub economy. Our vision and drive to deliver this election commitment and this vision is unstoppable and unflappable. Labor can play tricks, flap about, insult members on this side of the House and do what they call holding us to account, but one thing that remains certain is our passion and vision for the Territory, and we will not be stopped. We have the power to deliver that because we have a mandate from Territorians. We ran the election centred on our three-hub economy and that is what people want and what we will deliver. All my colleagues agree that in four years’ time we will see a bigger, brighter, healthier Territory.
Ms ANDERSON (Regional Development): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement to the House. It is exciting, as Minister for Regional Development, that we have such a statement in this House for debate this evening. It is interesting to see the other side has not jumped. They have run out of puff, they did not have a vision for the 11 years they were in government, and they still do not have a vision as opposition. They are huffing and puffing and, as the member for Drysdale said, they are good at playing out of the gutters, but they are not good at coming up with policy, direction and vision for the Northern Territory.
It excites me to talk on this statement because it gives us great opportunity as Territorians. I have always said in this House we are land rich, dirt poor. I want to elaborate on that. There are great opportunities and possibilities with the vision the Country Liberal Party has to drive Territorians forward. We heard the Chief Minister say during Question Time over the last three days: jobs, jobs, jobs and good quality education.
He has put the member for Stuart with the Minister for Education so they can start talking about educating our children. The member for Arnhem is my parliamentary secretary to talk about child protection, and we have already started planning in that area - regional development and women’s policy. Also, the member for Arafura - what a fantastic man to have working side-by-side with the Minister for Health because he has the vision of the Tiwi people. The Tiwi people have always been visionary in economic development, building capacity, and talking about ports and agriculture. The member for Nelson said he worked on the Tiwi Islands when you guys had farms. I lived on a community and grew up on many communities where we had farms: Hermannsburg – big farms; Papunya – big farms; going to Yuendumu sports weekend – big farms; visit relatives at Ali Curung when it was known as Warrabri – big farms; going to Hooker Creek to visit my father’s side of the family - and guess what? – big farms. We did not just have big farms, we had piggeries, as the member for Arnhem said.
As children, we grew up in our communities seeing our people working. As kids growing up in our communities we thought there was no such thing as unemployment because we saw stockmen, farmers, bakers, teachers and health workers. As kids growing up, we thought that is what we had to do. If you look at the age group I come from, and the age group the member for Arafura comes from, we come from a time when we were taught work ethics and to go to school, therefore we are representing Territorians in this House of debate. That is what the Country Liberals’ vision is getting back into.
This statement encourages us to tell Territorians, whether in a remote or rural community or living in the north. It is interesting, as I said, as the Minister for Regional Development working with my colleague and talking about developing the north, and the three-hub economy, looking at tourism and the Northern Territory, with the north becoming a hub to have a relationship with Asia.
Talking of Asia, about three years ago I went on a trip to visit friends of mine, Tony and Lee Chee in Vietnam. It was a real eye-opener for me to see what people do without welfare. Welfare is the greatest shame and shackle of Australia. When you go into Asian countries you see what people can do with economic opportunities to get themselves out of poverty, with farming …
Mr Chandler: Necessity.
Ms ANDERSON: Yes, it is a necessity. It was really an eye-opener. I took photos back to my community. In the photos there were ladies carrying rice with their children riding on their backs. When I showed it to my aunts and my grandmothers they said, ‘We did that too. When we were farming, we used to have our kids on our backs carrying them around while we were working’. They remember the days of having no welfare and they remember they were good days. They were contributing, as people, to the Territory. They felt proud of themselves that they were going out in the morning, working, and coming back in the afternoon. They all had the ethic of sending their children to school because they knew education was important, and that it gave people the ability to live in both worlds. They are the worlds we enjoy, as debaters in this House this evening, and every day in our term when we come to this House.
The greatest opportunity I have had as the Minister for Regional Development was when I went to the Ord with my colleague, the former Chief Minister, the member for Blain. It was fantastic to go to Western Australia and see the opportunities there with the Murranwong-Gadgerong, the people who extinguished our native title in order to work on the Western Australian side in partnership. It was encouraging for me to be part of that. They are the things we need to get on the Territory side, and we need the information flow into remote and rural Northern Territory so people know that other people are benefitting from these partnerships and are part of agriculture in the Northern Territory. It is absolutely fantastic!
It gives me great courage to stand in this House and contribute to such a great vision from the Country Liberal Party - a vision that is risk-taking. The Country Liberal Party is very good at risk-taking. In looking forward, you must always look back. This party has been great at doing things for the future, and looking back and admiring the things it has done in the past. The rail link from South Australia to the Northern Territory is not something that happened by fluke. It was due to the planning and foresight of the former Country Liberal Party.
That is exactly what you see in today’s Country Liberal Party. It is taking the risk to grow the Northern Territory. It has policies to grow the Northern Territory and help all Territorians to drive socially and economically, unlike those on the other side who have run out of puff. As I said in a debate earlier, it is like trying to put fuel inside the carbie instead of fuelling up the car, so you just sit there and go chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga. You cannot really move because you do not have fuel, as you are pouring it in the carbie and not the fuel tank. That is what we have seen in the seven months since we started as a government. That side is playing from the gutters. As I said, there are no policies from the opposition and no debate on this fantastic statement, which is so visionary in moving Territorians forward, looking at the three-hub economy and developing northern Australia. They are all sitting there, on their computers, walking in and out as if there is no debate. There has been no contribution whatsoever.
Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague’s statement to this House. It is fantastic that we are a visionary government that will lead Territorians forward, unlike the members on the other side who are just sitting there biting their nails.
Mr HIGGINS (Daly): Madam Speaker, I was born in Griffith, which is one of the main towns of the MIA. The MIA is the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, which was there in the 1950s when I was born. It was a project set up for returned servicemen. I find that quite interesting because now I own the Daly River Mango Farm.
While the mango farm was first settled by the Jesuits in the 1880s, it was at the turn of the century that the area around the Daly was given out as land grants to returned servicemen, so I have that connection there. The Jesuits, when they first settled the mango farm in the 1880s, found they had problems with flooding in the area so they moved to an area called Serpentine Lagoon, which is now referred to as Mission Hole.
If you fly over that area in a chopper you can see where, at the turn of the century, they were using canals out of the billabong to irrigate crops and for many of the Indigenous people in that area. Irrigation in the Daly area has been around for years.
Peanuts were a pioneer crop in the Daly area and were cultivated mainly by Aboriginal people. The person who cultivated them in the first instance was a fellow by the name of Joe Parry. He was a half-caste Aboriginal fellow, and much recognition needs to be given to Indigenous people in agriculture. I believe because he was a half-caste person that recognition is not there.
While many people believe the mango industry has only been around for 20 or so years, I remind people I have 42 mango trees on my property that are 100 years old. Those trees were brought in from India by some forward-thinking Indigenous or half-caste people.
I have increased the number of trees to 2000. To put into perspective what 2000 mango trees can do to an economy, the turnover from those mango trees is in excess of $0.5m a year. That is not profit. The profit you make from mangoes at the moment is about $20 000, but it means we have $0.5m going through the Territory economy just from a small farm of 2000 trees.
The people who benefit from this influx of money are local people. I employ some Indigenous people, but I also have people like Harold Sinclair who does all the transport of our mangoes into Darwin. They are shipped from there, using a local company, to Brisbane. The point I want to make is, there is $0.5m, if we do not keep these industries going, that we can miss out on.
In the past, I have also spoken about Asian workers in the mango industry as pickers. That is something we, as a party, have to push with our federal colleagues on the Labor side and the conservative side because that group of people knows mangoes. If we want to export to Asia then it is an area from which we have to look at employing people.
We have had much discussion over the last day about water. I have had a very close interest and connection to the water debate for about the last 12 years. From memory, I think Clare Martin set up the community reference group about 12 years ago. At that time, it was in regard to the land clearing guidelines and the moratorium introduced that crippled the people in the Douglas Daly area. I am the only person who sat on the community reference group and continued on with the Daly River Management Advisory Committee up until mid-last year when I had to resign because I was paid a sitting fee. During that time, the debate was always over water, not land clearing, so I have a very clear understanding of how the water is allocated.
One thing that confuses me with the water debate is the amount of water being allocated has no relationship to the water in the ground. What the previous government did, and agreed to, was allocate a percentage of the recharge of the water every year. In other words, we were only going to allow people to use up to 20% of the previous year’s rainfall, as a simplistic way of looking at it. At no point were we considering using anything in the aquifer. I find this quite hard to comprehend and it is an issue I have tried to argue for a long time.
We have heard the opposition prattle on about this water being worth millions of dollars but there is no such thing in the Northern Territory as water trading. How in hell someone can get millions of dollars from that water I find totally unbelievable. The other thing I would like to point out is water licences, as far as I know, are not transferable. When someone sells their property, they do not sell or transfer the water licence; the new owner must apply for another one. Some of the things from the opposition are completely misleading. They need to get their facts right before they come into this House and rant and rave about someone who they think might be making millions of dollars out of water. It is a load of rubbish.
I have spoken about communications in the past. The Chief Minister raised the issue of communications and the NBN network. This becomes a very critical thing for the farming industry. For example, on the western side of the Daly where I live, if you have some disease or a pest and you want it identified, it is much easier if you can simply take a photo of it and send it via the computer or a Next G network to DPIF. I did this before we had the Next G communications and it took me well over a week to have a copy of a photograph taken get into DPIF to have a bug identified. With Next G, I can do it straightaway. I can take a photo of a bug with my mobile phone, pick up the phone in the middle of paddock, ring DPIF and say, ‘Can you tell me what in the hell I have here?’
The other issue I will touch on is the cattle export ban the former Labor government supported. The impact that has had on the cattle industry has already been touched on, but I will touch on the land and the degradation. I have an interest in NRM, Natural Resources Management, and gave an adjournment speech on that last night. I have been involved in the Landcare group for over 10 years. It has become a concern for me that if you fly over many of these cattle properties now, the first thing you will find is the farmers cannot afford to cut the many fire breaks along their boundaries they did at the beginning of every year as they have to conserve their fuel. They are running low on money. We have a stack of properties with no fire breaks, and neither do they have the money available to control weeds. We also do not have cattle eating some of our grasses down, such as gamba grass. On many properties, the only way that is kept under control at the moment is with cattle. Not only have we ruined the livelihoods of some of our primary producers, we are also going to have a great impact on the land. The Labor opposition here, and Labor federally, needs to be held accountable for this. It is something that is not looked at very often.
What has really held the Territory back, and something the Country Liberals want to reverse, is make more land available for agriculture - irrigation. We also need to make better use of the water that is definitely there and improve our infrastructure.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased the minister brought this statement on and am happy to have given my small contribution.
Mr CONLAN (Central Australia): Madam Speaker, I contribute to this important statement on agribusiness, minerals and the Asian century and our place in the world and where we are within Asia.
I have just finished hosting a small function of tourism journalists from Singapore who were here for eight days or so for a familiarisation of the Northern Territory. They were brought here in support of the first anniversary of SilkAir’s engagement in the Northern Territory. It is a wonderful commitment by SilkAir and we hope they remain flying into the NT. To commemorate that, Tourism NT has partnered with SilkAir to bring over a number of multimedia journalists, print media and the radio guys from Kiss 92FM, the No 1 station in Singapore. They are here to look at the Northern Territory and take back what they have learnt over the last seven or eight days. Tomorrow they head to Kakadu and Yellow Water and they are going on a harbour cruise tonight.
I wish them well. We had a few drinks on the verandah. They are delightful people and, hopefully, they will take back the NT story. I was able to gain from that, which follows a trip we took earlier this year to Singapore, just where we are in the world with Asia. We are front and centre. I mentioned last night our place in the world as a tourism destination in Europe, but in the Asian bowl we are front and centre - very important to Singapore, Malaysia, the whole BIMP-EAGA region and right up through to China and Japan. It cannot be underestimated.
Our role in agribusiness and mining cannot be underestimated. In 2010-11, the NT produced $448m worth of agriculture products. Cattle and livestock comprised $285m and horticulture cropping accounted for about $138m. As you can see, it is an enormous part of our overall economy.
One of the Territory’s primary trading partners is Indonesia, with a population of 240 million. Their islands, while fertile for crops, have rugged mountains and are not suitable for cattle. They do not have the vast space and rangelands we have in the Northern Territory. As Indonesia’s population grows, their capacity for cattle will not so they will rely heavily on their neighbours and Australia.
The member for Fong Lim dispelled some of those romantic rumours that the Northern Territory is an enormous, huge cattle heaven. The example he used was there are more cattle within a 500 km radius of Rockhampton than in the entire Northern Territory. That is an area we can enhance. We are faced with particular barriers, which the minister alluded to. We have fertile soil in the south, we have plenty of grass, but we face the enormity of the Wet Season, which is a huge disadvantage for us when trying to grow an industry such as the cattle industry. In the south, in Central Australia, there are a number of problems with the abundance of grass for cattle. Nevertheless, it is still very important to the Northern Territory, a huge part of our economy, and very important for Asia, clearly, on those statistics alone. When you look at the huge and ever-growing population to our north and what we have here, you can see clearly that the two will go hand in hand.
Between 2003 and 2010, Indonesia’s middle class grew from about 38% to 56%. When the Indonesian Trade minister visited Canberra, he announced the average Indonesian eats about 1.7 kg of beef per year. They expect this to rise to about 20 kg per person in the near future. That is a huge increase.
Our pastoral industry is worth more than $280m a year. With over 220 pastoral leases and a cattle herd of approximately 2.1 million, there is room for growth. As I said, we have some disadvantages - and there are very different disadvantages between the north and the south - nevertheless there is still enormous room for growth.
I do not think any of us have failed to mention the federal government’s live cattle trade suspension in 2011. It was supported by the Territory Labor government at the time, imposed on us by the federal Labor government. It was the hallmark of the federal Labor Party and, in fact, of Labor Parties across the country; take a perfectly good industry, throw it to the wall and, then, use taxpayers’ money to bail it out. Absolutely unbelievable! That caused damage, not only in the Northern Territory and broadly across Australia, but to the relationships between the two jurisdictions of Indonesia and the Northern Territory.
The Opposition Leader at the time, the member for Blain, was on an aircraft to Indonesia within a couple of days to reassure them this was not a decision supported widely across the country or within the industry, nor by the Northern Territory opposition, and we would do everything we could to ensure it was reversed. Thankfully, it was reversed, but not before an enormous amount of damage was done to livelihoods across the Territory and Australia, and to those relationships, which are still fairly precarious. There is much work to be done in that space between the Northern Territory and Indonesia, and Australia and Indonesia, as a result of that. These guys take these things very personally and are very sensitive to it. As I said, that was an unfortunate blight on what was a very healthy relationship between the Northern Territory and our Asian neighbours.
Looking to the future of the cattle industry, the Northern Territory starts in a position of strength. There is room for growth and development, and the marketplace in Indonesia and broader Asia grows hungrier and hungrier for beef: 1.7 kg today, up to about 27 kg. That is certainly an appetite for great Australian beef; there is no doubt about it.
The Australian Agricultural Company’s Livingstone abattoir will significantly increase capacity for the packaged beef trade, especially since it will be suitable for the halal trade. The abattoir will employ 270 people and is likely to attract interest from across northern Australia.
The Territory’s horticultural industry is strong, yet there are missing links in the strategy for expansion. Mangoes grown in the Northern Territory are processed interstate and leave through Queensland, New South Wales or Western Australia. They are not processed locally or exported through our port, which is a real shame.
The next major crop in the Territory, melons, has strong demand in Singapore or for further exports. As you can see, the Territory can be the food bowl for Asia, and that is exactly what we are trying to do.
In the lead-up to the Northern Territory election we campaigned strongly on a three-hub economy. One of those three hubs was tourism. You certainly see evidence of this government taking tourism by the horns and doing everything it can to return it to the powerhouse industry it once was. We have had a decade of neglect in tourism, and there is much work to be done.
One of the other hubs is agriculture, and it is stating the bleeding obvious to say the Northern Territory can become not only a food bowl for Asia, potentially a food bowl for the rest of the world, but it can certainly become a food bowl for Australia. There is no doubt about it. We have to do everything we can to ensure that happens.
Seafood is an integral industry as well. In 2010, China imported $5bn worth of seafood, and their seafood consumption is expected to triple by 2020. Anyone who has been to Singapore, Indonesia, or any part of Asia will know the appetite for seafood is enormous. They will eat anything. If it swims they will eat it. They are very adventurous when it comes to eating full stop. It takes a little practice to accustom yourself to the diet of many of our Asian neighbours. Singapore is touted as Asia for beginners. If you are embarking on extensive trips into Asia, start with Singapore because it is a pretty easy step. You can get a bit of a grasp on how it all works. Once you start getting deep into China you will be eating anything otherwise you will go hungry. They are very adventurous and love their food. As I said, their appetite for seafood is unbelievable. That figure again: China imported $5bn worth of seafood and their seafood consumption is expected to triple by 2020. That is fantastic and a wonderful opportunity for Australia and the Northern Territory.
NT commercial fisheries are, comparatively, not large, but we produce a high-quality product and our waters are pristine so we have some of the best seafood around, and we all know it.
For agribusiness to move forward we, as a government, must reduce regulatory constrictions and allow business to flourish; that is a bit of a no-brainer. This government is committed to reducing as much red tape as possible. There is so much of it around we have all been strangled by it, business and common sense has been strangled by it, and that has to stop. We have to be able to crash through the red tape maze so we can reduce those regulatory constrictions strangling our business. This is the way we push forward into the Asian century.
I am fascinated by the Ord River scheme. I do not have the world’s greatest knowledge of it because it does not sit under my portfolios per se and never really has. However, I have a tremendous interest and am fascinated by it. I have been through the Ord a number of times right across to Western Australia, through the Kimberley into Kununurra, and up to Lake Argyle. You look at it and say, ‘Wow, that is an unbelievable structure that has been created’. You stand on that dam wall and look back and it is fantastic ...
A member: Did you take the dam tour?
Mr CONLAN: No, I did not. In the boat? I saw a couple of the boats but I did not do the tour. That is something I will have to put on the bucket list. It was spectacular. When you consider when it was done - in the 1960s - it is quite incredible.
The Ord River development is an example of the Country Liberals government getting a big nation-building project off the ground, and we can do it. This was a project waiting to happen. It happened in the 1960s. They built this thing and got it started. Western Australia was just waiting for someone to partner with them. For whatever reason, the previous government did not do much work in that space. The former Minister for Primary Industry and Resources might have a bit to say about that. For all intents and purposes, he was a pretty hard-working minister. I thought he liked what he did. He got his teeth into it, but maybe he was hamstrung by a number of other reasons. I am not sure what it was, but this was a nation-building project just waiting to happen.
The Country Liberals government is very keen to ensure it gets this off the ground. When Kimberley Agricultural Investments was announced as the preferred proponent on the Western Australian side of the border, they expressed interest inland on the NT side of the border. The Northern Territory government has acted very quickly to give Ord Stage 3 major project status. That is significant; Stage 3 of the Ord River Project has been granted major project status. That is not just symbolic; we have backed that with $400 000 - quite a commitment. That was announced in the mini-budget for Ord Development Stage 3.
The Ord Development Unit has been tasked, with the WA and Commonwealth governments, to get Ord Stage 3 off the ground. In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Northern Territory, WA and the Commonwealth governments for us to work together on the expansion of the Ord and to see the creation of a food bowl in Australia. This really is something. Would this be as big as the Snowy River Scheme? If we can get this off the ground, will it be remembered as being as big as the Snowy River Scheme? Potentially, particularly if we can start feeding the rest of the country. I do not know what the figure is. The member for Port Darwin might know the figures. The Ord River is X times bigger than Sydney Harbour …
A member: Twenty-seven times.
Mr CONLAN: Twenty-seven times. It is a huge body of water sitting in one little part of Australia. It is most incumbent on us, as residents of northern Australia, to do whatever we can to facilitate that and maximise our food bowl production. As humanitarians, we owe it to the rest of our country men and women and the rest of the Northern Territory. We should do it for no other reason than to leave such a wonderful legacy.
The Australia in the Asian Century White Paper has located the Northern Territory as a place of significance. I am pleased to see the White Paper delivered by the federal Labor government recognises the Northern Territory is a place of significance. Not only are we geographically close to Asia, our extensive engagement makes the Territory a very strong friend. I link it back to my portfolio of Tourism and Major Events. When you are talking about relationships, you cannot underestimate the power of those relationships when dealing with our Asian neighbours. It is everything. I would go as far as to say, as in the old days, deals are done on a handshake, but it is almost like that in Asia. When you are dealing with high-level players throughout Asia, whether it is China, Singapore or Japan, there is much honour in a meeting, in eye contact and a handshake. It means an enormous amount. I am still learning that. Many on this side are experts at it. The former Chief Minister, the member for Blain, is still very interested and will play a huge part, I am sure, in the Northern Territory’s re-engagement with Asia.
I say re-engagement because it is something we have lost. I look at the Arafura Games as an example of our place in Asia - while still potentially significant, as I have just outlined and articulated, we have lost our way a little in the eyes of our Asian neighbours. When Singapore decides not to enter a team into the Arafura Games, when Hong Kong decides not to participate in the Arafura Games, when Brunei decides not to be part of the Arafura Games, you know something is wrong. Something has happened. There has not been the level of engagement there once was. Once upon a time, we were the leaders in Asia in the sporting field; these days we are not. Budgetary restraints have much to do with that. Twenty years ago, when the Arafura Games began, there was not much else in Asia in the way of high-level international sporting competition. These days, they are leading the way. They are hosting billion-dollar sporting events. For the Northern Territory to think we can throw $2m into an event in Darwin …
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member to complete his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, honourable members. To think we can throw $2.5m into a sporting event and attract that same level of competition we did 20 years ago, and the same level of competition happening around other parts of Asia in these multibillion-dollar events, we are kidding ourselves, hence our decision to rethink the Arafura Games and where it places us with our Asian neighbours. The Arafura Games was not created so Darwin could have a mini-Olympics. It was created so the Northern Territory could engage with Asia, and we did, very successfully, for a long time. Unfortunately, it morphed; the Asian engagement side petered out and the mini-Olympics side became paramount and became what the games were about. It lost its way. It was a perfect time to reset and rethink. A new government came in and was stretched for money because of our $5.5bn debt tracking at an $800m deficit every year. It was a perfect opportunity to reset that and move forward.
I am proud to say the Department of Sport and Recreation, along with the Minister for Asian Engagement, who is also the Chief Minister, and I have done much work to bring back to the table a significant Asian engagement sporting program to follow on from the Arafura Games. To me, it was quite telling where we were in Asia, where we were positioned - the reality of it.
From a tourism point of view, we are right up there. From a diplomatic point of view, not so much, and that has not been helped by the 2011 ban on live cattle exports into Indonesia. That sent shockwaves through the whole Asian community, not just Indonesia. There is much work to be done in many of those spaces.
Mining is a huge part of the Northern Territory economy. It makes up about 25% of the Northern Territory economy. It hires 4000 primary workers and supports a host of other industries. It amounts to about 19% - I was a bit off - close to 20% of the Northern Territory’s economy. I might have a look at that figure; it might be a little higher. Nevertheless, it is very close to a quarter of the Northern Territory’s economy.
Our engagement with Asia must have a focus on attracting investment opportunity and connecting explorative mining projects with financiers looking to put a mine into the production phase. The Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2012/2013 ranked the Northern Territory amongst the world’s leading jurisdictions for our regulatory environment and attractiveness for exploration investment. That has to be pretty good. I will read that again. In the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2012/2013, the Northern Territory ranked amongst the world’s leading jurisdictions for our regulatory environment and attractiveness for exploration investments. That means it is a pretty good place to mine.
The Fraser Institute knows its stuff and if it says the Northern Territory is a very attractive place to be, it probably is. The former minister for Mines knows that; he is one of the old school. He is the longest-serving minister in this parliament; that needs to be said.
In 2001, when Labor came to power, the member for Casuarina was immediately made a minister. I believe he was sworn into the very first Martin Cabinet. That is saying something, and he should be very proud of that. It is quite telling for the rest of the bunch that the guy with all the experience, who has been there through it all, is probably the strongest player on the bench. He would understand the Northern Territory’s potential as a mining powerhouse.
In the current mineral potential index, which is a combined measure of the industry’s perceptions as to whether a jurisdiction’s mineral potential and its current policy environment encourage or discourage exploration, the Northern Territory came in 10th in the world and second in Australia, behind Western Australia, at ninth. That is pretty good. We all look at WA, and say, ‘Holy cow, how do you be like WA?’ Do you know what? We are right there; we are chasing its coat tails, we are right behind it - not too far off. We are 10th and Western Australia is ninth.
The Territory came in first out of the Australian jurisdictions for all criteria relating to certainty of regulation and lack of regulatory duplication. That has to be a good thing as well. We are on the right track. For the criteria regarding the level of certainty concerning the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of existing regulations, the NT came in ninth globally and first in Australia. The Territory was also ninth globally and first in Australia for its lack of regulatory duplication and inconsistencies. As you can see, the mining industry is particularly strong. It is there, ripe for the picking. We need to ensure we do whatever we can to break down bureaucratic red tape while preserving the strictest environmental concerns and processes, and ensuring the Northern Territory becomes a powerhouse in the mining sector, as it can be in the agricultural and tourism sectors.
That is how we generate wealth. That is how we develop more than a one-shot-in-the-locker approach when it comes to developing an economy in a jurisdiction such as the Northern Territory, Australia’s emerging economy and future emerging jurisdiction. The future lies in the Northern Territory. We need to do whatever we can to not only preserve that, but to grow it and discover its potential. It is incumbent on every one of us in this House to ensure we do.
Madam Speaker, I thank the minister again for the opportunity to speak on this. I wanted to link in some more tourism with regard to it, not because I am trying to be smart, but because there is …
Ms Walker: Oh, not you – ever!
Mr CONLAN: No. Sometimes I do, yes, I know, but this time I wanted to bring in some tourism notes with this, as it all goes together. The title of the statement is Opportunities for the Northern Territory’s Agribusiness and Minerals Sectors in the Asian Century. The Asian century part of that title is very important. That is where we can leverage not just our agriculture and minerals, but also our education, which was part of our hub - tourism and education. The Minister for Education is about to speak, and he might even bring in some education. Do not be afraid to do it. Do not be afraid of being shut down for irrelevance, because we are talking about the Asian century; it is highly relevant. It is not just about agriculture and minerals; it is also about tourism and education. We need to keep all those things in focus.
Madam Speaker, thanks again to the minister for bringing it on. I commend this statement to the House.
Mr CHANDLER (Education): Madam Speaker, tonight I talk about the agribusiness and minerals in the Asian century statement, which was brought forward by minister Westra van Holthe. This statement is very timely for a number of reasons. The first thing I wanted to say is this is opportunity, opportunity, opportunity and jobs, jobs, jobs. There is a really interesting map in my office upstairs. If I am correct, that office was occupied by minister Malarndirri McCarthy. I am not sure which office she was in, but believe it was the one I occupy. The map in the boardroom is of the Asian area. There are big rings on that map, and it shows the flying time between Darwin and a number of Asian regions. It is really timely and very interesting when people, particularly from interstate, come to Darwin into that office and look at that map and soon realise, ‘Goodness gracious me; it really gives a different perspective of where the Northern Territory is located compared to Asia’.
Asia, particularly Indonesia, is, and will always be, our closest neighbour. For that reason, we need to build extremely strong relationships between Asian countries and Australia. Many governments of the past, both federal and Northern Territory, have worked very hard over the years to form strong relationships with our Asian neighbours, and that needs to continue. Recently, I, along with the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, and minister Westra van Holthe, travelled to Jakarta and spoke to a number of ministers. We spoke to a number of businesses including the KADIN. Interest in the Northern Territory in particular, and Australia in general, was extremely high.
Over the years I have spoken to many ministers and former members of the Legislative Assembly from this House and the message - whether they be former Country Liberal members or Labor members - has been very strong and clear: you need to build those relationships. You do not do it through a phone call, a letter or an e-mail, but through face-to-face meetings. Those relationships, once established, need to be fertilised. You cannot meet somebody in an Asian country and think that is it, you never have to return, you never have to speak to them again, you never have to do anything to maintain that relationship. It is so untrue when it comes to our close and dear Asian neighbours. You have to return, you have to rekindle these relationships to keep them strong, to remain active and to ensure the relationship will provide dividends for the Northern Territory.
Recently, when the federal government issued the Asian paper, and when the Coalition, even more recently, stated its focus on the north of Australia, that really brought home what we should be doing in the Northern Territory. We are all in this House for the same reason: to ensure the Northern Territory prospers. We cannot do that without opportunity, and our Asian relations not so far away provide perhaps the biggest opportunity for the Northern Territory - more of an opportunity than the rest of Australia has combined.
We have more opportunities, given our strategic location, to deal with Asia than we have with Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, or anywhere. That is where we should be focusing. However, do not forget what we are here for. We are here to ensure the Northern Territory prospers.
It was brought home to me during the recent trip to Jakarta with the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, and minister Westra van Holthe, that food security in Asia, particularly in Indonesia - that is where we were at the time - is a high concern. They see Australia and the Northern Territory as part of that …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 36, I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells please.
A quorum is present.
Mr CHANDLER: The food security issue was raised with us repeatedly whilst we were in Indonesia, and that goes with our close relationships with Vietnam and many of the Asian countries. If they are in a situation where they cannot provide the amount of food required for their nation then, of course, food security is one of the things that becomes paramount. Countries like Japan look to countries like Australia not only for food but also for energy. We have seen that with the great investment in INPEX in the Top End, and how valuable companies like INPEX and the Japanese government see their relationship with the Northern Territory and the wider Australia region.
There is a clear difference between the former government and the Country Liberals government. We are a government that looks for opportunity. I know many people have talked about red tape. In the few months we have been in government, I have spent much time understanding regulations, in particular, legislation, and looking at ways we can reduce red tape. One thing that has come to mind is sometimes it is not really the red tape that gets in the way of business or development; it is just the will of the government of the day to break through and make a difference.
I know there have been many issues recently in the Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment. In the past, I have been critical of the department being too slow in getting things done; that things seem to take too long when it comes to development in the Northern Territory. We have found areas in legislation where we can speed things up. One example is where somebody puts in an application to rezone land, which could take six months, then they put in another application for a development permit which could take another six months. In the world of big finance and development, 12 months to wait before you can put the first shovel in the ground seems a long time. We are looking at ways to streamline legislation where people can have land rezoned at the same time as lodging a development application.
If you can save six months for any developer, you have more than cut some red tape out of their process. I argue that it is far more open and accountable where people can see up-front rezoning and a development application at the same time. You need to understand that not only can red tape get in the way, regulations can also stifle development but, more importantly, it is the will of the government of the day - the will to move forward. I found that in many cases you can get things done quickly. You can move things along quickly even with the current legislative framework, even with the same regulations we have today without making any changes, just because you have a will to move forward and make a difference. That is where it is really important that we do not lose the opportunity Asia presents for the Northern Territory. If we get it wrong, if we muck up through legislation and regulations, or not having the will to engage with Asia, we will lose that opportunity.
The Northern Territory is very similar to the north of Western Australia. I am sure there is a very proactive government in Western Australia that would only be too happy to work with Indonesia and other Asian countries. Queensland is no different. There is a very proactive government in Queensland that would only be too interested to move into this space. We have to be very careful and quick at what we do and ensure we continually build our relationships with Asia. With those relationships will come great opportunity.
I remind the House we are here for the prosperity of the Northern Territory, for Territorians, and that opportunity will provide massive changes and growth and, of course, development opportunities. We need to get it right. The Country Liberals have a vision about building the Territory and engaging our Asian neighbours.
I will focus on how areas of my portfolios of Lands, Planning and the Environment; Education and Housing all can have direct links into not only engaging but supporting Asia in the way forward. Minister Conlan spoke about education and how important education can be. I flew from Sydney to Jakarta for the trip minister Westra van Holthe and the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, took. I sat next to a young man who was studying in Sydney and was seven or eight hours away by plane from his family in Jakarta. We engaged in some conversation and Charles Darwin University came up. I soon learnt that what he was studying in Sydney he could have been doing at Charles Darwin University in Darwin. When I reminded him how close Darwin was compared to Sydney, he was extremely excited to think he could go home and tell his family that perhaps he should continue his study in Darwin rather than Sydney. He was excited to think he could be only a few hours away from his home town, Jakarta, rather than seven or eight hours all the way from Sydney.
This is where education can play a pivotal role in strengthening our relationship with Indonesia. There is also a two-way street and I see where there can be some strong links with our Indigenous population. One thing I learnt in Indonesia was they are as much interested in development in the Northern Territory and investing in the Northern Territory as they are in learning from our culture and what we have to offer. I am really excited we can work in that space and involve Indigenous people in the Northern Territory directly with our Asian neighbours.
In Asia you come across diverse countries and cities. Singapore has high environmental standards. Other areas throughout Asia perhaps do not have such high standards but they are all interested in the environment. You see some of the issues in places as close as Bali. Even a small island like Bali has some sound environmental issues.
If you go to Jakarta, you see a massive city growing. It is a city of about 12 million people. The traffic there is amazing. When you engage with the Indonesians, they are particularly interested in what they can do and where they can work in regard to the environment, and what they can do better than they are doing today. Not only do Indonesians want to invest in the Northern Territory, they are also very eager to learn more about the way we do things, our regulations and water usage. They want to increase their skills and learn from what we have to offer. There is so much we can learn from each other regarding housing.
This is why I am thrilled the County Liberal government has a three-hub economy. When you look at some of the water resources we have in the Northern Territory, as far down as the Ord River system, there are areas full of opportunity to provide a strengthened relationship with Asia. Areas like the Ord, Katherine, Mataranka and even in Ti Tree, in the middle of a country, in the middle of nowhere, you see grapes, melons and other fruits growing out of the red sandy soil. Goodness gracious me. If you can be in the middle of the desert and get melons and other crops such as grapes to grow, the potential is enormous.
The Coalition has a vision for the north of Australia, as you saw recently when it released its policy on growing the north. It has often been said over the years that people have dreams of running pipelines from the north to the southern regions. Others will say, ‘Why bother running pipelines south when you could be bringing people north?’ This is where the opportunity is. Again, this is why our relationships with our Asian neighbours are so damn important.
I remind everybody why we are here. It is about what we are trying to do for Territorians, and making the opportunities that present themselves to our north come to fruition in the Northern Territory. We can provide the opportunities for Territorians. To do that, as a government we need to engage. We need to engage not once, not twice, but time and time again.
I had planned to visit Indonesia shortly to meet up with the KADIN and invite them back to Australia for the AusIndo Forum, which is very important. There is much work being done at the moment with the Chamber of Commerce behind the scenes. The new Minister for Business, Dave Tollner, will be working in that space. The Chamber of Commerce and the KADIN in Jakarta are very powerful mediums. This is about investment, jobs, security and a future for Territorians, not just the people in this room but the people outside the room, including our children, the people who are going through our primary and high schools. The children who will benefit tomorrow if we can get this relationship right …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 36, I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells, please.
We have a quorum.
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Brennan.
Motion agreed to.
Mr CHANDLER: I will not take much time. I know the subject is very engaging. I also understand how enthusiastic I might sound. This is an important issue. I thank the minister for bringing this statement forward. There is so much we can do and the times we have involved our southern counterparts and other politicians - there is a real opportunity to turn the Northern Territory around, engage with Asia and take that opportunity. We need assistance from the federal government because there is a real opportunity to be able to offer special support - whether it is zoning in regard to taxation or bringing Asian workers into the Northern Territory. That is where we need federal intervention to help turn the Northern Territory into a special zone. If we can do that, it can make huge inroads into our engagement with Asia. It will not affect Victorians, the people of New South Wales, South Australia or Queensland. We are a small jurisdiction when it comes to our population, but we need to work hard to support the businesses we have in the Northern Territory. We can do that through special zones, but we need federal help in that area.
Only if we have a change of government later this year - I know not only Territorians, but Australians, are praying for that – will we see the real vision the Country Liberals have today come to fruition because we will have a federal government which shares that vision in working to bring people to the north, supporting the north, supporting the infrastructure we need which will help us engage even further.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I will finish with what minister Westra van Holthe said in his statement:
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Mr Deputy Speaker, I close the debate on this very important statement for the Northern Territory. Listening to the contributions over the course of today and the last sitting period, when this statement was brought to the House, I have found myself thinking about a great number of things. I thank everybody sincerely for their contributions to the debate on this statement.
A couple of things arose today. First, a sense of much gratitude in that I appreciate the very kind comments from my colleagues on this side of the House with respect to my responsibilities as the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and the Minister for Mines and Energy. I enjoy my job and have a particular passion for it, not necessarily because I have a primary industry background, nor do I have a mining background, although I am unsure if I mentioned before when I left high school many years ago I commenced a Bachelor of Science majoring in geology. I did not complete that course and left for a number of reasons; perhaps study at the time did not suit me. Nonetheless, I have always had that interest.
I can assure you the real driver for me is what these two very important portfolio responsibilities represent for the Northern Territory. They are two of the three hubs identified by our government as being most important and critical for the economy of the Northern Territory. That is one part of it. The other part is I found myself today feeling a great sense of relief - I guess is one way of putting it - but certainly a great sense of support in the words from my colleagues for these two areas of government.
I have been heard to say in this House I thought the former Primary Industry minister, in some respects, did not do a bad job. I believe he was hobbled by the then government which did not have an interest in the primary industry. Despite the former minister’s best intentions and efforts, his efforts were stymied by his colleagues who do not give two hoots about primary industry. Nonetheless, that is history.
I feel very supported by my colleagues on this side of the House. That means I can take a great deal of comfort from the fact I want to drive these things and will be supported by my colleagues in the way I operate. It is fantastic to be part of a government that wants to drive the primary industry and mining sectors forward. You must remember the Northern Territory was built on the cattle industry, a very significant part of the primary industry sector. I have a feeling that over the last 11 years of the former government, they forgot that. They forgot the roots of the Territory. With their focus on social welfare and matters around that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from delivering social outcomes, they forgot about the real drivers of the economy of the Territory.
That is no more. There is now a government which is committed to ensuring we drive our economy hard and strong, particularly in the context of the Asian century and the role the Northern Territory will play in it. It is an extremely gratifying and exciting time. I said in the debate last night on that silly motion about the Mataranka water licence that the people of the Northern Territory can expect to see a government of action. We will be doing things. People had better start getting used to the idea this government will drive things along. You will see new agricultural developments, mining and exploration, subject to the investment climate, leaping forward. We are not about sitting on our hands; we are about driving change for the Territory and making things happen.
The opposition and the naysayers will need to get used to the idea. They have lived in some wishy-washy land of milk and honey for the last 11 years, thinking it is okay to bumble along and tread water, which was the case under the former government. That has come to an end. However, we will do it in a careful, measured and sustainable way. Much has been said about the sustainability of our water resources, for example, and there are some diverging views on that. Some on the other side would suggest we have the potential to become the next Murray Darling but the member for Fong Lim, the Deputy Chief Minister, articulated very well the differences between the Murray Darling system and what the Northern Territory is like. I have no fear we will end up in the same state as the Murray Darling system. We have an abundance of water and water is life. Unless we allow access to that water, nothing will go ahead.
I want to touch on a few things individual members have said over the course of this debate. I was listening quite intently to the member for Casuarina, who is the former minister. In his debate he was quite strident in his defence of what the Labor government had done. The tone of his debate was, ‘We did all that and you are just following in our footsteps’. It is easy to argue that so I might do the same and say over the last 11 years the Labor government was following in the footsteps of the former CLP government, remembering the CLP government was in power in the Northern Territory for 27 years. The former Labor government would like you to believe when it came into power in 2001, the Northern Territory was a barren place, probably prehistoric looking, no development at all, and it built it up from the ashes. That is not the case at all.
Labor inherited an amazing legacy of hard work put in by the former CLP government, and I think about how the Territory was built in those years. The former CLP government built the Territory. I think about the projects it undertook and were successful in completing, like the railway line, the gas pipeline, housing, schools - you name it, right across the board. I remember coming to Darwin in 1984 and one of the first jobs I had was as a brickie’s labourer. They were the good old days and I worked hard. The activity in Palmerston was where I spent a fair bit of time in those early days - Gray and Driver - working with a couple of brickies. The activity was frenetic. The Territory was growing. It was an amazing place to be. No wonder people were excited about moving to the Territory. It was still a frontier, but there was a lot happening. It was a wonderful place to be and I take comfort from the fact the philosophy behind the former CLP government in wanting to build the Territory - big strategic pictures, thinking ahead - is the same philosophy the new CLP government has. We want to see activity taking place; we want to drive development across the Northern Territory.
As the member for Blain said several months ago when talking about the gas to Gove deal and the potential for the gas pipeline connecting Mount Isa with Tennant Creek, these types of strategic programs are in our DNA. It is what we do. We think big. Unless you have big dreams and big goals all you end up doing is what the Labor government did for 11 years: tread water ...
Ms Walker: Who brought INPEX to the Northern Territory?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: That would have happened anyway, member for Nhulunbuy. Where else were they going to go?
Ms Walker: Ha, I love you. You are rewriting history. The CLP did not support INPEX.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I will pick up on that interjection. The member for Nhulunbuy said the CLP did not support INPEX. What a load of bunkum. How can you sit there with a straight face and attempt that piece of rubbish.
Ms Walker interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. That was the tone of the member for Casuarina’s address to this statement. He was, of course, rewriting history, and that cannot be tolerated. We are quite happy to set the record straight. Think about mining and how that has gone over the past 20 or 30 years. There was one new mine in the 11 years Labor was in power. Before that, Gove, Groote, The Granites, Ranger and McArthur River were up and running. There is a heap more but too many to name.
We now have the Australian ilmenite company near the Roper River, a fantastic opportunity which ties in beautifully to this statement with respect to the Asian century, because even though that product will be mined here and beneficiated to the point it is separated from the other sand, it will be shipped overseas and some of that will go into Asia, without a doubt.
The member for Casuarina also spoke about the Ord. The Ord is a particularly important aspect of what we are doing and our linkages into Asia, given Kimberley Agricultural Investment is the preferred proponent in Western Australia. It is a Chinese company which will, hopefully, develop that and turn Ord Stage 2 and, hopefully, Ord Stage 3 into something amazing with exports of sugar to China.
He mentioned being careful about spending on infrastructure. Thanks for the advice, member for Casuarina. Of course we are very careful about the infrastructure spending. I am sure parts of agreements will reflect benefits to the Territory that might come from private investments rather than solely and discretely from the government.
Turning more to today, I thank the member for Nelson for his comments. He has a very strong interest in agricultural pursuits in the Territory and I applaud him for that. He spoke about a few things, such as mangoes, and pointed out - if it was not him, it was someone else in the House who pointed it out today - half of Australia’s mangoes come from the Northern Territory. In fact, it is a little more than half. A little over half of that half comes from the Katherine region, which is fantastic. There is an enormous amount of work being done to position ourselves in the Northern Territory as direct exporters of our mango products into Asia. What was rightly pointed out is most of our mangoes go south, and are then treated and sent overseas from other ports. My department is working on ways to ensure we can process in the Territory, and finding ways through some of the protocol issues around importing into Asian countries. Much work is being done in that space.
I also listened to the member for Nelson when he was talking about the water licence in Mataranka, and the need for a cautious approach. He, obviously, is supportive of development but in a cautious way. I assure the member for Nelson we will be cautious and mindful of the environment before we make major decisions around any types of developments. It would be irresponsible not to. We will see an enormous drive in the Territory with the change of government so we can see the future of Territorians come to a wonderful fruition. There is an enormous upside available to us in the years and decades to come.
There was discussion around agriculture and cattle, and even fishing - certainly around mining. I re-pledge my support to our Asian relationships. I am going to use the word ‘relationships’, because it is absolutely vital. In the history of the Northern Territory, particularly around the establishment of our live cattle trade into Indonesia - I do not know if you would call him the father of the live cattle trade into Indonesia but he was one of the fathers; a bloke called Mick Palmer. He is renowned for the work he did on developing the live cattle trade into Indonesia, and I take my hat off to him. I think about the anecdotal stories I have about Mick. I have met him a few times and have never had an opportunity to have a great, long chat with him. He was renowned for virtually, as someone said, living in Indonesia. He did not live there, but he spent a great deal of time there. That is how you develop relationships in Asian countries. You do not do it with a megaphone across the ocean, and you certainly do not do it by telephone. I have canvassed the way the Leader of the Opposition would have tried to sort out gas to Gove using a telephone. It is about developing personal relationships, and that is why I have been to Indonesia twice since being elected into government, with another trip, as I said earlier, coming up soon. It is important to establish those relationships personally …
Mr Vatskalis interjecting.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I am sorry, I could not hear the interjection.
Mr Vatskalis: How could you develop a relationship without meeting the ministers there?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Casuarina. There are plenty of relationships that need to be forged with Indonesia and I guess, because you are now a wannabe minister and do not really understand what is going on anymore - of course I met with ministers there, you goose. Honestly!
Mr Vatskalis: Really? You did not mention anything in your media release. I know you did not meet any of the ministers.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I am not going to engage with the member for Casuarina. He is a wannabe minister. He was not too bad in his job in those days, but times have moved on, Kon.
Indonesia is certainly not the only place we are engaging. Of course, we will be continuing our relationship with China, particularly around the mining area, and with Japan and Korea. I have a trip heading that way this year as well because I understand the importance of developing those relationships.
I will not belabour what has been said in this House throughout the course of this debate. It has been a lengthy one.
This government is committed to growing the Northern Territory’s economy with a view to capitalising on our position in respect to Asia. I am very pleased, and I think I said during the statement that I was very thankful for the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper delivered by the Commonwealth government. It sets the stage for us to do some fantastic things and I guess it means the federal government, in saying it recognises the Northern Territory as an important part of that, will support us.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank again everyone for their contributions to this debate. It has been interesting to hear the different views. I assure this House and the people of the Northern Territory that we are committed to driving this economy forward.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Future Directions of the
Northern Territory Government
Continued from 26 March 2013.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the ministerial statement. I am aware Mr Bruyn is in the gallery so I will try to keep this reasonably brief in accordance with the arrangements with the opposition that, hopefully, at about 7 pm we can commence the Adjournment debate.
I want to concentrate on one component of what the Chief Minister has been talking about and that is, necessarily, the nature of debate in this House and the political strategies employed by both government and opposition.
The Chief Minister has, on several occasions, appealed to the opposition to effectively lift their game in how they proceed with debates in this House. There is clearly a strategy forming in the opposition camp and it is one I want to address in regard to the call the Chief Minister made. In the last couple of months we have seen numerous personal attacks, based on the flimsiest of evidence, against members on this side of the House.
Most recently was the issue of the water licence being issued to Mrs MacFarlane, the CLP candidate for the federal seat of Lingiari. Once again, the opposition has driven this point and used words like ‘corruption’, ‘the silver circle’, that type of allegation. However, to do that they would have to assert complicity not only from ministers of the Crown, which is part of their allegation, but also from public servants.
The public servant who is the Water Controller of the Northern Territory, it was suggested yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition, must be an extraordinarily weak man, timid and lacking mettle if he was going to roll over to the suggestions the Leader of the Opposition engages in. I do not understand this gentleman to be of such a disposition. Nevertheless, in the relentless pursuit of the political point, any collateral damage is worth it; any end justifies the means.
Also, the attacks on the member for Arnhem in regard to the Jawoyn Association and the fuel cards is a demonstration of an ability or desire to muckrake at any level to immediately try to score a political point. It was clear from the member for Arnhem yesterday that the so-called abuse of the fuel card was nothing more than her filling up the tank of another person’s car; namely, the member for Stuart. Hardly what you would call a reprehensive criminal offence and, whilst not strictly within the bounds of normal probity and the rules, was done innocently and was sought to be fixed by the member of Stuart the following Monday.
Once again, this is skulduggery of the lowest order being engaged in. We cannot forget the allegations against the member for Daly which, subsequent to the allegations being made public by the Leader of the Opposition, have been proved to be completely without foundation and unsupported by anything like evidence ...
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr ELFERINK: This technique is not new. I have taken time to investigate it and the rules that surround what the Leader of the Opposition, in particular, is attempting to do. She does not repeat her slander and defamatory comments outside this House, knowing full well the suit which would follow would be a substantial one. Nevertheless, she repeats it in this House and interjects with the words, ‘Not true’, in spite of the fact strong evidence has been brought into this House, including former staffers of the Labor Party who say the allegations against the member for Daly are unsubstantiated.
I have tabled five statements from identified persons, as well as quoted a staffer, and you have produced no evidence but reproduced the allegation. I will climb into the gutter. What I will do, however, is describe a way forward.
I refer honourable members to the Parliamentary Privilege chapter, page 711, of the House of Representatives Practice. I quote from that page:
There was no inquiry, no attempt to do anything by the Leader of the Opposition other than pursue the tawdry allegation from her informant and anonymously use that allegation in this House of privilege to slander the good name of the member for Daly ...
Ms Lawrie: He should not have said what he said.
Mr ELFERINK: He did not say it.
Ms Lawrie: Yes, he did.
Mr ELFERINK: Okay, then I suggest the Leader of the Opposition steps outside this House and repeats the allegation in front of the cameras. Repeat it outside. It will not cost you much more than your house.
That is the strategy. She feigns indignation but sees this as an opportunity because that is the strategy.
I have done some more homework on this and a matter was referred to the House of Representatives Committee of Privileges in November 1989:
I have just quoted from one of the minority reports setting out the facts:
Mr Kent took exception to that, as did other members of the parliament, because there was an implication that slurred his good name. The matter was referred to the Committee of Privileges and there was a majority finding which demanded an apology be made. There was no apology forthcoming and, as a consequence of that, if you read House of Representatives Practice 7.12, the House agreed to a motion calling on the member to withdraw and apologise. He declined and was subsequently suspended by the House for two sitting days. There was a penalty for abuse of the privilege.
I go back to the majority finding in that committee report and draw honourable members’ attention to paragraph 9(c) of that report:
I place on the record my deep concern that so many times allegations are raised against members of this House on tissue thin evidence, unsupported by documentation, and supported only by innuendo and the rumourmongering of people who have a political axe to grind. It is not beyond the boundaries of this House, and certainly not beyond the boundaries of contemplation, that we should move to protect the very precious privilege we have. With privilege comes great responsibility, and that responsibility needs to be exercised with diligence, carefulness and, ultimately, respect for the privilege we have been granted.
The privilege we have been granted dates back over 400 years. It is a privilege which has been reserved by virtue of the fact our democratic system occasionally needs the capacity for parliamentarians to be able to say things that would, in other circumstances, be considered slanderous, libellous, or defamatory. I care about protecting that privilege. What I believe is occurring is a strategy from the members opposite - and this applies to any member who would seek to employ this strategy. We have a duty, when we become aware of information we seek to introduce to this House under privilege, we make all reasonable inquiries to determine and endeavour the truth of the allegation being made. Unfortunately …
Ms Lawrie: I did! I spoke to the victim. I have statutory declarations from two witnesses
Mr Tollner: You are grubby!
Ms Lawrie: Because the woman is so deeply traumatised by what the grub said to her, I go no further. I tell you, a reporter from the NT News independently spoke to her …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we have a bit of order, please! Attorney-General.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. If it was just the one incident, I could almost trust the word of the Leader of the Opposition, but it is not, it is repeated attacks on any flimsy grounds. This is not part of a single cause, this is part of a strategy that is deliberately being unpacked. It is for that reason I am offering to the House, and every member in it, counsel as to how we use this privilege. It is a privilege that dates back 400 years. It is one we should cherish and respect and should not abandon. As far as I and members on this side of the House are concerned, we will move, if this strategy continues …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we have some order, please. Attorney-General.
Mr ELFERINK: This is a privilege I would like to see continue unchecked, because it is an important privilege to have. What I also say to members of this House is it is a privilege we are all committed to protect. One of the best ways to protect it is not to abuse it. The reason I mention this in this House today is if the strategy of the Leader of the Opposition continues, and allegations continue to be made which are unfounded and unsupported by evidence, then it will be something the Privileges Committee will be forced to look at. I have no hesitation in suggesting we, as a parliament, should not be afraid of trying to protect the privileges we have from abuse for mere political gain.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank all those who contributed to this debate, particularly the people from this side of the Chamber. Thank you very much, Attorney-General, for your contribution tonight. We laid out on Tuesday the future directions on how we want to move the Territory forward, build business, develop the Northern Territory, and create jobs. That is our platform and the way we want to move forward.
I challenged the Opposition Leader through that debate on Tuesday to come on a journey and raise the standard of debate in this Chamber. I have asked the opposition to start developing some policies and have a debate on a policy front, rather than mudslinging and dragging everybody down with the slurs they continue to parade, but we will wait to see how that goes in time.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms LAWRIE (Karama): Mr Deputy Speaker, this evening I give my heartfelt condolences to the family and the loved ones of Sally Bruyn.
I speak on behalf of my opposition colleagues. I also this evening speak on behalf of my colleague, Michael Gunner, the member for Fannie Bay, who knew Sally but cannot be with us because his grandfather has passed. I also speak as Delia the girl who grew up knowing your family and knowing Sally.
Michael wanted to say our strong families are often the people who shape our community, and there is absolutely no doubt Territorians and the Territory are better for the Bruyn family and your significant and ongoing contribution.
Fellow staff and past students all testify Sally understood the privilege she had, as a teacher, to guide our young Territorians, often making children feel part of her family. What a family she has. What a legacy she leaves.
Sally has guided many generations of Territory kids through lesson and example. While we are less for her loss, we are more for the time she spent with us. Michael wanted me to say that Sally will not be forgotten and she lives on through the deeds of the generations of future Territorians.
On my part, I recognise that some 300-plus mourners attended, packing St Pauls in Nightcliff, a strong recognition of the very high regard in which Sally was held in our community.
What a fine woman, what a fine example of what women can achieve. How appropriate that she had the most noble of pursuits as a teacher because the integrity of the woman was outstanding.
She was always that great, quiet, considered intellect, but so incredibly strong - what a force. I did not know and I did not ask, Andy – Bear - whether I could do this or say this but I know the many occasions and the great love you could tangibly see between them at functions and he would stir his Gorbachev. What an appropriate nickname for an incredibly awesome woman.
It is a journey I have watched since I was a child, watching the love, the strength and the marriage, and watching, as a couple, Andy and Sally raise their beautiful children, Kathleen and John.
I know the involvement she had at Leanyer Primary School and the enduring work and commitment she had to the school, primarily to the students. Through the strength and support of the school, through the staff, through the leadership team with Henry Gray, as assistant principal, the message she has passed her legacy to generations is a very appropriate message given the incredible commitment she had to the community of Leanyer Primary School.
She lived life and grasped life and, tragically, fought cancer at the end of her life. She fought it with the dignity she had lived her life – an enormous dignity that many of us could learn from. She didn’t suffer fools very lightly but had compassion about her as well. It is something I admired in seeing such a strong woman, such a strong role model and such a great example of being completely focused and satisfied with being at the level at which you are. You see many great leaders in our education system rise into the policy settings and the department, the bureaucracy. Great strong leaders like Sally choose to stay at the school and impart their knowledge and give primacy to learning at the school. I genuinely admire and acknowledge the choice she made because the community of Leanyer, through generations, is all the better for it. I quote what Kathleen said in the eulogy:
Kathleen, she knew it. She saw you shine. She was so incredibly proud of her children. You made her incredibly happy. Andy, you have been a wonderful husband and support and father. It is the strength of your family that will endure. The people we love so dearly never truly leave us. Sally will always be with us. My deepest sympathy and condolences, and my deepest admiration for the woman who Sally Bruyn was and the contribution she made to the lives of so many Territorians and, most preciously, our children. Thank you for sharing with us Sally’s dedication to the Leanyer kids and community. Thank you.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, on 21 February this year, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Sally Bruyn, a beloved mother and wife, a strong woman whose battle with cancer took her from her loved ones at too early an age of 60 years.
Sally was born in Hobart, Tasmania, as the eldest of two girls and into a family that was struck with tragedy early as her father, Roydon Woodward, succumbed to cancer’s scourge. At an early age, she and her sister, Patricia, took on family responsibilities beyond their years to assist their mother, Nancy. A close bond was created between the two sisters, which is mirrored by the way in which Sally gained and held friendships with many others she met along the way, the character we recognise here today, and a lifetime dedication to family, friends and to the teaching profession. As her son, John, said at the celebration of her life:
That pragmatic and no-nonsense approach was exactly the way she applied herself to her own life.
After completing her teaching qualifications at the University of Tasmania, a path also followed by her sister Pat, she was challenged to head north and broaden her horizons with the new Commonwealth teaching service, which she did in January 1974. As her husband, Andy, said, she might have ended up in Yuendumu or Brunette Downs but came to Darwin in the Top End. She taught briefly at Parap and was appointed to the staff of the brand new Tiwi Primary School but Cyclone Tracy intervened and slowed that progress.
Sally was home for Christmas and missed Tracy, but she returned to Darwin and teamed up with another teacher, a lifelong and dearest friend to this day, Mary, who was every bit a part of Sally’s family and an aunty to the children. With Mary, Sally traversed the globe from Sydney to London and had many travels through Europe, Turkey, Greece, Italy, the USA, Asia, Fiji, New Zealand and many other places. Her delight was always seeing new places and people. As a teacher, I suggest that not only was she doing something she loved – the giving of learning - she was a lifelong learner herself. Her school, whichever she was at, consumed much time in her life. After Tiwi, she taught at Alawa, Wulagi, Durack, Leanyer and elsewhere. She worked long hours and set herself and others a high mark. As colleague and principal, Henry Gray, said:
Sally enjoyed not just the work in the school environment but was deeply involved in the activities around school time, the Beat and the School Sports Association being just two.
I do not have as much time as I would like in this adjournment to list the many other passions Sally had for life and learning, including playing, watching and assisting sport at all levels, but I will try. She played netball, A-grade tennis and squash, and could comment on the Ashes better than most broadcasters, something that would become a feature of her weekly discussion over the phone with her son. There was also advice for her daughter in the business of television and being around television, as Sally would ask questions and offer opinion in her words. More often than not there would be the comment, ‘New dress, wasn’t it?’ There was no getting things past her. She obviously cared and provided deeply for her children, whatever they were doing.
It is tragic she succumbed to such a rare ocular melanoma condition that first required drastic eye surgery and then spread and, ultimately, took her life. Sally faced the news with the courage and tenacity that made her character. She fought with everything she had for more time with family and friends.
The effect of her passing and the magnitude of the contribution can best be demonstrated by the thoughts of the enormous amount of people who attended her memorial service and the dozens of notices and condolences that filled the pages of the NT News. Close friends say she was devoted to her family and, by extension, the school and school family. Sally’s life was lived not for herself but for other people.
It is fitting her life be celebrated in this parliament by saying ‘thank you’ to her family, to support such a giving person and for allowing her to be remembered in this way. The contribution Sally has made to the people of the Northern Territory will outlive her forever.
I offer my sincere condolences to Andy, John, and Kathleen on the passing of a generous, caring and loving wife and mother, Sally Bruyn.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MANISON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness I deliver this adjournment to mark the passing of Sally Bruyn, a remarkable woman who made a great contribution to the Territory, particularly in the field of education. I acknowledge the Bruyn family, who are here today: her husband Andy and her daughter Kathleen. I also acknowledge her best friend Mary, and her former work colleague Henry Gray, and others who have gathered here tonight.
The passing of Sally Bruyn coincided with me becoming the newly-elected member for Wanguri. Attending my first Leanyer Primary School assembly was tough after hearing the sad news of her passing and seeing the devastated faces around the school. I did not have the opportunity to work with Sally, but I was certainly aware of how highly respected she was and was looking forward to working with her.
I thought it was best in our efforts tonight to mark Sally’s contribution to the community, particularly in my electorate through Leanyer Primary School, that I spoke to those who knew her best. I asked recently retired Leanyer Primary School Principal, Henry Gray, to share his thoughts on Sally’s contribution to the education of so many local children in the Leanyer Primary School community.
These are Henry’s words:
I thank Henry Gray for the thoughts he shared with me on Sally’s contribution to Leanyer Primary School and the education of local children.
I also attended Sally Bruyn’s funeral at St Paul’s church, which overflowed with attendees. The number of people paying their final respects to Sally truly demonstrated how highly respected she was and the contribution she made to the community in education and beyond. The church was full and overflowing for a reason.
During the funeral service, Sally’s children, John and Kathleen, delivered moving eulogies about their mother and the love they had for her. I could not believe the strength they found to do it. It was an extremely moving part of the service.
Sally’s daughter, Kathleen, has allowed me to share some of her eulogy on her mother with the parliament to help further mark on the record the strength and character of her mother and what a loving, caring and inspiring mother she was. Kathleen’s words were as follows:
I thank Kathleen for sharing her moving words with the parliament in memory of her mother.
Sally Bruyn’s contribution to the education of thousands of Territory children will be long remembered, especially at Leanyer Primary School.
I also acknowledge and thank the Education department for the support it gave Leanyer Primary School during the recent times and the support it gave to the staff, especially on the day of the funeral. I offer the Bruyn family, their friends, and the Leanyer school community as they work through their loss of Sally and the times ahead my deepest condolences.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I also pay tribute to Sally Bruyn. I saw her a few years ago. She was organising the Beat, which is organised chaos. You have kids running around everywhere getting ready for acts. Sally came out and showed what she was made of. She was a straight-talking, no-nonsense woman who knew how to handle a bunch of kids all hyped up, ready for a big show. It was then I realised, well, I thought I realised, why Andy referred to her as ‘Gorbachev’ - because of that straight talking, no nonsense style. What a great woman she was! She has obviously left a great legacy at Leanyer Primary School and for many hundreds of children who went to that school.
I always thought it was a bit odd that Andy would call his wife ‘Gorbachev’ and I did not realise at the time it was such a pet name and she quite liked it. It stunned me at the time.
I pass on my heartfelt sympathies to Andy, John and Kathleen. Your mother and wife had a wonderful impact on so many Territorians and was obviously much loved outside your family as well as within it. The fact so many people turned out for the funeral is testament to how well loved she was in the community. My deepest sorrows are with your family.
I also pay tribute to another great Territorian who was killed just three days ago, John Quintana. For those Territorians who knew John Quintana, you would have to know he was, at one time, the world bull-riding champion. John Quintana was from Oregon, in the United States of America. He came to the Northern Territory in 1987 when he bought Waterloo Station. For John Quintana, it was almost like he came home when he came to the Northern Territory. It was a big, wild, rough frontier and it was the sort of place where John Quintana fitted in perfectly.
John first came to world fame in 1971 when he rode a bull called V61, which was probably the most famous bull in the world at that time. V61 featured on the front cover of Life magazine beside Mohammed Ali. They were considered the two most dangerous weapons in the world, Mohammed Ali and V61. It was in his late teens or early 20s when John Quintana shot to fame as the first man to ride V61 for the full eight seconds. He scored 94 points, and in rodeo terms that is an incredible score. That professional rodeo record stood for almost a decade. In 1972, he became the world champion bull rider and, obviously, became world famous.
Many of us knew John Quintana and the legend that was the man. His house in Katherine looked like a hacienda. He said it looked like a hacienda because he was Spanish, irrespective of the fact he came from America. I had a bit to do with John Quintana and found him an absolute gentleman, a hell of a tough operator who had a hell of a handshake too. The Territory has lost two fantastic people in Sally Bruyn and John Quintana.
Madam Speaker, I pass on my deepest sympathies to Mr Quintana’s family as I do Sally Bruyn’s family.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, it is a sober moment when we reflect on the passing of someone who has lived large in our community, who has been an example and a witness of so many important and valuable things. That someone is Sally Bruyn, who has been a rock, demonstrating the value of marriage as we saw quite clearly presented to us at the funeral - a long-lasting, strong marriage; the power of love and a quality relationship; the virtues of loyalty to family, to friends and to her profession for over 40 years; the value of service to community, to education and to family. I had noticed Sally a number of times and saw her as a person of considerable strength, a person who did what she was called to do and did it well.
When going to a funeral the values of marriage are brought to us all to consider. When those two children, John and Kathleen, spoke as they did, it made us all consider what would be said of us when it comes to that time. Sally would have been so proud of what was said on that day. Those two wonderful children reflected on a life that had impressed upon them so greatly and so significantly that they were brave enough to stand there and courageous enough to be able to speak as they did. That was a wonderful moment, and one that has caused me to reflect very deeply.
To know this terrible journey started for Sally with the diagnosis of a condition that would result in the removal of an eye - my mother has lost an eye so I had that connection and wanted to know how that was. I was quite taken by how stoic, yet cheerful and courageous she was, and she moved on which also was a powerful witness to some strong values and principles that are an example to us all. For all who knew Sally and the Bruyn family, it was an absolute treat and she leaves a treasure for us all to enjoy. Knowing Andy as we do, Andy does not mind getting up and taking the opportunity to speak, but it was Kathleen and John who spoke. Andy did not speak; he had words of course, as Andy always has words, God bless him, but he could not speak. He gave those words to someone else because Andy could not speak. Those words were spoken by somebody else, and in my view Andy, what you did then spoke more powerfully than if you had spoken. Such was the love and the power of marriage over many years and the strength of loyalty and commitment that gave rise to two beautiful children who could speak as they did.
To know of the quality of the commitment and the service to education and the values and principles that were there on show for everybody - I thank you. I thank the Bruyn family and I thank that rock, Sally, who has left a legacy for us all to enjoy. My thoughts go to the three members of that family: Kathleen, John and Andy.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Speaker, to Andy, Kathleen, John, the wider family and her friends and colleagues, I pay tribute and say a few words. I also thank Henry, a very close friend and colleague, who helped put some of this information together.
Sally Bruyn commenced her teaching career in the Northern Territory in January 1974. From then, with a few interim breaks, she faithfully served our Territory as an educator for well over 30 years. There are not too many vocations that are more important than that of educating our children.
Sally will be remembered as a person who was extraordinarily dedicated to long-term service in the teaching profession. She was well-known and well-respected in education and community circles in Darwin and to many throughout the Territory.
Over the years, Sally Bruyn taught in a number of schools including Parap, Tiwi, Alawa, Anula, Wulagi, Durack and Leanyer.
With the passing of the years, she earned promotion to senior teacher then assistant principal. She has, on occasion, acted as principal, most recently at Leanyer school during Term 1, 2012. Her record of service in the Northern Territory was auspicious and distinguished.
In 2007, along with others, she was recognised for having given over 30 years of service to Northern Territory education - a genuine and caring educator. There was nothing about Sally that smacked of tinsel and glitter. Veneer and the gloss that shines from the surface of educational matters were not for her. She was a lady who delved deep into issues, drilling beneath the surface to reveal the substance and soul upon which true education should be based.
When educational initiatives were released to schools and when new directions where passed down from above it was Sally who explored those issues, examining them to understand the impact and the difference they would make to the lives of students and staff. She was a litmus and a filter. Nothing was ever unpacked to the staff for program implementation before a thorough examination of the pros and cons likely to play out through the teaching in classrooms. Sally did not carry out tasks of scrutiny in isolation, but rather led peers and staff to carefully consider and implement new ways forward. Her thoroughness in leading this group examination meant no tasks or requirements were thrust onto teachers and students without thorough preparation. Included was the sourcing of resource material necessary to make programs work.
Sally Bruyn worked extraordinarily long hours at her schools and during her various appointments. As a member of school leadership groups, she ensured all requirements of her role were thoroughly met. She was most recently a member of the Leanyer Primary School leadership team and put in extraordinary long and productive hours in pursuing educational needs. She was always known as a person who completed and finished all tasks with nothing ever being left to chance. There are perhaps a few lessons there for all of us.
She set a fine example to others in reliability, commitment and dedication. If Sally thought a program or teaching and learning approach was worthwhile she would promote it actively and follow it through with vigour. She also accepted the views of others and was prepared to adapt and change if persuaded it was in the best interests of students and colleagues.
Sally was heavily involved in extracurricular content, school sports, cultural contributions, the Beat, eisteddfods, holistic furtherance, Tournament of Minds, student services, and the employment of staff and support staff. Her extraordinary commitment was long term and appreciated by those organisations to which she contributed. She was conferred life membership of the Northern Territory Primary School Sports Association in recognition of her efforts.
When the Northern Territory Principals Association was broadened to represent assistant principals as members of the leadership echelon, Sally joined ANTSEL, the Association of Northern Territory School Educational Leaders, becoming an active contributing member. She also served on the Darwin chapter executive as Treasurer for a number of years.
Sally had a prime focus. Sally Bruyn was an educator who considered education from the inside out. To her, the critical nexus was the classroom and the interrelationship of children and students with teachers and support staff. She firmly believed schools are for children. She was known as a person firm in her belief that structure and organisation should always serve a firm educational purpose. Neither did she confine her interest to any single school alone. She contributed through considered feedback through the system initiatives.
Sally Bruyn led by example. She was a ‘do as I do’, not a ‘do as I say’ person. Her leadership authority at senior teacher, assistant principal and, on occasion, acting principal level, was derived from respect and esteem not merely from prescribed positional power. She was a person who led by doing,
Hundreds of people attended Sally’s funeral at St Paul’s church in Nightcliff on 27 February 2013. Past students, staff, and community members remembered, with her family, this outstanding teacher and fine person. They reflected upon her as a caring, sharing, empathetic, and giving person. The positiveness of her life affected the thinking of all those who gathered to mourn her passing and to celebrate her wonderful life. The passing of Sally Bruyn has removed from among us a fine teacher and proactive leader. She will be forever remembered by children, families, colleagues, and those school communities in which she gave selflessness and unrequited service. Her passing has taken a true professional who will be remembered by all who knew her as a caring teacher, an empathetic friend, a fine colleague, and a shining light.
Madam Speaker, Sally leaves the Territory a lasting legacy; the things she has done and the positive influence she had will remain forever glowing on and across the Northern Territory landscape. To Andy, Kathleen, John, and the wider family, my sincere condolences. If you can feel her and remember her, she will never leave. Andy, I think parents are often judged by how others see their children. With your children, you and Sally have done a tremendous job. Kathleen often reminds me so much of her mum, and the world is a better place for two wonderful parents and two wonderful children.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, much has been said about Sally Bruyn, and I will not go over that ground. She has been described as one of the most wonderful people in our community, and I endorse that.
Before I met Sally Bruyn, I had a very good insight of the type of person she was. I met Andrew Bruyn - in those days known as Andy Bruyn - in my days as a young police officer. That was in the days when we had analogue radios, and you could have scanners on them. Andy was one of those blokes who chased police cars, fire engines and ambulances around to get the best stories, some of which cannot be told in this House. Perhaps later, we can tell a few of those stories again and relive them.
Andy Bruyn was known as a really good bloke. We spoke about another journalist earlier today who the member for Casuarina said was one of the best of the old school journos. Well, he has a friend in the gallery at the moment, Andy Bruyn. As a police officer and a detective, Andy Bruyn was one of the blokes you could trust. That was right across the board. When you know someone and the integrity they have, when you eventually meet their wife you expect them to be a very similar person. When I met Sally Bruyn - I cannot remember when it was but it was in one of the schools. In my former life as a school-based police officer, I spent many years working alongside and with many fine teachers of which Sally was one. I knew Sally and I said to her, ‘You would be married to Andy?’ She said, ‘Yes’. I then knew she had to be a very special person because, generally, people do not marry people who are different to themselves. That was great.
One of the interesting things about Sally was she was always full of free advice and constructive criticism. I am sure the people in the gallery would know exactly what I am talking about. It did not matter where you were or what subject it was, Sally knew more than you, and it was true. She was like my mum; she knew so much about everything and you could not get away with it. Whether it was in the classroom or part of the executive management team at, more lately, Leanyer - they say Leanyer is one of the greatest schools in the Northern Territory and I agree with that. Henry stands out there but, interestingly, Henry will always tell you it was his team, and Sally was part of that team. What they achieved at Leanyer was magnificent and Sally Bruyn was part of that.
Sally demonstrated excellence not mediocrity, because she would not stand for that. She wanted everyone around her to be the very best they could. She put in the work to ensure that happened. So many students across the Territory have benefited, and not only those students but her two offspring, Kathleen and John, who had her most of the time; so you got most of the free advice and the constructive criticism. I am sure if you look back now you will have these words, and you will say them to yourself and to your mother wherever she is, looking at you, ‘Sorry, mum, you were right’. I wish I had a dollar for every time I said that to my mother. You will find you will do that.
We all want our children to become wonderful citizens and Sally and Andy have succeeded in that. You have two fine people who carry not only Sally’s memories, but her strength of character. I ask you, Kathleen and John, to have faith that those qualities will not only help you now, but they will carry you through the rest of your life. Every time you struggle think of your mother and the fact you will be saying, ‘Sorry, mum, you were right’. Remember those words and carry her strength and qualities and you will do very well in life.
Madam Speaker, it was a pleasure to know Sally Bruyn. I express my sincere condolences to you, and may she rest in peace.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, please stand for one minute’s silence to respect Sally Bruyn.
Members stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable members. Thank you to the Bruyn family for coming this evening. My deepest sympathy to you all on your loss.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, whilst I did not contribute to the debate, I pass on my condolences to the Bruyn family. The loss of a parent, particularly when you are young - Kathleen, I lost my mum at an early age and you have my deepest sympathy.
My duties today are to deal with the more mundane and pedestrian. I want to deal with an issue that arose this morning during Question Time when the Chief Minister was asked a surprising question relating to the erection of a fence. I was taken aback, I was aghast even, that a member would condescend to ask a question about a fence. However, the idea of the question was to identify the fence as the one surrounding the Country Liberals’ headquarters in Jingili in the member for Johnston’s electorate, and to infer the fence was erected because the Country Liberals’ headquarters needed to be fortified against the rising tide of crime, which the member for Johnston fancifully adheres to in his public pronouncements. However, some work has been done in this area to determine why the fence was erected. Like so many fences, it was erected to protect the property of, in this instance, the owner of the building.
It is curious to note the first piece of information I have run into is the fence was erected and partly paid for by the Labor government in Canberra. I found that somewhat surprising - a Labor government paying for the erection of a fence around the Country Liberal Party’s headquarters, according to the member for Johnston. Naturally, the Labor government in Canberra would never buy a fence for a political party, unless you were setting up a rental deal in Canberra under Paul Keating. That inspired further inquiry. It turns out the fence was there to protect not the Country Liberal Party’s headquarters but the office of the good Senator, Senator Nigel Scullion. It is interesting the Senator needed protection. It turns out the request for this fence was signed in March 2012, so it appears Senator Scullion needed protecting under the former Territory Labor government’s regime with a fence paid for by the Labor government to protect the CLP Senator from the Labor government’s policies in the Northern Territory.
One of the great problems you run into when you try to be cute in this House is unless you are certain of all your facts, you are sometimes being set up by the people who write the questions for you. My advice to the member for Johnston is if you want to pursue a matter of this nature, double check the facts and make certain you know what is going on because the person who shoves that question into your hand and thinks it is a great idea at the time, will probably not have done the requisite homework. The decision to sign off on this fence was made well before the change of government in the Northern Territory. I hazard a guess that under the new government the fence would be less necessary than it was under the former government. Well done, member for Johnston, a good piece of sleuthing; your job as a detective is assured should you ever fail as a member of parliament.
My real advice, without trying to be too cynical about it, is check your facts before you waltz in here because if you do not, you will be prone to make mistakes. Those mistakes will, ultimately, serve to embarrass you.
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, this week we have heard the government scrambling to clarify and justify the decision to grant the Country Liberal Party candidate, Tina MacFarlane, and her family a major ground water allocation for irrigation of their property, a decision stepping outside the draft Mataranka Water Allocation Plan. Today, we heard reflections on the glory days of the Country Liberal Party, the ‘can do’ attitude, even though they say a few mistakes were made along the way.
In relation to the Mataranka Water Allocation Plan, we have been told that since the Northern Territory election they have found quite a lot of new water, more than first thought in the Tindall aquifer - water that can be given away. My concern is not so much with the new Water Controller, the public servant caught in the middle of this; what is concerning is the whiff of something that is not quite right. The member for Barkly picked up on this when he commented yesterday on the body language of the Minister for Land Resource Management in replying to questions around this new arrangement. Yesterday, the Chief Minister was adamant in Question Time about the issue that it had not come to Cabinet. Hansard records him saying:
Today, a question was asked about the scrapping of the Strategic Indigenous Reserve, part of the Mataranka water allocation pool that could be used for Indigenous and economic development. The key part of the question was:
The minister’s answer included this disclosure:
So, there were Cabinet discussions. There were discussions outside of Cabinet with backbenchers. We will continue to question this arrangement so the truth will prevail.
I also wish to speak about a topic so sadly prevalent in the Northern Territory and ask what the government is doing in this area. Today, in Question Time, we heard so much from government about where the policies from this side of the House are? We are proud of our policies of a decade in government, many of which you are busy tearing up. I remind those opposite you are now the government, you were elected to lead for the Territory and our job is to hold you to account, expose your broken promises and debate your legislation.
The time will come when we represent ourselves as the alternate government spelling out our alternate policies. In the meantime, we will act for all Territorians, holding your government to account.
Sadly, domestic violence rates are continuing to rise in the Northern Territory. We see Indigenous women hospitalised for assault at a rate far higher than non-Indigenous women. During 2009-10, 840 Aboriginal women were admitted to hospital after being assaulted compared to just 27 non-Indigenous women. Exposing our children to this violence is tragic and has tragic lifelong consequences.
The Child Deaths Review and Prevention Committee sponsored the report into children and youth suicide, strongly endorsing the board of inquiry recommendations into the NT child protection system, but this government has thrown all that work out the door. I urge the government and the incoming Child Protection minister to ensure that body of work and knowledge is not lost. It was the most comprehensive report into child protection in the Territory’s history. I urge you, minister Anderson, to reinstate the Office of Children and Families as a stand-alone department so you, as you say with Women’s Policy, can have direct and firm control.
As Minister for Children and Families, you say we must not muck around with child protection, but under your government we have only seen cuts to the public service and slashing of the NGOs’ budgets. We have seen you throw out the recommendations from this most comprehensive inquiry into child protection yet put nothing in place. Where is your policy? You are the minister, yet in over seven months in government we have only seen one ministerial statement on child protection from your government, and that was from the previous minister. What are your policies? Where is your direction?
We have seen cuts to our health NGOs, those which provide preventative programs, vital programs and support the most vulnerable in our community. I call on the government to back down from the decision to cut funding to health NGOs by 5%, which I understand begins next week. These NGOs, many of them small groups, provide fantastic, frontline services to Territorians. This cut is devastating to them. I urge the government to not implement the 5% cut which begins next week. Many NGOs have spoken to me about these cuts and are devastated.
I question what you are doing in Cabinet and what we will see in the budget. I urge you, minister Anderson, to be fighting for those most vulnerable. I call on you to immediately reinstate the hospital domestic violence teams and to ensure there is funding in the budget for this vital service. You claim to have a grassroots perspective, a special understanding, but from what we have seen so far, we wonder what you are doing apart from giving your CLP mates a job.
Madam Speaker, the government has cut the domestic violence teams from our hospitals whilst, at the same time, stopping the Banned Drinker Register allowing people to access more grog. I urge the minister to put those domestic violence teams back in our hospitals, not cut funding to health NGOs by 5%, and to pick up the recommendations of the board of inquiry.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Madam Speaker, there are a few things I want to touch on in this adjournment debate. The first is around the debate we just heard from the member for Nightcliff. I will not be too hard on her, but I want to explain the difference between a policy decision of government and the decisions made by departments, heads of departments, and those with statutory authority, with particular reference to water allocations.
The decision on the Strategic Indigenous Reserve, to which the member for Nightcliff referred was a policy decision, therefore it was presented to Cabinet for a decision on policy. That is why it came to Cabinet. That is what we do on the Country Liberal side; we do not make policy on the run. We take these matters before the Cabinet and discuss them. Moreover, my reference to the fact the policy was further discussed with the members for Arnhem, Daly, Arafura and Stuart was a reflection of the respect the Country Liberals government Cabinet has for the other members of our party serving on these benches.
Conversely, the decision with respect to the MacFarlanes’ licence at Mataranka was made by the Water Controller under the statutory provisions of the Water Act. Therein lies the difference, member for Nightcliff: one is a policy decision and one is a decision made by a statutory appointment under the act. No more on that for the moment.
While I am on my feet, I add a couple of words to pass on my condolences to the Bruyn family. I did not know Sally, but when journalists spend a great deal of time on TV and then we meet them in real life, there is almost a feeling we have known them for a long time. I remember meeting Andy around the time I moved to the Northern Territory in 1984. He was presenting on television, I think as a Channel 8 reporter. Since that time I have met Kathleen. You get to know the journalists around town. I pass on my condolences for the loss of both wife and mother at a relatively young age; it is tragic to lose someone so young.
I will also touch on something the member for Fong Lim spoke about tonight, the sad passing of John Quintana. John was born in 1950 and died in 2013. It is with sadness I note the passing of two figures deeply rooted in Australia’s primary industry. On Monday this week, at around 5 am, Mr John Quintana and Mr Charlie Maher passed away following the crash of their light aircraft shortly after taking off from Roma Airport in Queensland.
Mr Maher was the CEO of Ray White Livestock, and Mr Quintana, who I will speak about tonight, was an influential figure in the creation of northern Australia’s live cattle trade.
Born in 1950 and raised in the United States, John Quintana made his first visit to Australia in the late 1970s. Clearly, he liked what he saw, returning 10 years later and purchasing one of the Northern Territory’s premier cattle stations, Waterloo. At the time, the Northern Territory was a frontier land; civilisation had yet to stretch its fingertips to the far reaches of our rugged and rough landscape. Trail-blazing men and women risked much to take on the land and develop something from nothing.
John was one of those figures. Originally from Basque Country, Spain before his family moved to the USA, John became a polarising figure in the bush. In 1971, at the age of 21, he won the world bull riding championship buckle. The member for Fong Lim articulated well the stories about the bull called V61. After he tired of making a living refusing to be bucked off the back of a bull, he returned his hand to cattle trading and, in the late 1970s, made his first trip to the Northern Territory where he liked what he saw.
John’s character and spirit quickly endeared him to local Territorians. Noticing in the early 1990s the tight market for beef sales across northern Australia, John began exporting live cattle to Asia in 1992. The first shipment left Darwin in mid-1992 and was established through a personal contact he had in the Philippines. The Philippines trade grew to around 4000 head of cattle by the end of that year.
John established Walco International and, within a decade, was one of the largest exporters of live cattle utilising the wharf facilities in Darwin. In 1997, just prior to the Asian currency collapse, John exported 100 000 head of live cattle for revenue in excess of $50m.
In addition to Waterloo Station, John purchased other Territory properties in his time: Carbeen Park on the Katherine River which John used as a holding depot to service the live cattle trade and, of course, one of the Territory’s premier stations, Killarney.
I will touch quickly on the legacy John left our Northern Territory government. John was a regular on NT government trade missions with the then Primary Industry minister, Mick Palmer, exploring new markets and opportunities to grow the live cattle trade. It is this early work of government and industry working together and developing relations and partnerships with our Asian neighbours that helped to grow the live cattle trade.
John led the way in investigating new markets in Vietnam and the Middle East, and was awarded the prestigious NT export award for agribusiness. John did much for people living across northern Australia, not just in the Northern Territory. He leaves behind a lasting legacy and a tale very few can top. He was a true Territory cowboy, an icon of the bush. Those untamed lands he turned into thriving cattle stations must have bucked harder than any bull he ever got on, but he stayed on and saw them flourish.
As minister for Primary Industry, I thank John Quintana for his contribution to the Territory story and I pay tribute to his role in establishing the north Australian cattle trade. What a remarkable man.
My deepest sympathy to John’s family and, of course, to the family of Charlie Maher. They are gone but not forgotten, Madam Speaker.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Speaker, my contribution in adjournment could be considered a synopsis of not only this week, but of the Country Liberal Party as I have found them in this House. It has a subtitle, ‘The hypocrisy of the member for Port Darwin’.
Upon arriving in this House in 2008 - my first time in parliament, brand new to politics in a formal environment - I watched the Country Liberal Party opposition arrive dressed in brand new suits and then conduct a relentless personal attack on every member of government.
I had to learn quickly on my feet. I was quite shocked at the personal nature of the business conducted in this House by the Country Liberal Party opposition, and the member for Port Darwin was one of the leaders. I well remember the brutal, insulting, personal attacks on the member for Arafura and the relentlessness which not only attacked the member, but her family members as well.
I remember the sharing and caring of the government members as we endured that style of political brutality day after day. I remember the member for Arafura talking about family members and their concerns, their hurt and their shame. We gathered as a team regularly and supported each other.
Those attacks never stopped. I remember the political assaults that turned into personal attacks on the member for Daly, Rob Knight. I remember the same style of politics from the CLP opposition with relentless attacks on the member for Arnhem, Malarndirri McCarthy, and the same style of attack with a Central Australian theme coming from Alice Springs’ members on the member for Stuart, Karl Hampton. I cannot believe the hypocrisy of the member for Port Darwin with his veiled threats that, ‘If we continue in a line of a personal issues’, then what?’ The glass jaw of the member for Port Darwin is incredible. He has a short memory and questionable political morals given for four years I witnessed in this House a Country Liberal Party opposition that continued to challenge the government with a personal approach.
The pinnacle of my shock and horror at that style of politics from the Country Liberal Party was in the federal campaign, with the personal attacks on the member for Solomon, Damian Hale, and his family. I remember the Chief Minister taking the new members like myself aside, supporting us and giving us advice. Paul Henderson told me, ‘Look, mate, it gets a bit rough in this place’. He gave me good strategies to deal with it, but he said, ‘At election time, it gets even worse’. I did not really understand what the chief was talking about until I came into this House and saw that relentless personal campaign conducted against Damian Hale. I saw the human element emerge in that because I saw the member for Brennan dish up a lot of the dirt to sling at the then member for Solomon, Damien Hale. I watched the member for Brennan closely and you could see he was not comfortable with that approach and, eventually, he apologised because he felt it was not appropriate.
Here we have the member for Port Darwin and his ultimate hypocrisy and veiled threats, talking about what they will do to us if we continue to prosecute every element of what we see as injustices to the Northern Territory, bad policy, or issues within the Territory which are not right. It seems to be something that will continue down this road. The Chief Minister says it is a ‘journey together’. I have been on the journey with the Country Liberal Party for four years and now I am on a journey with the Country Liberal Party in government.
Let me give the Country Liberal Party in government a view of what people from the bush are looking at, because I will be in a Toyota very shortly heading back into the regional remote areas. We have seen constant dysfunctional behaviour and disunity. We have seen leadership challenges and a revolving door of ministers. We have seen a chaotic Budget Cabinet process where there has been incredibly unprofessional and disloyal behaviour. We have had three Treasurers in seven months. We had a final leadership challenge which was conducted with total disloyalty and disrespect. We then saw reversals of policy decisions that we have championed with the Northern Territory. We celebrate any commonsense thinking on what were incredibly bad decisions around the power, water and sewerage charges, and the ridiculous charge of $20 to queue at a Motor Vehicle Registry office.
We now see the shifting of a plan. We have been told in debate in this House - I found out through the media - that the budget has to be pushed out. The Leader of Government Business’s excuses for the budget being pushed were absolutely discredited by the Leader of the Opposition who was ruthless in her qualitative assessment of his contribution to debate. It was quite embarrassing to see that level of debate come from the Leader of Government Business, the member for Port Darwin, who normally is far more honest, sincere and accurate in his contribution to debate.
I say to the Country Liberal Party government that this continual disunity and disloyalty, and what is, essentially, pathetic government, has denied the Territory its fundamental road map; that is, certainty for business with budgets that define government support for services and infrastructure across the Northern Territory in a critical time of the Northern Territory’s development. We have been denied that. It has been pushed out. The Leader of the Opposition gave a very accurate contribution to debate and requested that this be finally put to bed and that there is unity to push this budget out the door.
I also say to the Treasurer that I am looking forward to what seems to be normal convention and common sense; that is, the budget road show. I remember budget road shows well across the region. In the Barkly, we come together to be presented with the Territory budget in Tennant Creek. I am really looking forward to the Treasurer, and any members of the government who come to support him, telling the constituents of the Barkly and Tennant Creek the plan, the bad news, the good news. We will sit there and take it.
There seems to be a common value creeping through that, as opposition members, we are not welcome. Treasurer, I have been around the ridges for a long time. It is a small town; I will find out when it is on and will crash the party. You do not have to put me down for the catering; I will not want cucumber sandwiches. I want to sit with constituents and hear the budget briefing from the Treasurer in Tennant Creek as part of the regional road show which was always exciting and informative for the people in the regions, and an opportunity for constituents to have their say.
Mr Deputy Speaker, it was never easy sailing for the Labor government. I stood shoulder to shoulder with the Treasurer over four years and there were many questions and concerns, but it was good and honest dialogue. It came from a community that was interested and Treasurer, member for Fong Lim, I am looking forward to that once again, having you in Tennant Creek with in the vicinity of 40 to 50 people attending.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Mr Deputy Speaker, this evening I pay tribute to one of my constituents who recently lost her battle with motor neuron disease. Rhonnda Marie Franklin was born on 1 February 1946 and passed away on 22 March 2013. Yesterday, I attended her funeral, where there were many friends and family members. Whilst it was a very sad occasion, it was also a celebration of Rhonnda’s life.
Rhonnda was born to parents Frank and Juanita Firth and was the youngest of six siblings, including Beryl, Arnie, Leon, Leola and Dorothy. At 18 months, Rhonnda drank spirits of salts. The doctor said she only survived because she had just eaten. I was a little curious about that. I should have known what spirits of salts was. People who are a little older than me would know. It is hydrochloric acid. At the funeral, someone said another young child drank this and was not so lucky. I do not know if that person survived or not, but, clearly, Rhonnda had a surviving spirit.
At four, Rhonnda fell out of a second storey bedroom window and was lucky to escape with only minor injuries. I believe this was a signal that her life was going to be an outdoor, rough and tumble type of life. She attended Karumba primary school and Coffs Harbour High. Her first job was in a newsagency before moving to a travel clerk’s job whilst living in a flat with her sister, Leon, in Coffs Harbour.
In 1965, Rhonnda met and married the love of her life, Barry. They were married in Coffs Harbour and moved to Narrabri and had two beautiful sons, Scott born in 1968, and Matt born in 1970.
They then moved to Papua New Guinea for a period of 18 months where Barry worked as a carpenter. On their return to Australia they purchased an F100 and a 22 ft caravan in which they travelled the country on a working holiday before finally settling in Darwin in 1974.
Rhonnda loved the outdoors and her favourite things were outdoor activities such as fishing, camping and gardening. She often took her beloved cats and dogs with her camping on the beach, cutting the best fillets for her cats. At her funeral there were many photographs on the PowerPoint presentation of Rhonnda and her beloved cats.
Rhonnda was also a very talented artist, dressmaker and patchworker, and was very well-recognised for it, winning many awards for her hard work. Rhonnda loved to make dolls and would get Scott and Matt to stuff them while they watched television at night, after which Rhonnda would deck them out in dresses and suits and sell them from the family home in Nakara, before they moved to the rural area. Rhonnda made many amazing friends though her patchwork and quilting activities, even taking the holiday she had always wanted to America and Canada with some of her friends. Art and sewing was the lifestyle Rhonnda loved and the friendships she had made were there for her until the end.
At the funeral, several people gave eulogies. I want to read some of those because they show the kind of person she was. Even though she was a very quiet person in some ways, she had an extensive network of friends, especially in the area of patchwork and quilting and all things art and craft. Rhonnda was involved with the Territory quilting club for approximately 10 years, but had been quilting for many more years before that. This club, and the quilting people, were involved in making charity quilts which were gifted to non-profit organisations. Quilts of Love were given to all hospitals in the Territory and they also made dog beds for the RSPCA in the Territory. They also gifted quilts to other organisations on request, and as available.
As you may or may not know, quilts, beautiful as they are, take a long time to put together. The club she was involved with participated in making bed quilts after the bushfires in Victoria a couple of years ago, and after the recent floods in both north and south Queensland. This meant they were working very hard over a long period of time. Rhonnda was instrumental in all other activities, and always went out of her way to help other patchworkers and quilters to achieve their goals.
Rhonnda was a member of the Quilters Down the Track. That is where I met Rhonnda, at the Beehive at Freds Pass when I went to say hello to these people very early in my time as a local member. They met there regularly, and I used to pop down on Tuesday mornings when I could to have a cup of tea and a chat. Rhonnda very patiently tried to teach me how to sew. Quilting was a complete loss to me because I could never quite understand why people would want to cut up sections and quarters of materials and then sew them all back together.
She also gave people quilting lessons at St Luke’s in Palmerston, and at Humpty Doo for pensioners or like-minded sewers. She would also welcome anyone who came to the Territory to go to Quilters Down the Track if they just wanted to sit down, have a cuppa, and do a bit of sewing.
Rhonnda often used to come to my office because she did the photocopying of designs, pictures, and things quilters do, and used to chat to Trish O’Hehir, my electorate officer, about what they were doing. I used to chat with her as well. I found at the funeral, talking with some of the ladies there, they would come home from wherever they had been and find Rhonnda had dropped off new designs and new patterns for them to start their next quilt. She never wanted anything in return; she only wanted the satisfaction that people were enjoying themselves and achieving something special which they had made.
Rhonnda was also a member of the encounter group, which was a bunch of like-minded ladies who met once a month to sew, chat, eat, gossip, and generally have a good time. Not many people were aware that Rhonnda was also responsible for gathering goods and organising and packing them into shoe boxes for underprivileged children in countries not as fortunate as our own. This took a great deal of commitment from Rhonnda. It was jolly hard work and at times Rhonnda and Barry’s shed and home resembled a war zone, with shoe boxes and goods scattered everywhere. The things they put into the shoe boxes were toys for children and some clothing for the women, and perhaps clothing or beanies, depending on if it was a cold country, for the men. Everything about their house and what they did was taken in their stride and there were never any complaints.
Rhonnda was a generous and loving wife to Barry, her husband, a considerate and caring mother to Scott and Matt, and a helpful and devoted grandmother to her grandchildren. She was generous with her time. It was obvious to me at the funeral, and from what I have known of Rhonnda and Barry, that she had a great love for him and her family, and would do anything within her powers of persuasion to help them out.
It was a great loss to lose Rhonnda because she was a lovely person who came to my office often. She will be sorely missed by not only Barry and her family, her sons and grandchildren, but by the many and the mixed variety - and there are a lot - of patchworkers, quilters and sewing people across the rural area in the Northern Territory.
I say to Barry, I am sorry for your loss, and Rhonnda Marie Franklin may you rest in peace.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Mr Deputy Speaker, interesting comments from the member for Barkly. He has not learnt much in four years, clearly. ‘Things are a bit up and down and there has been a bit of a roller coaster and things can get a bit turbulent’. Yes, no kidding! This is politics, mate. If you want the seamless, orderly, trouble-free environment, I suggest you join the Army or something. You have not learnt much from your mentor, Paul Henderson.
I quickly inform the House of, and put on the Parliamentary Record, a wonderful relationship the Northern Territory government, through Tourism NT, has struck with the Melbourne Football Club. Tourism NT understands the high profile the AFL has around the country, and its strong links and engagement through the Territory.
This is one of the great benefits of being the minister for Tourism and the minister for Sport; what can start as a sporting conversation can conclude as a tourism arrangement. That is precisely what has happened between the Northern Territory government and the Melbourne Football Club. The sponsorship arrangement will enable us to tap into the AFL’s massive following, particularly in Melbourne. The Melbourne Football Club has a strong affinity, as we know, with the Northern Territory, having played a home game here for the past three seasons, and held their nine-day pre-season training camp in the Top End during December last year, part of their new style of high-humidity training.
The sponsorship agreement includes the Tourism NT logo - our famous brolga which is instantly identifiable right around the country - appearing on the coach’s box and the team board, their club’s polo shirts and their tracksuits, signage in the MCG change rooms, and coverage on the club’s media backdrop. So whenever you see media conferences you will see the backdrop with their sponsors, one of which will be Tourism NT.
This will lead, we believe, to significant media exposure for Tourism NT with the coach’s box regularly shown through our televised games watched by thousands of footy fans across Australia every week. We are talking saturation coverage in Victoria. Anyone who has any appreciation of the following AFL has in Victoria will understand the saturation coverage we are talking about. There are numerous football shows during the week on television and radio, three or four newspapers covering AFL, and all sorts of commentary on it. The Melbourne Football Club, being one of the oldest football clubs - in fact, I think it is the oldest football club in the league - gains enormous amounts of exposure, despite, in recent times, their under achievements on the field. We certainly hope that will change.
Our Tourism NT logo is instantly recognisable: the brolga with the sunset. It will appear on news broadcasts and the top-rating footy shows across the country. The package announced includes direct marketing to the Demons - this is one of the great bits of this arrangement - members and corporate database and advertising on the club’s website. There are about 35 000 members of the Melbourne Football Club, which is a pretty healthy membership for a club.
It is a significant club in the AFL and it allows us to tap directly into that membership database promoting holiday ideas and specials to travel to the Northern Territory. If there are any Territorian members out there you will see popping up in your inbox now and then, or on your Twitter or text messages, all sorts of holiday deals to the Northern Territory. While you already live here and appreciate and understand how wonderful this place is to come and visit on holiday, think of those Victorians and the rest of the members scattered right across the country who will be seeing that and saying, ‘What a great deal. I might head off to the Northern Territory, spend some money and stay a few nights’.
The agreement will deliver excellent ongoing exposure in Melbourne, the home of football. It is an important domestic market for us. Recent research has indicated that Victoria – Melbourne, followed by the broader Victorian public - see the Northern Territory as an important tourism destination they want to go to. More Victorians have it on their bucket list than any other jurisdiction. More people in Victoria want to see the Northern Territory than anyone else. Once Victorians have visited the Northern Territory they are also the most likely to return. So it is a very important domestic market for us.
That supports our meeting in London with Tourism Victoria. At our meetings in London with Tourism Victoria we talked about how to support each other because Victoria is also a vital gateway for our international market. Once they get to that gateway, they come into the country through Melbourne. Then we would like them to also experience the Northern Territory.
We will have a very aggressive sales and conversion message to the Melbourne Football Club and AFL audiences to ensure a return on the investment, and the Demons have commenced an aggressive rebuilding phase to take them to the top of the AFL ladder. Tourism NT is very excited to be aligned with the club.
The Melbourne Football Club is one of the oldest clubs, if not the oldest. I know there is sometimes some contention, but I believe it is the oldest football club in the league. Melbourne is a wonderful brand, over and above being a football club, the name or brand, ‘Melbourne’ is very powerful in Australia. The Northern Territory has aligned itself with Melbourne and the Melbourne Football Club. We believe that will see a wonderful return on investment.
Look out for the brolga this weekend. As Round 1 continues, we will see the Melbourne Football Club and Port Power take to the field for the first time in Season 2013. It gets under way from 11.40 am this Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Look out for Territory players, Aaron Davey and Dominic Barry, and for the all-important brolga on the polo shirts and all those flashes during the two-and-a-half-hour broadcast of the game, whatever it might be, post-game, pre-game. Look out for the all-important brolga under Mark Neeld in the coaches’ box and at the post-game media conference.
Madam Speaker, it is a wonderful agreement and relationship. It is thinking outside the box and it is amazing what we can do. What started as a conversation about sport has resulted in a terrific relationship with tourism. Keep an eye out this weekend. This is the start of what I hope will be a long, fruitful and productive relationship with the Melbourne Football Club.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I offer my congratulations to Auxiliary Captain John O’Shea, a member of the Nhulunbuy Fire Station, on being named the 2013 Firefighter of the Year. John O’Shea was presented with the 2013 Eric Simmons Award for Firefighters by the Administrator, Sally Thomas, at a ceremony in Darwin on Monday, 4 March. Officer-in-Charge at Nhulunbuy Fire Station, Colin ‘Snogger’ Snowden, nominated John O’Shea in recognition of his 21-year service to the community and the fire service. I have known John a long time. I taught his kids, Ben, Justin and Sarah, a number of years ago at Nhulunbuy High School, and I have no doubt they are very proud of their dad. He certainly provided them with a fantastic role model.
International Women’s Day was celebrated in Nhulunbuy, as it is every year, with different events taking place to recognise and celebrate our strong local women, but it is also about getting together and having lots of fun with the sisterhood. On Saturday, 9 March, the International Women’s Day Aussie Rules Cup was held for the second year in a row. I was very proud to be a part of the set-up of the 2012 inaugural game, securing a $2000 grant to acquire two sets of women’s jerseys. I was happy to support it again this year by sponsoring the medals for the two teams as well as the cup.
The Latram Lions and the East Woody Eagles met to play for the cup after weeks of training. I take my hat off to the women who played four 20-minute quarters and trained for several weeks in the heat and humidity in the lead-up to the game. It was a close game and a great game with the Latram Lions coming out on top – just. All players were recognised for their participation in the event, but there were also some best and fairest awards handed out. For the Latram Lions they went to Fern, Whitney and Veronica, and for the East Woody Eagles, to Emma, Jess, Kathy and Phillipa. Best on Ground was awarded to Roberta Mununggarritj. A big thank you to coaches Vern Patullo and Richie Seden, who have given up their time to coach the girls and continue to coach the girls on Wednesdays and Fridays. They will play the occasional game as well, including the odd curtain raiser when the GAFL competition starts in late April.
On the same day as the footy game, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a Women in Business Luncheon as a part of International Women’s Day. The networking event celebrated our wonderful local women in Nhulunbuy. Guest speakers included the lovely Katrina Dwyer, who was our local manager at the Nhulunbuy Westpac branch, and Marree Merrett from Pacific Aluminium, who spoke about ways to train a team. Their contributions at the lunch were well received by everyone who was there. A very special thanks to Marhe Eloff from the Chamber, who coordinated the lunch from start to finish. It is no small task and she should be proud of the end result. It was a sell-out function and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. I look forward to future networking lunches. I am just sorry I was not able to stay to the end, but I had to get to the Women’s Aussie Rules game.
While I managed to attend these two events, I was disappointed to miss the celebration at Yirrkala the night before on Friday, 8 March, because I was still travelling back from Darwin. A very special gathering was organised at Yirrkala, including an award ceremony for young Yolngu women as part of International Women’s Day to recognise their achievements. Hope for Tomorrow’s Leaders: Celebrating Yuda Yolngu Miyalk was the name of the event. I am sure there were a number of people involved in putting the event together. I do not have a list to hand to acknowledge everyone, but I acknowledge the driving force that is Bianca Barling from the East Arnhem Shire. She is an incredibly dedicated and hard-working individual and is well respected by all who know her, including the people of Yirrkala.
Bianca was very capably assisted through the East Arnhem Shire Council’s Youth Sport and Recreation program officers’ Gong-Wapitja Young Women’s Program.
I was proud to be a sponsor of the awards and wish to place on the record the names of the strong young Yolngu women who won those awards. Excellence in Sport went to Munuy’nggu Marika; Excellence in Leadership went to Lirrina Munugurr; Excellence in Caring for Country went to Wuanggawuy Munungiritj; Excellence in Arts went to Dhalmula Burrarrwanga; Excellence in Health went to Wupurruwuy Gondarra; Excellence in went to Work Bamurungu Munungurr; and Excellence in Mothering went to Yarrakayngu Marawilli.
I also acknowledge the contribution to the Yirrkala event of the Mulka Project and also Miwatj’s Strong Fathers, Strong Families Program which provided the catering for the night, which I hear was fantastic.
I move from the successful young women at Yirrkala to acknowledge a number of young people from our region who have been nominated as finalists in the 2013 Young Achiever’s Awards. These include Selena Uibo from Numbulwar who was nominated for the McArthur River Mining Regional and Rural Initiative Award for her work teaching students in Numbulwar; Emily Osborne, from Nhulunbuy - who I have known since she was a little girl – was nominated for the Chief Minister’s Excellence in Youth Leadership Award and the Young Carers Award; Sebastian Pascoe from Galiwinku, who is also an employee of the East Arnhem Shire at Elcho, has been nominated for the McArthur River Mining Regional and Rural Initiative Award for his role as a Sports Development Officer working with children in programs including after-school care, vacation care, sports and youth mentoring. Sebastian is also a member of the 2013 Youth Round Table. Evelyn Ganhutjpuy Dhamarrandji from Galiwinku has been nominated for the Shorelands Group Indigenous Achievement Award for her work as a community youth worker, like Sebastian, from Galiwinku, or Elcho island.
These are young people to look out for in the future. They are to be congratulated on their commitment to youth within their communities. I congratulate them on their outstanding achievements and wish them the very best of luck with the NT Young Achiever Awards when they come around.
I am pleased to congratulate Mr Chris ‘Putty’ Putland on his election as a life member of the Nhulunbuy surf lifesaving club. Chris has been a dedicated member of the surf club for 15 years; I suspect it is longer than that. Some of his contributions to the club include being club president for four years - I also believe it is longer than that - vice president for two years and a committee member for well over a decade.
Putty has also made a huge contribution to Surf Life Saving NT, including organisation and running of junior and cadet development camps. He has spent countless hours at the beach as an official and age group manager. He has volunteered for many shifts on barbecues and behind the bar and has not missed a working bee in 10 years. During his time with the club, Putty has also received numerous awards and qualifications. His recognition comes on the first anniversary of the fire that devastated the Gove surf club in 2012. Putty has been involved in all aspects of rebuilding the new club house. I congratulate Putty on becoming a life member of the surf club. It is these dedicated volunteer members who keep our community groups and clubs operational. Without the dedication of people like Putty and many others, and the support of the services, we would not enjoy the services in our community.
Nhulunbuy people are dead keen fundraisers who have big hearts and deep pockets, and are always stepping up to support a cause and help those in need. The annual World’s Greatest Shave, which raises money for the Leukaemia Foundation is hugely supported every year in Nhulunbuy. Most recently, Nhulunbuy High School saw a number of students participate. I take my hat off to them. Should the five students and one teacher take their hats off, you will see their heads are shaved. I applaud Megan Morris, Cameron Stiff, Morgan Hill, Georgette Birch and Assistant Principal Kate Smith who all shaved for the cure, raising collectively around $8000. Notably, Megan Morris raised nearly $6000 of that sum and planned to donate her beautiful long blonde locks to a wig company for cancer sufferers.
Andrew Pidgeon, a long-term local, also shaved. He shaved his beard of 32 years at a very well-attended evening at the surf club. Even Andrew’s wife, Robyn, had never seen him without a beard. Daughters Zoe and Sarah barely recognised their dad without his beard. I must say I think Andrew looks a little younger without his beard. For his efforts, Andrew raised around $7500, which is an incredible result.
I note another phenomenal fundraising effort which occurred a few months ago, and pay tribute to a terrific local woman, Sarah Farrah, who raised $6028 for the Leukaemia Foundation as part of the U.G.L.Y Bartender of the Year fundraiser. U.G.L.Y stands for Understanding, Generous, Likeable, You. Sarah was in the top five U.G.L.Y fundraisers, which is a fantastic effort. At that time, Sarah was working at the Arnhem Club, but I now see her very friendly face at the Walkabout Lodge when I pop in there from time to time, where she continues to deliver top and always very friendly service.
Mr Deputy Speaker, well done to Sarah on her incredible fundraising efforts. Well done to all those fantastic people in the electorate of Nhulunbuy who continue to work hard for their community and have great achievements.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Member for Araluen
Member for Araluen
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that a leave of absence be granted to the member for Araluen today on account of ministerial business, and that all questions directed to her portfolio areas should be directed to the Deputy Chief Minister.
Leave granted.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Year 7 Rosebery Middle School students accompanied by their teachers, and Year 11 Casuarina Senior College students accompanied by Mr Ewan MacDonald. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to you and hope you enjoy your time at Parliament House.
Members: Hear, hear!
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Death of Mr Frederick Herbert Walker
Death of Mr Frederick Herbert Walker
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise of the death, on 23 March 2013, of Mr Fred Walker, Clerk of the Legislative Council from 1960 to 1974, and Clerk of the Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1997. Mr Walker was appointed Clerk Assistant in 1959 and Clerk in 1960, succeeding the first locally appointed Clerk, Derek Thompson.
In his adjournment debate in February 1978, Speaker McFarlane said of Mr Walker that he brought to the task of Clerk:
- … a profound knowledge of the history and operation of the Westminster system of parliamentary government and was completely fearless in his efforts to ensure that the Northern Territory legislature gained control of its own precincts and developed in accordance with the traditional system, while making use of modern technology to upgrade the services of the establishment to its members and the public. The introduction of electronic recording of parliamentary debates, the first successful system of its kind to operate in Australia, was a result of Mr Walker’s planning. He was instrumental in having the Australian Government Printer set up a printery in Darwin so that the documentation of the legislature could be properly reproduced and the printing of the parliamentary record carried out locally.
We pay our respects and pass our sympathies on to the Walker family. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis and his children Tony, Mark and Julian. Fred will be laid to rest on 4 April 2013 at a private funeral.
On behalf of all honourable members, we extend our sincere sympathies and condolences to the family.
Members: Hear, hear!
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery - I am sure they have had quite an earful in the last 10 minutes - of Year 7 Rosebery Middle School students accompanied by their teachers. On behalf of honourable members, I welcome you to the parliament and hope you enjoy your stay here.
Members: Hear, hear!
SALE OF LAND (RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF PARTIES) ACT REPEAL BILL
(Serial 25)
(Serial 25)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to repeal the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010. The bill will repeal the current vendor disclosure legislation, which was passed but never commenced, concerning a scheme that imposes obligations on sellers of land, including their agents, to provide accurate information about the land at the time the potential buyers are considering whether to make an offer or sign a contact.
Under vendor disclosure legislation, the vendor of a property being sold is obliged to have relevant reports and information as determined by the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010 and regulations under that act concerning that property readily available to all prospective purchasers prior to the signing of any contracts. In the same way, potential purchasers should be aware of their right to expect such reports and information be made readily available to them upon showing any serious interests in the property. If this fails to occur, the purchaser will have the right to void the contract at a later stage.
The government has made a decision to repeal the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010 in order to reduce the red tape for industry and the general public, and to keep the costs of the housing transactions down, which are high enough.
Arranging building reports, etcetera, would have had some cost implications for the vendor. This may have led to these costs increasing conveyancing or real estate agent fees which would lead to inflated property prices. Furthermore, the information required under the Sale of Land (Rights and Duties of Parties) Act 2010 by way of reports set down in regulations can, in the main, already be requested by the purchaser under the standard contract of sale used by licensed real estate agents. Purchasers can request and obtain the reports if they wish to make an informed decision at their own cost.
There is also a real concern that vendors may be required, under the current act, to disclose information which is beyond his or her knowledge which cannot be easily obtained. For example, it may be argued that the government has enacted such legislation without creating an adequate administration structure; for example, a central agency where vendors can easily obtain government certified information.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
MARINE SAFETY (DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL VESSEL) (NATIONAL UNIFORM
LEGISLATION) BILL
(Serial 23)
LEGISLATION) BILL
(Serial 23)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr GILES (Transport): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I introduce a bill that is delivering a major national transport reform involving the Commonwealth, states and the Northern Territory.
This bill has its origins in the intergovernmental agreement signed by all first ministers in August 2011, committing to implementing a national maritime regulator with a national body of law covering all domestic commercial vessels.
The purpose of this agreement was to overcome the differences in state and territory maritime legislation that imposed additional regulatory burden on operators doing business across borders.
Since that time, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, or AMSA, has led a dedicated team, including Department of Transport staff, other marine safety authorities and industry stakeholders, to develop the law and standards that will be implemented nationally. This bill is the culmination of those efforts.
This bill will apply to the national domestic commercial vessel law in the Northern Territory for all domestic commercial vessels. It will ensure coverage of any vessels in the Northern Territory not covered by the Commonwealth law; specifically, vessels that are owned by individuals rather than companies, and operated on inland waters.
The new law applies to vessels used in connection with a commercial, government or research activity. The Northern Territory has over 1700 commercial vessels that will benefit from the new laws. It establishes clear and consistent requirements that focus on delivering improved productivity and safety to industry whilst minimising red tape. It will not apply to recreational vessels, sailboards, surf skis, etcetera.
The new laws establish AMSA as a national regulator and outline the national requirements for crew and vessels and the safety obligations for those involved in the industry.
National standards relating to commercial vessel design, construction, operation and crewing will be adopted under the national law and will provide a consistent approach and application across the country. To have effect, the national standards need to receive unanimous agreement from all Transport ministers. This means the impacts on all operators in all states and territories, including the Northern Territory, will need to be considered to ensure the new standards do not impose an unwarranted burden on the industry.
For marine operators in the Northern Territory involved in cross-border activities, having a single national regulator means they will no longer need to seek recognition of vessel surveys or seafarer qualifications in multiple jurisdictions, nor do they need to abide by several different laws for what is, essentially, the same activity.
AMSA has placed considerable emphasis on consulting industry and state and territory marine safety authorities during the development of the law to ensure that unintended consequences are avoided. This has resulted in the Northern Territory retaining its existing arrangements for sea rangers employed in remote communities, pearl farms, and the inland waters tourism industry.
While AMSA is the national regulator, the Northern Territory, through the Department of Transport, will continue to deliver regulatory services to the Northern Territory maritime industry on behalf of the national regulator under a delegated model.
Marine operators will notice a new requirement for a certificate of operation which provides the permission to operate and specifies the activities of a vessel - for example, cargo fishing etcetera - and the area of operation. The national regulator has taken a commonsense approach and provided grandfathering and transitional provisions to assist operators move across to the new system. Essentially, new operators entering the national system will require a certificate of operation from Day 1. However, existing operators who do not make any changes have until 2016 unless their existing certificate of survey expires before 2016, they move their operation interstate, or they change their operation area or modify their vessel.
The good news for maritime safety operators is that, over time, the move to a national regulator is expected to deliver savings in time and money through improved productivity. Although the national regulator has responsibility for domestic commercial vessels in the country, the Northern Territory, along with other jurisdictions, will continue to provide input into the development of standards and legislation. This enables us to continue to advocate strongly for the interests of the Northern Territory in relation to any changes in the national system. Additionally, the Northern Territory retains its legislative responsibility for regulating recreational vessels, the management of ports, pilotage, environmental management, designation of waters, speed limits, navigational aids, and other operational restrictions.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members and I table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
SUPREME COURT AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 20)
(Serial 20)
Continued from 21 February 2013.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will be very brief in this debate. I thank the Attorney-General for bringing this bill before the House. The opposition has no issues with this bill and is most certainly supporting it.
I thank the officer from the Department of Attorney-General and Justice who provided me with a briefing last Friday. It probably goes down in history as one of the briefest briefings in the history of this parliament, simply because the bill is self-explanatory and I had no issues to raise.
I understand the bill simply amends Part 5, Practice and Procedure, of the Supreme Court Act, section 86, which deals with rules of court. Repealing section 86 and inserting a new section 86 will remove any doubt, as the Attorney-General said in his second reading speech:
- … regarding the ability of the Supreme Court to make rules necessary for the administration of justice in the Northern Territory relating to functions provided under Commonwealth legislation.
This element of doubt was identified by the Chief Justice and, as such, the ambiguity of the words, ‘any business of the court’, which had the potential to exclude the power of the NT Supreme Court from making rules for the purpose of the operation of a Commonwealth act. The amendments make this very explicit and allow the Supreme Court to administer justice in relation to Commonwealth acts under which it has powers and functions.
Mr Deputy Speaker, There is little point in me rehashing the second reading speech or the explanatory statement. It is on the record. As I said at the outset, we have no issue with the bill; we support it and thank the Attorney-General for bringing it before the House.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the opposition for their support of this bill. I was fully expecting a long and strident argument over many hours to explore the technical nature of this bill and find the skulduggery the government was up to in implementing this bill. However, I suspect the shadow Attorney-General has seen through the villainous plan on this side of the House and realised this is probably one of the most pedestrian bills we can pass because, in many respects, the issue before us is not to change a power, it is almost not to change anything other than to make certain that which was uncertain prior to the bill being introduced.
I thank the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory, Trevor Riley, for drawing this to my attention as the Attorney-General and for his fastidious and careful attention to matters of such detail. I suspect if it was ever tested, the matter that occupied the Chief Justice’s mind would have, in every likelihood, been supported by any court that had to review the meaning of the legislation. Where things are not entirely clear, to render them crystal clear so there is no doubt is an appropriate and correct thing to do, hence the bill coming before this House.
The bill provides judges of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory with the power to make rules of court relating to functions, practices and procedures of the Supreme Court, including the Court of Appeal. The bill provides that the rule-making power extends to circumstances where the Supreme Court is conferred jurisdiction by a Northern Territory law, a Commonwealth law or otherwise. The amendment was requested by the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory as it was unclear whether a term ‘any business of the court’ in section 86(1)(a)(ii) of the Supreme Court Act conferred jurisdiction on the judges to make rules for a court for matters they were hearing under Commonwealth legislation.
This is due to the fact that the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 of the Commonwealth gives the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court power to make rules necessary for its functions under the act, but does not expressly give the Northern Territory Supreme Court such a power.
However, the Chief Justice also pointed out other provisions, such as section 29 of the Corporations Reform (Northern Territory) Act, under which the Northern Territory explicitly sets out the powers of judges of the Supreme Court to make rules of the court for the purposes of the operation of a Commonwealth Act; that is, the Corporation Act 2001 Commonwealth, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 of the Commonwealth.
Is anyone still awake? I did not think so.
The bill will remove any doubts about the ability of the Northern Territory Supreme Court to make the rules necessary for the proper administration of justice in the Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, the bill had to repeal the whole of section 86 of the Supreme Court Act because the section needed to be entirely reworded to ensure the intended purpose of the amendment was met.
The bill also contains a transitional provision that ensures any rules of court made under the repealed section 86 and, in effect, immediately prior to the repeal, will remain in force. The provision also ensures that the rules of the court made under any acts, including Northern Territory acts, such as under section 29 of the Absconding Debtors Act, also remain in enforce.
Clause 4 of the bill therefore inserts:
(a) section 86(1) which provides that the permanent judges of the Supreme Court or a majority of them can make rules of the court. Acting or additional judges cannot make rules of a court.
(b) section 86(2) which states that the:
Rules of Court may be made:
(a) to regulate the practice and procedure to be followed in the Court and in the offices of the Court; and
(b) for matters incidental to or relating to any practice and procedure or necessary or convenient for the conduct for any business of the Court in exercising its jurisdiction.
So it is clearly understood by Hansard, the term ‘or otherwise’ is used as a catch-all, although it is difficult to foresee a circumstance where the power to make rules would rely on the ‘or otherwise component’. And:
(d) section 86(4) which confirms that the rule of a court can be made under section 86(1) even if the power to make such a rule is found in another act, law of the Commonwealth, or otherwise.
Clause 5 of the bill inserts section 88 which is a transitional provision to ensure that any rule made under section 86 that commenced prior to the repeal by this bill will continue to remain in force. This ensures that all current Supreme Court rules are valid and validated.
In mid-January 2013, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Trevor Riley, notified the Department of the Attorney-General and Justice that an amendment was required, for the reasons I outlined earlier. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel drafted the amendment as a matter of urgency, the Chief Justice was shown copies of the draft bill and was requested to provide feedback as to whether the bill was satisfactory and clarified the point in issue. The Chief Justice agreed that the bill was satisfactory prior to its introduction into this House in February this year.
The Chief Justice was consulted in the drafting of the bill and provided with a copy of the final bill prior to its introduction. Of course, any other interested party, as a result of having this bill sitting on the Notice Paper for the last few months, would also have been able to provide input and constructive criticism during that period, including such organisations as the Law Society and the Criminal Lawyers Association. I am now looking at my departmental staff, who anticipated the question, and say no other submissions have been received. That is not at all surprising considering the utterly uncontentious nature of this bill. No subordinate legislation will flow from this bill.
The act will commence on a day fixed by the Administrator as a gazettal notice and we will transmit this as a matter of urgency to the Administrator for the purposes of gazetting this bill to have it turned into legislation. The Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court will be advised when the bill has been passed and of its commencement date and a copy of the act will be forwarded post haste to the judges.
I turn to the expression ‘or otherwise’. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure that in every circumstance the Northern Territory Supreme Court is afforded jurisdiction to hear a matter, the Judges of the Supreme Court will have the power to make rules of the court to regulate the practices and procedures of the court and the court’s officers. The jurisdiction will invariably be conferred by the Supreme Court Act, another Northern Territory law, or a Commonwealth law. There is, however, the remote possibility that another type of agreement, such as an inter-governmental agreement, may confer jurisdiction, therefore, it was decided to include the catch-all term ‘or otherwise’ ensuring the amendment met its purpose - commonsense and straightforward insertion of that term I am sure all members would agree to without any rancour.
It needs to be made clear that clause 5 of the bill will ensure any rule of the court in force immediately before the commencement of the amendment will continue to be in force as the rules of the court under section 86 of the Supreme Court Act as inserted by clause 4(2). The amendment will also allow the judges to make rules of the court under this general power, despite any other act also specifying this power. Judges of the Supreme Court, or a majority of them, can make rules under this act. It is the power that we seek to confer upon them.
I suspect I have already driven many people to leave the Chamber with this scintillating response to an exciting bill which has obviously excited the public of the Northern Territory to the point where the bleachers are full. I notice some people have turned up to hear the passage of this bill; they are clearly interested in this matter. This is a bill with a prophylactic intent in the sense it is there to protect the laws of the Northern Territory from some sort of misunderstanding into the future. It makes clear that which is unclear and gives certainty to the uncertain.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank honourable members for their attention to this matter and the shadow Attorney-General for seeking a briefing and informing herself fully and handsomely in relation to the contents of this bill.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice) (by leave): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ACT REPEAL BILL
(Serial 19)
(Serial 19)
Continued from 20 February 2013.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the former Minister for Local Government for bringing this bill before the House, and the current Local Government minister for seeing its passage through the House today. I congratulate the member for Namatjira on her new role. The responsibilities of Local Government and Regional Development are a good and complementary fit. Going through the budget process, as Cabinet currently is, I hope the minister is in there with her sleeves rolled up, fighting for people in the bush and for the dollars to deliver on the many election commitments they have made.
The minister and her colleagues have spent far too much time fighting amongst themselves, and now it is time to go in fighting for Territorians who live in the bush because the minister and her colleagues have promised to deliver an awful lot in the bush: roads, bridges, houses, jobs and local government reforms. As the minister responsible for those areas of big and promised reform in the bush, we look forward to seeing leadership from her and seeing her deliver on the CLP government’s promises. The minister will, no doubt, be watched and judged on it, not just by members of the opposition, who will hold you to account, but Territorians and people in the bush will also be judging the new minister and her capacity to do the job and deliver on promises. Hers will not be an easy job; there is absolutely no doubt about that. It will be a tough job and will carry with it a very big workload. I am sure the minister is up to it.
Let me turn to the bill before the House. The first bill the new minister has carriage of, in her capacity as Minister for Local Government, is the Places of Public Entertainment Act Repeal Bill 2013, a bill which the opposition supports. The act is to be repealed because, essentially, it is redundant and government has a responsibility to clean up the statute books and keep abreast of legislative instruments to ensure they are current and contemporary. I see the Justice minister has been doing his bit in this area, but other ministers also need to look into their own legislative back yards to check everything is in order.
Essentially, the act became redundant when the current Local Government Act was enacted in 2008, which does not contain the provisions around places of public entertainment, and those provisions which were pertaining to matters of safety from sanitary arrangements to protections against fire and emergency. In fact, these provisions are covered by the Building Code of Australia and, therefore, sit within the Northern Territory Building Act. Regulation and compliance of places of public entertainment does not sit with Local Government at all, and I understand that.
However, the second reading speech presented by the former Minister for Local Government and now Chief Minister, praised the bill:
- … as an example of sensible and considered reduction of unnecessary regulation and red tape for businesses which provide entertainment to the public.
That sounds like a good bit of spin, but according to the Cabinet submission there was no red tape to cut because:
- Councils have not been able to issue licences since 2008. No record has been found of any application to the minister for a licence under the act which provides that a term of the licence cannot exceed 12 months. It is accepted that there are currently no valid licences in existence and no valid licences could have existed from 2009.
No licences issued, therefore, no red tape to cut.
This bill is about repealing the act to deal with what the Cabinet submission described as ‘significant risk’. Yet, this is not addressed anywhere in the second reading speech. It highlights this with:
- If some catastrophe did happen that would have otherwise been avoided if the act was fully implemented, there is the potential for a backlash from the public with questions raised as to why the government was not applying the act. It also increases the financial risk to government.
When the minister is responding in closing debate, I would be grateful if she addressed this underlying and key driver to repealing the act and not just window dress it under the guise of reducing red tape. I would also like to hear from the minister how she intends to go forward with legislation to address the fact that while compliance with licensing arrangement of places of public entertainment does sit with the Building Act, what is the way forward given many of these buildings do not come under the Building Act because they are on Aboriginal land or on special purpose leases, such as is the case in Nhulunbuy.
I am sure the minister would agree that requirements to set out important health and safety requirements for these buildings are as important in Yuendumu, Santa Teresa and Umbakumba as they are in Alice Springs or Darwin. I want to hear from the minister what plans are afoot to address that legislative gap we have with these buildings on Aboriginal land or special purpose leases that do not come under the Building Act. Who is responsible for compliance, auditing and licensing to ensure these places are safe as places of public entertainment where sometimes very large crowds of people will gather?
Mr Deputy Speaker, as I said, the opposition supports this bill. I thank the minister for picking this bill up from the Chief Minister and bringing it to the House. I have no doubt we will see its passage today. I have asked the minister a couple of questions which I would like her to respond to in closing debate. Depending on the answers, we will decide whether or not we go to committee stage.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I do not have many concerns about this bill, but the statement in the second reading that this was getting rid of red tape made me ring someone in the department and ask how many times this act has been used. My understanding is it has hardly been used. So whilst I understand it is no good having acts that are superseded, I thought it was a little rich to say this is the government getting rid of red tape. It would be getting rid of red tape if this was causing a problem in business. Really, with the changes in legislation over time, the requirements for this act have been generally superseded.
I am interested in finding out whether this creates a loophole or a vacuum in relation to places of public entertainment that are outside the Building Board’s area. I heard what the member for Nhulunbuy was saying and it would be nice to know what arrangements, if this bill is removed, would cover buildings that do not require some of the regulations and that are in parts of the Territory covered by the Building Board and Building Code. What happens to those buildings? Are they still protected if this act is repealed?
Mr Deputy Speaker, I understand the essence and basis of what the government is doing. That is reasonable, but some questions would need to be answered to ensure what is happening does not create problems which may not have been foreseen.
Ms FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to contribute to the debate on the Places of Public Entertainment Act. I have to admit it was the first time I had heard about this. It seemed so ridiculous, when I learnt what the act does, that it even still exists. That is why we are here today, because it no longer will.
It was modelled on legislation in South Australia a long time ago and the history of this act sets up a system of licensing for places of public entertainment which includes places like ten-pin bowling alleys, public libraries, public halls, cinemas, stage theatres, school halls, churches, a very wide range of areas. It is very clear to me this places an enormous burden on local government, on administration of Northern Territory government, and on business and the community, because they had to apply for these licences, pay fees, and monitor their compliance with all the terms and conditions associated with the licence, amongst many other things.
Some of the areas this licence would cover would be sanitation, risk of fire, safety exits, inconvenience of the public generally, firefighting equipment and things like that. You can already see it is completely duplicitous because we have a great deal of legislation covering those identical fields. We have the Building Code of Australia as adopted in the NT by the Building Act; the Electricity Reform Act; the Fire and Emergency Act and the Public and Environmental Health Act 2011. There is no need to have all these running in tandem with one another.
South Australia repealed its legislation in 1995, so it is certainly not shocking we are doing this. What it indicates is we are reaffirming our commitment to Territorians that we do not want to burden business and community organisations, we are not a government of overregulation and we do not have laws or make laws for laws sake. That is very important to me.
When I was a practicing solicitor, before my time in this parliament, it was often the case that more legislation did not necessarily mean a better outcome or better protection for your client. If we can avoid providing uncertainty in the law - as we have seen recently with the amendment to the Supreme Court rules, which is all about providing certainty, and the uncertainty left by this Labor government with the container deposit scheme - and take every step necessary to eliminate uncertainty and provide certainty in the law Territorians will be much better off.
I understand local government was consulted about this some time ago, around the 2008 mark, and certainly they …
Ms Walker: They raised it; they asked for the legislative changes.
Ms FINOCCHIARO: Thank you, member for Nhulunbuy. She has corrected me. She said this was their initiative, and it is not hard to see why. Obviously, it distracts them from their core service delivery and their core business. It is not the place of a local government to be monitoring fire safety issues and sanitation. It is no wonder they did not want this burden.
I am aware the last time a licence was issued was by the City of Darwin in 2000, so you can see very clearly that whilst it was mandatory, it completely fell by the wayside. It has become completely irrelevant and insignificant in the scheme of things in that it competed with identical responsibilities under other legislation, as I pointed out earlier.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the main point I wanted to make in this contribution to debate is we are a government that is doing business. We are starting to trawl back through this time-old legislation to ensure we have a legislative agenda which suits the future needs of Territorians, delivers certainty for Territorians, and eliminates as much red tape as possible so everyone can get on with the business of their business and the business of living and being a community.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am all for repealing legislation which is, in essence, redundant - and this is a classic example of such legislation.
Legislation comes and goes and, since the rise of the parliament, particularly since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the nature of what the parliament does has substantially changed.
Any number of statutes exist for years and years and, in some cases, centuries. Any student of the law will know section 4 of the Statute of Frauds relating to the transaction of property which still resonates through different statutes. I believe it is still operational in England, despite the fact it was written in the 1700s, if memory serves me. Statutes which are sound continue to exist. Statutes which are unsound should be expunged. We are, by our nature, and through our systems of governance, a dynamic society. Many statutes have even been expunged in my lifetime.
When I started working as a police officer I remember having to study the Summary Offences Act – the bread and butter and stock in trade of the average police officer. I was curious to see in that legislation it was once an offence in the Northern Territory to cart ammoniacal liquors and night soils outside particular hours. So heinous was this crime considered that not only was a police officer empowered by the legislation to make an arrest with all necessary force should a person outside the hours between midnight and 6am be found in possession of ammoniacal liquors or night soils, the legislation also empowered the average citizen with the power to make such an arrest and bring that person immediately before a constable of police. So heinous was that crime, whilst it was a summary offence, that power was extended to the average citizen.
We all realise in the modern age such a crime is somewhat redundant, so over the years that offence has been removed from the statute book. I have no recollection of anyone ever being charged with being in unlawful possession of night soils.
Also, the Summary Offences Act had offences in it relating to cellar doors. There were a number of offences surrounding the opening, closing, and proper protection of cellar doors. I do not know of many buildings in the Northern Territory - perhaps one or two in the old East Side of Alice Springs - which have cellar doors, particularly for the purposes of delivering coal in the winter months. Such doors did not exist north of Elliott at any time in history, I imagine.
What the minister has brought before, and is managing through this House, is a process by which we deal with the Places of Public Entertainment Act, which has had its day. This is so important because some acts can sit on the statute book and be happily ignored with no effect on anyone, but this act demands a licensing scheme. This means, essentially, something has to be done as a result of this legislative instrument. It is small wonder, in this day and age of various other legislative instruments that deal with the conduct of the public in public places and with safety of the public, that having to positively manage a licensing scheme which has no real sensible reason to exist is a burden. That burden has been identified by the minister and brought before this House to be expunged - remove the red tape.
I am happy to listen to any person in the Northern Territory who wants to complain about other government legislation imposing a positive act upon them which is no longer required. There are a number of other legislative instruments which enable the powers-that-be to cover off on the issues sought to be managed by this legislation. They were covered off quite eloquently by the member for Drysdale and the minister in the second reading speech, which dealt with public safety issues that have now found their way into other legislation.
The implied possibility of losing your licence to run a place of public entertainment also imposed upon the management of that institution - be it a community hall, a pinball parlour, an adult shop, or a church hall - would, ultimately, ensure the managers of such institutions were …
Mr Chandler: Drawn them out.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, I tried to bore them out of the room with the Supreme Court stuff …
Ms Walker: Ten minutes. Just keep filibustering. You clearly were not prepared for this bill.
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on your interjection. You are right; I was not that prepared for this bill, but we have to get from here to lunchtime, and that is precisely what I will do. One of the privileges of being in this House is we have time limits. I will speak well within my time limit and wrap up in due course.
It is worth making some of these points. Yesterday, the members opposite were complaining there was no contribution to bills from members on this side, now they are complaining there is a contribution from members on this side. Make up your mind! You cannot have it both ways; it is as simple as that.
In legislation such as the Police Administration Act there are sections which empower police to go into places of public entertainment and remove drunks and reputed thieves, people acting indecently, or prostitutes who are there for the purposes of soliciting. That legislation used to work in tandem with legislation like this, with a view to enabling licensing authorities to say to people who ran places of public entertainment that if they have that sort of conduct occurring in their place of public entertainment they can withdraw their licence. That is an important component of legislation because when you issue a licence, it implies the capacity for the issuer to take it away. Therefore, it means there are certain responsibilities imposed.
A driver licence is a good example. You expect certain types of conduct on a driver licence. If people do not adhere to that conduct, we take that licence away. It is the same for running a place of public entertainment. The purpose of imposing a licensing system was to ensure the safety and good order of the people who visited that place of public entertainment. The way you ensured that was by imposing a licensing system. Licensing authorities, of course, were local government authorities.
With the way legislation now operates, such a threat is no longer required. A number of other sanctions are available in legislation which enable the authorities to ensure the safety, good order, and good conduct of people who are inside institutions which are called places of public entertainment.
Mr Deputy Speaker, this renders this act utterly redundant. That is precisely why the minister has come into this House and sought to repeal the bill. I thank the minister for his - and now her - attention to this important matter. This is a good thing to do, and it is indicative of a government which is prepared to repeal legislation which unfairly imposes itself on a community inside a liberal society.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, being almost midday, I remind you it is Robyn Smith’s birthday today, in the context of public entertainment. I also remind honourable members that immediately following suspension for lunch …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! We still have five minutes on the clock before midday. Why you do not see through the passage of this bill rather than suspend the House if there are no further speakers?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Brennan, you were going to speak as well?
Mr CHANDLER: I was, yes, but after lunch at this stage.
Debate suspended.
PETITION
Second Inquest into the
Death of Dwayne Berto
Second Inquest into the
Death of Dwayne Berto
Mr HIGGINS (Daly)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition not conforming with standing orders from 967 petitioners, including 128 electronic petitioners, praying that there is a second inquest into the death of Dwayne Berto. I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
- To the honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative of the Northern Territory, we the undersigned respectfully showeth that we are supportive of the Berto and Young families and their desire to have a second inquest held into the death of their son, Dwayne Berto on 25 August 2010 in Darwin. Dwayne attended a nightclub and was severely assaulted, transported home by police, and then was found hours later deceased.
1. The police did not properly inspect the crime scene or collect all available evidence.
3. The post mortem report was sparse on detail and the forensic pathologist was led through his evidence by the coroner, with answers suggested to him.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that the Northern Territory government supports a second inquest being held into the death of Dwayne Berto such that all the facts and evidence can be considered and that the Berto and Young families can gain final peace over the loss of their son.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Death of John Loizou
Death of John Loizou
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise of the death, on 17 January 2013, of Mr Loizou, a great Territory journalist.
I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of Ms Christine Elizabeth Pas, Mr Loizou’s widow; Ms Margaret Evans, his sister; Mr Brendan Loizou, his son; Ms Dawn Lawrie; and friends and family: Mr Brian Manning; Mr Majorie Winphil, Ms Lorna Cubillo, Ms Ilana Eldridge, Mr Chips Mackinolty, Ms Barbara Cummings, Ms Maureen Davey, Mr Nigel Adlam, Ms Andrea Allen, Mrs Barbara Slattery, Mr Jim Anderson and Mr Baz Ledwidge. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to you today to hear this condolence motion.
I remind honourable members that on the completion of the debate I will ask members to stand in silence for one minute as a mark of respect.
CONDOLENCE MOTION
Mr John Loizou
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly expresses its condolences at the passing of John Loizou, a journalist’s journalist. I note we do so on Larrakia land. I acknowledge the Larrakia elders, both past and present. I acknowledge the Larrakia farewell for John Loizou that occurred graveside at Thorak Cemetery. It is appropriate that he was shown that respect and acknowledgement by the Larrakia people.
John loved his sons Brendan and Damian. He taught them to treat people with respect and to always listen to what people were really saying. Both Brendan and Damian spoke openly and honestly about their father after he died, which says much about the courage he also helped instil in them.
I personally pass on my deepest condolences to his partner, Cri, his sons, Brendan and Damian and family members and friends who are here today. I welcome them to our parliament to join us in acknowledging the life of this great journalist, John Loizou.
Something can be said of the respect John had in Darwin by those who attended his first wake on 26 January at an old drinking hole favoured by him back in the days when it was known as the Hot and Cold Bar, now renamed Hotel Darwin. They came from all walks of life and from all sides of politics. There were CLPers, Labor Party members, members of the old Communist Party and others with no political allegiances. While John never hid his political ideas over a couple of drinks at the bar, he was always a scrupulously balanced and fair reporter, and this is what was honoured.
At the wake, Chips Mackinolty recalled one of the many occasions when the two of them reported side by side: Mackinolty for Fairfax and Loizou for the Murdoch press. It was an episode at the old Darwin Airport, which fellow members of the Assembly will recall was the site of many dramas over the years, such as the ASIO seizure of Petrov’s wife in April 1954 to events surrounding the Lindy Chamberlain affair. In this case, 28 May 1991, there were, in Mackinolty’s words:
- Emotional scenes at Darwin Airport yesterday afternoon as 11 East Timorese soccer players faced an agonising decision. Should they return to their homeland or seek refugee status in Australia?
It followed the defection of three East Timorese soccer players to Australia the day before and involved scores of demonstrators begging the other 11 Timorese soccer players to defect. They were openly weeping as they made the decision to return to their homeland. Both Loizou and Mackinolty were profoundly affected by the drama they had witnessed and had to report on for the next day’s papers. Each of the reporters had long track records of support for the East Timorese struggle. Knowing them both, that fact does not surprise me.
They headed upstairs to the old airport bar to compare notes, but also to share their feelings over the events of that day and the difficulties of reporting such emotionally charged events in a dispassionate and balanced way. After a few beers they went back to their respective offices and reported the events in just that fashion; fairly and accurately, sourcing material from both sides of the events of the day, yet painting a vivid picture of the drama.
It has been inspiring to listen to people speak about John and offer their sincere condolences. I will share some of their thoughts with you. His reporting of the social, economic, cultural, environmental and political life of the Northern Territory is highly regarded, not only by those who knew him, but by those who read his work and had the pleasure of working with him.
John’s work as a reporter at The Canberra Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne’s The Age, the Financial Review, the Northern Territory News, the Star, the ABC, the Vietnam News and The Southeast Asian Times was an important contribution to the continuity and advancement of the intellectual development of the Northern Territory.
While working with the NT News, it can be argued that John’s reports on Indigenous land claims during the early 1970s contributed to the establishment of land rights in the Northern Territory in 1976. Reports such as the occupation of the RAAF Quail Island Air Weapons Range by Indigenous protesters in 1973 and protests on Bagot Reserve, with headlines such as ‘Blacks told Bagot Yours’, helped to legitimise land rights and Indigenous identity in an Australia which, back then, resisted this legitimacy.
In 1992, he was named the NT Journalist of the Year for his report about two foreign women workers who fled a Chinese factory at Darwin’s NT government Trade Development Zone because they were paid only $1 a day.
NT News journalist, Nigel Adlam said:
- There were never any complaints about his accuracy.
John’s regular research at the NT News archives and the Northern Territory Library here at Parliament House contributed to his accuracy. His accurate reporting of events in East Timor in the aftermath of the declaration of independence in 1975 was acknowledged by Fretilin General Secretary, Mari Alkatiri, in a condolence message.
The General Secretary said, in part:
- We in Timor Leste who have struggled for justice and peace know very well and hold close to our hearts John’s love and commitment to both principles. John’s efforts in bringing the truth to bear, especially in the days of the political constitutional coup on the Fretilin government in 2006 and thereafter, will remain greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten by us.
As friend and colleague Jamie Gallacher recalled:
- John was an incredibly physical person, always close and intense. I vividly remember the time we drove down the track together with his son, Brendan, for one of the illegal Fretilin radio broadcasts. We were in Cri’s Mini Moke and had to take many turnoffs and back tracks as John shouted at me about the intricate details of how Fretilin policy was developing at the time.
He had an incredible depth of knowledge of the issues across so many of the stories he covered. Later, Tony Haritos and I stayed in Cri’s house in Montoro Court where John had kept some of his books. Looking through that bookshelf showed the real depth of John’s reading. He was also a great user of the library at Parliament House which underscored his real belief in the good of public institutions.
While no one would ever say John Loizou was a perfect person, few would argue that he always showed great respect and compassion to all.
John worked in Hanoi on and off over the last 15 years where his work at Vietnam’s English language national daily newspaper, the Vietnam News, was also appreciated. Vietnam News Editor-in-Chief, Mrs Trinh Thanh Thuy, who John trained in the first years after the paper was established in 1991, said:
- We considered John our mentor. He not only helped us edit and improve the newspaper, but also trained several generations of reporters. John was the one we went to when we had professional questions to ask or when we sought advice for our new plans as he always demonstrated deep sympathies and understanding of Vietnam. We were lucky to have shared the experiences he accumulated through his career. We are all grateful for all he did for Vietnam.
John and his partner, Cri, established the Southeast Asian Times as a regional newspaper in Darwin in 2000. The paper was designed to provide its readers with political, economic, social, cultural and environmental news from northern Australia and the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries: Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Brunei.
John envisaged that the development of the Southeast Asian Times, the first English language regional newspaper, would make Darwin a city of significance in Southeast Asia. Northern Australia is geographically located in Southeast Asia. This was a fact that was not lost on John Loizou or Cri.
John was also a very skilled and no-nonsense Aussie Rules football player. He learned his football playing for Dandenong in Victoria, and he was considered a VFL chance until he broke his leg at training playing a practice match for South Melbourne. He played in Darwin for St Mary’s in a premiership side in the late 1950s and, when he returned later to Darwin, he played for Wanderers. His straight-ahead style was much admired.
Like many Territorians, he was sent back down south after Cyclone Tracy. The presses had stopped running for a time at the NT News. When he finally made it back to Darwin, John started working at the Darwin City Council in the street labour team as there was no job for him at the NT News. But, being the top-notch journalist he was, the NT News re-employed him. From there, he became one of the Territory’s best journalists - an old-school journalist who knew how to dig up a scoop.
He leaves behind a legacy of integrity and respect. I doubt there will ever be another journalist who quite matches up to his unique reporting style. The memories of his life, his works, and his deeds will continue in others. As I sat at the funeral listening to his sons, I felt pleased, in a way, that the legacy is truly living on within Brendan and Damian.
Madam Speaker, it is my honour to acknowledge John Loizou. I feel very privileged to have known the man. I feel very privileged to have been inspired by his integrity. Everything remembered is dear, enduring, touching and precious. My deepest condolences to Cri and the family and friends.
Mr TOLLNER (Deputy Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, first, I say thank you very much to the Leader of the Opposition for moving this condolence motion. Second, the Chief Minister extends his apologies. He cannot be here for this condolence motion, but he wanted to extend his apologies to the people of this Chamber and to all the friends and family of John Loizou. He asked me to read a short statement on his behalf:
- Across the political divide, I would like to extend the support of government to the family of John who, in the real sense of Territorians, was a true person of character. While his politics may have been at odds with this side of the House, his vigour and passion, as one fellow journalist recalls, ‘underlies the professionalism that he brought to his craft’.
With his passion for the media, including stints at the ABC, NT News and The Darwin Star, in print and radio within the Northern Territory, he also worked at The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times, but followed on from the Territory with time in Townsville, culminating with a move to the electronic Age and online Southeast Asian Times. He was, and I quote, ‘a grumpy, cantankerous, old-school journalist who knew how to dig up a scoop’.
Of course, one major story that John had the scoop on involved John and that infamous head-butt. It was well reported at the time that John, being the character he was, even though a bit of claret had been spilt, reminiscent of his footy playing days, kept the events of that night when he was on the receiving end of Mick Palmer’s noggin to himself. It was only later the next day that the story came out through another source. I am reliably informed that there was not a backward step taken by Mick Palmer or John in regard to the incident, and it is amazing to read that he spent more than 50 years continuing on with the work he loved.
I suppose that it is fitting, then, that I leave a final comment to someone who knew him well. Often provocative, but always on the money when it came to well-sourced factual reporting, cheeky, irreverent humour as dry as the Todd, of political persuasion left of the left, right of the right, no one ever pinned him down. A giant of the Northern Territory. Rest in peace.
They are the words of the Chief Minister.
I knew John Loizou; I first met him when I came to the Territory. The first job I had in the Northern Territory was at the NT News, and he was a giant of that establishment, well respected by all. One of my colleagues asked me before lunch - he had never heard of John Loizou, which surprised me – ‘What sort of man was he?’ He was a bit of an old leftie; the NT News balanced him up quite well with Frank Alcorta, who was much more of our persuasion. Between John and Frank Alcorta they provided a good balance in the NT News. Both were fantastic writers and good reporters.
The Chief Minister mentioned the infamous head-butt. Reluctantly, I inform this House I was in that restaurant that afternoon and witnessed the event. Both of them were involved in quite a political stoush, similar to what we do here – fortunately, we do not end up in fisticuffs. Both of them were extraordinarily embarrassed. Later that night I received a phone call from John saying, ‘Whatever you do, keep the story to yourself’. I am reliably informed he called as many people as he possibly could that evening to say, ‘Keep it to yourself’. I believe the only person he did not ring was Mick Palmer, who, when contacted the next day, was quite up-front and said, ‘Yes, there was an incident. Yes, I did head-butt him, but I copped one myself too’. It was the measure of both men in many ways. I had no idea he was a former St Mary’s footballer. Knowing that, he had to be a tough nut in that regard.
I found John Loizou one of life’s great gentlemen; a fantastic human being. Whilst his political persuasions might not have been mine, I enjoyed a wonderful relationship with John. He was always an easy bloke to talk to and was one of the true old style reporters - a bloke who really knew the game, knew his craft and did the best he possibly could every time he put pen to paper.
Madam Speaker, I will miss John Loizou. I enjoyed bumping into him quite often. He was a man I admired greatly because of his dedication to his work and the true belief in what he was doing. To his friends, family, it is so good to see so many people here celebrating the life of John Loizou. He really was a dead-set, true Territorian and a bloke we will all miss.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, I rise with pride to speak about John Loizou, not only because he was a top-notch journalist, but because we shared a common ancestry; we are both Greeks. I forgot about Frank Alcorta, but I will never forget John Loizou.
My condolences to Cri, Brendan, and Damian. John passed away at Royal Perth Hospital. He was ill for several years, and he was 70 years old. He worked for the NT News and the Sunday Territorian before moving to Hanoi to work at Vietnam’s English language national daily newspaper Vietnam News.
He was a mentor and he trained several generations of reporters at the paper. He was described by his NT News colleague, Ashley Manicaros, as a, ‘grumpy, cantankerous, old-school journalist who knew how to dig up a scoop’.
Ex-Darwin barrister, Brian Cassells, who was at Petty Sessions - probably with you, Deputy Chief Minister – on that infamous day when John was hit by Mick Palmer, remembers John as:
- … one of the last old style journos. Dug for his own info and did not rely on ministerial releases … John was a dedicated anarchist who never revealed his sources and whose accuracy was a cause of amazement to me. Last of his kind.
Brian continued:
- I was present at the infamous incident in the old Petty Sessions.
Mick Palmer head-butted Loizou in a Darwin pub during a session at Petty Sessions. John made a name for himself in journalism in the Territory for being the man responsible for the headline: ‘Toothless MP head-butts reporter’. Palmer had removed his watch and teeth before he head-butted John.
John won the NT News Journalist of the Year Award in the early 1990s for a story about two women who ran away from a Chinese sweat shop at Darwin’s Northern Territory government owned Trade Development Zone. That was the first time I heard the name John Loizou, on ABC television when I was in Perth. It was a real story; it was a tragic story for the Chinese women. It was a brave John Loizou who found the information, tracked the women down, and gave it publicity for everyone in Australia to see what modern day slavery means. He won the award, but guess what? He did not turn up to collect it; he was at the local pub having a few drinks.
He was a Marxist, but he balanced his writing. He thought Labor’s first Chief Minister, Clare Martin, made the Territory a better kind of place. His son, Damian recalls how his dad thought Alice Springs did not have enough Greeks, and I tend to agree with him. Damian said, ‘He used to tell me that we make a better place when we are there’. He was a strong supporter of East Timorese independence and Mari Alkatiri, the Fretilin General Secretary said:
- John’s passing has taken from our midst another honest, committed and inspiring journalist. The struggle for truth and justice will miss his tireless efforts.
John worked as a reporter for the Canberra Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne’s The Age, the Financial Review, the Northern Territory News, The Star, the ABC, the Vietnam News and, lastly, the Southeast Asian Times. He always told both sides of the story, and got on well with all parties. I will quote from Peter Simon who, in his blog, Little Darwin, on 27 January, had the following to say of John:
There was a time in Darwin when the Revolution reared its head at the Murdoch owned Northern Territory News. The person who played a large part in this capitalist shock was Marxist journalist, the late John Loizou. It came in the form of workers’ participation in the running of the paper, which evolved out of the strike over the replacement of James Frederick Bowditch as editor of the paper.
Loizou briefed the Australian Journalists’ Association in Sydney in the negotiations. He pointed out that in a recent statement Rupert Murdoch had said the management of a newspaper was obligated to make sure it was run in a business like fashion. The AJA, Loizou said, should use this same argument and say journalists on a paper should have a say in the running of the editorial side, especially if they thought management action was or could damage the publication, financially and in the eyes of its readers.
- It was John’s proud boast that workers were given a say in the running of the paper for the first time in Australia. What is more … the company negotiators in Sydney had not realised the importance of the agreement in the first instance. This whiff of Danny the Red did not last long as Cyclone Tracy blew the place apart; journalists, including John, were scattered down south, the presses stopped running for a time at the NT News.
After Cyclone Tracy, John came back to Darwin and worked for Darwin Council. It was not long before he went back to the Northern Territory News because the Northern Territory News would re-employ a journalist of his calibre. He was also appointed editor of the independent newspaper, Darwin Star. The proprietor said, of all the editors, John’s time at the helm had been the smoothest and most financially productive. The two Darwin papers, naturally, were locked in a deadly circulation and revenue battle.
Peter continued:
- When I was the Secretary of the Darwin sub-branch of the Queensland AJA, I don’t think John was ever a financial member. This did not prevent him from attending meetings, being very vocal and becoming disgruntled when told he not could vote on an issue.
- Over the years, John and I had many discussions and he often made startling statements, like his claim that he could sail a boat to Mozambique and pick up a printing press and bring it back to Darwin. That brings to mind the time he was the skipper of the former drug boat Mariana which he was restoring on the hard at Doctor’s Gully. Being a good Marxist captain, he said the vessel should be run on democratic lines, all those who came aboard and lingered able to cast a vote on how things were run. This was fine in theory, but one night he ordered everybody off the boat after some of the motley crew annoyed him.
Well, that was John Loizou. He died in Perth and I regret I was not there to give him the coin to pay the ferryman. Vale John Loizou, the last of the real old school journalists.
Madam SPEAKER: I also extend my condolences and sympathies to the family of John Loizou, and his friends, on his departing. I extend my sincere sympathies to you for what is clearly a great loss. A terrific journalist, a great Territorian, and I know he will be sorely missed by his loved ones and family.
Motion agreed to.
Members stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.
Madam SPEAKER: I thank honourable members for their contribution to the motion. I invite the family and friends of John Loizou, and interested members, to afternoon tea in the Main Hall.
PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ACT REPEAL BILL
(Serial 19)
(Serial 19)
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr CHANDLER (Education): Madam Speaker, from someone who in a past life had to use this legislation operationally, it was confusing to local government. I can give you a couple of examples. The responsibility to work with the legislation was passed to local government, and two councils I worked for, the Darwin City Council - as a regulatory officer many years ago - was charged with using this legislation and Palmerston Council was charged with administering this legislation. It was extremely frustrating because you did not really understand why local government was charged with this legislation in the first place.
Local government has care and control of parts of this act. Regulatory staff at Palmerston and Darwin City Councils, as well as other councils across the Northern Territory, are often required to issue permits to clubs and hotels within their municipalities when a request from any of these venues involves the potential use of public places. However, in every case where alcohol is to be served, the Licensing Commission and police must first give approval before a permit may be granted to the applicant. Local government officers are required to inspect these sites and may not always be adequately trained to identify and assess potential risks and hazards.
Fire and Emergency Services, in many cases, also had input and this added further and unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. Local government officers are not empowered to deal with alcohol offences such as the consumption of alcohol in a restricted area, or offences such as fighting in a public place. All the above antisocial behaviours are, and have always been, dealt with by police.
There was a real complication with this legislation. I am thrilled to talk about why we should be rescinding this legislation because of the complication. Having worked with it, it was complicated. The reality …
Mr Wood: I am excited too.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes, very excited. To unpack that, as a former regulatory officer, we were sent to establishments because the owners wanted a permit under the Public Places of Entertainment Act. You were sent, usually unskilled, to deal with issues, to look at things you were not familiar with such as the number of toilets an establishment was supposed to have for the number of people in the establishment at any one time, through to fire extinguishers and fire systems. The regulatory officer usually became the facilitator because you had to rely on the expertise of the fire department or the Health department. Basically, local government was charged with administering this legislation but then had to rely on making appointments with the fire department to meet them on-site to go through any fire restrictions which had to be dealt with. Similarly, they met with the Health department to ensure the number of toilets was correct and fire doors were accessible. At the end of the day, you had a number of different departments all involved. Once everyone had signed off on it, the permit was then signed off by the local government authority.
The most interesting thing I found was had there been a breach of the permit, local government was not able to take action under the scheme. It would have been up to the fire department, police, or the Health department. It was a layer of bureaucracy that, from the operational side, was very complicated. Coming from an experience of having to deal with it, one wanted to know why local government was charged with that responsibility in the first place.
I wanted to speak on the complication and some of the reasons why. It strengthens the argument that all jurisdictions - not just in the Northern Territory - from time to time should review their legislation and, wherever possible, clean it up.
I listened to the Attorney-General, earlier today in a debate, talk about poo - was it not?
Mr Elferink: Ammoniacal liquors and night soil.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes, they were the words he used. There was a time when - what was it again? - you could not have this material in public at certain times?
Mr Elferink: Between midnight and 6 am were the only times you were allowed to be in possession of such material.
Mr CHANDLER: Between midnight and 6 am. It brings you back to the times of the long drops and pan toilets used years ago in many jurisdictions. In a modern society in Australia, it would be very rare to find pans being used and, therefore, needing legislation to deal with it. It is important to review this legislation from time to time, and not just this legislation, all legislation, because it has to remain relevant. I have heard people from time to time suggest 10 years is probably a good time period for any legislation. Unless anything is brought up that needs to be changed sooner, every 10 years it should be mandatory for legislation to be reviewed to ensure it is brought up to date and, where it is deemed necessary, get rid of it if there is no need for it.
That is all I have to say, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am thrilled this level of bureaucracy is being rescinded today.
Ms ANDERSON (Local Government): Mr Deputy Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in this debate. I thank all my colleagues on this side of the House, and I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for getting a briefing from my office on this issue. I also thank the member for Nelson for contributing.
In wrapping up, it is a job of any incoming government to look at legislation that may be redundant and has not been effective or used for a decade or so, and where other legislation is in conflict with that legislation that once could have operated.
What we found, member for Nhulunbuy, is other legislation is in conflict or working the same way as this legislation. I am advised this legislation has not been used for over 13 years.
I take the opportunity to thank the former minister who brought this to the House and the ability he had, when he was Minister for Local Government, to see what was happening and that this legislation was in conflict with other legislation. There was already other legislation lying underneath, beside and on top of it that was doing the same thing, and this was idle and not being used. I thank today’s Chief Minister for making this possible. It is the job of government to research where legislation is inactive.
The member for Nhulunbuy asked a question about the risk to government. As the Attorney-General pointed out before the break, it is poor practice for government to keep legislation when it has not been enforced for over a decade. The last government exposed everyone to a risk leaving unenforced legislation on the books.
That is why it is really important, as an incoming government, to assess what legislation is on the books and not active. As a government, we have taken action to remove legislation that is redundant when other legislation has more effect. As the member for Nhulunbuy knows, it is not the first time repeal of this legislation has been looked at. The difference is this government is taking swift and decisive action, in the interests of the Territory, to repeal it.
In one of the other questions you asked, member for Nhulunbuy, about the Building Act, you pointed out many remote areas in the Northern Territory are not covered by that legislation. You also asked about extending the Building Act. Many of the remote areas fall outside what is called the Building Control Act, member for Nhulunbuy, but they still fall under other relevant and in-force legislation, namely the Fire and Emergency Act, the Public and Environmental Health Act 2011 and the Electricity Reform Act. While I am confident the repeal of the Places of Public Entertainment Act will have no negative impact on the bush, my department will refer this question to the Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment for its response.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank everybody who has contributed to this debate and I commend the bill to honourable members.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms ANDERSON (Local Government)(by leave): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will say a few words in the third reading debate. I could not help but make the observation at around 11.25 am, or whenever it was this bill came on, that what was going on in the Chamber was like an episode of Keystone Cops.
Legislation is a key part of what this parliament does and we, as elected members, take on board. It was comical to see what was happening. I thought the bill must be coming on after lunch because I could not see any advisors from the agency sitting in the box. There were no signals we were about to move to this bill, but we did. I was very happy because I was prepared to speak to it, but I watched the minister run around the Chamber, in and out of the lobby, into the Table Office, obviously madly making phone calls to people saying, ‘Help, help, what is going on in here?’
I find it astounding the minister was not adequately prepared for the debate and we had two other members who stepped in to filibuster and talk their way through. Well done to the member for Drysdale, she spoke quite well given it was dropped in her lap. Thank you to the Attorney-General for the history lesson around redundant legislation and why legislation needs to be kept up to date.
I am making the point this is a House that makes laws, changes laws and repeals laws and people need to take that job seriously. People need to be prepared for that. Given this is the first bill the new Minister for Local Government has taken on, her response and preparedness for it was a little ordinary. I daresay there were probably some heads rolling in her office the moment she was able to step out of here. She is probably breathing a sigh of relief that the two-hour lunchtime suspension allowed her the time to properly get across this piece of legislation.
It was not huge legislation, but I hope when the next bill comes around with her name to it that she is ready for it. We know local government is a really important area of reform in the Northern Territory. We are going down a road of reform at the moment. I expect there will be other bills coming before this House associated with local government. I am sure there have been some important lessons learnt today and when those future bills come around the minister will be adequately prepared and supported in this House to deliver on them.
Ms ANDERSON (Local Government): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to respond to that and say there …
Ms Walker: Are you closing debate now?
Ms ANDERSON: Yes, in the closing debate I will respond.
There were no heads rolling in my office. We are not like the Labor Party which takes it out on innocent people upstairs. We are a party that has been fully briefed and this document was placed on my table on Tuesday. I went inside the Table Office to make a phone call to my office upstairs. I was not running around like a chook with my head cut off.
You are an empty group of people who have not developed any opposition policy to challenge this government. You should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves for criticising the Country Liberal Party for having policies and looking at old legislation that has been lying around in your 11 years, and you have not done anything about it. Do you know what? While I was upstairs for the two hours I thought of something. Aboriginal people, when we are travelling and we run out of petrol, we fill the carby up with petrol so it can go chuk, chukachuk. Well, that is what you are – empty, no policy, chug chugging along, not doing anything; you have run out of steam, you have run out of fuel.
Motion agreed to, bill read a third time.
MOTION
Note Statement – Telecommunications and Broadcasting in the Territory
Note Statement – Telecommunications and Broadcasting in the Territory
Continued from 21 February 2013.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
MOTION
Note Statement – Opportunities for the Northern Territory’s Agribusiness and Minerals Sectors in the Asian Century
Note Statement – Opportunities for the Northern Territory’s Agribusiness and Minerals Sectors in the Asian Century
Continued from 20 February 2013.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Mr Deputy Speaker, in the very brief time I have - I will wait until the clock sets because I thought I had five minutes but believe I have three. We will call it question time, yes, it looks like three.
In my contribution to the debate about agribusiness, I was talking about the opportunities with tailings. Tailings represent old product from previous mines. It just so happens that when we were in government there was a great deal of interest shown from a number of companies about the production of tailings, or the re-process of tailings, particularly around the Tennant Creek area. There are many dollars left in tailings and they represent revenue and jobs for the Northern Territory, and cleaning up the environment of old mining sites. So, it is a good way to do business. As we heard in Question Time today, the new minister will have to brush up on his operations around bonds and environmental security with new mines in the Northern Territory, as he was left in a quandary. You can always judge when our new minister for Mines and natural resources is in a quandary because he does not have any personal insults to use.
We will move on because I would like to discuss with this minister, in the brief time I have, the need for regional infrastructure to support what was spoken about by many members in this House in the agribusiness statement.
Of course, we are talking about rail, port, roads - these are the transport logistics, these are the elements of infrastructure that are needed. We have some great operators in the Northern Territory, and if we touch briefly on rail, the previous government was working closely with Genesee & Wyoming about passing loops. There will be the need for important passing loops to support that extra traffic that will be created on the rail.
In relation to the Chief Minister’s inarticulate and juvenile statement about a dirty port, I was able to clear that up for Territorians when I rearticulated it for our young Chief Minister. He was trying to talk about the second port, which is needed as a bulk commodity port. The previous government did much work around planning for that and I am happy the new Chief Minister has taken that on board.
Mr Deputy Speaker, he also promised a port on the Tiwi Islands which, no doubt the member for Arafura will be very keen to pursue. He has on the credit card two ports coming up, also the railway line and the gas pipeline between Mount Isa and Tennant Creek. These are important infrastructure logistics which will support the Territory’s growth and development.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am not normally attracted to three minutes of hyperbole from the member from Barkly, but I am frustrated when I hear the former Labor government make excuses for inactions because they undertook planning. I have seen their planning documents - the 2030 documents, the deadlines of which were never met. They did much planning and issued pamphlets - this was government by issuing pamphlets. One of the great frustrations I had listening to the former government is telling me two things: (1) how much money they were spending, and (2) issuing pamphlets.
We hear the same argument being rolled out by the member for Barkly now about the dirty port or a bulk commodities port - I am happy to be corrected on that area – ‘We were doing some planning’.
The problem is, I have never seen a bulk container ship pull up next to a pamphlet and offload onto the pamphlet. It does not happen; something has to happen in the meantime. It is an interesting mental picture, ‘Argh captain, we can tie up here. There is a pamphlet to be tied up against’ …
Mr Westra van Holthe: A glossy Labor one.
Mr ELFERINK: That is right. ‘It is glossy, captain. This is where we gotta be, this is the place to be’. If government by pamphlet was how we governed, the Labor Party would never lose power because it is all about message and image, which is why I was so frustrated and sat there for such a long time …
Mr McCarthy: Let us see what you have.
Mr ELFERINK: I will tell you what I have.
Mr McCarthy: Let us hear it.
Mr ELFERINK: I am delighted to pick up on this interjection. Take your original policy in relation to the new era of Corrections where you were going to get people into the workplace. How many did you get out? Two or three?
Mr McCarthy: How many do you have out there?
Mr ELFERINK: I have 30 now and will have 200 by the end of this year …
Mr McCarthy: Let us hear it at estimates.
Mr ELFERINK: I will have 200 by the end of this year. You are so useless it is scary …
Mr McCarthy: You did not tell the truth about Toll.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the point, incompetence writ large in the Labor Party …
Mr McCarthy: You neglect the truth. We did the work with Toll but you ignore it.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can I have a bit of order. Please sit down, member for Barkly.
Mr McCarthy: Careless with the truth.
Mr ELFERINK: Incompetence writ large. Shy nervous …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, you are already on a warning. Can you please leave the Chamber? You were given a warning this morning.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I would like to call that in regard to the rules of the House, I was given a warning in Question Time by the Speaker. If you would like to put me on a warning let us hear it.
Mr ELFERINK: He has just thrown you out.
________________
Suspension of Member
Member for Barkly
Suspension of Member
Member for Barkly
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, I would like you to leave the Chamber, thank you. Leave the Chamber for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
________________
Mr ELFERINK: Incompetence writ large, and that is the problem we have had with the former government. They tell us all the things they were planning to do, yet when you asked them for something, they failed to achieve anything. It is frustrating.
I suspect the Country Liberals government of the Northern Territory will not be a perfect government; it will make mistakes and struggle with issues like all governments do. At least we will have a go beyond just producing a pamphlet. What frustrated me is when, year in, year out, members of the former Labor government, as ministers of the Crown said, ‘We are gonna do this and we are gonna do that’. They did do some things. To their credit, they did pursue some policies but, unfortunately, the areas they failed in are the ones that mattered most. They had social policies rolling out left, right, and centre which cost a fortune. Well, here is a social policy! What about a social policy that generates jobs; policies that deal with issues like agribusiness and the issues raised by the minister in his statement to the House - multimillion dollar industries in agriculture, and the cattle industry.
We have heard from the minister that the ilmenite mine he has signed off on is the first greenfield site mine in how many years?
Mr Westra van Holthe: Six or seven years.
Mr ELFERINK: Six or seven years. That is taking some steps forward. That is creating jobs. I heard the Deputy Chief Minister say something which is utterly worthwhile: the best form of welfare is a job. That captures me. That is what the former Country Liberals government - before all the old slander techniques we are seeing rolled out now by the Labor Party again finally brought the former CLP government to book in the public domain - believed in. They took risks and made mistakes along the way but, in the process, they had a go.
I remember the Northern Territory in the period 1969 to 1978 because that was the period I lived here before self-government. I remember my father coming home and talking about people like Goff Letts. I did not know or understand their roles, but this much I did understand: my father was very impressed. I do not think my father was, necessarily, the right-winger I am, but he was impressed by the desire of the then Country Liberals, even before the formation of the self-governing body politic in 1978, to improve the Northern Territory. Whilst I saw the Country Liberals between 1978 and 2001 make errors along the way, they were prepared to have a go.
Unfortunately, in 2001, it became governance by pamphlet, particularly in the areas of agribusiness and Asian connection. There was a time …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 36, the state of the House.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
We have a quorum. Continue, Attorney-General.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The passion and desire for the Territory to improve was truly remarkable. That is something the Country Liberals would like to bring back. Members would be impressed to know the Northern Territory had greater entre into Indonesia than the Australian government, particularly during the period of the Perron and Stone Chief Ministries. Those Chief Ministries saw such a presence of the Northern Territory that we had a diplomatic entrance the Australian government could not maintain in Jakarta. Shane Stone, in particular, had strong ties with Indonesia, particularly with President Suharto, and was able to get contact and levels of communications that were the envy of the Australian government.
There was a photograph floating around this building not so long ago which showed Paul Everingham sitting next to President Suharto, being carried around in a rickshaw, or something of that nature. It was about getting our communications and entry into Southeast Asia nailed down. We had any number of offices dotted around Southeast Asia, we were part of BIMP-EAGA, and we were working very hard with Brunei to encourage trade relationships. After 2001, those offices were closed down, those trade relationships were reduced, and it will take years to rebuild them. The minister has already been on a number of missions internationally, trying to rebuild the Territory’s reputation in Southeast Asia. I congratulate the minister wholesomely, fulsomely, and utterly for those trips.
Because I have been around this House for a few years, I remember a few things. I remember one former minister, a fellow by the name of Daryl Manzie, the Asian Relations minister, was criticised by the then Opposition Leader, Clare Martin, to her credit, for not travelling enough into Southeast Asia. That is not a criticism that could be levelled at the current minister, because he has been very active in his portfolio areas. I encourage and urge him to continue building those ties with Southeast Asia in the way he is.
The problem was, despite the chants of the then Chief Minister, Clare Martin, saying, ‘You are not travelling enough into Southeast Asia’, to the CLP government at the time - whether that was true or not I cannot comment on because I was not aware of Daryl Manzie’s travel schedule - after the Labor government took control of the reins in the Northern Territory, the contacts with Southeast Asia diminished sharply over time. That is a problem; that is a challenge.
It is insane to not realise Darwin is substantially closer to large countries with enormous populations than we are to our own federal capital. That point has been made. Anyone who has visited a ministerial office upstairs understands how well that point has been made by virtue of one simple truth: if you look at the maps on the walls of those ministerial suites they do not show a picture of Australia with Alice Springs at the centre, they show a picture of Southeast Asia with Alice Springs as the southernmost city in Southeast Asia. There is good reason for that, because when those maps were originally put on the walls of this Parliament House, it was done with one eye as to who would visit those ministerial suites. The anticipation and expectation was always that it would be ministers from Southeast Asia. It continues to impress people today that we see ourselves, and rightly so, as a Southeast Asian city. Even in the physical design of the building we are standing in at the moment, there is an acknowledgement of the Southeast Asian nature of the capital city of the Northern Territory. These are important considerations for government policy.
The minister is saying we have to build agribusiness and minerals in the Asian century. Duh, of course we do. It is not a challenge. Yet it is something that seems to have been forgotten by the Labor Party. I can understand why it has been forgotten, to be honest, because when you are interested in things like social policies and Aboriginal issues, you become introspective, you start to look inward; you flagellate yourself for the sins of the past. You carry this baggage forward, the guilt of history writ large or carried heavy on your shoulders like a cross to bear, because we have to correct all of the wrongs, we have to apologise for who we are. We have to apologise for our history, we have to apologise for all types of things. We have to make reparations, and before you know it you are crippling yourself with a psychology which is saying that if we do anything, it is the wrong thing to do. I cannot subscribe to that psychology. I am naturally too optimistic. This government is naturally too optimistic to subscribe to that sort of psychology.
Yes, I believe in fairness; yes, I believe in justice; yes, I believe in all of those principles, but do not saddle yourself to the point where your investment into the future is an investment in a social or welfare program rather than in a job. If you follow that logic you find yourself stuck in the circumstances where those policies logically take you, and that is not wealth creation, participation, or job creation, or making more of what you have, that is sitting around saying, ‘Oh! Poor bugger me, I am a victim; it is not fair’.
Well, life is not fair, but life provides you with challenges as well as opportunities. If you see challenges as an opportunity, you can rise above, lift yourself up, and be far more aggressive and positive about your development as a human being, as a small community, as a large community, as a state, territory or nation. If the collective belief of the people who live in an environment is we are a can-do place, that we have courage and are prepared to take risks beyond just producing pamphlets, then you will succeed more often than you fail. When you succeed more often than you fail you generate the best form of welfare ever: jobs, dignity, self-trust and self-worth.
I cannot separate out, in a human perspective, all of those concepts from the human condition. Being passionate about what you do, being resolved to be good at what you do, being fired up, juiced up and desiring to make things better through your own efforts for yourself is by far the best thing you can, rather than carry the cross of history on your back like some burden that cripples you under its weight. That is the essence of the Labor philosophy; that is what we have seen for 10 years in this place.
We have apologised left, right and centre for things we have to apologise for, but we cannot cast off that weight. We burden ourselves with it and carry it forward. Small wonder we lose a sense of vision. When you are carrying a burden you are looking down when we should be looking over the horizon. Over the horizon, just to the north of us, there is opportunity upon opportunity, built on in the past by a former Country Liberal Party government which sent public servants into Southeast Asia to try to improve things like feedlots - practical things. The original feedlots we were sending cattle into were mud holes. There was a good economic reason for improving them, but you had to demonstrate to the Indonesians that you had to spend some money on feedlots because it was better for your product, and you made more money on the product in the deal. A cow caught 1 m deep in mud will expend more energy and lose more condition trying to get through that quagmire than a cow working on a firm surface. So, you spend the money on creating a firm surface, the cow walks around, gets fatter, and all of a sudden, you have more meat which you can sell into the marketplace for much more money. That is the sort of pragmatic thing we were doing in Southeast Asia. Was it making an impact? Hell, yeah!
The live cattle trade, which was so summarily executed by the current Labor federal government, assented to so readily by the former Territory government, was built on the trust developed between the Northern Territory and Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, to the point where the Indonesians were ignoring some of their own rules of beast weight because they realised we were providing a reliable source of food. If there is one challenge Indonesia has, it is its food security.
That trust was shattered in a single political decision in a Labor Caucus room in Canberra. It was smashed to the four winds and now people like the minister for Primary Industry have to spend a great deal of energy slowly rebuilding that trust. It is once bitten twice shy as far as the Indonesians are concerned, because that country is held together by the issue of food security. If they cannot maintain food security, the country would fall apart. If you want to see problems for the future of Australia, imagine a country with 250 million people with multiple languages, multiple faiths, falling apart just north of Australia. We have to build those relationships. We have to say to them, ‘We know your food security problems and have we got a deal for you’. Those are the things we have to be doing and that is the positive thing I see in this important statement before the House.
Mr Deputy Speaker, people are afraid of a return to the CLP of old. I am not, because the CLP of old had ambition, drive, and courage. It could look over the horizon and was prepared to drive itself and the Northern Territory forward. No shortage of people will complain because we are not walking on eggshells around this group and that group, not pussy-footing around, we are getting things done. Let them complain. Perhaps because of the success we have in that area, one day we will even lose government. That might be the case – fine - but if I am part of a government that leaves a legacy of tens of thousands of jobs behind, I will be proud.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I was listening to some of what the member for Port Darwin said and I remind him of the end of the CLP and the reason it left. It lost its roots, lost its way, and I would hate to see it go back to what it was in the late 1990s. I knew the CLP when it started and I thought it was a great party: small business and family oriented. When it reached the silver circle it lost its way.
I welcome the minister bringing this statement forward. It is always nice to talk about horticulture or agriculture. I probably repeat myself a number of times, but I said to the previous government that primary industry was always the poor cousin. I will give the minister praise where it is due because he has put a big effort into lifting the profile of primary industry in the Northern Territory. There is a long way to go. I regard the Territory as a pioneer when it comes to horticultural production, but it is moving on and developing its markets.
On 14 and 15 March there was an NT mango forum in Katherine, held at Knotts Crossing Resort, about research development and extension. It was nice to meet people in the industry, not only because as a member of parliament I should try to keep in touch with what is happening, especially in primary industry, but because horticultural science is what I learnt many years ago …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
A quorum is present.
Mr WOOD: Mr Deputy Speaker, it is like, ‘We interrupt this program for a short pause’.
The rural area of Darwin where I live is a large area, one of the largest areas in the Northern Territory for producing mangoes as well as Asian vegetables and cut flowers. I try to take an interest in what is happening in the industry.
The two days of research development extension was extremely well run by the government, the Northern Territory Mango Industry Association and NT Farmers. There were approximately 30 people attending, maybe a few more. There were growers, people from the department, people like Grant Fenton, the Executive Officer of the Northern Territory Farmers Association, and a representative from the Australian Mango Industry Association, Gavin Scurr, who spoke about the season’s production throughout Australia.
It is interesting to note in Australia there were an estimated seven-and-a-half million trays with four million trays coming from the Northern Territory. The Territory is the largest producer of mangoes in Australia. There were some issues of immature fruit, which is always of concern because if you put immature fruit on the market, the consumer who buys it does not like it, which gives mangoes a bad name.
There was discussion - I have been to a previous meeting where this was discussed – of a disorder called resin canal. It is a disorder which is of concern to the mango industry. Basically, the natural canals that move the fluids around inside a mango turn black after harvest and, when you cut the mango in half, there are black finger-like marks through the mango. There are many theories about it. It is a concern to the industry because you only need a few of those in a tray and you have some problems.
There was also discussion about improving transport conditions. One of the biggest problems in places like the Northern Territory is you can get beautiful fruit, you can pack them up and make them look nice for the markets, but if you cannot get them down there in time, you do not have a sale. Or, if you get them on a truck and that truck takes a bit longer than expected or gets waylaid, you may not have mangoes that are of high enough quality to get a good price.
They talked about those issues and about mango variety commercialisation. People may not understand it. You might grow Kensington Pride mangoes, which is a variety anyone can buy. Many of the new varieties are commercially bred varieties for which you have to buy the rights to grow. There are new varieties coming on the market.
Trevor Dunmall, Industry Development Manager at AMIA, spoke about the issues in relation to bringing new varieties on to the market. You have to ensure you do not interfere too much with the existing varieties. There are also issues about making sure growers have equitable access to buying the new varieties. He discussed what is happening in that area, because everybody has to get a fair share of the cake: the people who grow this variety of mango, the people who market it, as well as the plant breeders, because they are the ones who own the rights to sell these products.
That led on to a gentleman called Ken Rayner, who is a mango breeder in Katherine. He looks old, but he is a sprightly fellow. He is very interesting to talk to, and his passion is breeding new varieties of mangoes. I do not have the pamphlet with me, but he has produced a variety called RA17. It is a red mango - a very ripe mango that looks very attractive. That will be coming on to the market. I will give you the description he gave it:
- The colour is a very attractive colour from rich apricot to bright red. The flesh is very firm and virtually fibreless. The seed is small and flat with no fibre attached. They are juicy and sweet with a flavour new to Australia.
He has developed this species and is promoting it. The fruit matures approximately one week before Kensington Pride at Florina Road - 1000 RA17 trees have been planted at Seven Fields on Fox Road and another 2000 will be planted in late 2013 and early 2014. There is another variety coming on which is RA108.
He is also looking at new varieties of rootstocks and trying to develop rootstocks, looking at things like dwarfing because, as you know, mango trees can be enormous. The cost of getting mangoes down from a big tree means labour is expensive. If you have smaller tree where you can hand pick them or just use a ladder, that reduces the cost. All these things are happening in our back yard at present.
The department is also doing rootstock trials. Dr Cameron McConchie, the research leader in this area, described what work they are doing. They have trials in Darwin, Katherine and Ti Tree. You might think that is pretty boring stuff but it is not. The department is trying to spread out the season for mangoes. If we can get a season going from October to June we have great opportunities for selling mangoes in the Australian markets, and perhaps export, for a longer period than we are at the moment.
Of course, we have to balance that with markets coming from Queensland, Kununurra and northern New South Wales. However, what they are trying to do is expand the time in which mangoes can be picked and marketed in Northern Territory.
All these things need finance, and we met Charlie Goode, a Northern Territory financial counsellor for the Australian government Rural Financial Counselling Service. He spoke about his role. It is not just about people who might be having financial troubles, it can be for people who want some financial advice; they are doing all right but need some assistance in making sure their business is operating correctly. He can do some case management on those things.
Warren Hunt, the Industry Development and Extension leader, talked about different ways of getting the message across to people in the mango industry. He talked about the small groups, in other words, getting just a few growers together and talking about their issues. That seemed to be a better way of getting the message across in relation to new approaches to pest management and post-harvest problems. All the things extension officers have to talk about, he dealt with.
There was a young research lady from the department called Chelsea Moore. She also spoke about - it might sound like a funny title - scoping the effect of Vigor-Cal and Biomin on lenticel spotting of Kensington Pride mangoes. This is a new problem for mangoes. Mangoes, like leaves, have what they call stomata: little holes in the skin. They have found that in some mangoes that little hole is going brown and you can get a mango that is quite ripe inside but the skin looks terrible. They were doing some trials with calcium - that is what Vigor-Cal is - on trees in Katherine or Darwin in an attempt to see whether it was a calcium problem. It appears that is not the problem.
However, we got a good description of the problem. How do you fix it? As Andrew MacNish from the University of Queensland said in his talk on improving the commercial viability of the B74 mango, improving the genetics of some of our old varieties, like Kensington Pride, may be the way to get round some of these problems.
I highlight that there is some major work happening in our major industries. Mangoes are the biggest horticultural industry in the Northern Territory. It is good to see there is an ongoing research and development program. I went to the Katherine Research Station. Unfortunately I had to get home for a meeting at the Litchfield Council so I went to ..
Mr Westra van Holthe: Are you coming to the Farm and Garden Day?
Mr WOOD: Oh yes, when is it?
Mr Westra van Holthe: 6 April.
Mr WOOD: I will pause for an advertisement. The farm day at Katherine Research Station is on 6 April. It is a great day for everybody.
I was at the farm and they were doing the rootstock and scion trials, which are fairly new. The trees have not been in that long but we were given an explanation of what the trials meant and how long before those trials will start to give us results.
I congratulate the government - these things should be updated - for bringing out the Vegetable Growing Manual. You might have heard it on the Country Hour. It is not necessarily for home growers. You can use it because the basis of growing vegetables is the same whether you are growing them at home or growing a large amount of them, except you are not going to buy a tractor and plough for three tomatoes and four pumpkins. This is a really good manual. It discusses a range of things. If you were looking at commercial production of vegetables in the Northern Territory, it deals with farm planning, what to grow, soil preparation, green manure cropping, land preparation, planting - raised beds, plastic mulch, drip lines; nutrition - fertigation, soil testing; and irrigation. It goes on to pest and disease control, chemical use and residues, harvest and post-harvest, and transport and markets.
It is a really good manual produced this year. I pay credit to people like Kevin Blackburn. A number of people have left the department since then, but Kevin Blackburn was one of the main contributors. There are a few other people who should be recognised: Mark Traynor; Greg Owens, who was also working at Taminmin College; Chris Wicks, Matt Darcey, Melinda Gosbee, Liz Easton, Graeme Patch, Stuart Smith, Colin Martin, and Chelsea Moore. A combination of a range of people working in the department put this together; they obviously would have spoken to growers in the industry. If people are looking for a guide to vegetable growing in the semi-tropics – it is not for the southern part of the Territory, they will have their own, of course - this is the one to get. I congratulate the government on that. Obviously, it would have been put together by the previous government as well; it has taken some time to put together. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting into the vegetable growing industry.
There is a new book out People might not have realised the Northern Territory Agricultural Association, the Northern Territory Nursery and Garden Industry and the Horticultural Association, I believe, have got together and now call themselves the NT Farmers Association. They have brought out their own magazine called GrowNT.
Again, if you want to keep up with what is happening, especially the commercial side of it, this is the one to go to. They have a new president, Phil Howie, a former Western Australian wheat and sheep farmer. He and his wife and family opted for a lifestyle change 16 years ago, leaving their property near Albany in the state’s southwest to move to the Top End and manage Maneroo Station in the Douglas Daly district. They later took over Maneroo’s lease. They bought a 5000 ha property, where they have 2200 ha under improved pasture. They produce hay and seed, and raise cattle for the live export trade. The station partnership includes son, Chris, and his wife Amanda.
To show you the range of people who are involved in the NT Farmers Association: we say goodbye to Jan Hintze, the former president who is a flower producer at Lambells Lagoon and has been for many years and I presume she is still going all right there; Grant Fenton, the new CEO of NT Farmers, gives a run down on where things are; Ian Quinn; there is an article about the 2012 mango season, written by Ian Baker, who is the president of the Northern Territory Mango Industry Association; Jeremy Hemphill who people might know him from Lambells Lagoon where he has a bed and breakfast but grows organic fruit as well; and Camp Creek Station. There are quite a number of articles that can help growers get in contact with people they need. There was also the launch of our mango growers, which was done through the ABC Country Hour last year.
Sometimes we battle about the politics, but there are good and positive things happening. It would be remiss of people not to occasionally promote what is happening, especially in the horticultural and agricultural industry in the Northern Territory. It has always been an industry that has suffered from ups and downs, which will continue because it relies on the weather, and the weather is never level; each year it will be different. There is always risk involved in the production of fruit and vegetables in the Northern Territory.
I thank the minister for bringing this statement on. I also thank the people working in this industry, especially those who are putting in time, effort and money. We have been discussing the Mataranka issue, but some people there have invested a lot of money. The Younghusbands, for instance, have put a lot of money into watermelons and have about $10m of sales a year to Coles and Woolies from just one farm at Mataranka. Down that way you also have Oolloo Farm producing top grade mangoes.
We want production. The argument I had yesterday …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I move that the member for Nelson be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: I will be quick.
Mr Tollner: You can talk as long as you want, Gerry.
Mr WOOD: I know that. Some of you have a problem with time today. Time management has not worked for the government today. Be that as it may, I had concerns about the debate on Mataranka because people there have shown their track record in producing good crops for the Northern Territory. They have shown there bona fides.
What disappointed me was a licence was granted independently. I am not arguing about that, but if I was a grower in Mataranka, had been looking for an extension of my water licence and had been growing watermelons for years, and someone said, ‘There is a new person over here getting 5800 ML’, I would feel I had been kicked in the guts. That is what is annoying the growers. They want their licence and there are quite a few. If you look at the list of people waiting for licences there are quite a few and that is the feeling I get when talking to people in the industry. They are not saying the MacFarlanes should not have water, but to give them one big licence when other people who have been working hard in the industry get nothing is not a good way to do things.
We should try to promote horticulture more in the Northern Territory. Many people have said we should have more farms in Aboriginal communities. I worked for 14 years at Daly River and Bathurst Island and know that unless you have people dedicated to work seven days a week, forget it. The area you can promote is in the back yard gardens in Aboriginal communities where people who want to have a garden can have a small one in their back yard. There are people like Terry Sams at Emu Point who has a little chook shed and a small garden.
One of the best farms I have seen was at Ramingining in someone’s back yard. I do not see big farms anymore. No one wants to work seven days a week, but there is potential to promote small-scale horticulture in people’s back yards if people want to grow something for themselves You do not have to grow big for the whole community.
There are other areas that concern me. I took a photo last year coming back from Alice Springs. I had been to the melon farm which had a sign, ‘Workers Wanted’. It is just down the road from Ali Curung. When I asked about it they said –think this was Centrefarm – ‘Well, it is too hard’. That is what people do for a living. I used to pick watermelons. I did not have a nice conveyor belt going across the crop. I had to take them over to the car and back again, back again, and back again. It is a hard but fulfilling job ...
Mr Tollner: That is why you are so bent up these days, Gerry, from carrying watermelons.
Mr WOOD: I know. The reason I am bald is when you carried watermelons a march fly would land on your head and you had to put the watermelon down to kill the march fly and away you go again. You can see why I have no hair.
I am passionate about horticulture. I have heard people say it is a waste of time. I heard a university professor say that at a forum once. People knock the idea of a food bowl. I do not say a food bowl, I say a food saucer. Food bowl is a bit ‘in your dreams’. We have limitations on where we can grow crops in the Northern Territory. We have limitations on water, soil, and markets, but we can expand.
I reinforce what I was trying to say yesterday. We need sustainable agriculture and sustainable use of resources, especially water.
I do not use the Murray Darling as an example, I use common sense. We have had our own problems in the Northern Territory with developments: Scott Creek, Tipperary. I visited Daly River not long after Tipperary had failed, and the areas cleared there were creeks. No one took into account the proper way to clear; they just cleared all the creeks. We introduced improved pastures like Pennisetum - mission grass. The country down there would be white and it was a useless crop once it started to go to seed. We made our mistakes.
We should not be making those mistakes anymore because, in the end, those mistakes cost us a great deal of money to repair. Let us do it right. By all means, member for Fong Lim, say, ’Yes we want development’. As I said yesterday, I do not want the Russ Hinze version of development; I want a development that is transparent and will sustain the Northern Territory for a long period of time without doing long-term damage in the future, for which we will have to pick up the tab to repair. If I sound as if I am cautious, it is not being cautious because I belong to the extreme greens, it is because I have seen too much public money spent repairing approaches to agriculture and other things where not enough thought was given to the consequences.
People sometimes say, ‘Sustainable is just one of those words people use’. No, sustainable makes good sense. To grow things sustainably means you will grow them properly and not cause a legacy of problems later. That is all it means to me. That is why I was passionate about the water, whether it is Mataranka, Uluru, or the Daly River. I lived on the Daly River. Tipperary was going to pump masses of water out of that river in 1970. Thankfully, someone said, ‘Hey! In the Dry Season there are people at the other end who drink it. Just hang on a second’. You have to ensure what you do is well planned and well thought out.
Mr Deputy Speaker, once again, I thank the minister for his statement. I hope it at least gives people some idea about one small part of agriculture - the mango and vegetable industries - which I hope will continue to expand in the Northern Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Mr Deputy Speaker, likewise, I thank the minister for this very important statement. It is very important for the Northern Territory because the Northern Territory is largely underdeveloped. I agreed with the member for Nelson. I do not think there is any disputing his passion for horticulture and farming. I possibly have some disagreement with the level of agriculture that is possible in the Northern Territory but, in the main, I agree with him.
There are a couple of things I particularly want to talk about in relation to agriculture before getting on to mining. The major one is water. It might come as a surprise to some members of this House, but in the last few years of the Howard government I found myself on the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce which Bill Heffernan was chairing. A number of well-known Territorians and Australians were part of it. I found it an extraordinarily interesting, educative, and enlightening time in my life. It was great getting across the top of north Australia looking at water.
There is an abundance of water in the Top End of the Northern Territory, probably like no other part of the country. It is fair to say two-thirds of the rainfall in Australia falls on one-third of the country. Of course, that is the top third of the country.
It was interesting, while in opposition in this House listening to the other side. Their main concern was they did not want another Murray Darling in Australia, particularly not in north Australia. Every time you talk about putting a farm on the Daly or in Mataranka they instantly said, ‘No, no, no, we do not want another Murray Darling in Australia’. The Murray Darling has some 64 000 farms along it. Half of Australia’s food crop is grown on the Murray Darling. My first reaction to that is, ‘Why would you not want that in the Northern Territory?’ What is so bad about growing half of Australia’s food crop? What is so bad about 64 000 farms? The work those farms generate is enormous and they are doing good things. They are feeding people. They are providing jobs and opportunities for Australia. That reaction from the opposition that we do not want another Murray Darling in Australia, I find rather intriguing.
The problem with the opposition when they were in government was they had to placate some of the extreme greens, the extreme lefties in their ranks. They portrayed them as anti-development and anti-farming. When you look at water restrictions in a place like the Northern Territory - as I said, two-thirds of Australia’s rain falls on one-third of the country. To try to lock up the water and say, ‘Oh, we have so much water allocated for the environment. We have an Indigenous allocation of water. There are other needs for water and, by the way, once you take that into account there is really nothing left’.
To make matters worse, they started talking about their Native Vegetation Act. They were going to bring laws into the Northern Territory which would mean anybody who wanted to prune a tree had to get a full-blown environmental impact statement. It was bizarre. You could not clear land; you could not turn the land into productive land. It was all about locking up the Northern Territory - vast tracts of the Northern Territory blocked from development in any way at all. Really scary stuff.
As part of the northern water task force we travelled around the Top End and the top part of Australia. It was apparent broadacre farming, which occurs in the southern parts of the country, is not appropriate in north Australia, not because of water but because of the soils. We get so much water that many of the nutrients in the soils are leeched out and flushed into the ocean, so it is very difficult to grow broadacre crops as they do interstate.
What was apparent is a mosaic of arable land in the Top End, not small amounts. Scattered right across the Top End are places where you find good soils that are farmable and where you can grow things. It is the view of this government that we want to see those places utilised for the benefit of Territorians and people around the world. Whatever we can grow, what we do not use we can export. We can derive income for the Northern Territory and provide food and sustenance for the millions of people who live to our north.
This has manifested, most recently, in the grant of the water licence to the MacFarlanes in Mataranka. It was interesting to listen to the member for Nelson because he said what galls him most is other growers in that area cannot get their hands on that amount of water. I say to the member for Nelson, tell those growers to put in an application because you will find a much different reception from this government about water usage than you would have from the previous government.
We want to see more people applying to use water in the Northern Territory because it is something we have in abundance. We want to see people, particularly Indigenous people, utilising their land and growing things. In relation to the MacFarlanes, what I am really hoping for is in the very near future - I will encourage them when I speak to them next - they get into the Lands department and apply for a subdivision permit, because Mataranka now is a township. It is completely covered by native title which makes it very difficult to develop as a town. We know there is an enormous number of enterprises in that region and we really need to extend the town. House blocks and small farming blocks are a necessity in that area. I would love to see the MacFarlanes come in because they have quite a large block of freehold land. It is really the only freehold land in the region. They can - I encourage them to - subdivide that land, sell it off, allow for the town of Mataranka to grow, provide much-needed accommodation to people in the area - it is one of those areas in the Territory we want to see develop and grow - also subdivide that large block of freehold land into much smaller blocks to allow farming families to start tilling the soil and growing things. That would be a fantastic thing for Mataranka, for the township, and for the Northern Territory in general.
It is what we, as a government, want to see happening right across the Northern Territory: making provision for development and growth, getting people to utilise the land. When you tie up land - for instance, create national parks and the like - it is very difficult to manage and maintain that land, look after it and keep it in good order. However, when you have people working on it whose lives depend on it, there is a much greater desire to manage the land, keep weeds, feral animals, and all those things out of the place and keep it in good order, in a sustainable way, for a long-term future.
It is interesting that most of the feral animal infestations come from national parks, and it costs government an enormous amount of money to look after and maintain national parks. It is very expensive to do, but where you have landowners, cattlemen, farmers and the like, it is in their interest to maintain their land. For that reason, and because the Northern Territory really is, in many ways, still a mendicant state in that as much as 80% of our income comes from Canberra, it is in our interests to do what we can to develop and grow our economies.
That northern water task force identified many issues across the Top End of the Territory where farming and horticulture could work. It was unfortunate there was a change of government federally in 2007, because that northern water task force was, of course, reconstituted and we had a pack of greenies and lefties and whatnot thrown onto it; Stuart Blanch from the Environment Centre NT was one of them. Stuart Blanch, of course, is the fellow who is so affronted by Territorians washing their cars in their driveways during the day he wants to see permanent water restrictions in Darwin, and it seems the Labor Party agrees with him. What happened with that northern water task force was all rather horrifying. Of course, they reported no development could happen anywhere in north Australia otherwise we would all go down the gurgler, the environment would be destroyed and we would lose something precious forever. What a load of absolute rot!
The actions of the previous government were anti-farming, anti-agriculture. They got rid of Berrimah Research Farm. If you want to have a farming and horticultural industry in the Northern Territory, because we are in the tropics, it is important we act on the best science. The best science should be conducted in the Northern Territory to meet the conditions we live with. Shutting that research farm showed you these people are not really interested in farming, they do not really want to see farming take hold in the Northern Territory so they closed it down. ‘Let us make water access across the Northern Territory almost impossible, let us make it almost impossible to clear land then we do not have to worry about a research farm’. What a retrograde step, what a poor way to conduct business.
We need that research farm and I encourage the minister – I have set you a pretty deadly budget, minister, things are not as good as they could be. We are dealing with $5.5bn worth of debt, and the debt Delia racked up in government means we have interest repayments of $750 000 per day. In a population of 230 000, this government is spending $750 000 every day on interest payments, not a new school, building a road, assisting in building a research farm or any of that. It is dead money going in interest repayments. This puts a dark cloud over all our decisions in government at the moment. However, I encourage the minister to look at doing what he can within his agency’s budget to put money towards research and support farming industries.
We have a bright future in farming. I look at the Daly, the Western Australian border, areas around Katherine and Mataranka and into Arnhem Land, and I see opportunity everywhere. People need government, in many ways, to get out of the way, get rid of the red tape, get rid of the nonsense green tape put in place by the previous Labor government, and allow enterprise to take hold in the regions.
It is rather sad listening to the member for Nelson because he said, ‘Farms will not work in Aboriginal communities because people have to work seven days a week’. It is almost like he is throwing in the towel before he even had a go. I am so proud to sit in this parliament with the members for Arnhem, Arafura, Namatjira and Stuart. These guys are a golden dawn for the Northern Territory. They represent a new direction for Indigenous people, they are pro-development, they want to see jobs, they want to see economic growth in their communities, and I am so proud to be in this parliament with them. They are great people who are setting a new direction in Indigenous communities and showing people that it is not a life of welfare, there is hope and opportunity in the Northern Territory for Aboriginal people; they can live decent, normal hard-working lives like any other people in the country. They are not a special case. That is what they are saying and good on them because it fills me with hope that there is that opportunity.
The cattle industry was mentioned by the minister in Question Time. The previous government’s reaction to Julia Gillard’s ban on live trade was disgusting. The previous Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, said the ban was the circuit breaker we needed. I was appalled at that comment. The Attorney-General gave a fantastic speech a few minutes ago about the hard work that had gone into building trade relations with Indonesia. Not just trade relations, but a genuine partnership building the feedlots in Indonesia and putting world’s best practice in place. I was horrified to see that put in jeopardy by the former government and its federal masters.
There is enormous opportunity in the cattle industry in the Northern Territory. We conjure up images in our minds about the Territory bushman or the Indigenous stockman, but a little known fact is there are more cattle within a 100 km radius of Rockhampton than there are in the entire Northern Territory. That tells a story that we have not harnessed the cattle industry in the Northern Territory; there is enormous growth opportunity, and the country is not flogged out. It says to me there are opportunities to utilise our water and our natural resources, and to improve pastures. There is great hope for growth in that industry.
When you look around the Territory, there are not many feedlots. We are talking about building an abattoir here. I would like to see, side by side with that abattoir, some pretty decent feedlots where we can fatten and finish cattle. That is where we get the …
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Fong Lim.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER: There is an enormous opportunity in the cattle industry. If we can have feedlots in place near this abattoir, where we can fatten and finish cattle - because it is the marbling in the beef we all like. I often tell people I do not really want to eat a razor blade that came out of Tennant Creek and had to walk 50 km each day to get a drink of water, not when you have these nice big fat round things that sit in feedlots, do not have to walk anywhere, eat grain, and water is sitting in a trough right beside them. Those cows live in the lap of luxury and they are pretty damn tasty too. Feedlots allow cattle to be fattened and finished in that way.
We talk about building an abattoir. Listen to David Farley, who is a great bloke with great vision for northern Australia. When he talks about putting old cows through an abattoir, I know what he is talking about. He is talking about hamburger meat, mince, and supplying that into some of the fast food agencies in Asia.
What I like is a nice big, fat juicy steak. The best way to get them is to have a feedlot so cattle do not have to roam so far to eat. To walk 10 m to 12 m between blades of grass is a pretty hard way of life for a cow. People say, ‘If you were a cow where would you rather be, running around Tennant Creek or sitting just outside Rockhampton?’ I would not really want to be the cow outside Tennant Creek which has to walk 5 m or 10 m to have a blade of grass, and another 15 km to get a drink of water. I would much rather be the cow in the feedlot in Rockhampton in the lap of luxury with a grazier delivering grain, and a water trough next to where I am standing.
There is the opportunity to develop these industries in the Northern Territory. We have fantastic opportunities in agriculture, aquaculture, and in grazing cattle. The Northern Territory is a place of opportunity.
I notice I do not have much time left. I wanted to talk about mining too. Another misnomer we have in the Northern Territory is the Territory is a mining Territory. The fact is, we only have four or five world-class mines. The vast majority of those mines are all pre-land rights, which is an interesting story as well. Since land rights, very few mines have taken hold. I say this not because I am so negative about the Land Rights Act, but one of the aspects of the Land Rights Act is it makes land access so difficult. It is interesting that over our borders, in Western Australia and Queensland, there are mines all across those states employing people, digging up valuable minerals, exporting them from the country, providing good trade dollars for Australians and making us more prosperous as a nation. However, it all seems to stop at the border.
I am dead certain the minerals do not stop at the border. They do not say, ‘Oops, hang on! We cannot have a rich vein here because we are going into the Northern Territory’. When you listen to mining companies around the world they tell you land access in the Northern Territory is one of the toughest things to crack anywhere in the world. The best thing we can do if we want to see a mining industry take hold, as a government and a community, is get out of the way. We need to give greater access to explorers to look around the Northern Territory and find what minerals and energy options we have. This is a real opportunity for us.
Madam Speaker, you are an expert in this field having spent a decade, at least, at the Minerals Council. You know green tape is a big killer in the Northern Territory for the mining industry. It goes back to similar things with agriculture. The previous government was so desperate to win the hearts and minds of the green extremists and their extreme leftist mates that they were prepared to sacrifice development and jobs in the Northern Territory to win that support. I found that absolutely shameful. It is so difficult for mining companies in the Northern Territory to get over the hurdles of green tape and red tape. I encourage the Mines minister – I, as the Business minister, and this side of the House, this government, will do everything we can to slash needless green tape, needless red tape and make land access so much easier.
I look at the Indigenous members on this side of the parliament, those bush members, and it gives me real hope that we have people in this place who are Indigenous, who come from these communities, who want these types of jobs, who are casting a fresh eye over some of the regimes in the Northern Territory and are keen to work with communities to develop mines, jobs, opportunity and give people real hope in the future.
I cannot express how proud I am to be in this parliament with these people because it does set a new era. For so long the Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory were treated as puppets of the left. It was almost a given that if you came from an Aboriginal community you must be a communist.
It is not that easy. Aboriginal people are not necessarily communists just because they are Aboriginal. There are probably some in our community; I have absolutely no doubt there are some. They are also libertarians. They are also people who want to see freedoms, who enjoy the fact that in the Territory we can do things people cannot do in other parts of the country. We should enjoy so much more freedom of opportunity, choice, and the ability to do things in the Territory we so love.
That is really why the Chief Minister is so keen on the idea of open speed limits, because the Territory is a place of freedom. It is a place where you can choose, where you have opportunity, where you do not have to wear the straitjacket of laws and regulations that you do in other parts of the country. We want people to use their initiative, their common sense and sense of decency, because we trust people. We believe that people, by nature, want to do the right thing. We do not believe opening up the land to farmers and miners will necessarily mean they will go out with an idea to destroy the environment. We believe completely the opposite. We believe opening up the land to farmers and miners means we have a bunch of people who want to look after the land, because that is in their interest. That is why we encourage freedom, opportunity and liberty. That is what being a Country Liberal is about. That is what being a Territorian is about. That is why we were elected, because we believe in people and their fundamental right to freedom, to have a go and earn a living, to be enterprising, to use their brains and do what is best for them and their families. We encourage that and we want to keep encouraging it.
Madam Speaker, again, I say thank you to the minister for bringing on this very important motion. The more we talk about this and the more we tell Territorians what we believe in, the more they will trust us because this is not about environmental degradation or stuffing things up, this is about giving people a go, letting them use their initiative. It is about developing the Territory and bringing back that sense of freedom we had prior to the socialists coming into government.
Mr STYLES (Infrastructure): Madam Speaker, I support my colleague’s ministerial statement. The title of this statement gives a very good insight into the contents of the statement by the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy. I quote from that statement:
- Opportunities for the Northern Territory’s Agribusiness and Minerals Sectors ...
I was very pleased to see, some time ago, a map on someone’s wall showing a pile of mine sites either side of our current railway from Darwin to Adelaide. From memory, there are about 104 potential mines within 100 km either side of that railway, and they are all just waiting to get started. However, we need infrastructure. Of course, as the Minister for Infrastructure it is within my portfolio and I am very keen to talk to people from wherever they come about delivering infrastructure. I will talk about agribusiness first and the infrastructure and everything else we need in order to identify what we can export.
We have been left with a $5.5bn debt, and I just ask my colleagues …
A member: How much?
Mr STYLES: $5.5bn debt. That is where it is headed; that is the forward projection of the former Labor government. If we kept spending, we would end up in a situation like Cyprus and others ...
Mr VATSKALIS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
We have a quorum.
Mr STYLES: Madam Speaker, there are four ways to get the Northern Territory out of the mess we found it in when we took government. The first is to put taxes up, but nobody wants to do that. We do not want to do it. I do not believe the opposition wanted to do it either, nor do the people. The second way is to reduce services, but there are people who do not want to see services reduced. We do not want to reduce services. The third way is a combination of those. The fourth way is to have economic development.
The member for Fong Lim spoke in the House today about water. We need water for economic development. If nobody develops the Northern Territory then we are destined to continue down the same path. If we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result - we know where that quote came from; Mr Einstein – we are mad. We have to create and generate wealth.
We need to use the agricultural land in the Territory which is available to us. I recall reading a very good book by William Bernstein called The Birth of Plenty. It is a fabulous book which explains how the wealth of the world was created but, more important to this argument, how you generate wealth in a community, state, or country.
There are four things any community, country, or continent needs to not only generate wealth but to maintain and create an ongoing wealth base. The first is you must have personal property rights. You need to have access to land and it is the nature of human beings across the world that they perform better when they have personal property rights. The second is they must have intellectual property rights. The third is they must have access to cheap capital, and the fourth is they must have effective and efficient transport and communications systems, which is infrastructure.
If you do not have those things over a sustained period of time, you are not destined to go anywhere. It is with that in mind that we in the Northern Territory need to create an environment where people can get a block of land. They can have it subdivided and with some water so they can grow things. We need all of those things which create the environment so we can generate wealth.
That book explains that in Russia, when they had state farms, each worker received an acre of land. This is a communist community where they all worked on the state farm. Some of them were huge areas - 20 000 acres to grow crops - but each worker on the farm received one acre of land they could do whatever they wanted with. They built a hut, lived in it, and what they grew on that one acre was theirs to keep. That is only a small amount of land. There were quite a few workers on the big farms so if you had 20 workers that is 20 acres of land.
What happened was very interesting. You gave these people incentive. They worked in the fields all day and, unfortunately, history has shown us it is not a very efficient or effective system. However, on their own acre of land they produced approximately 1% of the gross product in food and agricultural products of the USSR at that time.
You had millions of acres under state farms and a small acreage producing that. Why? Because there was human incentive to generate wealth and do things. In the Northern Territory, we need to create that environment where people can get a bit of dirt and start producing.
The opportunities in the Northern Territory are aplenty. I endorse the member for Port Darwin’s comments on the maps on the wall of ministerial conference rooms in this building. On the wall in my office upstairs I have that map replicated on a smaller map. It sits on the wall directly opposite my desk. It reminds me our future is predominantly to the north not south. The map shows the very top of Australia, and most of the map deals with Southeast Asia, Japan, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, and across to India. That reminds us all there is not much the southern part of Australia needs from us, except the early mangoes, of course. We produce excellent mangoes and many of those come from Katherine. The member for Katherine has spoken about some of the fine mangoes produced there.
There is not much else they need. We have an opportunity to produce and send it north. However, we will need land and water for all people.
A topic discussed today is the issue of the licence to the MacFarlanes. Congratulations to the MacFarlanes. Someone is getting on with the job and doing something. If we can get people there and give them a bit of dirt, with water so they can grow things, that is what needs to happen. That is creating economic wealth for the Territory to get out of the mess it is in.
No one wants to increase taxes or reduce services. People, sadly, will have to take a bit of both. We have to then create economic development through jobs, jobs, jobs for our young people. Youth in the Northern Territory need the opportunities. We need to keep people here. We need to do a whole raft of things to keep our young people here so we have a workforce which can generate economic development.
We need all sorts of infrastructure. We need to increase the size of the airport so air freight can be put in place for a whole raft of fresh food that needs to be airfreighted out of Darwin into Southeast Asia. We need to increase our container facilities at the wharf. We need fast ships to Singapore where there are niche markets. I recall being in Singapore in 2011 when I gave a paper to the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, which held a conference called the Maritime Logistics International Forum. There were people there from all over the world. I delivered a paper on intermodal travel, and what we can do in the Northern Territory to get fast ships travelling from Darwin to Singapore and back for niche markets with containers and roll-on/roll-off pantechs. There are opportunities, but we need to increase the infrastructure.
We would love to say, ‘Let us build this, that, and a whole raft of other things’. The trouble is, when you are saddled with a huge debt, it is like having a ball and chain on your foot, like having an anchor, or trying to drive down the road with the handbrake on. We want to take this journey. It is a fabulous journey the Territory can go on, but we are hamstrung. That leads us to: who can provide new ports, railway lines, handling facilities, and the roads network?
We are probably stuck with building our own roads network, but we can look at the private sector. When government is hamstrung by inheriting huge debts, we have to go to private enterprise and we have to think outside the square.
In my capacity as Minister for Infrastructure we have already started to do that. People are excited by some of the things we are speaking about. I am very excited. Within a couple of weeks there were things on the drawing board, discussions to be had and meetings to be held. Plans are already being made for a raft of infrastructure activities where the private sector can assist us to create economic wealth in the Northern Territory.
At the end of the decade - in fact, in the very near future - Asia will be the world’s largest consumer of goods and services. We have the golden opportunity to fill the gap in the production of food and export to help these people sustain their growing population, their growing middle class and growing demand for not only goods and services, but fresh fruit, minerals and a whole raft of things.
I was in Ambon last September and had a fascinating meeting with the governor. They are very keen to do business with the Northern Territory. We discussed a range of transport and trade opportunities to get the smaller container ships floating around Indonesia to drop into not only Dili in Timor, but into Darwin. We can create an export and import business again, facilitating economic growth in the Northern Territory. Ambon is very keen to take some of our live cattle and fruits and vegetables.
They have an opportunity, as they see it, to export many of their goods. They have a willing population. They are very happy to produce many of the things we may not produce in this country so they can get the trade coming here. They need to import containers of meat. They are also looking at importing live cattle. There are opportunities. It does not matter where you go, we need to develop opportunities.
Sadly, when the previous Labor government came into power in 2001 it dropped the ball on a raft of things in engagement with Southeast Asia. We used to have offices in Southeast Asia to promote tourism and trade. They were the vehicles we used to engage Southeast Asia. We had very good people in them. Sadly, a couple of them have passed on. I was in Indonesia when Mr Seda passed away. He had an excellent reputation for building bridges between Australia, particularly the Northern Territory, and Indonesia.
We used to be the leaders in Asian engagement. People from Canberra used to come to the Northern Territory and get us to make arrangements to engage Southeast Asia and the Asia region in general. When we look at the dropping of the ball by the previous government - this government is committed to rebuilding those relationships we had so trade and economic development can follow. That is the way we will have to go forward to try to reduce the massive debt we have inherited and the problems with the previous budgets the Labor Party put together when in government.
Indonesia’s middle class grew from 38% to 56% between 2003 and 2010. I recall reading somewhere recently that Indonesians eat about 1.7 kg of meat per year. I am informed by the same reading that figure will increase to about 20 kg of beef per person. The amount of beef we export through the live cattle trade will have to increase. I was talking to some people recently about what is going on in Indonesia and I looked at some figures which demonstrated Indonesia’s home herd is reducing, which means they may be consuming their breeding stock. There is an opportunity for us to do business with Indonesia and help supply the 20 kg of beef per person per year they may require.
There are trade opportunities. We would like to see a responsible government in Canberra that will not, on a whim, stop the live cattle trade. Had the Coalition been in government, that issue would have been handled totally differently and we would not find ourselves in the terrible trouble we are in with the live cattle trade.
I was in Alice Springs last week talking to cattlemen who were attending the cattlemen’s annual conference and dinner. Some of the stories I heard saddened me: families in terrible stress, properties that are now on the market, people who have gone broke. It is horrific. I also heard there is a class action being put together for those families who have lost everything, lost all the work - people in the bush and on the land work hard. My mother comes from a farm. My wife comes from a farm. I have been there. I spend all my holidays on a farm. You work day in, day out. You appreciate that they do it because they love it.
When the government does that type of thing it is an absolute disgrace people are put in that position. They are happy to face the elements but when you have to face governments that, without the full facts, make ill-thought-out decisions about people’s futures, it is very sad. I hope the class action they have against the federal government will compensate them for some part of their pain and suffering, and their financial loss, but you can never compensate for that sort of thing.
I move on. We look at trade and the infrastructure required. We have some fantastic private investment infrastructure. The Australian Agricultural Company recently announced it will construct an $85m abattoir in Livingstone …
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member to complete his comments.
Motion agreed to.
Mr STYLES: Thank you, member for Brennan. The Port of Darwin is one of the key components of the supply chain. We need to expand that facility. We need increases in bulk handling and general cargo, and, in particular, we need cold chain facilities.
As a government, and in the infrastructure budget, we have roads and essential services to provide. With those things in mind, we will have to engage with the private sector and ask, ‘Can you assist us to do things?’ How can they do that? We will need to think outside the square.
We may have to build a new port. With the mines that are potentially out there, if we can talk to the miners who can provide private infrastructure, we can generate some exceptional economic development in the Northern Territory so we can have job, jobs, jobs, not only for our kids but for all; even some of the older generation who choose to remain in the workforce.
In the future, we will need to look at a second railway line, new ports, and other infrastructure that will be required. We need to articulate power, water, and sewerage to places. The amount of economic development which can occur and flow on from the agribusiness that can happen across the Northern Territory is enormous. We need to provide opportunities for farmers of all persuasions. There are Aboriginal people who have farm experience.
Over the years I have listened with interest to the member for Nelson describe people who have experience in running massive market gardens. It is all over the Territory. Not only can we be self-sufficient so we do not have to truck our food in or bring it up on our railway, we can grow our own. There are opportunities for Aboriginal people to produce enormous amounts. I read again, recently, that there is a community not far out from Alice Springs which provides fresh fruit and vegetables to Woolworths ...
Mr Vatskalis: Kalano in Katherine.
Mr STYLES: That’s it. Thank you, member for Casuarina. From Kalano to Woolworths in Katherine. Fantastic.
Again, it is self-sustaining; people have a job and, of course, with jobs comes self-esteem. It is so important for people across Australia, those in the workforce and those who are looking for work, that we give them the opportunity to get a great job and improve their self-esteem.
The opportunities are there in our sector of agribusiness. We grow a lot of produce in opposite seasons. When things will not grow in Hong Kong they will grow here. We have flat land. In Indonesia, they have volcanic soil and many mountains. At some stage in the future, as their standard of living increases, they will be importing produce from north Australia, produced across the Northern Territory from the Centre in Ti Tree where we grow grapes, tomatoes and a whole range of things. Again, we need water. There are enormous blocks of land there with suitable soil to grow these things but we need to get the water out in a responsible manner and produce fruit and vegetables to supply the Northern Territory and not have to import anything except the products that will not grow in the Northern Territory - and there are a number.
I see the need for infrastructure so we can export our seafood. We need air freight facilities and to encourage expansion of the Darwin airport for the cold chain facilities we need to shift fresh and frozen seafood. There are niche markets. I recall a number of occasions, especially in 2011 when I was in Singapore for the Silver Conference, where I went to markets and looked at the fresh fish, the swimming fish and the live produce that is imported. Hong Kong imports an enormous amount of live fish. We need to get that from places like the Tiwi Islands and we need infrastructure to do that. The markets are there.
When I did my Masters in Business Administration, for one of our marketing units we had to go overseas. We went to Singapore and it was fascinating going through the markets to see what prices they get for live fish and a whole range of products. It is fascinating to realise the Territory has all this, and we have the ability to harvest our wild catch. We also have the ability to grow fish in aquaculture projects and export them into Singapore and on-sell into Hong Kong. There are enormous markets. When you are getting $100 per kilogram for fish which are still swimming in Hong Kong, there is enormous potential for people in the Northern Territory. When you look at saltwater people along the coast of Arnhem Land, you see there is enormous potential. I do not know about mullet out of the Todd River in Alice Springs - the freshwater people are probably struggling a little - but for the saltwater people there are enormous opportunities for jobs. We need to create all these things; it is just waiting to happen.
It is very important that we re-engage with Southeast Asia to secure our future, the future of our kids, the future of the Territory, and the future of this enormous debt we have inherited and how to get it down. We are not afraid to tackle the debt. It is something responsible governments have to do. We will not say, ‘You need to pay more tax’, we need to create economic development. We have an enormous opportunity in the Territory to create economic development.
I am particularly impressed with Kimberley Agricultural Investment in the Ord River. I was very fortunate to be chosen, as a recipient of a scholarship, to do the Australian Rural Leadership Program. You do about nine sessions in 18 months, one of which is overseas, and I was very grateful to get to India to do mine. Our first session was two weeks in the Kimberley. You walk the Kimberley and it is a fascinating leadership development program. I am grateful for the opportunity to have done it. I walked through some of where Ord Stage 3 is. I have literally walked around the lake; it takes you a few days. The opportunities there are enormous. Yet, what I did not see from the previous Labor government was an effort to engage and push for development of these things. There are jobs, there is economic creation to be had, but they did not push for those things.
I am very impressed my colleagues and the minister have started that. It is well down the path of creating far more jobs and more economic growth for the Territory. I am very grateful for that because I have three kids. Other members in this Chamber have children, some have grandchildren. I might be showing my age, but I have a couple of those as well. It is their future; we need to fight for their future. We cannot sit around and talk, we need to do it. We need to ensure the kids in Yuendumu, Papunya or Santa Teresa have an opportunity as well. We have to produce an environment where they can flourish. We have to educate them, but they need the opportunity. They need to have access to the land to grow, to participate in agribusiness and to get jobs in the mining industry. With that comes self-esteem and they are moving up the ladder in social development where we all see benefits across the Northern Territory.
Food to Asia, obviously, is one of those things where we can see the opportunities. The Asian century is a fabulous opportunity for us to do that. The Asian White Paper is a great paper; I encourage all members to read it. Once in a position where distance was a problem for us, Darwin’s location is now an advantage for doing business in Asia. It is a key factor in the government’s three-hub economy. There is opportunity for jobs, jobs, jobs. The mining that will be available directly employs more than 4000 people, including many Indigenous people. We need infrastructure such as roads and bridges. One of the most important issues is we need to reduce debt.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement. It was very well put together and very encouraging. I support the statement and ask all members of the House to show the same level of support.
Ms LEE (Arnhem): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement on the tremendous opportunities in agribusiness and minerals sectors in the Northern Territory as we head into what is commonly being called the Asian century. What an exciting time it is for the Northern Territory, especially for people in the bush.
Having grown up in the small community of Barunga, which is in central east Arnhem Land, I have witnessed many comings and goings of ideas for the betterment of my people. Across Indigenous lands throughout the Territory, we have seen mining and other industries develop and flourish.
Many years ago - I think it was in the early 1980s - in the Barunga community there used to be a farm which was run by the local people with support from people from the agricultural industry. That worked because it produced food for the local communities and made profits which went towards the school, excursions, and a whole heap of things. After that came the piggery, which opened up ideas of all the other things you can do in the communities; that opened the door to many things.
Then there was a change of government. I recall it was the Labor government which took everything away, particularly from an old fellow at Ramingining. I am very disappointed with that because I went there and sat with him for hours. He is a traditional owner and is very old. I think he is in his 80s. He told me he had his own vegetables next to his house since the 1960s. It was never a problem. He has always grown his own vegetables and sold them to the local store and to Ramingining, Milingimbi, Gapuwiyak, and all the outstations. The community contributed, there was work for them and money went back to the schools, sport and recreation, and other activities. That was until 2007. I recall he came to me and said, ‘Since the Labor government came in they put the shires in. The shires came in, stripped it all down and told me I could not have my farm any more’. I was very disappointed to hear that.
These are the first people in Australia. This is an Indigenous man who worked in his own vegetable garden since 1960. I thought the Labor Party always considered itself to be the voice for Aboriginal people. It really broke my heart to see that happen. It happened in my community and all over the Northern Territory. The opportunities to work in the agricultural business were taken away from them by the Labor government, and that is disappointing. This is where the jobs were created in the community, and it helped my people get off the welfare system. This is where a role model was produced. The little kids were watching their parents and older siblings getting up every day and going to work. Since the shires, after the Labor government came in and took everything away, there is nothing left in those communities; it is just burnt, dead grasses. People are pulling pickets out of the ground and taking them home because they cannot be utilised anymore. That is a shame. That really is a disappointment.
Where there is a fair go for all, any worthwhile project will be, and has been, looked at closely by landowners. If all are happy then the green light is usually given. In 2007, there were consultations in the communities with a previous government talking about vegetable plantations and those types of things. The community expressed deep interest in this. I was there. I was part of these meetings. I sat there with my aunties, mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers, and they said they would like to bring that back into the community because that created jobs, the kids were fed, they went to school and they had role models to look up to. It is not there. The government said, ‘We will take this back and we will look at this and that’, but nothing ever happened.
We are on this side of the House because all it has done is go through one ear and out the other. If you are going to make a difference you have to really push in that direction. That should be a lesson learnt on the other side of the House. That really broke the people in the communities. They were fed up with being told, ‘Yes we will take it back’, but nothing ever happened.
It is very important for all to understand that, generally speaking, Indigenous people are pro-development and keen to partake in, and contribute to, the Australian economy, like they have in history. I can say that from experience. I have worked in the piggery since I was seven years old. I earned my own bucks, contributed to the household, bought my own Mars Bar and a can of Coke with the old $2 note back in those days. I contributed to the shop.
It is also very important for all to understand that we have very strong responsibilities for our land and, therefore, it is very important for us to get the balance right between development, preservation of our traditional countries, and culture. We already see this balance being met in areas like Groote Eylandt, Nhulunbuy and many others spread right across the Territory’s, north, east, south and west.
I would like to mention a story about Kalano, which was mentioned a couple of times by a few of the members on this side of the House. They started growing their own vegetables and selling them to Woolworths shopping centre in Katherine. There is also the same regime going around in Ngukurr where they are growing coffee. That is pro-development for Indigenous people. There are jobs there for them.
The minister touched on many areas in his statement and, as I stated previously, I am very excited to be here and be part of what is very important to the Northern Territory and the Indigenous people in the communities: grassroots people. Rather than go over what the minister and other members have contributed, I will touch on a couple of things which I know will have a long-lasting influence on the future prosperity of people within my electorate. Members would be aware that in the Roper River area two major projects are about to commence or are not so far off at the moment - the ilmenite mine and the Sherwin Iron mine - and there are a few other projects in that area. There are jobs for the locals and that is all we will keep pushing: jobs, jobs, jobs. It is about freedom. What we are on about on this side is liberty; giving the people the choice of freedom.
The other major projects and the ilmenite mine have gained a fair bit of media attention this week. Jerry Ren has been in the papers just about every day. He is a great guy; I have met him. His vision of prosperity for the Northern Territory is good. He made a pretty good point when speaking to me about giving jobs back to the locals, contributing back to the local football teams and clubs and things like that. He contributes. Where do you see many people do that? Has the Labor government ever done that? I remember Karl Hampton when he was the Minister for Sport and Recreation. We sent him a letter requesting in-kind support for the Barunga Festival. He gave us a $500 cheque. Can you believe that? The year after that when we said we did not want to have the festival anymore because we spent too much of our own money, the former government came up with $70 000. During the election, he said to me, ‘What did you contribute?’ I said, ‘Mate, the Jawoyn people contributed $120 000 towards the festival and your government can only come up with $500’. I said, ‘Where is your dedication towards the people in the community for these projects? Where is the dedication? Obviously, you do not have it’.
This ilmenite mine project alone will provide 20 to 30 jobs in the short term for our young people. The flow-on effects from that will be tremendous. These two new exciting projects will have major benefits for all and will be a major contributor to not only the future financial prospects of the region, but will also have a major impact on the social wellbeing of the area.
I want to reflect on some of the minister’s speech. The Northern Territory government has identified food exports and the minerals and energy sectors as two sectors of the Northern Territory three-hub economy. In 2010-11, the NT produced $44m in agricultural products, cattle and livestock comprised $284.3m, and horticultural crops accounted for $138.7m. That is a big part of our overall economy.
I want to reflect on when the live cattle ban happened. That sent a shockwave through, especially in my electorate because in the Arnhem electorate we have the Gulin Gulin foundation. It is a private cattle company set up by the traditional owners in the 1970s or 1980s. It was a traditional man from the Bulman to Ramingining region, a grandfather of mine, who came up with this idea. He worked with the stockmen who were working in that region to make this cattle company something for the future of our people. We still have it today and it is growing. It is buffalo, not cattle - buffalo catching because there are many buffalo in Arnhem, as you all probably know. As soon as the ban came in, the buffalo catching company went down to ropes so fast without any consultation from the government with the people in the Arnhem electorate; there was nothing. It hit them like a brick wall. It was devastating.
Even today, there is talk about trying to bring it up again. I support the minister for making an effort to try to talk because these people are in the NT Cattlemen’s Association. Just going there, being part of that, listening to them, talking about the buffalo and cattle companies in the Northern Territory, provides a future for the people in the bush. Five generations of my family have worked in the cattle company for years as stockmen, ringers, starting from the bottom all the way to the top. Aboriginal people are no strangers to the cattle industry.
Looking to the future of the cattle industry, the NT starts in a position of strength. There is room for growth and development, and the marketplace in Indonesia and broader Asia grows hungry for beef.
The Territory horticultural industry is strong, yet there are missing links in the strategy for expansion. Mangoes grown in the NT are processed interstate and leave through Queensland, New South Wales or Western Australia; they are not processed locally or exported through our ports. Melons are the Territory’s next major crop and there is strong demand in Singapore for future exports. Seafood is another industry. In 2010, China imported $5bn worth of seafood and their seafood consumption is expected to triple by 2020.
The Northern Territory commercial fisheries are not large but we produce high-quality products and our waters are pristine. The Australia in the Asian Century White Paper located the Northern Territory as a place of significance, and that is a milestone. Not only are we close to Asia, but our extensive engagement makes the Territory a strong friend. Mining is a huge part of our Asian engagement. Our engagement with Asia must have a focus on attracting investment opportunities and connecting exploration mining projects with finances, looking to put a mine in that production phase.
Madam Speaker, this statement it is very touching, especially to Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. The Territory has much to offer and Territory primary producers are widespread. I commend the minister for bringing his statement to the House and I support him in this because I would like see developments in my region and in the Northern Territory. Let us cut the red tape we have been bound with and make some prosperous development in our communities. We need to look in that direction; we are not going to get any smaller. These communities are going to grow so we need to grow with them as people, as a nation, as a Territory and look towards the future of people and the kids and what we can offer them. There is a whole heap of stuff - not just red tape. I am not all about that. Sorry, the reason I am a liberal is because it is freedom. You have to think about the future and if you lock everything up then it is not worthwhile. I am here to say that is what my people want, because that is what we talk about when we have our meetings. I commend the minister for bringing the statement to the House and I support it very much.
Ms FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I, like my colleagues, support the minister’s statement on agribusiness and minerals in the Asian century. It is key and core to the Country Liberals’ philosophy and something we are all very proud of. We could not have a better person leading the charge on behalf of our government. At the time of writing my notes I wanted to agree with the Attorney-General’s comments about the castings on the walls of the fifth floor of where the Northern Territory sits in our immediate region. That was echoed by a number of my colleagues between the time the Attorney-General spoke and now. When I thought about this statement the first thing that came to mind was that the Country Liberal Party has always had a vision to the north and has always understood its place in this world and this region; it is forwards, beyond and upwards and certainly not looking behind.
The Country Liberal Party has a proud history to that extent, which is evidenced everywhere in this building and in our long and proud history of service to the Territory. We have always had a long-standing commitment to relationship building with our Asian neighbours - not just building for trade purposes; it is a range of disciplines.
We made a number of election commitments relating specifically to engagement with Asia which not only include trade, they include collaborating with Charles Darwin University to increase the number of international students who decide to study in the Northern Territory. That is incredibly important to our economy, our growth, our relationship building and the opportunities that will come in the future from these students who travel from afar, or not so far, to come to Darwin, or Katherine for that matter, or our other educational centres, to receive a world-class education. We are proud of the relationships we have been able to build. I note minister Chandler, in a media release the other day, said he was looking forward to seeing hundreds of international and domestic students attend the Charles Darwin University Business School at the waterfront, and that it is key to our three-hub economy, which we talk about so often and with great affection.
Another example is the AusIndo Forum. We have made not only a financial commitment to holding that forum, but it is a way in which we will strengthen ties with our Asian partners and increase the good work we have done in the past well into the future.
Minister Conlan, the minister for Tourism, has today met with a SilkAir delegation which is in the Northern Territory exploring and getting their head around this place and the ways we can increase tourism in our regions. Recently, there was an announcement that Philippine Airlines would be commencing Darwin to Manila flights from 1 June. These are all positive stories to tell of what we have been able to achieve in the very short time we have been in government, and how we are steadfast in our commitment to Territorians to deliver this three-hub economy and beyond.
Minister Conlan has been working very hard building our global relationships in and outside of our immediate region, and getting a good understanding of the market and what it is that tourists want from us. He has been left with the tragic black hole of tourism by Labor. That black hole is in every other portfolio. There are about 10 black holes in each portfolio. I am proud to say that from what I have heard from minister Conlan, there is light at the end of that tourism tunnel. That does not just happen by a miracle, luck, or by hoping we will get extra GST and other types of Labor mentalities; that comes from hard work and vision.
When I was thinking about what I would say in reply to the minister’s statement, I reflected on my education in the Territory. When I commenced at Gray Primary School from preschool, I learnt Chinese, which was stock standard; you had to do it, it was part of the curriculum. There were no questions about it. As a young child, I did not think much of it.
Then, when I moved to Sacred Heart Primary, we learnt Indonesian - again part of the curriculum, with equal weighting and time allocated to that subject as with English and maths. When I moved into high school I went to Kormilda, and it was Indonesian again. I did not have the vision, at that time. At the end of Year 10, I swapped to Spanish. I am not sure where I was going with that one, but Indonesian was compulsory from Year 8 to Year 10. As a result of the change, I can speak neither Indonesian nor Spanish. Anyway, that is a story for another time; perhaps a reflection on the type of teenager I was. We cannot look back, we must look forward. With Chinese, Indonesian and other Asian languages in our schools - it just occurred to me, for my cousin in Adelaide it was compulsory to learn Japanese. These things do not happen by accident, they happen for a reason. Young Territorians are encouraged to learn the languages of our near neighbours for a very important reason. That reason is for the future of us all.
Yet, despite some of these very obvious things we very easily intertwine into our everyday life, such as the education system, we still see in this modern day catastrophic and inconceivable acts like the guillotine Gillard took to our live cattle export trade which many of my colleagues have spoken about today. I acknowledge the member for Arnhem for her contribution to that debate, as she is much closer to that issue than I am, being from Palmerston.
The shock, horror, and awe of that act, which was incomprehensible to me at the time, caused great devastation to our industry and Territory families. As minister Styles said, compensation and class actions can happen but the pain, hurt and trauma can never be replaced by money. The compensation will probably never cover the cost this act has caused. The reverberations of this disastrous, reckless and irresponsible decision will be felt for a long time to come; there is no question about that. I do not expect to hear any opposition to that statement from this Labor opposition. We have seen, as a result of the decision, multiple pastoral leases up for sale. The number of live cattle being exported is lower than they were pre the ban, and Territory families are being forced off their land. It is a tragedy which could have been avoided.
That is not to mention adding insult to injury with the carbon tax. As my colleague, Senator Nigel Scullion, calls it, the ‘toxic tax on remoteness’ really does add insult to injury on pastoralists who are already suffering from low sale figures amongst everything else Labor, be it federal or Territory, has put them through.
On a more positive note, the Ord River development, which was completely ignored by Labor - yet again another black hole of ideas and lack of foresight. The phrase ‘intestinal fortitude’ comes to mind. I hear my colleagues say it often and it is quite an apt description.
What did we do with Ord? We immediately welcomed it with open arms. There is no question there is a demand for food in our region and we are here to take that opportunity. It can only be lost by us but we, a Country Liberals government, will not lose that opportunity. In fact, we have not. We have seized it and we will continue to build on relationships with Western Australia and the Commonwealth to develop these nation building projects which lead to bigger and better things. It is not just food, it is all the infrastructure and opportunities arising from that.
It reminds me of Ti Tree. The member for Nelson was saying we have a difficult climate, difficult soils, difficult situations, but when I visited Ti Tree and saw the grapes they are growing there and the vineyards in the middle of Central Australia, it blew my mind. What they are doing there is just amazing. They should be commended for their efforts because we need more of that; it is a very good initiative. We must put the Northern Territory at the apex of projects like the Ord River, and we need to be seen as a conduit between Australia and Asia. Once we owned that spot but we do not anymore, thanks to Labor. We need to take that back because it is our rightful place in the Australian economy. We will, once again, be the great gateway to Asia we were.
Mining is another way we can solidify our importance to Asia and our interstate counterparts. We know Western Australia is a thriving hub for mining but we are not that far behind; many will say we are leaps and bounds ahead.
I will read some statistics in that respect. Mining in the Northern Territory hires 4000 primary workers and supports a host of other industries. It amounts to 19% of the Territory’s economy, which is enormous; it cannot be underestimated.
We have to focus on investing and attracting investment from Asia, engaging in exploration and other initiatives to get things moving, get new projects happening, and explore the opportunities we may very well have.
In the 2012-13 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies, the Northern Territory was ranked amongst the world’s leading jurisdictions in regulatory environment and attractiveness for exploration investment. In the current mineral potential index, which is a combined measure of the industry’s perceptions as to whether a jurisdiction’s mineral potential and its current policy and environment encourages or discourages exploration, we came 10th in the world and second in Australia, just behind Western Australia. We also ranked ninth globally and first in Australia for having a lack of regulatory duplication and inconsistencies.
As the member for Arnhem really rang home, this is about job opportunities in the bush as well. Our government has done the hard yards to secure the future of Gove. Unfortunately, the media did not get as excited about that as we and the people of Gove did. I note the member for Nhulunbuy mentioned yesterday there is renewed optimism in Gove since we were able to secure the future of that important town. That is the type of government we are. We work hard and do what needs to be done. For the people of Gove, who were left so uncertain for so long, my heart goes out to you, but we did everything we could as quickly as we could to secure this. There is renewed optimism which is felt throughout the Territory because it has not only brought security to the people of Gove, but we now have opportunities for our regional areas and people in the bush - Jobs, jobs, jobs, as we always say.
The prospects for Tennant Creek are enormous. The member for Barkly should be thrilled by the former Chief Minister’s efforts in this regard, and the efforts of our Cabinet. With the Tennant Creek to Mount Isa pipeline, there is no end to opportunity in this story. This story will continue to unfold over the time of our term in government. As always, projects do not just bring a pipe, they bring roads, infrastructure, houses, jobs, people, tourism, business, you name it. When you get things moving, other things happen. It is all positive news for the Northern Territory.
I am conscious that when we talk about mining - the member for Fong Lim also echoed this sentiment - it is not about digging the heart out of the Northern Territory and creating a barren wasteland so we can sell all of our riches overseas and pack our bags and have to start buying back minerals because we have given all ours away. That is a very nave way of looking at our vision for mining in the Northern Territory. This is about realising our full potential. I have mentioned that a number of times across a number of contexts and it applies equally to mining.
Other exciting projects that will feed into this Asian century include increasing the capacity of our port. That certainly needs to be looked at. If we were not $5.5bn in debt that might happen a little quicker, but you cannot help what you inherit. The Chief Minister said on Tuesday that we will be exploring options for an alternative industrial port so the Port of Darwin can be free for passengers and for more tourism and recreational uses. These are very exciting things. I am sure that is something our Planning Commission, another excellent initiative, will be looking at very closely.
The Australian Agricultural Company is developing the Livingstone abattoir, which is well under way. This will really diversify the Territory’s beef trade by significantly increasing our packaged beef trade. It will have the capacity to create a market which includes halal, a whole other market we can tap into that has been put by the wayside. Traditionally, abattoirs have struggled to thrive in the Northern Territory, but this project is enormous. It has enormous potential and we are very excited about it. Not only is its diversification of our opportunities exciting, but the fact it will employ 270 Territorians is excellent. That brings people to the Territory and gives families jobs and opportunities. It is a wonderful thing and is excellent for the rural area. The project is being closely watched by others across the north of Australia. Some very big things are happening in this place and there are eyes watching us.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister for his statement and our government for our vision and commitment to the three-hub economy. Our vision and drive to deliver this election commitment and this vision is unstoppable and unflappable. Labor can play tricks, flap about, insult members on this side of the House and do what they call holding us to account, but one thing that remains certain is our passion and vision for the Territory, and we will not be stopped. We have the power to deliver that because we have a mandate from Territorians. We ran the election centred on our three-hub economy and that is what people want and what we will deliver. All my colleagues agree that in four years’ time we will see a bigger, brighter, healthier Territory.
Ms ANDERSON (Regional Development): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement to the House. It is exciting, as Minister for Regional Development, that we have such a statement in this House for debate this evening. It is interesting to see the other side has not jumped. They have run out of puff, they did not have a vision for the 11 years they were in government, and they still do not have a vision as opposition. They are huffing and puffing and, as the member for Drysdale said, they are good at playing out of the gutters, but they are not good at coming up with policy, direction and vision for the Northern Territory.
It excites me to talk on this statement because it gives us great opportunity as Territorians. I have always said in this House we are land rich, dirt poor. I want to elaborate on that. There are great opportunities and possibilities with the vision the Country Liberal Party has to drive Territorians forward. We heard the Chief Minister say during Question Time over the last three days: jobs, jobs, jobs and good quality education.
He has put the member for Stuart with the Minister for Education so they can start talking about educating our children. The member for Arnhem is my parliamentary secretary to talk about child protection, and we have already started planning in that area - regional development and women’s policy. Also, the member for Arafura - what a fantastic man to have working side-by-side with the Minister for Health because he has the vision of the Tiwi people. The Tiwi people have always been visionary in economic development, building capacity, and talking about ports and agriculture. The member for Nelson said he worked on the Tiwi Islands when you guys had farms. I lived on a community and grew up on many communities where we had farms: Hermannsburg – big farms; Papunya – big farms; going to Yuendumu sports weekend – big farms; visit relatives at Ali Curung when it was known as Warrabri – big farms; going to Hooker Creek to visit my father’s side of the family - and guess what? – big farms. We did not just have big farms, we had piggeries, as the member for Arnhem said.
As children, we grew up in our communities seeing our people working. As kids growing up in our communities we thought there was no such thing as unemployment because we saw stockmen, farmers, bakers, teachers and health workers. As kids growing up, we thought that is what we had to do. If you look at the age group I come from, and the age group the member for Arafura comes from, we come from a time when we were taught work ethics and to go to school, therefore we are representing Territorians in this House of debate. That is what the Country Liberals’ vision is getting back into.
This statement encourages us to tell Territorians, whether in a remote or rural community or living in the north. It is interesting, as I said, as the Minister for Regional Development working with my colleague and talking about developing the north, and the three-hub economy, looking at tourism and the Northern Territory, with the north becoming a hub to have a relationship with Asia.
Talking of Asia, about three years ago I went on a trip to visit friends of mine, Tony and Lee Chee in Vietnam. It was a real eye-opener for me to see what people do without welfare. Welfare is the greatest shame and shackle of Australia. When you go into Asian countries you see what people can do with economic opportunities to get themselves out of poverty, with farming …
Mr Chandler: Necessity.
Ms ANDERSON: Yes, it is a necessity. It was really an eye-opener. I took photos back to my community. In the photos there were ladies carrying rice with their children riding on their backs. When I showed it to my aunts and my grandmothers they said, ‘We did that too. When we were farming, we used to have our kids on our backs carrying them around while we were working’. They remember the days of having no welfare and they remember they were good days. They were contributing, as people, to the Territory. They felt proud of themselves that they were going out in the morning, working, and coming back in the afternoon. They all had the ethic of sending their children to school because they knew education was important, and that it gave people the ability to live in both worlds. They are the worlds we enjoy, as debaters in this House this evening, and every day in our term when we come to this House.
The greatest opportunity I have had as the Minister for Regional Development was when I went to the Ord with my colleague, the former Chief Minister, the member for Blain. It was fantastic to go to Western Australia and see the opportunities there with the Murranwong-Gadgerong, the people who extinguished our native title in order to work on the Western Australian side in partnership. It was encouraging for me to be part of that. They are the things we need to get on the Territory side, and we need the information flow into remote and rural Northern Territory so people know that other people are benefitting from these partnerships and are part of agriculture in the Northern Territory. It is absolutely fantastic!
It gives me great courage to stand in this House and contribute to such a great vision from the Country Liberal Party - a vision that is risk-taking. The Country Liberal Party is very good at risk-taking. In looking forward, you must always look back. This party has been great at doing things for the future, and looking back and admiring the things it has done in the past. The rail link from South Australia to the Northern Territory is not something that happened by fluke. It was due to the planning and foresight of the former Country Liberal Party.
That is exactly what you see in today’s Country Liberal Party. It is taking the risk to grow the Northern Territory. It has policies to grow the Northern Territory and help all Territorians to drive socially and economically, unlike those on the other side who have run out of puff. As I said in a debate earlier, it is like trying to put fuel inside the carbie instead of fuelling up the car, so you just sit there and go chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga. You cannot really move because you do not have fuel, as you are pouring it in the carbie and not the fuel tank. That is what we have seen in the seven months since we started as a government. That side is playing from the gutters. As I said, there are no policies from the opposition and no debate on this fantastic statement, which is so visionary in moving Territorians forward, looking at the three-hub economy and developing northern Australia. They are all sitting there, on their computers, walking in and out as if there is no debate. There has been no contribution whatsoever.
Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague’s statement to this House. It is fantastic that we are a visionary government that will lead Territorians forward, unlike the members on the other side who are just sitting there biting their nails.
Mr HIGGINS (Daly): Madam Speaker, I was born in Griffith, which is one of the main towns of the MIA. The MIA is the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, which was there in the 1950s when I was born. It was a project set up for returned servicemen. I find that quite interesting because now I own the Daly River Mango Farm.
While the mango farm was first settled by the Jesuits in the 1880s, it was at the turn of the century that the area around the Daly was given out as land grants to returned servicemen, so I have that connection there. The Jesuits, when they first settled the mango farm in the 1880s, found they had problems with flooding in the area so they moved to an area called Serpentine Lagoon, which is now referred to as Mission Hole.
If you fly over that area in a chopper you can see where, at the turn of the century, they were using canals out of the billabong to irrigate crops and for many of the Indigenous people in that area. Irrigation in the Daly area has been around for years.
Peanuts were a pioneer crop in the Daly area and were cultivated mainly by Aboriginal people. The person who cultivated them in the first instance was a fellow by the name of Joe Parry. He was a half-caste Aboriginal fellow, and much recognition needs to be given to Indigenous people in agriculture. I believe because he was a half-caste person that recognition is not there.
While many people believe the mango industry has only been around for 20 or so years, I remind people I have 42 mango trees on my property that are 100 years old. Those trees were brought in from India by some forward-thinking Indigenous or half-caste people.
I have increased the number of trees to 2000. To put into perspective what 2000 mango trees can do to an economy, the turnover from those mango trees is in excess of $0.5m a year. That is not profit. The profit you make from mangoes at the moment is about $20 000, but it means we have $0.5m going through the Territory economy just from a small farm of 2000 trees.
The people who benefit from this influx of money are local people. I employ some Indigenous people, but I also have people like Harold Sinclair who does all the transport of our mangoes into Darwin. They are shipped from there, using a local company, to Brisbane. The point I want to make is, there is $0.5m, if we do not keep these industries going, that we can miss out on.
In the past, I have also spoken about Asian workers in the mango industry as pickers. That is something we, as a party, have to push with our federal colleagues on the Labor side and the conservative side because that group of people knows mangoes. If we want to export to Asia then it is an area from which we have to look at employing people.
We have had much discussion over the last day about water. I have had a very close interest and connection to the water debate for about the last 12 years. From memory, I think Clare Martin set up the community reference group about 12 years ago. At that time, it was in regard to the land clearing guidelines and the moratorium introduced that crippled the people in the Douglas Daly area. I am the only person who sat on the community reference group and continued on with the Daly River Management Advisory Committee up until mid-last year when I had to resign because I was paid a sitting fee. During that time, the debate was always over water, not land clearing, so I have a very clear understanding of how the water is allocated.
One thing that confuses me with the water debate is the amount of water being allocated has no relationship to the water in the ground. What the previous government did, and agreed to, was allocate a percentage of the recharge of the water every year. In other words, we were only going to allow people to use up to 20% of the previous year’s rainfall, as a simplistic way of looking at it. At no point were we considering using anything in the aquifer. I find this quite hard to comprehend and it is an issue I have tried to argue for a long time.
We have heard the opposition prattle on about this water being worth millions of dollars but there is no such thing in the Northern Territory as water trading. How in hell someone can get millions of dollars from that water I find totally unbelievable. The other thing I would like to point out is water licences, as far as I know, are not transferable. When someone sells their property, they do not sell or transfer the water licence; the new owner must apply for another one. Some of the things from the opposition are completely misleading. They need to get their facts right before they come into this House and rant and rave about someone who they think might be making millions of dollars out of water. It is a load of rubbish.
I have spoken about communications in the past. The Chief Minister raised the issue of communications and the NBN network. This becomes a very critical thing for the farming industry. For example, on the western side of the Daly where I live, if you have some disease or a pest and you want it identified, it is much easier if you can simply take a photo of it and send it via the computer or a Next G network to DPIF. I did this before we had the Next G communications and it took me well over a week to have a copy of a photograph taken get into DPIF to have a bug identified. With Next G, I can do it straightaway. I can take a photo of a bug with my mobile phone, pick up the phone in the middle of paddock, ring DPIF and say, ‘Can you tell me what in the hell I have here?’
The other issue I will touch on is the cattle export ban the former Labor government supported. The impact that has had on the cattle industry has already been touched on, but I will touch on the land and the degradation. I have an interest in NRM, Natural Resources Management, and gave an adjournment speech on that last night. I have been involved in the Landcare group for over 10 years. It has become a concern for me that if you fly over many of these cattle properties now, the first thing you will find is the farmers cannot afford to cut the many fire breaks along their boundaries they did at the beginning of every year as they have to conserve their fuel. They are running low on money. We have a stack of properties with no fire breaks, and neither do they have the money available to control weeds. We also do not have cattle eating some of our grasses down, such as gamba grass. On many properties, the only way that is kept under control at the moment is with cattle. Not only have we ruined the livelihoods of some of our primary producers, we are also going to have a great impact on the land. The Labor opposition here, and Labor federally, needs to be held accountable for this. It is something that is not looked at very often.
What has really held the Territory back, and something the Country Liberals want to reverse, is make more land available for agriculture - irrigation. We also need to make better use of the water that is definitely there and improve our infrastructure.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased the minister brought this statement on and am happy to have given my small contribution.
Mr CONLAN (Central Australia): Madam Speaker, I contribute to this important statement on agribusiness, minerals and the Asian century and our place in the world and where we are within Asia.
I have just finished hosting a small function of tourism journalists from Singapore who were here for eight days or so for a familiarisation of the Northern Territory. They were brought here in support of the first anniversary of SilkAir’s engagement in the Northern Territory. It is a wonderful commitment by SilkAir and we hope they remain flying into the NT. To commemorate that, Tourism NT has partnered with SilkAir to bring over a number of multimedia journalists, print media and the radio guys from Kiss 92FM, the No 1 station in Singapore. They are here to look at the Northern Territory and take back what they have learnt over the last seven or eight days. Tomorrow they head to Kakadu and Yellow Water and they are going on a harbour cruise tonight.
I wish them well. We had a few drinks on the verandah. They are delightful people and, hopefully, they will take back the NT story. I was able to gain from that, which follows a trip we took earlier this year to Singapore, just where we are in the world with Asia. We are front and centre. I mentioned last night our place in the world as a tourism destination in Europe, but in the Asian bowl we are front and centre - very important to Singapore, Malaysia, the whole BIMP-EAGA region and right up through to China and Japan. It cannot be underestimated.
Our role in agribusiness and mining cannot be underestimated. In 2010-11, the NT produced $448m worth of agriculture products. Cattle and livestock comprised $285m and horticulture cropping accounted for about $138m. As you can see, it is an enormous part of our overall economy.
One of the Territory’s primary trading partners is Indonesia, with a population of 240 million. Their islands, while fertile for crops, have rugged mountains and are not suitable for cattle. They do not have the vast space and rangelands we have in the Northern Territory. As Indonesia’s population grows, their capacity for cattle will not so they will rely heavily on their neighbours and Australia.
The member for Fong Lim dispelled some of those romantic rumours that the Northern Territory is an enormous, huge cattle heaven. The example he used was there are more cattle within a 500 km radius of Rockhampton than in the entire Northern Territory. That is an area we can enhance. We are faced with particular barriers, which the minister alluded to. We have fertile soil in the south, we have plenty of grass, but we face the enormity of the Wet Season, which is a huge disadvantage for us when trying to grow an industry such as the cattle industry. In the south, in Central Australia, there are a number of problems with the abundance of grass for cattle. Nevertheless, it is still very important to the Northern Territory, a huge part of our economy, and very important for Asia, clearly, on those statistics alone. When you look at the huge and ever-growing population to our north and what we have here, you can see clearly that the two will go hand in hand.
Between 2003 and 2010, Indonesia’s middle class grew from about 38% to 56%. When the Indonesian Trade minister visited Canberra, he announced the average Indonesian eats about 1.7 kg of beef per year. They expect this to rise to about 20 kg per person in the near future. That is a huge increase.
Our pastoral industry is worth more than $280m a year. With over 220 pastoral leases and a cattle herd of approximately 2.1 million, there is room for growth. As I said, we have some disadvantages - and there are very different disadvantages between the north and the south - nevertheless there is still enormous room for growth.
I do not think any of us have failed to mention the federal government’s live cattle trade suspension in 2011. It was supported by the Territory Labor government at the time, imposed on us by the federal Labor government. It was the hallmark of the federal Labor Party and, in fact, of Labor Parties across the country; take a perfectly good industry, throw it to the wall and, then, use taxpayers’ money to bail it out. Absolutely unbelievable! That caused damage, not only in the Northern Territory and broadly across Australia, but to the relationships between the two jurisdictions of Indonesia and the Northern Territory.
The Opposition Leader at the time, the member for Blain, was on an aircraft to Indonesia within a couple of days to reassure them this was not a decision supported widely across the country or within the industry, nor by the Northern Territory opposition, and we would do everything we could to ensure it was reversed. Thankfully, it was reversed, but not before an enormous amount of damage was done to livelihoods across the Territory and Australia, and to those relationships, which are still fairly precarious. There is much work to be done in that space between the Northern Territory and Indonesia, and Australia and Indonesia, as a result of that. These guys take these things very personally and are very sensitive to it. As I said, that was an unfortunate blight on what was a very healthy relationship between the Northern Territory and our Asian neighbours.
Looking to the future of the cattle industry, the Northern Territory starts in a position of strength. There is room for growth and development, and the marketplace in Indonesia and broader Asia grows hungrier and hungrier for beef: 1.7 kg today, up to about 27 kg. That is certainly an appetite for great Australian beef; there is no doubt about it.
The Australian Agricultural Company’s Livingstone abattoir will significantly increase capacity for the packaged beef trade, especially since it will be suitable for the halal trade. The abattoir will employ 270 people and is likely to attract interest from across northern Australia.
The Territory’s horticultural industry is strong, yet there are missing links in the strategy for expansion. Mangoes grown in the Northern Territory are processed interstate and leave through Queensland, New South Wales or Western Australia. They are not processed locally or exported through our port, which is a real shame.
The next major crop in the Territory, melons, has strong demand in Singapore or for further exports. As you can see, the Territory can be the food bowl for Asia, and that is exactly what we are trying to do.
In the lead-up to the Northern Territory election we campaigned strongly on a three-hub economy. One of those three hubs was tourism. You certainly see evidence of this government taking tourism by the horns and doing everything it can to return it to the powerhouse industry it once was. We have had a decade of neglect in tourism, and there is much work to be done.
One of the other hubs is agriculture, and it is stating the bleeding obvious to say the Northern Territory can become not only a food bowl for Asia, potentially a food bowl for the rest of the world, but it can certainly become a food bowl for Australia. There is no doubt about it. We have to do everything we can to ensure that happens.
Seafood is an integral industry as well. In 2010, China imported $5bn worth of seafood, and their seafood consumption is expected to triple by 2020. Anyone who has been to Singapore, Indonesia, or any part of Asia will know the appetite for seafood is enormous. They will eat anything. If it swims they will eat it. They are very adventurous when it comes to eating full stop. It takes a little practice to accustom yourself to the diet of many of our Asian neighbours. Singapore is touted as Asia for beginners. If you are embarking on extensive trips into Asia, start with Singapore because it is a pretty easy step. You can get a bit of a grasp on how it all works. Once you start getting deep into China you will be eating anything otherwise you will go hungry. They are very adventurous and love their food. As I said, their appetite for seafood is unbelievable. That figure again: China imported $5bn worth of seafood and their seafood consumption is expected to triple by 2020. That is fantastic and a wonderful opportunity for Australia and the Northern Territory.
NT commercial fisheries are, comparatively, not large, but we produce a high-quality product and our waters are pristine so we have some of the best seafood around, and we all know it.
For agribusiness to move forward we, as a government, must reduce regulatory constrictions and allow business to flourish; that is a bit of a no-brainer. This government is committed to reducing as much red tape as possible. There is so much of it around we have all been strangled by it, business and common sense has been strangled by it, and that has to stop. We have to be able to crash through the red tape maze so we can reduce those regulatory constrictions strangling our business. This is the way we push forward into the Asian century.
I am fascinated by the Ord River scheme. I do not have the world’s greatest knowledge of it because it does not sit under my portfolios per se and never really has. However, I have a tremendous interest and am fascinated by it. I have been through the Ord a number of times right across to Western Australia, through the Kimberley into Kununurra, and up to Lake Argyle. You look at it and say, ‘Wow, that is an unbelievable structure that has been created’. You stand on that dam wall and look back and it is fantastic ...
A member: Did you take the dam tour?
Mr CONLAN: No, I did not. In the boat? I saw a couple of the boats but I did not do the tour. That is something I will have to put on the bucket list. It was spectacular. When you consider when it was done - in the 1960s - it is quite incredible.
The Ord River development is an example of the Country Liberals government getting a big nation-building project off the ground, and we can do it. This was a project waiting to happen. It happened in the 1960s. They built this thing and got it started. Western Australia was just waiting for someone to partner with them. For whatever reason, the previous government did not do much work in that space. The former Minister for Primary Industry and Resources might have a bit to say about that. For all intents and purposes, he was a pretty hard-working minister. I thought he liked what he did. He got his teeth into it, but maybe he was hamstrung by a number of other reasons. I am not sure what it was, but this was a nation-building project just waiting to happen.
The Country Liberals government is very keen to ensure it gets this off the ground. When Kimberley Agricultural Investments was announced as the preferred proponent on the Western Australian side of the border, they expressed interest inland on the NT side of the border. The Northern Territory government has acted very quickly to give Ord Stage 3 major project status. That is significant; Stage 3 of the Ord River Project has been granted major project status. That is not just symbolic; we have backed that with $400 000 - quite a commitment. That was announced in the mini-budget for Ord Development Stage 3.
The Ord Development Unit has been tasked, with the WA and Commonwealth governments, to get Ord Stage 3 off the ground. In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Northern Territory, WA and the Commonwealth governments for us to work together on the expansion of the Ord and to see the creation of a food bowl in Australia. This really is something. Would this be as big as the Snowy River Scheme? If we can get this off the ground, will it be remembered as being as big as the Snowy River Scheme? Potentially, particularly if we can start feeding the rest of the country. I do not know what the figure is. The member for Port Darwin might know the figures. The Ord River is X times bigger than Sydney Harbour …
A member: Twenty-seven times.
Mr CONLAN: Twenty-seven times. It is a huge body of water sitting in one little part of Australia. It is most incumbent on us, as residents of northern Australia, to do whatever we can to facilitate that and maximise our food bowl production. As humanitarians, we owe it to the rest of our country men and women and the rest of the Northern Territory. We should do it for no other reason than to leave such a wonderful legacy.
The Australia in the Asian Century White Paper has located the Northern Territory as a place of significance. I am pleased to see the White Paper delivered by the federal Labor government recognises the Northern Territory is a place of significance. Not only are we geographically close to Asia, our extensive engagement makes the Territory a very strong friend. I link it back to my portfolio of Tourism and Major Events. When you are talking about relationships, you cannot underestimate the power of those relationships when dealing with our Asian neighbours. It is everything. I would go as far as to say, as in the old days, deals are done on a handshake, but it is almost like that in Asia. When you are dealing with high-level players throughout Asia, whether it is China, Singapore or Japan, there is much honour in a meeting, in eye contact and a handshake. It means an enormous amount. I am still learning that. Many on this side are experts at it. The former Chief Minister, the member for Blain, is still very interested and will play a huge part, I am sure, in the Northern Territory’s re-engagement with Asia.
I say re-engagement because it is something we have lost. I look at the Arafura Games as an example of our place in Asia - while still potentially significant, as I have just outlined and articulated, we have lost our way a little in the eyes of our Asian neighbours. When Singapore decides not to enter a team into the Arafura Games, when Hong Kong decides not to participate in the Arafura Games, when Brunei decides not to be part of the Arafura Games, you know something is wrong. Something has happened. There has not been the level of engagement there once was. Once upon a time, we were the leaders in Asia in the sporting field; these days we are not. Budgetary restraints have much to do with that. Twenty years ago, when the Arafura Games began, there was not much else in Asia in the way of high-level international sporting competition. These days, they are leading the way. They are hosting billion-dollar sporting events. For the Northern Territory to think we can throw $2m into an event in Darwin …
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member to complete his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, honourable members. To think we can throw $2.5m into a sporting event and attract that same level of competition we did 20 years ago, and the same level of competition happening around other parts of Asia in these multibillion-dollar events, we are kidding ourselves, hence our decision to rethink the Arafura Games and where it places us with our Asian neighbours. The Arafura Games was not created so Darwin could have a mini-Olympics. It was created so the Northern Territory could engage with Asia, and we did, very successfully, for a long time. Unfortunately, it morphed; the Asian engagement side petered out and the mini-Olympics side became paramount and became what the games were about. It lost its way. It was a perfect time to reset and rethink. A new government came in and was stretched for money because of our $5.5bn debt tracking at an $800m deficit every year. It was a perfect opportunity to reset that and move forward.
I am proud to say the Department of Sport and Recreation, along with the Minister for Asian Engagement, who is also the Chief Minister, and I have done much work to bring back to the table a significant Asian engagement sporting program to follow on from the Arafura Games. To me, it was quite telling where we were in Asia, where we were positioned - the reality of it.
From a tourism point of view, we are right up there. From a diplomatic point of view, not so much, and that has not been helped by the 2011 ban on live cattle exports into Indonesia. That sent shockwaves through the whole Asian community, not just Indonesia. There is much work to be done in many of those spaces.
Mining is a huge part of the Northern Territory economy. It makes up about 25% of the Northern Territory economy. It hires 4000 primary workers and supports a host of other industries. It amounts to about 19% - I was a bit off - close to 20% of the Northern Territory’s economy. I might have a look at that figure; it might be a little higher. Nevertheless, it is very close to a quarter of the Northern Territory’s economy.
Our engagement with Asia must have a focus on attracting investment opportunity and connecting explorative mining projects with financiers looking to put a mine into the production phase. The Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2012/2013 ranked the Northern Territory amongst the world’s leading jurisdictions for our regulatory environment and attractiveness for exploration investment. That has to be pretty good. I will read that again. In the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2012/2013, the Northern Territory ranked amongst the world’s leading jurisdictions for our regulatory environment and attractiveness for exploration investments. That means it is a pretty good place to mine.
The Fraser Institute knows its stuff and if it says the Northern Territory is a very attractive place to be, it probably is. The former minister for Mines knows that; he is one of the old school. He is the longest-serving minister in this parliament; that needs to be said.
In 2001, when Labor came to power, the member for Casuarina was immediately made a minister. I believe he was sworn into the very first Martin Cabinet. That is saying something, and he should be very proud of that. It is quite telling for the rest of the bunch that the guy with all the experience, who has been there through it all, is probably the strongest player on the bench. He would understand the Northern Territory’s potential as a mining powerhouse.
In the current mineral potential index, which is a combined measure of the industry’s perceptions as to whether a jurisdiction’s mineral potential and its current policy environment encourage or discourage exploration, the Northern Territory came in 10th in the world and second in Australia, behind Western Australia, at ninth. That is pretty good. We all look at WA, and say, ‘Holy cow, how do you be like WA?’ Do you know what? We are right there; we are chasing its coat tails, we are right behind it - not too far off. We are 10th and Western Australia is ninth.
The Territory came in first out of the Australian jurisdictions for all criteria relating to certainty of regulation and lack of regulatory duplication. That has to be a good thing as well. We are on the right track. For the criteria regarding the level of certainty concerning the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of existing regulations, the NT came in ninth globally and first in Australia. The Territory was also ninth globally and first in Australia for its lack of regulatory duplication and inconsistencies. As you can see, the mining industry is particularly strong. It is there, ripe for the picking. We need to ensure we do whatever we can to break down bureaucratic red tape while preserving the strictest environmental concerns and processes, and ensuring the Northern Territory becomes a powerhouse in the mining sector, as it can be in the agricultural and tourism sectors.
That is how we generate wealth. That is how we develop more than a one-shot-in-the-locker approach when it comes to developing an economy in a jurisdiction such as the Northern Territory, Australia’s emerging economy and future emerging jurisdiction. The future lies in the Northern Territory. We need to do whatever we can to not only preserve that, but to grow it and discover its potential. It is incumbent on every one of us in this House to ensure we do.
Madam Speaker, I thank the minister again for the opportunity to speak on this. I wanted to link in some more tourism with regard to it, not because I am trying to be smart, but because there is …
Ms Walker: Oh, not you – ever!
Mr CONLAN: No. Sometimes I do, yes, I know, but this time I wanted to bring in some tourism notes with this, as it all goes together. The title of the statement is Opportunities for the Northern Territory’s Agribusiness and Minerals Sectors in the Asian Century. The Asian century part of that title is very important. That is where we can leverage not just our agriculture and minerals, but also our education, which was part of our hub - tourism and education. The Minister for Education is about to speak, and he might even bring in some education. Do not be afraid to do it. Do not be afraid of being shut down for irrelevance, because we are talking about the Asian century; it is highly relevant. It is not just about agriculture and minerals; it is also about tourism and education. We need to keep all those things in focus.
Madam Speaker, thanks again to the minister for bringing it on. I commend this statement to the House.
Mr CHANDLER (Education): Madam Speaker, tonight I talk about the agribusiness and minerals in the Asian century statement, which was brought forward by minister Westra van Holthe. This statement is very timely for a number of reasons. The first thing I wanted to say is this is opportunity, opportunity, opportunity and jobs, jobs, jobs. There is a really interesting map in my office upstairs. If I am correct, that office was occupied by minister Malarndirri McCarthy. I am not sure which office she was in, but believe it was the one I occupy. The map in the boardroom is of the Asian area. There are big rings on that map, and it shows the flying time between Darwin and a number of Asian regions. It is really timely and very interesting when people, particularly from interstate, come to Darwin into that office and look at that map and soon realise, ‘Goodness gracious me; it really gives a different perspective of where the Northern Territory is located compared to Asia’.
Asia, particularly Indonesia, is, and will always be, our closest neighbour. For that reason, we need to build extremely strong relationships between Asian countries and Australia. Many governments of the past, both federal and Northern Territory, have worked very hard over the years to form strong relationships with our Asian neighbours, and that needs to continue. Recently, I, along with the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, and minister Westra van Holthe, travelled to Jakarta and spoke to a number of ministers. We spoke to a number of businesses including the KADIN. Interest in the Northern Territory in particular, and Australia in general, was extremely high.
Over the years I have spoken to many ministers and former members of the Legislative Assembly from this House and the message - whether they be former Country Liberal members or Labor members - has been very strong and clear: you need to build those relationships. You do not do it through a phone call, a letter or an e-mail, but through face-to-face meetings. Those relationships, once established, need to be fertilised. You cannot meet somebody in an Asian country and think that is it, you never have to return, you never have to speak to them again, you never have to do anything to maintain that relationship. It is so untrue when it comes to our close and dear Asian neighbours. You have to return, you have to rekindle these relationships to keep them strong, to remain active and to ensure the relationship will provide dividends for the Northern Territory.
Recently, when the federal government issued the Asian paper, and when the Coalition, even more recently, stated its focus on the north of Australia, that really brought home what we should be doing in the Northern Territory. We are all in this House for the same reason: to ensure the Northern Territory prospers. We cannot do that without opportunity, and our Asian relations not so far away provide perhaps the biggest opportunity for the Northern Territory - more of an opportunity than the rest of Australia has combined.
We have more opportunities, given our strategic location, to deal with Asia than we have with Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, or anywhere. That is where we should be focusing. However, do not forget what we are here for. We are here to ensure the Northern Territory prospers.
It was brought home to me during the recent trip to Jakarta with the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, and minister Westra van Holthe, that food security in Asia, particularly in Indonesia - that is where we were at the time - is a high concern. They see Australia and the Northern Territory as part of that …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 36, I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells please.
A quorum is present.
Mr CHANDLER: The food security issue was raised with us repeatedly whilst we were in Indonesia, and that goes with our close relationships with Vietnam and many of the Asian countries. If they are in a situation where they cannot provide the amount of food required for their nation then, of course, food security is one of the things that becomes paramount. Countries like Japan look to countries like Australia not only for food but also for energy. We have seen that with the great investment in INPEX in the Top End, and how valuable companies like INPEX and the Japanese government see their relationship with the Northern Territory and the wider Australia region.
There is a clear difference between the former government and the Country Liberals government. We are a government that looks for opportunity. I know many people have talked about red tape. In the few months we have been in government, I have spent much time understanding regulations, in particular, legislation, and looking at ways we can reduce red tape. One thing that has come to mind is sometimes it is not really the red tape that gets in the way of business or development; it is just the will of the government of the day to break through and make a difference.
I know there have been many issues recently in the Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment. In the past, I have been critical of the department being too slow in getting things done; that things seem to take too long when it comes to development in the Northern Territory. We have found areas in legislation where we can speed things up. One example is where somebody puts in an application to rezone land, which could take six months, then they put in another application for a development permit which could take another six months. In the world of big finance and development, 12 months to wait before you can put the first shovel in the ground seems a long time. We are looking at ways to streamline legislation where people can have land rezoned at the same time as lodging a development application.
If you can save six months for any developer, you have more than cut some red tape out of their process. I argue that it is far more open and accountable where people can see up-front rezoning and a development application at the same time. You need to understand that not only can red tape get in the way, regulations can also stifle development but, more importantly, it is the will of the government of the day - the will to move forward. I found that in many cases you can get things done quickly. You can move things along quickly even with the current legislative framework, even with the same regulations we have today without making any changes, just because you have a will to move forward and make a difference. That is where it is really important that we do not lose the opportunity Asia presents for the Northern Territory. If we get it wrong, if we muck up through legislation and regulations, or not having the will to engage with Asia, we will lose that opportunity.
The Northern Territory is very similar to the north of Western Australia. I am sure there is a very proactive government in Western Australia that would only be too happy to work with Indonesia and other Asian countries. Queensland is no different. There is a very proactive government in Queensland that would only be too interested to move into this space. We have to be very careful and quick at what we do and ensure we continually build our relationships with Asia. With those relationships will come great opportunity.
I remind the House we are here for the prosperity of the Northern Territory, for Territorians, and that opportunity will provide massive changes and growth and, of course, development opportunities. We need to get it right. The Country Liberals have a vision about building the Territory and engaging our Asian neighbours.
I will focus on how areas of my portfolios of Lands, Planning and the Environment; Education and Housing all can have direct links into not only engaging but supporting Asia in the way forward. Minister Conlan spoke about education and how important education can be. I flew from Sydney to Jakarta for the trip minister Westra van Holthe and the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, took. I sat next to a young man who was studying in Sydney and was seven or eight hours away by plane from his family in Jakarta. We engaged in some conversation and Charles Darwin University came up. I soon learnt that what he was studying in Sydney he could have been doing at Charles Darwin University in Darwin. When I reminded him how close Darwin was compared to Sydney, he was extremely excited to think he could go home and tell his family that perhaps he should continue his study in Darwin rather than Sydney. He was excited to think he could be only a few hours away from his home town, Jakarta, rather than seven or eight hours all the way from Sydney.
This is where education can play a pivotal role in strengthening our relationship with Indonesia. There is also a two-way street and I see where there can be some strong links with our Indigenous population. One thing I learnt in Indonesia was they are as much interested in development in the Northern Territory and investing in the Northern Territory as they are in learning from our culture and what we have to offer. I am really excited we can work in that space and involve Indigenous people in the Northern Territory directly with our Asian neighbours.
In Asia you come across diverse countries and cities. Singapore has high environmental standards. Other areas throughout Asia perhaps do not have such high standards but they are all interested in the environment. You see some of the issues in places as close as Bali. Even a small island like Bali has some sound environmental issues.
If you go to Jakarta, you see a massive city growing. It is a city of about 12 million people. The traffic there is amazing. When you engage with the Indonesians, they are particularly interested in what they can do and where they can work in regard to the environment, and what they can do better than they are doing today. Not only do Indonesians want to invest in the Northern Territory, they are also very eager to learn more about the way we do things, our regulations and water usage. They want to increase their skills and learn from what we have to offer. There is so much we can learn from each other regarding housing.
This is why I am thrilled the County Liberal government has a three-hub economy. When you look at some of the water resources we have in the Northern Territory, as far down as the Ord River system, there are areas full of opportunity to provide a strengthened relationship with Asia. Areas like the Ord, Katherine, Mataranka and even in Ti Tree, in the middle of a country, in the middle of nowhere, you see grapes, melons and other fruits growing out of the red sandy soil. Goodness gracious me. If you can be in the middle of the desert and get melons and other crops such as grapes to grow, the potential is enormous.
The Coalition has a vision for the north of Australia, as you saw recently when it released its policy on growing the north. It has often been said over the years that people have dreams of running pipelines from the north to the southern regions. Others will say, ‘Why bother running pipelines south when you could be bringing people north?’ This is where the opportunity is. Again, this is why our relationships with our Asian neighbours are so damn important.
I remind everybody why we are here. It is about what we are trying to do for Territorians, and making the opportunities that present themselves to our north come to fruition in the Northern Territory. We can provide the opportunities for Territorians. To do that, as a government we need to engage. We need to engage not once, not twice, but time and time again.
I had planned to visit Indonesia shortly to meet up with the KADIN and invite them back to Australia for the AusIndo Forum, which is very important. There is much work being done at the moment with the Chamber of Commerce behind the scenes. The new Minister for Business, Dave Tollner, will be working in that space. The Chamber of Commerce and the KADIN in Jakarta are very powerful mediums. This is about investment, jobs, security and a future for Territorians, not just the people in this room but the people outside the room, including our children, the people who are going through our primary and high schools. The children who will benefit tomorrow if we can get this relationship right …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 36, I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells, please.
We have a quorum.
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Brennan.
Motion agreed to.
Mr CHANDLER: I will not take much time. I know the subject is very engaging. I also understand how enthusiastic I might sound. This is an important issue. I thank the minister for bringing this statement forward. There is so much we can do and the times we have involved our southern counterparts and other politicians - there is a real opportunity to turn the Northern Territory around, engage with Asia and take that opportunity. We need assistance from the federal government because there is a real opportunity to be able to offer special support - whether it is zoning in regard to taxation or bringing Asian workers into the Northern Territory. That is where we need federal intervention to help turn the Northern Territory into a special zone. If we can do that, it can make huge inroads into our engagement with Asia. It will not affect Victorians, the people of New South Wales, South Australia or Queensland. We are a small jurisdiction when it comes to our population, but we need to work hard to support the businesses we have in the Northern Territory. We can do that through special zones, but we need federal help in that area.
Only if we have a change of government later this year - I know not only Territorians, but Australians, are praying for that – will we see the real vision the Country Liberals have today come to fruition because we will have a federal government which shares that vision in working to bring people to the north, supporting the north, supporting the infrastructure we need which will help us engage even further.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I will finish with what minister Westra van Holthe said in his statement:
- In this Asian century this government is committed to building a stronger engagement with our Asian neighbours than ever before. We recognise the future of trade and investment in the Northern Territory lies to our north.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Mr Deputy Speaker, I close the debate on this very important statement for the Northern Territory. Listening to the contributions over the course of today and the last sitting period, when this statement was brought to the House, I have found myself thinking about a great number of things. I thank everybody sincerely for their contributions to the debate on this statement.
A couple of things arose today. First, a sense of much gratitude in that I appreciate the very kind comments from my colleagues on this side of the House with respect to my responsibilities as the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and the Minister for Mines and Energy. I enjoy my job and have a particular passion for it, not necessarily because I have a primary industry background, nor do I have a mining background, although I am unsure if I mentioned before when I left high school many years ago I commenced a Bachelor of Science majoring in geology. I did not complete that course and left for a number of reasons; perhaps study at the time did not suit me. Nonetheless, I have always had that interest.
I can assure you the real driver for me is what these two very important portfolio responsibilities represent for the Northern Territory. They are two of the three hubs identified by our government as being most important and critical for the economy of the Northern Territory. That is one part of it. The other part is I found myself today feeling a great sense of relief - I guess is one way of putting it - but certainly a great sense of support in the words from my colleagues for these two areas of government.
I have been heard to say in this House I thought the former Primary Industry minister, in some respects, did not do a bad job. I believe he was hobbled by the then government which did not have an interest in the primary industry. Despite the former minister’s best intentions and efforts, his efforts were stymied by his colleagues who do not give two hoots about primary industry. Nonetheless, that is history.
I feel very supported by my colleagues on this side of the House. That means I can take a great deal of comfort from the fact I want to drive these things and will be supported by my colleagues in the way I operate. It is fantastic to be part of a government that wants to drive the primary industry and mining sectors forward. You must remember the Northern Territory was built on the cattle industry, a very significant part of the primary industry sector. I have a feeling that over the last 11 years of the former government, they forgot that. They forgot the roots of the Territory. With their focus on social welfare and matters around that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from delivering social outcomes, they forgot about the real drivers of the economy of the Territory.
That is no more. There is now a government which is committed to ensuring we drive our economy hard and strong, particularly in the context of the Asian century and the role the Northern Territory will play in it. It is an extremely gratifying and exciting time. I said in the debate last night on that silly motion about the Mataranka water licence that the people of the Northern Territory can expect to see a government of action. We will be doing things. People had better start getting used to the idea this government will drive things along. You will see new agricultural developments, mining and exploration, subject to the investment climate, leaping forward. We are not about sitting on our hands; we are about driving change for the Territory and making things happen.
The opposition and the naysayers will need to get used to the idea. They have lived in some wishy-washy land of milk and honey for the last 11 years, thinking it is okay to bumble along and tread water, which was the case under the former government. That has come to an end. However, we will do it in a careful, measured and sustainable way. Much has been said about the sustainability of our water resources, for example, and there are some diverging views on that. Some on the other side would suggest we have the potential to become the next Murray Darling but the member for Fong Lim, the Deputy Chief Minister, articulated very well the differences between the Murray Darling system and what the Northern Territory is like. I have no fear we will end up in the same state as the Murray Darling system. We have an abundance of water and water is life. Unless we allow access to that water, nothing will go ahead.
I want to touch on a few things individual members have said over the course of this debate. I was listening quite intently to the member for Casuarina, who is the former minister. In his debate he was quite strident in his defence of what the Labor government had done. The tone of his debate was, ‘We did all that and you are just following in our footsteps’. It is easy to argue that so I might do the same and say over the last 11 years the Labor government was following in the footsteps of the former CLP government, remembering the CLP government was in power in the Northern Territory for 27 years. The former Labor government would like you to believe when it came into power in 2001, the Northern Territory was a barren place, probably prehistoric looking, no development at all, and it built it up from the ashes. That is not the case at all.
Labor inherited an amazing legacy of hard work put in by the former CLP government, and I think about how the Territory was built in those years. The former CLP government built the Territory. I think about the projects it undertook and were successful in completing, like the railway line, the gas pipeline, housing, schools - you name it, right across the board. I remember coming to Darwin in 1984 and one of the first jobs I had was as a brickie’s labourer. They were the good old days and I worked hard. The activity in Palmerston was where I spent a fair bit of time in those early days - Gray and Driver - working with a couple of brickies. The activity was frenetic. The Territory was growing. It was an amazing place to be. No wonder people were excited about moving to the Territory. It was still a frontier, but there was a lot happening. It was a wonderful place to be and I take comfort from the fact the philosophy behind the former CLP government in wanting to build the Territory - big strategic pictures, thinking ahead - is the same philosophy the new CLP government has. We want to see activity taking place; we want to drive development across the Northern Territory.
As the member for Blain said several months ago when talking about the gas to Gove deal and the potential for the gas pipeline connecting Mount Isa with Tennant Creek, these types of strategic programs are in our DNA. It is what we do. We think big. Unless you have big dreams and big goals all you end up doing is what the Labor government did for 11 years: tread water ...
Ms Walker: Who brought INPEX to the Northern Territory?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: That would have happened anyway, member for Nhulunbuy. Where else were they going to go?
Ms Walker: Ha, I love you. You are rewriting history. The CLP did not support INPEX.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I will pick up on that interjection. The member for Nhulunbuy said the CLP did not support INPEX. What a load of bunkum. How can you sit there with a straight face and attempt that piece of rubbish.
Ms Walker interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. That was the tone of the member for Casuarina’s address to this statement. He was, of course, rewriting history, and that cannot be tolerated. We are quite happy to set the record straight. Think about mining and how that has gone over the past 20 or 30 years. There was one new mine in the 11 years Labor was in power. Before that, Gove, Groote, The Granites, Ranger and McArthur River were up and running. There is a heap more but too many to name.
We now have the Australian ilmenite company near the Roper River, a fantastic opportunity which ties in beautifully to this statement with respect to the Asian century, because even though that product will be mined here and beneficiated to the point it is separated from the other sand, it will be shipped overseas and some of that will go into Asia, without a doubt.
The member for Casuarina also spoke about the Ord. The Ord is a particularly important aspect of what we are doing and our linkages into Asia, given Kimberley Agricultural Investment is the preferred proponent in Western Australia. It is a Chinese company which will, hopefully, develop that and turn Ord Stage 2 and, hopefully, Ord Stage 3 into something amazing with exports of sugar to China.
He mentioned being careful about spending on infrastructure. Thanks for the advice, member for Casuarina. Of course we are very careful about the infrastructure spending. I am sure parts of agreements will reflect benefits to the Territory that might come from private investments rather than solely and discretely from the government.
Turning more to today, I thank the member for Nelson for his comments. He has a very strong interest in agricultural pursuits in the Territory and I applaud him for that. He spoke about a few things, such as mangoes, and pointed out - if it was not him, it was someone else in the House who pointed it out today - half of Australia’s mangoes come from the Northern Territory. In fact, it is a little more than half. A little over half of that half comes from the Katherine region, which is fantastic. There is an enormous amount of work being done to position ourselves in the Northern Territory as direct exporters of our mango products into Asia. What was rightly pointed out is most of our mangoes go south, and are then treated and sent overseas from other ports. My department is working on ways to ensure we can process in the Territory, and finding ways through some of the protocol issues around importing into Asian countries. Much work is being done in that space.
I also listened to the member for Nelson when he was talking about the water licence in Mataranka, and the need for a cautious approach. He, obviously, is supportive of development but in a cautious way. I assure the member for Nelson we will be cautious and mindful of the environment before we make major decisions around any types of developments. It would be irresponsible not to. We will see an enormous drive in the Territory with the change of government so we can see the future of Territorians come to a wonderful fruition. There is an enormous upside available to us in the years and decades to come.
There was discussion around agriculture and cattle, and even fishing - certainly around mining. I re-pledge my support to our Asian relationships. I am going to use the word ‘relationships’, because it is absolutely vital. In the history of the Northern Territory, particularly around the establishment of our live cattle trade into Indonesia - I do not know if you would call him the father of the live cattle trade into Indonesia but he was one of the fathers; a bloke called Mick Palmer. He is renowned for the work he did on developing the live cattle trade into Indonesia, and I take my hat off to him. I think about the anecdotal stories I have about Mick. I have met him a few times and have never had an opportunity to have a great, long chat with him. He was renowned for virtually, as someone said, living in Indonesia. He did not live there, but he spent a great deal of time there. That is how you develop relationships in Asian countries. You do not do it with a megaphone across the ocean, and you certainly do not do it by telephone. I have canvassed the way the Leader of the Opposition would have tried to sort out gas to Gove using a telephone. It is about developing personal relationships, and that is why I have been to Indonesia twice since being elected into government, with another trip, as I said earlier, coming up soon. It is important to establish those relationships personally …
Mr Vatskalis interjecting.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I am sorry, I could not hear the interjection.
Mr Vatskalis: How could you develop a relationship without meeting the ministers there?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Casuarina. There are plenty of relationships that need to be forged with Indonesia and I guess, because you are now a wannabe minister and do not really understand what is going on anymore - of course I met with ministers there, you goose. Honestly!
Mr Vatskalis: Really? You did not mention anything in your media release. I know you did not meet any of the ministers.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I am not going to engage with the member for Casuarina. He is a wannabe minister. He was not too bad in his job in those days, but times have moved on, Kon.
Indonesia is certainly not the only place we are engaging. Of course, we will be continuing our relationship with China, particularly around the mining area, and with Japan and Korea. I have a trip heading that way this year as well because I understand the importance of developing those relationships.
I will not belabour what has been said in this House throughout the course of this debate. It has been a lengthy one.
This government is committed to growing the Northern Territory’s economy with a view to capitalising on our position in respect to Asia. I am very pleased, and I think I said during the statement that I was very thankful for the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper delivered by the Commonwealth government. It sets the stage for us to do some fantastic things and I guess it means the federal government, in saying it recognises the Northern Territory as an important part of that, will support us.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank again everyone for their contributions to this debate. It has been interesting to hear the different views. I assure this House and the people of the Northern Territory that we are committed to driving this economy forward.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Future Directions of the
Northern Territory Government
Continued from 26 March 2013.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the ministerial statement. I am aware Mr Bruyn is in the gallery so I will try to keep this reasonably brief in accordance with the arrangements with the opposition that, hopefully, at about 7 pm we can commence the Adjournment debate.
I want to concentrate on one component of what the Chief Minister has been talking about and that is, necessarily, the nature of debate in this House and the political strategies employed by both government and opposition.
The Chief Minister has, on several occasions, appealed to the opposition to effectively lift their game in how they proceed with debates in this House. There is clearly a strategy forming in the opposition camp and it is one I want to address in regard to the call the Chief Minister made. In the last couple of months we have seen numerous personal attacks, based on the flimsiest of evidence, against members on this side of the House.
Most recently was the issue of the water licence being issued to Mrs MacFarlane, the CLP candidate for the federal seat of Lingiari. Once again, the opposition has driven this point and used words like ‘corruption’, ‘the silver circle’, that type of allegation. However, to do that they would have to assert complicity not only from ministers of the Crown, which is part of their allegation, but also from public servants.
The public servant who is the Water Controller of the Northern Territory, it was suggested yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition, must be an extraordinarily weak man, timid and lacking mettle if he was going to roll over to the suggestions the Leader of the Opposition engages in. I do not understand this gentleman to be of such a disposition. Nevertheless, in the relentless pursuit of the political point, any collateral damage is worth it; any end justifies the means.
Also, the attacks on the member for Arnhem in regard to the Jawoyn Association and the fuel cards is a demonstration of an ability or desire to muckrake at any level to immediately try to score a political point. It was clear from the member for Arnhem yesterday that the so-called abuse of the fuel card was nothing more than her filling up the tank of another person’s car; namely, the member for Stuart. Hardly what you would call a reprehensive criminal offence and, whilst not strictly within the bounds of normal probity and the rules, was done innocently and was sought to be fixed by the member of Stuart the following Monday.
Once again, this is skulduggery of the lowest order being engaged in. We cannot forget the allegations against the member for Daly which, subsequent to the allegations being made public by the Leader of the Opposition, have been proved to be completely without foundation and unsupported by anything like evidence ...
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr ELFERINK: This technique is not new. I have taken time to investigate it and the rules that surround what the Leader of the Opposition, in particular, is attempting to do. She does not repeat her slander and defamatory comments outside this House, knowing full well the suit which would follow would be a substantial one. Nevertheless, she repeats it in this House and interjects with the words, ‘Not true’, in spite of the fact strong evidence has been brought into this House, including former staffers of the Labor Party who say the allegations against the member for Daly are unsubstantiated.
I have tabled five statements from identified persons, as well as quoted a staffer, and you have produced no evidence but reproduced the allegation. I will climb into the gutter. What I will do, however, is describe a way forward.
I refer honourable members to the Parliamentary Privilege chapter, page 711, of the House of Representatives Practice. I quote from that page:
The Committee of Privileges has stated:
Allegations of wrongdoing are often made to Members of Parliament. Members enjoy very special rights — rights greater than those enjoyed by ordinary citizens. The privilege of freedom of speech is the greatest of these, but its very significance is such, where the reputation or welfare of persons may be an issue, that it should be used judiciously. If a member is of the opinion that it is in the public interest to disclose such allegations, he or she should make all reasonable inquiries as to the truth of the allegations. The raising of a matter, in full detail, in the House is only one of the options available to members. It is for the member to resolve whether or not it is in the public interest to raise a matter in the House, and his or her actions will be judged accordingly.
There was no inquiry, no attempt to do anything by the Leader of the Opposition other than pursue the tawdry allegation from her informant and anonymously use that allegation in this House of privilege to slander the good name of the member for Daly ...
Ms Lawrie: He should not have said what he said.
Mr ELFERINK: He did not say it.
Ms Lawrie: Yes, he did.
Mr ELFERINK: Okay, then I suggest the Leader of the Opposition steps outside this House and repeats the allegation in front of the cameras. Repeat it outside. It will not cost you much more than your house.
That is the strategy. She feigns indignation but sees this as an opportunity because that is the strategy.
I have done some more homework on this and a matter was referred to the House of Representatives Committee of Privileges in November 1989:
- On 23 November 1989, the honourable member for Bruce, Mr Aldred, made a speech in the House during the Grievance Debate. He was speaking in support of that motion ‘That grievances be noted’. Mr Aldred’s speech dealt first with the Yugoslav Welfare Association and secondly with the activities in Australia of the Yugoslav Secret Service: the SDB. When dealing with the latter subject, Mr Aldred read from a statutory declaration made by Mr Tomislav Bosnjak. That statutory declaration said, amongst other things …
I have just quoted from one of the minority reports setting out the facts:
- ‘That the informant told me it is a well-known fact in the various ethnic communities from Yugoslavia and also known to him that the person in question is often visited at his home by officials from the Yugoslav Consulate in Melbourne’ and, later,
‘That the informant told me that the person in question is the federal member for Hotham, Lewis Kent.’
Mr Kent took exception to that, as did other members of the parliament, because there was an implication that slurred his good name. The matter was referred to the Committee of Privileges and there was a majority finding which demanded an apology be made. There was no apology forthcoming and, as a consequence of that, if you read House of Representatives Practice 7.12, the House agreed to a motion calling on the member to withdraw and apologise. He declined and was subsequently suspended by the House for two sitting days. There was a penalty for abuse of the privilege.
I go back to the majority finding in that committee report and draw honourable members’ attention to paragraph 9(c) of that report:
- … the great privilege of freedom of speech carries with it a heavy obligation that it be exercised with great care and responsibility and that the misuse of this privilege in making charges against other persons, whether members or not, could be held by the House to be not only an abuse but a contempt. Having regard to the experience of the honourable member for Bruce, the committee finds that the honourable member has offended against the rules of the House. Accordingly, the committee recommends that the honourable member should, at the first parliamentary opportunity, be required to apologise to the House for his serious breach and recommends that the House requires him to withdraw the allegation.
I place on the record my deep concern that so many times allegations are raised against members of this House on tissue thin evidence, unsupported by documentation, and supported only by innuendo and the rumourmongering of people who have a political axe to grind. It is not beyond the boundaries of this House, and certainly not beyond the boundaries of contemplation, that we should move to protect the very precious privilege we have. With privilege comes great responsibility, and that responsibility needs to be exercised with diligence, carefulness and, ultimately, respect for the privilege we have been granted.
The privilege we have been granted dates back over 400 years. It is a privilege which has been reserved by virtue of the fact our democratic system occasionally needs the capacity for parliamentarians to be able to say things that would, in other circumstances, be considered slanderous, libellous, or defamatory. I care about protecting that privilege. What I believe is occurring is a strategy from the members opposite - and this applies to any member who would seek to employ this strategy. We have a duty, when we become aware of information we seek to introduce to this House under privilege, we make all reasonable inquiries to determine and endeavour the truth of the allegation being made. Unfortunately …
Ms Lawrie: I did! I spoke to the victim. I have statutory declarations from two witnesses
Mr Tollner: You are grubby!
Ms Lawrie: Because the woman is so deeply traumatised by what the grub said to her, I go no further. I tell you, a reporter from the NT News independently spoke to her …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we have a bit of order, please! Attorney-General.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. If it was just the one incident, I could almost trust the word of the Leader of the Opposition, but it is not, it is repeated attacks on any flimsy grounds. This is not part of a single cause, this is part of a strategy that is deliberately being unpacked. It is for that reason I am offering to the House, and every member in it, counsel as to how we use this privilege. It is a privilege that dates back 400 years. It is one we should cherish and respect and should not abandon. As far as I and members on this side of the House are concerned, we will move, if this strategy continues …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we have some order, please. Attorney-General.
Mr ELFERINK: This is a privilege I would like to see continue unchecked, because it is an important privilege to have. What I also say to members of this House is it is a privilege we are all committed to protect. One of the best ways to protect it is not to abuse it. The reason I mention this in this House today is if the strategy of the Leader of the Opposition continues, and allegations continue to be made which are unfounded and unsupported by evidence, then it will be something the Privileges Committee will be forced to look at. I have no hesitation in suggesting we, as a parliament, should not be afraid of trying to protect the privileges we have from abuse for mere political gain.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank all those who contributed to this debate, particularly the people from this side of the Chamber. Thank you very much, Attorney-General, for your contribution tonight. We laid out on Tuesday the future directions on how we want to move the Territory forward, build business, develop the Northern Territory, and create jobs. That is our platform and the way we want to move forward.
I challenged the Opposition Leader through that debate on Tuesday to come on a journey and raise the standard of debate in this Chamber. I have asked the opposition to start developing some policies and have a debate on a policy front, rather than mudslinging and dragging everybody down with the slurs they continue to parade, but we will wait to see how that goes in time.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms LAWRIE (Karama): Mr Deputy Speaker, this evening I give my heartfelt condolences to the family and the loved ones of Sally Bruyn.
I speak on behalf of my opposition colleagues. I also this evening speak on behalf of my colleague, Michael Gunner, the member for Fannie Bay, who knew Sally but cannot be with us because his grandfather has passed. I also speak as Delia the girl who grew up knowing your family and knowing Sally.
Michael wanted to say our strong families are often the people who shape our community, and there is absolutely no doubt Territorians and the Territory are better for the Bruyn family and your significant and ongoing contribution.
Fellow staff and past students all testify Sally understood the privilege she had, as a teacher, to guide our young Territorians, often making children feel part of her family. What a family she has. What a legacy she leaves.
Sally has guided many generations of Territory kids through lesson and example. While we are less for her loss, we are more for the time she spent with us. Michael wanted me to say that Sally will not be forgotten and she lives on through the deeds of the generations of future Territorians.
On my part, I recognise that some 300-plus mourners attended, packing St Pauls in Nightcliff, a strong recognition of the very high regard in which Sally was held in our community.
What a fine woman, what a fine example of what women can achieve. How appropriate that she had the most noble of pursuits as a teacher because the integrity of the woman was outstanding.
She was always that great, quiet, considered intellect, but so incredibly strong - what a force. I did not know and I did not ask, Andy – Bear - whether I could do this or say this but I know the many occasions and the great love you could tangibly see between them at functions and he would stir his Gorbachev. What an appropriate nickname for an incredibly awesome woman.
It is a journey I have watched since I was a child, watching the love, the strength and the marriage, and watching, as a couple, Andy and Sally raise their beautiful children, Kathleen and John.
I know the involvement she had at Leanyer Primary School and the enduring work and commitment she had to the school, primarily to the students. Through the strength and support of the school, through the staff, through the leadership team with Henry Gray, as assistant principal, the message she has passed her legacy to generations is a very appropriate message given the incredible commitment she had to the community of Leanyer Primary School.
She lived life and grasped life and, tragically, fought cancer at the end of her life. She fought it with the dignity she had lived her life – an enormous dignity that many of us could learn from. She didn’t suffer fools very lightly but had compassion about her as well. It is something I admired in seeing such a strong woman, such a strong role model and such a great example of being completely focused and satisfied with being at the level at which you are. You see many great leaders in our education system rise into the policy settings and the department, the bureaucracy. Great strong leaders like Sally choose to stay at the school and impart their knowledge and give primacy to learning at the school. I genuinely admire and acknowledge the choice she made because the community of Leanyer, through generations, is all the better for it. I quote what Kathleen said in the eulogy:
- Like my brother, I am so proud to say I am Sally Bruyn’s child. When people say I am like her, I wear it like a badge of honour. She is my role model and that is something I did not tell her in real life. She is simply our mum.
Kathleen, she knew it. She saw you shine. She was so incredibly proud of her children. You made her incredibly happy. Andy, you have been a wonderful husband and support and father. It is the strength of your family that will endure. The people we love so dearly never truly leave us. Sally will always be with us. My deepest sympathy and condolences, and my deepest admiration for the woman who Sally Bruyn was and the contribution she made to the lives of so many Territorians and, most preciously, our children. Thank you for sharing with us Sally’s dedication to the Leanyer kids and community. Thank you.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, on 21 February this year, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Sally Bruyn, a beloved mother and wife, a strong woman whose battle with cancer took her from her loved ones at too early an age of 60 years.
Sally was born in Hobart, Tasmania, as the eldest of two girls and into a family that was struck with tragedy early as her father, Roydon Woodward, succumbed to cancer’s scourge. At an early age, she and her sister, Patricia, took on family responsibilities beyond their years to assist their mother, Nancy. A close bond was created between the two sisters, which is mirrored by the way in which Sally gained and held friendships with many others she met along the way, the character we recognise here today, and a lifetime dedication to family, friends and to the teaching profession. As her son, John, said at the celebration of her life:
- Mum was a strong independent woman, a loyal and dedicated individual with unwavering principles and morals. Mum made friends for life.
- She simply would not know what all the fuss was about and would say, ‘Don’t be silly’.
That pragmatic and no-nonsense approach was exactly the way she applied herself to her own life.
After completing her teaching qualifications at the University of Tasmania, a path also followed by her sister Pat, she was challenged to head north and broaden her horizons with the new Commonwealth teaching service, which she did in January 1974. As her husband, Andy, said, she might have ended up in Yuendumu or Brunette Downs but came to Darwin in the Top End. She taught briefly at Parap and was appointed to the staff of the brand new Tiwi Primary School but Cyclone Tracy intervened and slowed that progress.
Sally was home for Christmas and missed Tracy, but she returned to Darwin and teamed up with another teacher, a lifelong and dearest friend to this day, Mary, who was every bit a part of Sally’s family and an aunty to the children. With Mary, Sally traversed the globe from Sydney to London and had many travels through Europe, Turkey, Greece, Italy, the USA, Asia, Fiji, New Zealand and many other places. Her delight was always seeing new places and people. As a teacher, I suggest that not only was she doing something she loved – the giving of learning - she was a lifelong learner herself. Her school, whichever she was at, consumed much time in her life. After Tiwi, she taught at Alawa, Wulagi, Durack, Leanyer and elsewhere. She worked long hours and set herself and others a high mark. As colleague and principal, Henry Gray, said:
- She loved her job. She was always there for the kids and the parents. If you asked her to do something, she would do it and do it well. She always spoke in a straight way; you always knew what she meant.
Sally enjoyed not just the work in the school environment but was deeply involved in the activities around school time, the Beat and the School Sports Association being just two.
I do not have as much time as I would like in this adjournment to list the many other passions Sally had for life and learning, including playing, watching and assisting sport at all levels, but I will try. She played netball, A-grade tennis and squash, and could comment on the Ashes better than most broadcasters, something that would become a feature of her weekly discussion over the phone with her son. There was also advice for her daughter in the business of television and being around television, as Sally would ask questions and offer opinion in her words. More often than not there would be the comment, ‘New dress, wasn’t it?’ There was no getting things past her. She obviously cared and provided deeply for her children, whatever they were doing.
It is tragic she succumbed to such a rare ocular melanoma condition that first required drastic eye surgery and then spread and, ultimately, took her life. Sally faced the news with the courage and tenacity that made her character. She fought with everything she had for more time with family and friends.
The effect of her passing and the magnitude of the contribution can best be demonstrated by the thoughts of the enormous amount of people who attended her memorial service and the dozens of notices and condolences that filled the pages of the NT News. Close friends say she was devoted to her family and, by extension, the school and school family. Sally’s life was lived not for herself but for other people.
It is fitting her life be celebrated in this parliament by saying ‘thank you’ to her family, to support such a giving person and for allowing her to be remembered in this way. The contribution Sally has made to the people of the Northern Territory will outlive her forever.
I offer my sincere condolences to Andy, John, and Kathleen on the passing of a generous, caring and loving wife and mother, Sally Bruyn.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MANISON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness I deliver this adjournment to mark the passing of Sally Bruyn, a remarkable woman who made a great contribution to the Territory, particularly in the field of education. I acknowledge the Bruyn family, who are here today: her husband Andy and her daughter Kathleen. I also acknowledge her best friend Mary, and her former work colleague Henry Gray, and others who have gathered here tonight.
The passing of Sally Bruyn coincided with me becoming the newly-elected member for Wanguri. Attending my first Leanyer Primary School assembly was tough after hearing the sad news of her passing and seeing the devastated faces around the school. I did not have the opportunity to work with Sally, but I was certainly aware of how highly respected she was and was looking forward to working with her.
I thought it was best in our efforts tonight to mark Sally’s contribution to the community, particularly in my electorate through Leanyer Primary School, that I spoke to those who knew her best. I asked recently retired Leanyer Primary School Principal, Henry Gray, to share his thoughts on Sally’s contribution to the education of so many local children in the Leanyer Primary School community.
These are Henry’s words:
- The recent passing of Sally Bruyn takes from us a fine teacher and a proactive leader who gave nearly 40 years of her life to the educational betterment of others. She commenced teaching in the Northern Territory in 1974 and, in those years since, became a person renowned for her contribution to education. Sally commenced at Leanyer school in 1998 transferring from Wulagi school as a senior teacher. After a period of time she temporarily transferred to Durack school, before moving back to Leanyer school in September 2004. She remained at Leanyer throughout all the following years and won a promotion as one of the school’s Assistant Principals.
With a preference for working with all the students, Mrs Bruyn accepted the challenge of developing programs in the early childhood area, this being the Assistant Principal role she won. Under her leadership, this area of the school grew and flourished with programs and support offered being among the very best. Sally’s contribution over the years enhanced the reputation of the school as being one offering the very best for children and students. Her contribution to the school leadership helped ensure that the school was a people place. She proactively helped with the application and the enrichment of the school in being a place where its motto ‘Together as one’ really lived.
Sally was a teacher who believed the most effective job she could do was at the coalface. To this end, her career was devoted almost exclusively to the educational services in schools. She was, during her many years as a teacher, senior teacher and assistant principal. She was acting principal at Leanyer Primary School in June 2010 when one of its students, Nicholas Middis, perished in an arson fire. As principal, she made contact with all the parents, reassured and empathised with the students and the staff, and worked tirelessly day and night to help the school community come to terms with the tragic loss. This sad event illustrated Sally’s character; she was always there for others and always had the needs of the Leanyer school community at heart. She always worked with caring intervention to minimise hurt and stress that might be felt by people confronting trying circumstances.
- One of Sally’s most significant roles at Leanyer was to manage student services. She worked inexhaustibly to ensure that children confronting learning challenges were provided for in the best possible manner. This included program shaping awareness and the employment of school support assistance, along with oversight of significant paperwork and meetings involving parents, students, and staff connected with special needs students. Leanyer school earned a reputation for being a thoroughly supportive and caring school for children with special needs. This was, in a large part, the result of Sally’s awareness skills and emphatic oversight.
- Mrs Bruyn always went the extra mile, then some, for her school and community. She contributed towards and supported all extracurricular activities, from fundraising and outdoor education to her long-term and tireless representation of and for education as a school council member.
Sally Bruyn was an excellent communicator with parents, and she engaged with children in an aware, emphatic and impartial way. Nothing was ever left to chance. Her support of teachers in matters of student discipline, communication with parents, parent/teacher interviews, the writing of reports, and all other aspects of formal accountability was second to none.
As teachers can be a class of people who will forgo the benefits that have been earned for them by the union endeavour, Sally was quick to point out the fallacy of this approach as being one that could be used to take advantage of teacher goodwill. She was never keen for people to put themselves in a position where they could be used because this was not good for the confidence or character development. She reminded people of the fact that they needed to preserve and protect their rights and fulfil their obligations. The value she placed on staff members earned their appreciation and respect.
- Sally set a fine example to teachers through the work she did. She always remembered her own progress path and the way in which her situation had evolved, making sure that shortfalls and challenges she had confronted where not reduplicated for teachers if that could be avoided.
- Sally’s contribution to education and community in the Northern Territory and at Leanyer will ever be appreciated and never be forgotten. Well able to talk the talk, she will be remembered as a teacher and leader who walked the walk, in a giving sense, for her schools were for children and no more - so then in her final appointment too and her years at Leanyer school.
I thank Henry Gray for the thoughts he shared with me on Sally’s contribution to Leanyer Primary School and the education of local children.
I also attended Sally Bruyn’s funeral at St Paul’s church, which overflowed with attendees. The number of people paying their final respects to Sally truly demonstrated how highly respected she was and the contribution she made to the community in education and beyond. The church was full and overflowing for a reason.
During the funeral service, Sally’s children, John and Kathleen, delivered moving eulogies about their mother and the love they had for her. I could not believe the strength they found to do it. It was an extremely moving part of the service.
Sally’s daughter, Kathleen, has allowed me to share some of her eulogy on her mother with the parliament to help further mark on the record the strength and character of her mother and what a loving, caring and inspiring mother she was. Kathleen’s words were as follows:
- To each of you, Mum is a special somebody, but to myself and John she simply is our mum, one of the most special people you have in your life. She was the most loving mother we could have hoped for - generous, hilarious, fun, scary sometimes, fiercely loyal, modest to a fault, amazing and so inspirational.
From the instant this whole horrible ordeal began more than two years ago, she faced this hideous disease head on with such strength, dignity, and fierceness as we have all glimpsed from her at one time or another. It is remembering that which is helping me get through this now. She is my role model and that is something I never told her enough.
One of the times I did was part of my university application which asked why I wanted to study journalism. I wrote about the unwavering support and encouragement she always gave myself and John. When I got her to read it I could tell she didn’t expect it, was embarrassed by it, and thought I would write more about following in my dad’s footsteps.
Like my brother, I am so proud to say I am Sally Bruyn’s child and when people say I am like her, even in the smallest bit, I will wear that as a badge of honour. While the final couple of weeks were the hardest on us all, Mum especially, it was filled with so much love. She made sure we knew she loved us and us her. I can gladly say they were our last words to each other. As John said, ‘Mum would be so humbled hearing all of these amazing things people have been telling us and Dad. She simply would not know what all the fuss was about and say, ‘don’t be so silly’, but as we all know, she deserves every bit of it’.
I thank Kathleen for sharing her moving words with the parliament in memory of her mother.
Sally Bruyn’s contribution to the education of thousands of Territory children will be long remembered, especially at Leanyer Primary School.
I also acknowledge and thank the Education department for the support it gave Leanyer Primary School during the recent times and the support it gave to the staff, especially on the day of the funeral. I offer the Bruyn family, their friends, and the Leanyer school community as they work through their loss of Sally and the times ahead my deepest condolences.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I also pay tribute to Sally Bruyn. I saw her a few years ago. She was organising the Beat, which is organised chaos. You have kids running around everywhere getting ready for acts. Sally came out and showed what she was made of. She was a straight-talking, no-nonsense woman who knew how to handle a bunch of kids all hyped up, ready for a big show. It was then I realised, well, I thought I realised, why Andy referred to her as ‘Gorbachev’ - because of that straight talking, no nonsense style. What a great woman she was! She has obviously left a great legacy at Leanyer Primary School and for many hundreds of children who went to that school.
I always thought it was a bit odd that Andy would call his wife ‘Gorbachev’ and I did not realise at the time it was such a pet name and she quite liked it. It stunned me at the time.
I pass on my heartfelt sympathies to Andy, John and Kathleen. Your mother and wife had a wonderful impact on so many Territorians and was obviously much loved outside your family as well as within it. The fact so many people turned out for the funeral is testament to how well loved she was in the community. My deepest sorrows are with your family.
I also pay tribute to another great Territorian who was killed just three days ago, John Quintana. For those Territorians who knew John Quintana, you would have to know he was, at one time, the world bull-riding champion. John Quintana was from Oregon, in the United States of America. He came to the Northern Territory in 1987 when he bought Waterloo Station. For John Quintana, it was almost like he came home when he came to the Northern Territory. It was a big, wild, rough frontier and it was the sort of place where John Quintana fitted in perfectly.
John first came to world fame in 1971 when he rode a bull called V61, which was probably the most famous bull in the world at that time. V61 featured on the front cover of Life magazine beside Mohammed Ali. They were considered the two most dangerous weapons in the world, Mohammed Ali and V61. It was in his late teens or early 20s when John Quintana shot to fame as the first man to ride V61 for the full eight seconds. He scored 94 points, and in rodeo terms that is an incredible score. That professional rodeo record stood for almost a decade. In 1972, he became the world champion bull rider and, obviously, became world famous.
Many of us knew John Quintana and the legend that was the man. His house in Katherine looked like a hacienda. He said it looked like a hacienda because he was Spanish, irrespective of the fact he came from America. I had a bit to do with John Quintana and found him an absolute gentleman, a hell of a tough operator who had a hell of a handshake too. The Territory has lost two fantastic people in Sally Bruyn and John Quintana.
Madam Speaker, I pass on my deepest sympathies to Mr Quintana’s family as I do Sally Bruyn’s family.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, it is a sober moment when we reflect on the passing of someone who has lived large in our community, who has been an example and a witness of so many important and valuable things. That someone is Sally Bruyn, who has been a rock, demonstrating the value of marriage as we saw quite clearly presented to us at the funeral - a long-lasting, strong marriage; the power of love and a quality relationship; the virtues of loyalty to family, to friends and to her profession for over 40 years; the value of service to community, to education and to family. I had noticed Sally a number of times and saw her as a person of considerable strength, a person who did what she was called to do and did it well.
When going to a funeral the values of marriage are brought to us all to consider. When those two children, John and Kathleen, spoke as they did, it made us all consider what would be said of us when it comes to that time. Sally would have been so proud of what was said on that day. Those two wonderful children reflected on a life that had impressed upon them so greatly and so significantly that they were brave enough to stand there and courageous enough to be able to speak as they did. That was a wonderful moment, and one that has caused me to reflect very deeply.
To know this terrible journey started for Sally with the diagnosis of a condition that would result in the removal of an eye - my mother has lost an eye so I had that connection and wanted to know how that was. I was quite taken by how stoic, yet cheerful and courageous she was, and she moved on which also was a powerful witness to some strong values and principles that are an example to us all. For all who knew Sally and the Bruyn family, it was an absolute treat and she leaves a treasure for us all to enjoy. Knowing Andy as we do, Andy does not mind getting up and taking the opportunity to speak, but it was Kathleen and John who spoke. Andy did not speak; he had words of course, as Andy always has words, God bless him, but he could not speak. He gave those words to someone else because Andy could not speak. Those words were spoken by somebody else, and in my view Andy, what you did then spoke more powerfully than if you had spoken. Such was the love and the power of marriage over many years and the strength of loyalty and commitment that gave rise to two beautiful children who could speak as they did.
To know of the quality of the commitment and the service to education and the values and principles that were there on show for everybody - I thank you. I thank the Bruyn family and I thank that rock, Sally, who has left a legacy for us all to enjoy. My thoughts go to the three members of that family: Kathleen, John and Andy.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Speaker, to Andy, Kathleen, John, the wider family and her friends and colleagues, I pay tribute and say a few words. I also thank Henry, a very close friend and colleague, who helped put some of this information together.
Sally Bruyn commenced her teaching career in the Northern Territory in January 1974. From then, with a few interim breaks, she faithfully served our Territory as an educator for well over 30 years. There are not too many vocations that are more important than that of educating our children.
Sally will be remembered as a person who was extraordinarily dedicated to long-term service in the teaching profession. She was well-known and well-respected in education and community circles in Darwin and to many throughout the Territory.
Over the years, Sally Bruyn taught in a number of schools including Parap, Tiwi, Alawa, Anula, Wulagi, Durack and Leanyer.
With the passing of the years, she earned promotion to senior teacher then assistant principal. She has, on occasion, acted as principal, most recently at Leanyer school during Term 1, 2012. Her record of service in the Northern Territory was auspicious and distinguished.
In 2007, along with others, she was recognised for having given over 30 years of service to Northern Territory education - a genuine and caring educator. There was nothing about Sally that smacked of tinsel and glitter. Veneer and the gloss that shines from the surface of educational matters were not for her. She was a lady who delved deep into issues, drilling beneath the surface to reveal the substance and soul upon which true education should be based.
When educational initiatives were released to schools and when new directions where passed down from above it was Sally who explored those issues, examining them to understand the impact and the difference they would make to the lives of students and staff. She was a litmus and a filter. Nothing was ever unpacked to the staff for program implementation before a thorough examination of the pros and cons likely to play out through the teaching in classrooms. Sally did not carry out tasks of scrutiny in isolation, but rather led peers and staff to carefully consider and implement new ways forward. Her thoroughness in leading this group examination meant no tasks or requirements were thrust onto teachers and students without thorough preparation. Included was the sourcing of resource material necessary to make programs work.
Sally Bruyn worked extraordinarily long hours at her schools and during her various appointments. As a member of school leadership groups, she ensured all requirements of her role were thoroughly met. She was most recently a member of the Leanyer Primary School leadership team and put in extraordinary long and productive hours in pursuing educational needs. She was always known as a person who completed and finished all tasks with nothing ever being left to chance. There are perhaps a few lessons there for all of us.
She set a fine example to others in reliability, commitment and dedication. If Sally thought a program or teaching and learning approach was worthwhile she would promote it actively and follow it through with vigour. She also accepted the views of others and was prepared to adapt and change if persuaded it was in the best interests of students and colleagues.
Sally was heavily involved in extracurricular content, school sports, cultural contributions, the Beat, eisteddfods, holistic furtherance, Tournament of Minds, student services, and the employment of staff and support staff. Her extraordinary commitment was long term and appreciated by those organisations to which she contributed. She was conferred life membership of the Northern Territory Primary School Sports Association in recognition of her efforts.
When the Northern Territory Principals Association was broadened to represent assistant principals as members of the leadership echelon, Sally joined ANTSEL, the Association of Northern Territory School Educational Leaders, becoming an active contributing member. She also served on the Darwin chapter executive as Treasurer for a number of years.
Sally had a prime focus. Sally Bruyn was an educator who considered education from the inside out. To her, the critical nexus was the classroom and the interrelationship of children and students with teachers and support staff. She firmly believed schools are for children. She was known as a person firm in her belief that structure and organisation should always serve a firm educational purpose. Neither did she confine her interest to any single school alone. She contributed through considered feedback through the system initiatives.
Sally Bruyn led by example. She was a ‘do as I do’, not a ‘do as I say’ person. Her leadership authority at senior teacher, assistant principal and, on occasion, acting principal level, was derived from respect and esteem not merely from prescribed positional power. She was a person who led by doing,
Hundreds of people attended Sally’s funeral at St Paul’s church in Nightcliff on 27 February 2013. Past students, staff, and community members remembered, with her family, this outstanding teacher and fine person. They reflected upon her as a caring, sharing, empathetic, and giving person. The positiveness of her life affected the thinking of all those who gathered to mourn her passing and to celebrate her wonderful life. The passing of Sally Bruyn has removed from among us a fine teacher and proactive leader. She will be forever remembered by children, families, colleagues, and those school communities in which she gave selflessness and unrequited service. Her passing has taken a true professional who will be remembered by all who knew her as a caring teacher, an empathetic friend, a fine colleague, and a shining light.
Madam Speaker, Sally leaves the Territory a lasting legacy; the things she has done and the positive influence she had will remain forever glowing on and across the Northern Territory landscape. To Andy, Kathleen, John, and the wider family, my sincere condolences. If you can feel her and remember her, she will never leave. Andy, I think parents are often judged by how others see their children. With your children, you and Sally have done a tremendous job. Kathleen often reminds me so much of her mum, and the world is a better place for two wonderful parents and two wonderful children.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, much has been said about Sally Bruyn, and I will not go over that ground. She has been described as one of the most wonderful people in our community, and I endorse that.
Before I met Sally Bruyn, I had a very good insight of the type of person she was. I met Andrew Bruyn - in those days known as Andy Bruyn - in my days as a young police officer. That was in the days when we had analogue radios, and you could have scanners on them. Andy was one of those blokes who chased police cars, fire engines and ambulances around to get the best stories, some of which cannot be told in this House. Perhaps later, we can tell a few of those stories again and relive them.
Andy Bruyn was known as a really good bloke. We spoke about another journalist earlier today who the member for Casuarina said was one of the best of the old school journos. Well, he has a friend in the gallery at the moment, Andy Bruyn. As a police officer and a detective, Andy Bruyn was one of the blokes you could trust. That was right across the board. When you know someone and the integrity they have, when you eventually meet their wife you expect them to be a very similar person. When I met Sally Bruyn - I cannot remember when it was but it was in one of the schools. In my former life as a school-based police officer, I spent many years working alongside and with many fine teachers of which Sally was one. I knew Sally and I said to her, ‘You would be married to Andy?’ She said, ‘Yes’. I then knew she had to be a very special person because, generally, people do not marry people who are different to themselves. That was great.
One of the interesting things about Sally was she was always full of free advice and constructive criticism. I am sure the people in the gallery would know exactly what I am talking about. It did not matter where you were or what subject it was, Sally knew more than you, and it was true. She was like my mum; she knew so much about everything and you could not get away with it. Whether it was in the classroom or part of the executive management team at, more lately, Leanyer - they say Leanyer is one of the greatest schools in the Northern Territory and I agree with that. Henry stands out there but, interestingly, Henry will always tell you it was his team, and Sally was part of that team. What they achieved at Leanyer was magnificent and Sally Bruyn was part of that.
Sally demonstrated excellence not mediocrity, because she would not stand for that. She wanted everyone around her to be the very best they could. She put in the work to ensure that happened. So many students across the Territory have benefited, and not only those students but her two offspring, Kathleen and John, who had her most of the time; so you got most of the free advice and the constructive criticism. I am sure if you look back now you will have these words, and you will say them to yourself and to your mother wherever she is, looking at you, ‘Sorry, mum, you were right’. I wish I had a dollar for every time I said that to my mother. You will find you will do that.
We all want our children to become wonderful citizens and Sally and Andy have succeeded in that. You have two fine people who carry not only Sally’s memories, but her strength of character. I ask you, Kathleen and John, to have faith that those qualities will not only help you now, but they will carry you through the rest of your life. Every time you struggle think of your mother and the fact you will be saying, ‘Sorry, mum, you were right’. Remember those words and carry her strength and qualities and you will do very well in life.
Madam Speaker, it was a pleasure to know Sally Bruyn. I express my sincere condolences to you, and may she rest in peace.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, please stand for one minute’s silence to respect Sally Bruyn.
Members stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable members. Thank you to the Bruyn family for coming this evening. My deepest sympathy to you all on your loss.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, whilst I did not contribute to the debate, I pass on my condolences to the Bruyn family. The loss of a parent, particularly when you are young - Kathleen, I lost my mum at an early age and you have my deepest sympathy.
My duties today are to deal with the more mundane and pedestrian. I want to deal with an issue that arose this morning during Question Time when the Chief Minister was asked a surprising question relating to the erection of a fence. I was taken aback, I was aghast even, that a member would condescend to ask a question about a fence. However, the idea of the question was to identify the fence as the one surrounding the Country Liberals’ headquarters in Jingili in the member for Johnston’s electorate, and to infer the fence was erected because the Country Liberals’ headquarters needed to be fortified against the rising tide of crime, which the member for Johnston fancifully adheres to in his public pronouncements. However, some work has been done in this area to determine why the fence was erected. Like so many fences, it was erected to protect the property of, in this instance, the owner of the building.
It is curious to note the first piece of information I have run into is the fence was erected and partly paid for by the Labor government in Canberra. I found that somewhat surprising - a Labor government paying for the erection of a fence around the Country Liberal Party’s headquarters, according to the member for Johnston. Naturally, the Labor government in Canberra would never buy a fence for a political party, unless you were setting up a rental deal in Canberra under Paul Keating. That inspired further inquiry. It turns out the fence was there to protect not the Country Liberal Party’s headquarters but the office of the good Senator, Senator Nigel Scullion. It is interesting the Senator needed protection. It turns out the request for this fence was signed in March 2012, so it appears Senator Scullion needed protecting under the former Territory Labor government’s regime with a fence paid for by the Labor government to protect the CLP Senator from the Labor government’s policies in the Northern Territory.
One of the great problems you run into when you try to be cute in this House is unless you are certain of all your facts, you are sometimes being set up by the people who write the questions for you. My advice to the member for Johnston is if you want to pursue a matter of this nature, double check the facts and make certain you know what is going on because the person who shoves that question into your hand and thinks it is a great idea at the time, will probably not have done the requisite homework. The decision to sign off on this fence was made well before the change of government in the Northern Territory. I hazard a guess that under the new government the fence would be less necessary than it was under the former government. Well done, member for Johnston, a good piece of sleuthing; your job as a detective is assured should you ever fail as a member of parliament.
My real advice, without trying to be too cynical about it, is check your facts before you waltz in here because if you do not, you will be prone to make mistakes. Those mistakes will, ultimately, serve to embarrass you.
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, this week we have heard the government scrambling to clarify and justify the decision to grant the Country Liberal Party candidate, Tina MacFarlane, and her family a major ground water allocation for irrigation of their property, a decision stepping outside the draft Mataranka Water Allocation Plan. Today, we heard reflections on the glory days of the Country Liberal Party, the ‘can do’ attitude, even though they say a few mistakes were made along the way.
In relation to the Mataranka Water Allocation Plan, we have been told that since the Northern Territory election they have found quite a lot of new water, more than first thought in the Tindall aquifer - water that can be given away. My concern is not so much with the new Water Controller, the public servant caught in the middle of this; what is concerning is the whiff of something that is not quite right. The member for Barkly picked up on this when he commented yesterday on the body language of the Minister for Land Resource Management in replying to questions around this new arrangement. Yesterday, the Chief Minister was adamant in Question Time about the issue that it had not come to Cabinet. Hansard records him saying:
- … it has not gone to Cabinet or to the ministerial level.
Today, a question was asked about the scrapping of the Strategic Indigenous Reserve, part of the Mataranka water allocation pool that could be used for Indigenous and economic development. The key part of the question was:
- … who made that decision, the Water Controller, you, or the Chief Minister?
The minister’s answer included this disclosure:
- The decision was made by Cabinet. It was a very long and considered process … It is as simple as that. In considering this, I have to give credit to the members for Arnhem, Arafura, Stuart and Daly who had input into this issue and suggested that we have a review in three years’ time.
So, there were Cabinet discussions. There were discussions outside of Cabinet with backbenchers. We will continue to question this arrangement so the truth will prevail.
I also wish to speak about a topic so sadly prevalent in the Northern Territory and ask what the government is doing in this area. Today, in Question Time, we heard so much from government about where the policies from this side of the House are? We are proud of our policies of a decade in government, many of which you are busy tearing up. I remind those opposite you are now the government, you were elected to lead for the Territory and our job is to hold you to account, expose your broken promises and debate your legislation.
The time will come when we represent ourselves as the alternate government spelling out our alternate policies. In the meantime, we will act for all Territorians, holding your government to account.
Sadly, domestic violence rates are continuing to rise in the Northern Territory. We see Indigenous women hospitalised for assault at a rate far higher than non-Indigenous women. During 2009-10, 840 Aboriginal women were admitted to hospital after being assaulted compared to just 27 non-Indigenous women. Exposing our children to this violence is tragic and has tragic lifelong consequences.
The Child Deaths Review and Prevention Committee sponsored the report into children and youth suicide, strongly endorsing the board of inquiry recommendations into the NT child protection system, but this government has thrown all that work out the door. I urge the government and the incoming Child Protection minister to ensure that body of work and knowledge is not lost. It was the most comprehensive report into child protection in the Territory’s history. I urge you, minister Anderson, to reinstate the Office of Children and Families as a stand-alone department so you, as you say with Women’s Policy, can have direct and firm control.
As Minister for Children and Families, you say we must not muck around with child protection, but under your government we have only seen cuts to the public service and slashing of the NGOs’ budgets. We have seen you throw out the recommendations from this most comprehensive inquiry into child protection yet put nothing in place. Where is your policy? You are the minister, yet in over seven months in government we have only seen one ministerial statement on child protection from your government, and that was from the previous minister. What are your policies? Where is your direction?
We have seen cuts to our health NGOs, those which provide preventative programs, vital programs and support the most vulnerable in our community. I call on the government to back down from the decision to cut funding to health NGOs by 5%, which I understand begins next week. These NGOs, many of them small groups, provide fantastic, frontline services to Territorians. This cut is devastating to them. I urge the government to not implement the 5% cut which begins next week. Many NGOs have spoken to me about these cuts and are devastated.
I question what you are doing in Cabinet and what we will see in the budget. I urge you, minister Anderson, to be fighting for those most vulnerable. I call on you to immediately reinstate the hospital domestic violence teams and to ensure there is funding in the budget for this vital service. You claim to have a grassroots perspective, a special understanding, but from what we have seen so far, we wonder what you are doing apart from giving your CLP mates a job.
Madam Speaker, the government has cut the domestic violence teams from our hospitals whilst, at the same time, stopping the Banned Drinker Register allowing people to access more grog. I urge the minister to put those domestic violence teams back in our hospitals, not cut funding to health NGOs by 5%, and to pick up the recommendations of the board of inquiry.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Madam Speaker, there are a few things I want to touch on in this adjournment debate. The first is around the debate we just heard from the member for Nightcliff. I will not be too hard on her, but I want to explain the difference between a policy decision of government and the decisions made by departments, heads of departments, and those with statutory authority, with particular reference to water allocations.
The decision on the Strategic Indigenous Reserve, to which the member for Nightcliff referred was a policy decision, therefore it was presented to Cabinet for a decision on policy. That is why it came to Cabinet. That is what we do on the Country Liberal side; we do not make policy on the run. We take these matters before the Cabinet and discuss them. Moreover, my reference to the fact the policy was further discussed with the members for Arnhem, Daly, Arafura and Stuart was a reflection of the respect the Country Liberals government Cabinet has for the other members of our party serving on these benches.
Conversely, the decision with respect to the MacFarlanes’ licence at Mataranka was made by the Water Controller under the statutory provisions of the Water Act. Therein lies the difference, member for Nightcliff: one is a policy decision and one is a decision made by a statutory appointment under the act. No more on that for the moment.
While I am on my feet, I add a couple of words to pass on my condolences to the Bruyn family. I did not know Sally, but when journalists spend a great deal of time on TV and then we meet them in real life, there is almost a feeling we have known them for a long time. I remember meeting Andy around the time I moved to the Northern Territory in 1984. He was presenting on television, I think as a Channel 8 reporter. Since that time I have met Kathleen. You get to know the journalists around town. I pass on my condolences for the loss of both wife and mother at a relatively young age; it is tragic to lose someone so young.
I will also touch on something the member for Fong Lim spoke about tonight, the sad passing of John Quintana. John was born in 1950 and died in 2013. It is with sadness I note the passing of two figures deeply rooted in Australia’s primary industry. On Monday this week, at around 5 am, Mr John Quintana and Mr Charlie Maher passed away following the crash of their light aircraft shortly after taking off from Roma Airport in Queensland.
Mr Maher was the CEO of Ray White Livestock, and Mr Quintana, who I will speak about tonight, was an influential figure in the creation of northern Australia’s live cattle trade.
Born in 1950 and raised in the United States, John Quintana made his first visit to Australia in the late 1970s. Clearly, he liked what he saw, returning 10 years later and purchasing one of the Northern Territory’s premier cattle stations, Waterloo. At the time, the Northern Territory was a frontier land; civilisation had yet to stretch its fingertips to the far reaches of our rugged and rough landscape. Trail-blazing men and women risked much to take on the land and develop something from nothing.
John was one of those figures. Originally from Basque Country, Spain before his family moved to the USA, John became a polarising figure in the bush. In 1971, at the age of 21, he won the world bull riding championship buckle. The member for Fong Lim articulated well the stories about the bull called V61. After he tired of making a living refusing to be bucked off the back of a bull, he returned his hand to cattle trading and, in the late 1970s, made his first trip to the Northern Territory where he liked what he saw.
John’s character and spirit quickly endeared him to local Territorians. Noticing in the early 1990s the tight market for beef sales across northern Australia, John began exporting live cattle to Asia in 1992. The first shipment left Darwin in mid-1992 and was established through a personal contact he had in the Philippines. The Philippines trade grew to around 4000 head of cattle by the end of that year.
John established Walco International and, within a decade, was one of the largest exporters of live cattle utilising the wharf facilities in Darwin. In 1997, just prior to the Asian currency collapse, John exported 100 000 head of live cattle for revenue in excess of $50m.
In addition to Waterloo Station, John purchased other Territory properties in his time: Carbeen Park on the Katherine River which John used as a holding depot to service the live cattle trade and, of course, one of the Territory’s premier stations, Killarney.
I will touch quickly on the legacy John left our Northern Territory government. John was a regular on NT government trade missions with the then Primary Industry minister, Mick Palmer, exploring new markets and opportunities to grow the live cattle trade. It is this early work of government and industry working together and developing relations and partnerships with our Asian neighbours that helped to grow the live cattle trade.
John led the way in investigating new markets in Vietnam and the Middle East, and was awarded the prestigious NT export award for agribusiness. John did much for people living across northern Australia, not just in the Northern Territory. He leaves behind a lasting legacy and a tale very few can top. He was a true Territory cowboy, an icon of the bush. Those untamed lands he turned into thriving cattle stations must have bucked harder than any bull he ever got on, but he stayed on and saw them flourish.
As minister for Primary Industry, I thank John Quintana for his contribution to the Territory story and I pay tribute to his role in establishing the north Australian cattle trade. What a remarkable man.
My deepest sympathy to John’s family and, of course, to the family of Charlie Maher. They are gone but not forgotten, Madam Speaker.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Speaker, my contribution in adjournment could be considered a synopsis of not only this week, but of the Country Liberal Party as I have found them in this House. It has a subtitle, ‘The hypocrisy of the member for Port Darwin’.
Upon arriving in this House in 2008 - my first time in parliament, brand new to politics in a formal environment - I watched the Country Liberal Party opposition arrive dressed in brand new suits and then conduct a relentless personal attack on every member of government.
I had to learn quickly on my feet. I was quite shocked at the personal nature of the business conducted in this House by the Country Liberal Party opposition, and the member for Port Darwin was one of the leaders. I well remember the brutal, insulting, personal attacks on the member for Arafura and the relentlessness which not only attacked the member, but her family members as well.
I remember the sharing and caring of the government members as we endured that style of political brutality day after day. I remember the member for Arafura talking about family members and their concerns, their hurt and their shame. We gathered as a team regularly and supported each other.
Those attacks never stopped. I remember the political assaults that turned into personal attacks on the member for Daly, Rob Knight. I remember the same style of politics from the CLP opposition with relentless attacks on the member for Arnhem, Malarndirri McCarthy, and the same style of attack with a Central Australian theme coming from Alice Springs’ members on the member for Stuart, Karl Hampton. I cannot believe the hypocrisy of the member for Port Darwin with his veiled threats that, ‘If we continue in a line of a personal issues’, then what?’ The glass jaw of the member for Port Darwin is incredible. He has a short memory and questionable political morals given for four years I witnessed in this House a Country Liberal Party opposition that continued to challenge the government with a personal approach.
The pinnacle of my shock and horror at that style of politics from the Country Liberal Party was in the federal campaign, with the personal attacks on the member for Solomon, Damian Hale, and his family. I remember the Chief Minister taking the new members like myself aside, supporting us and giving us advice. Paul Henderson told me, ‘Look, mate, it gets a bit rough in this place’. He gave me good strategies to deal with it, but he said, ‘At election time, it gets even worse’. I did not really understand what the chief was talking about until I came into this House and saw that relentless personal campaign conducted against Damian Hale. I saw the human element emerge in that because I saw the member for Brennan dish up a lot of the dirt to sling at the then member for Solomon, Damien Hale. I watched the member for Brennan closely and you could see he was not comfortable with that approach and, eventually, he apologised because he felt it was not appropriate.
Here we have the member for Port Darwin and his ultimate hypocrisy and veiled threats, talking about what they will do to us if we continue to prosecute every element of what we see as injustices to the Northern Territory, bad policy, or issues within the Territory which are not right. It seems to be something that will continue down this road. The Chief Minister says it is a ‘journey together’. I have been on the journey with the Country Liberal Party for four years and now I am on a journey with the Country Liberal Party in government.
Let me give the Country Liberal Party in government a view of what people from the bush are looking at, because I will be in a Toyota very shortly heading back into the regional remote areas. We have seen constant dysfunctional behaviour and disunity. We have seen leadership challenges and a revolving door of ministers. We have seen a chaotic Budget Cabinet process where there has been incredibly unprofessional and disloyal behaviour. We have had three Treasurers in seven months. We had a final leadership challenge which was conducted with total disloyalty and disrespect. We then saw reversals of policy decisions that we have championed with the Northern Territory. We celebrate any commonsense thinking on what were incredibly bad decisions around the power, water and sewerage charges, and the ridiculous charge of $20 to queue at a Motor Vehicle Registry office.
We now see the shifting of a plan. We have been told in debate in this House - I found out through the media - that the budget has to be pushed out. The Leader of Government Business’s excuses for the budget being pushed were absolutely discredited by the Leader of the Opposition who was ruthless in her qualitative assessment of his contribution to debate. It was quite embarrassing to see that level of debate come from the Leader of Government Business, the member for Port Darwin, who normally is far more honest, sincere and accurate in his contribution to debate.
I say to the Country Liberal Party government that this continual disunity and disloyalty, and what is, essentially, pathetic government, has denied the Territory its fundamental road map; that is, certainty for business with budgets that define government support for services and infrastructure across the Northern Territory in a critical time of the Northern Territory’s development. We have been denied that. It has been pushed out. The Leader of the Opposition gave a very accurate contribution to debate and requested that this be finally put to bed and that there is unity to push this budget out the door.
I also say to the Treasurer that I am looking forward to what seems to be normal convention and common sense; that is, the budget road show. I remember budget road shows well across the region. In the Barkly, we come together to be presented with the Territory budget in Tennant Creek. I am really looking forward to the Treasurer, and any members of the government who come to support him, telling the constituents of the Barkly and Tennant Creek the plan, the bad news, the good news. We will sit there and take it.
There seems to be a common value creeping through that, as opposition members, we are not welcome. Treasurer, I have been around the ridges for a long time. It is a small town; I will find out when it is on and will crash the party. You do not have to put me down for the catering; I will not want cucumber sandwiches. I want to sit with constituents and hear the budget briefing from the Treasurer in Tennant Creek as part of the regional road show which was always exciting and informative for the people in the regions, and an opportunity for constituents to have their say.
Mr Deputy Speaker, it was never easy sailing for the Labor government. I stood shoulder to shoulder with the Treasurer over four years and there were many questions and concerns, but it was good and honest dialogue. It came from a community that was interested and Treasurer, member for Fong Lim, I am looking forward to that once again, having you in Tennant Creek with in the vicinity of 40 to 50 people attending.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Mr Deputy Speaker, this evening I pay tribute to one of my constituents who recently lost her battle with motor neuron disease. Rhonnda Marie Franklin was born on 1 February 1946 and passed away on 22 March 2013. Yesterday, I attended her funeral, where there were many friends and family members. Whilst it was a very sad occasion, it was also a celebration of Rhonnda’s life.
Rhonnda was born to parents Frank and Juanita Firth and was the youngest of six siblings, including Beryl, Arnie, Leon, Leola and Dorothy. At 18 months, Rhonnda drank spirits of salts. The doctor said she only survived because she had just eaten. I was a little curious about that. I should have known what spirits of salts was. People who are a little older than me would know. It is hydrochloric acid. At the funeral, someone said another young child drank this and was not so lucky. I do not know if that person survived or not, but, clearly, Rhonnda had a surviving spirit.
At four, Rhonnda fell out of a second storey bedroom window and was lucky to escape with only minor injuries. I believe this was a signal that her life was going to be an outdoor, rough and tumble type of life. She attended Karumba primary school and Coffs Harbour High. Her first job was in a newsagency before moving to a travel clerk’s job whilst living in a flat with her sister, Leon, in Coffs Harbour.
In 1965, Rhonnda met and married the love of her life, Barry. They were married in Coffs Harbour and moved to Narrabri and had two beautiful sons, Scott born in 1968, and Matt born in 1970.
They then moved to Papua New Guinea for a period of 18 months where Barry worked as a carpenter. On their return to Australia they purchased an F100 and a 22 ft caravan in which they travelled the country on a working holiday before finally settling in Darwin in 1974.
Rhonnda loved the outdoors and her favourite things were outdoor activities such as fishing, camping and gardening. She often took her beloved cats and dogs with her camping on the beach, cutting the best fillets for her cats. At her funeral there were many photographs on the PowerPoint presentation of Rhonnda and her beloved cats.
Rhonnda was also a very talented artist, dressmaker and patchworker, and was very well-recognised for it, winning many awards for her hard work. Rhonnda loved to make dolls and would get Scott and Matt to stuff them while they watched television at night, after which Rhonnda would deck them out in dresses and suits and sell them from the family home in Nakara, before they moved to the rural area. Rhonnda made many amazing friends though her patchwork and quilting activities, even taking the holiday she had always wanted to America and Canada with some of her friends. Art and sewing was the lifestyle Rhonnda loved and the friendships she had made were there for her until the end.
At the funeral, several people gave eulogies. I want to read some of those because they show the kind of person she was. Even though she was a very quiet person in some ways, she had an extensive network of friends, especially in the area of patchwork and quilting and all things art and craft. Rhonnda was involved with the Territory quilting club for approximately 10 years, but had been quilting for many more years before that. This club, and the quilting people, were involved in making charity quilts which were gifted to non-profit organisations. Quilts of Love were given to all hospitals in the Territory and they also made dog beds for the RSPCA in the Territory. They also gifted quilts to other organisations on request, and as available.
As you may or may not know, quilts, beautiful as they are, take a long time to put together. The club she was involved with participated in making bed quilts after the bushfires in Victoria a couple of years ago, and after the recent floods in both north and south Queensland. This meant they were working very hard over a long period of time. Rhonnda was instrumental in all other activities, and always went out of her way to help other patchworkers and quilters to achieve their goals.
Rhonnda was a member of the Quilters Down the Track. That is where I met Rhonnda, at the Beehive at Freds Pass when I went to say hello to these people very early in my time as a local member. They met there regularly, and I used to pop down on Tuesday mornings when I could to have a cup of tea and a chat. Rhonnda very patiently tried to teach me how to sew. Quilting was a complete loss to me because I could never quite understand why people would want to cut up sections and quarters of materials and then sew them all back together.
She also gave people quilting lessons at St Luke’s in Palmerston, and at Humpty Doo for pensioners or like-minded sewers. She would also welcome anyone who came to the Territory to go to Quilters Down the Track if they just wanted to sit down, have a cuppa, and do a bit of sewing.
Rhonnda often used to come to my office because she did the photocopying of designs, pictures, and things quilters do, and used to chat to Trish O’Hehir, my electorate officer, about what they were doing. I used to chat with her as well. I found at the funeral, talking with some of the ladies there, they would come home from wherever they had been and find Rhonnda had dropped off new designs and new patterns for them to start their next quilt. She never wanted anything in return; she only wanted the satisfaction that people were enjoying themselves and achieving something special which they had made.
Rhonnda was also a member of the encounter group, which was a bunch of like-minded ladies who met once a month to sew, chat, eat, gossip, and generally have a good time. Not many people were aware that Rhonnda was also responsible for gathering goods and organising and packing them into shoe boxes for underprivileged children in countries not as fortunate as our own. This took a great deal of commitment from Rhonnda. It was jolly hard work and at times Rhonnda and Barry’s shed and home resembled a war zone, with shoe boxes and goods scattered everywhere. The things they put into the shoe boxes were toys for children and some clothing for the women, and perhaps clothing or beanies, depending on if it was a cold country, for the men. Everything about their house and what they did was taken in their stride and there were never any complaints.
Rhonnda was a generous and loving wife to Barry, her husband, a considerate and caring mother to Scott and Matt, and a helpful and devoted grandmother to her grandchildren. She was generous with her time. It was obvious to me at the funeral, and from what I have known of Rhonnda and Barry, that she had a great love for him and her family, and would do anything within her powers of persuasion to help them out.
It was a great loss to lose Rhonnda because she was a lovely person who came to my office often. She will be sorely missed by not only Barry and her family, her sons and grandchildren, but by the many and the mixed variety - and there are a lot - of patchworkers, quilters and sewing people across the rural area in the Northern Territory.
I say to Barry, I am sorry for your loss, and Rhonnda Marie Franklin may you rest in peace.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Mr Deputy Speaker, interesting comments from the member for Barkly. He has not learnt much in four years, clearly. ‘Things are a bit up and down and there has been a bit of a roller coaster and things can get a bit turbulent’. Yes, no kidding! This is politics, mate. If you want the seamless, orderly, trouble-free environment, I suggest you join the Army or something. You have not learnt much from your mentor, Paul Henderson.
I quickly inform the House of, and put on the Parliamentary Record, a wonderful relationship the Northern Territory government, through Tourism NT, has struck with the Melbourne Football Club. Tourism NT understands the high profile the AFL has around the country, and its strong links and engagement through the Territory.
This is one of the great benefits of being the minister for Tourism and the minister for Sport; what can start as a sporting conversation can conclude as a tourism arrangement. That is precisely what has happened between the Northern Territory government and the Melbourne Football Club. The sponsorship arrangement will enable us to tap into the AFL’s massive following, particularly in Melbourne. The Melbourne Football Club has a strong affinity, as we know, with the Northern Territory, having played a home game here for the past three seasons, and held their nine-day pre-season training camp in the Top End during December last year, part of their new style of high-humidity training.
The sponsorship agreement includes the Tourism NT logo - our famous brolga which is instantly identifiable right around the country - appearing on the coach’s box and the team board, their club’s polo shirts and their tracksuits, signage in the MCG change rooms, and coverage on the club’s media backdrop. So whenever you see media conferences you will see the backdrop with their sponsors, one of which will be Tourism NT.
This will lead, we believe, to significant media exposure for Tourism NT with the coach’s box regularly shown through our televised games watched by thousands of footy fans across Australia every week. We are talking saturation coverage in Victoria. Anyone who has any appreciation of the following AFL has in Victoria will understand the saturation coverage we are talking about. There are numerous football shows during the week on television and radio, three or four newspapers covering AFL, and all sorts of commentary on it. The Melbourne Football Club, being one of the oldest football clubs - in fact, I think it is the oldest football club in the league - gains enormous amounts of exposure, despite, in recent times, their under achievements on the field. We certainly hope that will change.
Our Tourism NT logo is instantly recognisable: the brolga with the sunset. It will appear on news broadcasts and the top-rating footy shows across the country. The package announced includes direct marketing to the Demons - this is one of the great bits of this arrangement - members and corporate database and advertising on the club’s website. There are about 35 000 members of the Melbourne Football Club, which is a pretty healthy membership for a club.
It is a significant club in the AFL and it allows us to tap directly into that membership database promoting holiday ideas and specials to travel to the Northern Territory. If there are any Territorian members out there you will see popping up in your inbox now and then, or on your Twitter or text messages, all sorts of holiday deals to the Northern Territory. While you already live here and appreciate and understand how wonderful this place is to come and visit on holiday, think of those Victorians and the rest of the members scattered right across the country who will be seeing that and saying, ‘What a great deal. I might head off to the Northern Territory, spend some money and stay a few nights’.
The agreement will deliver excellent ongoing exposure in Melbourne, the home of football. It is an important domestic market for us. Recent research has indicated that Victoria – Melbourne, followed by the broader Victorian public - see the Northern Territory as an important tourism destination they want to go to. More Victorians have it on their bucket list than any other jurisdiction. More people in Victoria want to see the Northern Territory than anyone else. Once Victorians have visited the Northern Territory they are also the most likely to return. So it is a very important domestic market for us.
That supports our meeting in London with Tourism Victoria. At our meetings in London with Tourism Victoria we talked about how to support each other because Victoria is also a vital gateway for our international market. Once they get to that gateway, they come into the country through Melbourne. Then we would like them to also experience the Northern Territory.
We will have a very aggressive sales and conversion message to the Melbourne Football Club and AFL audiences to ensure a return on the investment, and the Demons have commenced an aggressive rebuilding phase to take them to the top of the AFL ladder. Tourism NT is very excited to be aligned with the club.
The Melbourne Football Club is one of the oldest clubs, if not the oldest. I know there is sometimes some contention, but I believe it is the oldest football club in the league. Melbourne is a wonderful brand, over and above being a football club, the name or brand, ‘Melbourne’ is very powerful in Australia. The Northern Territory has aligned itself with Melbourne and the Melbourne Football Club. We believe that will see a wonderful return on investment.
Look out for the brolga this weekend. As Round 1 continues, we will see the Melbourne Football Club and Port Power take to the field for the first time in Season 2013. It gets under way from 11.40 am this Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Look out for Territory players, Aaron Davey and Dominic Barry, and for the all-important brolga on the polo shirts and all those flashes during the two-and-a-half-hour broadcast of the game, whatever it might be, post-game, pre-game. Look out for the all-important brolga under Mark Neeld in the coaches’ box and at the post-game media conference.
Madam Speaker, it is a wonderful agreement and relationship. It is thinking outside the box and it is amazing what we can do. What started as a conversation about sport has resulted in a terrific relationship with tourism. Keep an eye out this weekend. This is the start of what I hope will be a long, fruitful and productive relationship with the Melbourne Football Club.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I offer my congratulations to Auxiliary Captain John O’Shea, a member of the Nhulunbuy Fire Station, on being named the 2013 Firefighter of the Year. John O’Shea was presented with the 2013 Eric Simmons Award for Firefighters by the Administrator, Sally Thomas, at a ceremony in Darwin on Monday, 4 March. Officer-in-Charge at Nhulunbuy Fire Station, Colin ‘Snogger’ Snowden, nominated John O’Shea in recognition of his 21-year service to the community and the fire service. I have known John a long time. I taught his kids, Ben, Justin and Sarah, a number of years ago at Nhulunbuy High School, and I have no doubt they are very proud of their dad. He certainly provided them with a fantastic role model.
International Women’s Day was celebrated in Nhulunbuy, as it is every year, with different events taking place to recognise and celebrate our strong local women, but it is also about getting together and having lots of fun with the sisterhood. On Saturday, 9 March, the International Women’s Day Aussie Rules Cup was held for the second year in a row. I was very proud to be a part of the set-up of the 2012 inaugural game, securing a $2000 grant to acquire two sets of women’s jerseys. I was happy to support it again this year by sponsoring the medals for the two teams as well as the cup.
The Latram Lions and the East Woody Eagles met to play for the cup after weeks of training. I take my hat off to the women who played four 20-minute quarters and trained for several weeks in the heat and humidity in the lead-up to the game. It was a close game and a great game with the Latram Lions coming out on top – just. All players were recognised for their participation in the event, but there were also some best and fairest awards handed out. For the Latram Lions they went to Fern, Whitney and Veronica, and for the East Woody Eagles, to Emma, Jess, Kathy and Phillipa. Best on Ground was awarded to Roberta Mununggarritj. A big thank you to coaches Vern Patullo and Richie Seden, who have given up their time to coach the girls and continue to coach the girls on Wednesdays and Fridays. They will play the occasional game as well, including the odd curtain raiser when the GAFL competition starts in late April.
On the same day as the footy game, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a Women in Business Luncheon as a part of International Women’s Day. The networking event celebrated our wonderful local women in Nhulunbuy. Guest speakers included the lovely Katrina Dwyer, who was our local manager at the Nhulunbuy Westpac branch, and Marree Merrett from Pacific Aluminium, who spoke about ways to train a team. Their contributions at the lunch were well received by everyone who was there. A very special thanks to Marhe Eloff from the Chamber, who coordinated the lunch from start to finish. It is no small task and she should be proud of the end result. It was a sell-out function and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. I look forward to future networking lunches. I am just sorry I was not able to stay to the end, but I had to get to the Women’s Aussie Rules game.
While I managed to attend these two events, I was disappointed to miss the celebration at Yirrkala the night before on Friday, 8 March, because I was still travelling back from Darwin. A very special gathering was organised at Yirrkala, including an award ceremony for young Yolngu women as part of International Women’s Day to recognise their achievements. Hope for Tomorrow’s Leaders: Celebrating Yuda Yolngu Miyalk was the name of the event. I am sure there were a number of people involved in putting the event together. I do not have a list to hand to acknowledge everyone, but I acknowledge the driving force that is Bianca Barling from the East Arnhem Shire. She is an incredibly dedicated and hard-working individual and is well respected by all who know her, including the people of Yirrkala.
Bianca was very capably assisted through the East Arnhem Shire Council’s Youth Sport and Recreation program officers’ Gong-Wapitja Young Women’s Program.
I was proud to be a sponsor of the awards and wish to place on the record the names of the strong young Yolngu women who won those awards. Excellence in Sport went to Munuy’nggu Marika; Excellence in Leadership went to Lirrina Munugurr; Excellence in Caring for Country went to Wuanggawuy Munungiritj; Excellence in Arts went to Dhalmula Burrarrwanga; Excellence in Health went to Wupurruwuy Gondarra; Excellence in went to Work Bamurungu Munungurr; and Excellence in Mothering went to Yarrakayngu Marawilli.
I also acknowledge the contribution to the Yirrkala event of the Mulka Project and also Miwatj’s Strong Fathers, Strong Families Program which provided the catering for the night, which I hear was fantastic.
I move from the successful young women at Yirrkala to acknowledge a number of young people from our region who have been nominated as finalists in the 2013 Young Achiever’s Awards. These include Selena Uibo from Numbulwar who was nominated for the McArthur River Mining Regional and Rural Initiative Award for her work teaching students in Numbulwar; Emily Osborne, from Nhulunbuy - who I have known since she was a little girl – was nominated for the Chief Minister’s Excellence in Youth Leadership Award and the Young Carers Award; Sebastian Pascoe from Galiwinku, who is also an employee of the East Arnhem Shire at Elcho, has been nominated for the McArthur River Mining Regional and Rural Initiative Award for his role as a Sports Development Officer working with children in programs including after-school care, vacation care, sports and youth mentoring. Sebastian is also a member of the 2013 Youth Round Table. Evelyn Ganhutjpuy Dhamarrandji from Galiwinku has been nominated for the Shorelands Group Indigenous Achievement Award for her work as a community youth worker, like Sebastian, from Galiwinku, or Elcho island.
These are young people to look out for in the future. They are to be congratulated on their commitment to youth within their communities. I congratulate them on their outstanding achievements and wish them the very best of luck with the NT Young Achiever Awards when they come around.
I am pleased to congratulate Mr Chris ‘Putty’ Putland on his election as a life member of the Nhulunbuy surf lifesaving club. Chris has been a dedicated member of the surf club for 15 years; I suspect it is longer than that. Some of his contributions to the club include being club president for four years - I also believe it is longer than that - vice president for two years and a committee member for well over a decade.
Putty has also made a huge contribution to Surf Life Saving NT, including organisation and running of junior and cadet development camps. He has spent countless hours at the beach as an official and age group manager. He has volunteered for many shifts on barbecues and behind the bar and has not missed a working bee in 10 years. During his time with the club, Putty has also received numerous awards and qualifications. His recognition comes on the first anniversary of the fire that devastated the Gove surf club in 2012. Putty has been involved in all aspects of rebuilding the new club house. I congratulate Putty on becoming a life member of the surf club. It is these dedicated volunteer members who keep our community groups and clubs operational. Without the dedication of people like Putty and many others, and the support of the services, we would not enjoy the services in our community.
Nhulunbuy people are dead keen fundraisers who have big hearts and deep pockets, and are always stepping up to support a cause and help those in need. The annual World’s Greatest Shave, which raises money for the Leukaemia Foundation is hugely supported every year in Nhulunbuy. Most recently, Nhulunbuy High School saw a number of students participate. I take my hat off to them. Should the five students and one teacher take their hats off, you will see their heads are shaved. I applaud Megan Morris, Cameron Stiff, Morgan Hill, Georgette Birch and Assistant Principal Kate Smith who all shaved for the cure, raising collectively around $8000. Notably, Megan Morris raised nearly $6000 of that sum and planned to donate her beautiful long blonde locks to a wig company for cancer sufferers.
Andrew Pidgeon, a long-term local, also shaved. He shaved his beard of 32 years at a very well-attended evening at the surf club. Even Andrew’s wife, Robyn, had never seen him without a beard. Daughters Zoe and Sarah barely recognised their dad without his beard. I must say I think Andrew looks a little younger without his beard. For his efforts, Andrew raised around $7500, which is an incredible result.
I note another phenomenal fundraising effort which occurred a few months ago, and pay tribute to a terrific local woman, Sarah Farrah, who raised $6028 for the Leukaemia Foundation as part of the U.G.L.Y Bartender of the Year fundraiser. U.G.L.Y stands for Understanding, Generous, Likeable, You. Sarah was in the top five U.G.L.Y fundraisers, which is a fantastic effort. At that time, Sarah was working at the Arnhem Club, but I now see her very friendly face at the Walkabout Lodge when I pop in there from time to time, where she continues to deliver top and always very friendly service.
Mr Deputy Speaker, well done to Sarah on her incredible fundraising efforts. Well done to all those fantastic people in the electorate of Nhulunbuy who continue to work hard for their community and have great achievements.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016